Transformational Pathways

This episode of the Transformational Pathways podcast features three incoming officers of Toastmasters District 46 for the year 2022-2023, Dora Maria Abreu, Evelyn Marrero, and George J. Rivera. They talk about some of the best moments they've had in Toastmasters and encourage everyone to explore the many opportunities and resources that the Pathways Program will provide.HIGHLIGHTSThe challenges in the transition coming out of lockdownsTheir goals for the year as incoming officersThe Pathways program and how people can find a club of their choiceDora, Evelyn, and George's most memorable momentsQUOTESEvelynn: "There's going to be a lot of 'let's see if this works' but thankfully we have a strong leadership team and Toastmasters International gives us a lot of support towards that. So while it will be challenging I think we'll definitely come out stronger on the other end." Dora: "For me, it was more of just being more confident in speaking publicly. So this was an opportunity to get more confident in that space in a safe environment where you would not have had that opportunity in your work experience."George: "We want all members to feel that Pathways is really there to support their journey. We want to create tools that are time-saving, we want to be a source of resources, we want to be available, and we want to be personable. My approach is to be very personable."Evelynn: "I began to realize that I did have a leader in me. That I did have something to share that others found interesting and that they followed. Through concise communication is how you lead best."Connect with Dora, Evelynn, and George in the links below:LinkedIn (Dora): https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmabreu/LinkedIn (Evelynn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelyn-marrero-a9b85b39/LinkedIn (George): https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-j-rivera-msed-dtm-9b689a5/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

In this episode of the Transformational Pathways podcast, Anu Senan talks to Mahesh Thapa and Amha Lawson both from the Toastmasters club at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Mahesh and Amha talk about how there is technically no limit to what you can learn and improve as a member of Toastmasters. If you have the mindset, Toastmasters will provide you with all the tools and resources necessary to achieve your goals.HIGHLIGHTSMahesh and Amha's journey to joining ToastmastersIf a 6-year old can't understand it, you don't eitherToastmasters helps people improve their leadership skillsWho should join Toastmasters?There's no limit to what you can learnQUOTESMahesh: "Even I was one of those in the beginning where we think that Toastmasters is a club where people who has English as a second language go and learn how to speak well. But this is about growing and making sure you're developing your communication and leadership skills and that would happen to everyone." Amha: "One of the best tips I got is that if you can't explain an idea so that a 6-year old can understand it, then you don't understand your own idea." Amha: "I'm used to being very hands-on and well just let me do it myself. But that's now you lead. You lead by empowering people in those positions and then giving them the space to shine." Mahesh: "As long as you have the mindset, Toastmasters has these projects and the pathways that has been designed to meet all your needs."Connect with Amha and Mahesh in the links below:LinkedIn (Mahesh): https://www.linkedin.com/in/maheshthapa/LinkedIn (Amha): https://www.linkedin.com/in/amha-l-64ab36/Facebook (Amha): https://www.facebook.com/amha.lawsonFind out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

In this episode of the Transformational Pathways podcast, Anu Senan talks to Gerlinde Brixius, a corporate banker at HSBC. Born and raised in Austria, Gerlinde had always wanted to expand her horizons by learning foreign languages. Having since studied in France, moved to Singapore, and eventually to New York, Gerlinde has learned to speak five languages: Italian, French, German, Mandarin, and English. Upon joining Toastmasters, Gerlinde has since acquired a new skill: to use her voice not only as a means to communicate, but to advocate for sustainable living practices. More than learning a language, Gerlinde has learned how to encourage others to reduce their carbon footprint and live in a way that's good for the planet too. HIGHLIGHTSAn appetite for learning foreign languages Healing and Hildegard of BingenJoining Toastmasters and learning how to use her voice What's for us is good for the planet tooToastmasters is a great place to learn leadership skillsQUOTESGerlinde: "An ugly little voice started coming up saying, you have to use your voice. Because there are people out there, they're great talent. But they maybe don't have the connection or they need  somebody to advocate for them. And that's going to be your role." Gerlinde: "There is nothing that's bad for the human being that will be good for the Earth, or the other way around. There's nothing that will be good for the Earth that will not be good for us, definitely."Gerlinde: "To be an officer, and the buck stops with you in the case of a club president, you learn in a low-stake environment to be the ultimate responsible person. So for anyone who wants to launch their own business, that's so invaluable. And low stake doesn't mean it's not important. And low stake means that everybody in the room and the club supports you and even the district actually for that matter." Connect with Gerlinde in the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerlindebrixius/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

It seems that women just make everything better, including Toastmasters Clubs. In this episode of the Transformational Pathways podcast, Anu Senan talks to Sheila Oranch. As a pioneering female member and one of the first female club presidents of Toastmasters in New York State, Sheila Oranch has seen how the entry of women has also allowed more people from all walks of life into what was previously just a men's club. Having been active since 1974, she has also seen how learning better communication skills have allowed people from even the worst situations to better themselves. When you're given a roomful of people who will give you full attention and good feedback, there's just no limit to what you can do. HIGHLIGHTSHow women changed Toastmasters clubsTalking is not communicatingLessons learned from volunteering in a prison for womenToastmasters Clubs host youth leadership programs tooEvery speed bump is a stepping stone to successQUOTESSheila: "When you break any one barrier, it tends to break all the other barriers. And I don't know that it matters which is the entry point, but as soon as any self-contained homogenous group accepts any people who are different than they are ... all of a sudden, different doesn't seem so scary." Sheila: "Talking isn't communicating. I was born talking, apparently. That came naturally. But if you're not able to listen and understand your audience and fairly exchange concepts and understanding, then you're not communicating."Sheila: "When a person has a roomful of people genuinely listening to them, responding, applauding, giving constructive feedback, they get so much confidence you can see them blossom. Like that little flower that finally gets some water and sunshine. See them coming week after week and going from shuffling in like 'oh my god, do I have to be here' to like, they couldn't wait and competing with each other to get to be Toastmaster next meeting." Sheila: "I never forgot being a teenager, being a young person and not being listened to. Not being heard, being treated as something like a puppy or a kitten and not a thinking, caring human being who had opinions. I want the young people to gain their voice. I want them to be heard because that's how we're going to change the world." Sheila: "Every speed bump is a stepping stone to success. All the but-buts, all the reasons why you can't do something, that's just your to-do list. Even if something is scary or difficult, that's probably because you don't know enough about it, to know that you can do it.Connect with Sheila in the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-oranch-966180/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

In this episode of the Transformational Pathways podcast, Anu talks to veteran educator Susan Baxter. Susan, who is currently president of two Toastmasters clubs, namely the Podcast Pioneers and New York Storytellers, retells the story of how she first discovered Toastmasters. She also talks about how her membership has improved both her professional and personal lives. Susan's experience with Toastmasters has benefitted her immensely, and invites everyone to first determine their personal goals and then looking for the specific club that will match their interests. As Susan will tell you, there's literally a Toastmasters club for everyone, and they will help you achieve your goals if you are willing to put in the work. HIGHLIGHTSHow Susan discovered ToastmastersToastmasters can help improve both personal and professional livesTeaching in New York and joining multiple Toastmasters clubsA Toastmasters club for podcasters Why do you want to join Toastmasters?Toastmasters will help you achieve your goals if you work on itQUOTESSusan: "Toastmasters helped me be quite successful when I was dean and helped me feel much more comfortable doing my job and meeting people and cold-calling different CEOs to come and be a part of the speaker series." Susan: "When I put on that suit, that armor of who I am professionally, I can be at Lincoln Center and announcing the graduate school to the college president going, there they've met all the criteria and I mean, imagine all the people in Lincoln Center, all the parents and everything, packed, standing room. I can stand on that stage and do what I need to do as Dr. Baxter. But when I'm Susan, that's when the fears hit of, am I going to say the right thing. I don't feel that way when I'm Dr. Baxter." Susan: "If you're looking at Toastmasters, one of the things to consider would be, why? Are you looking at it to learn another language? There's a club for that. Are you looking at it because you're trying to lighten up a little bit, there's humorous clubs. Are you terrified of speaking in front of other people, then think about you want a large club or a smaller club."Susan: "You can do whichever way you want. There's not a wrong way, which makes Toastmasters work for anybody. And it is the best money you will ever spend to get support to improve not only your public speaking, but you make connections with people from every walk of life, and it's fabulous." Connect with Susan and in the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susancbaxter/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

In this episode of the Transformational Pathways podcast, Anu talks to software engineer Stella Umunna. Stella, who hails from Nigeria and studied in the UK and now lives in and works in the US, is passionate about getting more girls and people of color in STEM. For Stella, getting more African people involved in STEM will mean more people working to solve important issues such as hunger, climate change, etc. While joining Toastmasters has improved her ability to communicate with clients as well as the people she works with, Stella also talks about how her improvements as a public speaker have also affected her personal life and advocacy work. She believes that through Toastmasters, she will be able to  reach more people and achieve her lifelong dream of seeing more women of color in STEM. HIGHLIGHTSSTEM needs more women of color Gamification as a delivery method for learning STEMLiving in three different countries and the lessons learned Toastmasters improves both professional and personal livesGiving and receiving feedback is a skill that can be learned It's never too late to learn and improve QUOTESStella: "As a female and software engineer of color, I've always wondered why there couldn't be more like me. Most of the time in any meetings I will have, you hardly see any women in our field. Also, you hardly see any people of color especially Black or African-American people. So I've made it my vision to get kids, K to 12, in to the STEM pipeline and help them develop a lifetime interest in Science and Technology, which is my specialty." Stella: "The difference is that a lot of places like the US and in the UK too, a lot of money has been pumped into research and technology. And I think that's a main game changer. Africa's still a developing nation, so I guess we're still trying to solve all the infrastructure problems. That's one of the reasons why technology really isn't up to snuff, because we have to provide light, we have to provide running water and electricity for people. We're still trying to solve basic problems." Stella: "Joining Toastmasters has helped me improve my communication skills. As part of my job, I need to communicate design plans and share ideas with my clients all the time. And now, I'm all ready to go as soon as my clients say, 'pitch me something.'" Stella: "I really love the Toastmasters club. I don't know why I didn't join 10 years ago. But I guess it's never too late. Life is a life-learning process. You're never too old to learn, you can always keep improving yourself."Connect with Stella and her work in the links below:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-umunna-741a746/STEMKasa (Learning App): https://www.stemkasa.comFind out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

In this episode of the Transformational Pathways podcast, Anu talks to Anna Zhao. Anna is a financial management specialist by trade, but is a storyteller at heart. Growing up in China, Anna was encouraged by her parents to pursue her interests, public speaking being among the many. As an adult, she reignited that passion upon joining Toastmasters.Anna talks about commitment, and how her unwavering passion allowed her to continue improving her speeches virtually during quarantine. While the experience of speaking to a live audience is incomparable, her passion for the craft was not diminished and she continued to be active in her club. HIGHLIGHTSHow Anna rediscovered her love of public speaking with ToastmastersEarly childhood and growing up in ChinaEntering the United States and developing more passionsIt's all about commitment: speeches in the era of Zoom meetingsPicking up leadership skills with ToastmastersA lifetime of developing passionsQUOTESAnna: "I just signed up and starting from there, I gave a speech and learned from all the excellent toastmasters members. It has been a transformative experience. Every single day, I'm inspired by the people and by the stage itself."Anna: "Writing a speech is a journey with ourselves. Each story is about ourselves, we just need to dig deep into our own story and then write it, rehearse it, and deliver it. It's about ourselves, it's just like a commitment. When we give a commitment, it's not about the other person." Anna: "If we talk about the commitment to the club, to giving a speech, to Toastmasters, it's all about ourselves. I want to get deeper into myself, to have discoveries about myself. I write about it, I contemplate it. It's about ourselves. Once we think through this, it's a natural flow from there." Connect with Anna in the links below:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annazhao-ny/Leadership Roundtable Open House Registration Link (May 2): https://www.leadershiproundtable.toastmastersclubs.org/directions.htmlFind out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSToastmasters goes beyond public speaking Toastmasters can be a safe space Lessons learned while doing PR during a global pandemicStorytelling can help you impact more peopleRG's transformational storyQUOTESRose: "We tend to think of Toastmasters as just public speaking. It's way more than that. You can work on your communication skills, but what I've truly gotten out of Toastmasters is evaluation as well as leadership opportunities. And of course, a good confidence boost."Rose: "In my personal life, I find Toastmasters to be a safe space where you can go and bounce ideas. It could be just a rant that I just want to vent and I can wrap it up into a very nice speech and get feedback from my friends."Rose: "The worst that will happen is you get feedback, you get constructive criticism. Most of the time, it's very positive feedback. People will tell you what you're doing well and what you should continue doing. Other times, they will mention areas of improvement. And the sooner you get that feedback, the earlier you can start working on your other speeches." Connect with Rose in the links below:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosegaelle/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSYou need to put in the workBuilding confidence through experienceKeep listening to others but find your own authentic voicePeople respond to vulnerabilityJust keep going, even if you miss a stepKeep your mind in the presentQUOTESKimberly: "I really want to speak from authenticity. I want to speak like me. I want to take all of the great people that I think speak so well, and make it my own. I don't have to talk exactly like them, because I am not them. And so I want to speak from a place where it's me."Kimberly: “Be confident in the material that you have in its most basic form. You want to know what you're talking about. Anytime before I have a prepared speech, I will just listen to a podcast, or do my research and look at different angles of it, just so I have a holistic picture of it."Kimberly: "If I stumble on a word, just get past it and don't make a big deal out of it. Like when you dance, you're doing choreography and you know that you've missed a step, other people aren't going to notice it as much as you do. You just have to keep going.”Kimberly: "I prepare myself to think: this might not be perfect, relax, if you make a mistake, it's okay. I think people will also be a little bit more comfortable if you make some mistakes sometimes because it shows that you're human." Kimberly: "Don't think too much of the future, don't think of anything that's happened in the past. Just be there with your audience because they're taking the time to listen to you and so you should make sure that you're speaking to them and that you're paying attention to them."Connect with Kimberly in the links below:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-tanksley/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSWhat makes a relatable story? Journey with different Toastmasters clubs The power of building networks and storytellingAnu's vision for the podcast What listeners can expect for this version of the podcast and Anu as hostWhat makes a great question? Questions to look at for the new podcast formatListenership will take care of itselfQUOTESAnu: "Story building is all about building human connections. And when you are networking with people, you're telling them stories. And I think that was also part of the speech that I was preparing with. It was very powerful it helped build connections. A lot of people would come up to me after the speech, emotionally moved, telling them how much it was inspiring them and I could see for myself the power of telling stories." Anu: "When we say technology and storytelling or presentations, the first name that comes to mind for me at least is Steve Jobs. He did a fantastic job of never bringing up anything technical in his presentations. Kept it super simple, kept it clean and made it look so attractive to people who wouldn't understand that technology."Anu: "What they can expect out of this is definitely a lot of rich stories, engaging conversations with Toastmasters, and what they can bring to the table. And probably, I'm hoping out of every episode, they can take away one or two new things that they've never heard of before, something of learning value in every episode."Anu: "The question should really tap into the deeper narrative, the why behind whatever actions the speaker or the guest is sharing about. To understand what is driving them, to understand what are their greatest fears or what are their greatest desires, because one of these factors drive people forward and try to get into the mind of the listener, and their psyche and understand them a little bit more." Connect with Anu in the links below:Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/anusenan/Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heroes-of-new-york/id1511084574Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSToastmasters is a very diverse group Getting welcomed with open arms From New Jersey to New York clubThe youth of today are the elders of tomorrowIntroducing the Youth Leadership ProgramShaping the future one youth at a timeQUOTESJahnavi: “While you're here in Toastmasters, you can make mistakes. Because in the real world, mistakes can cost you your job. Here, you can make a fool of yourself and we will be here to tell you what you're doing wrong in a friendly way.”Somesh: “It's all about, in Toastmasters club, building connection, and then having the right conversation, and collaborating. All my learnings from the Toastmasters club and senior toastmasters and having a good mentor made me serve the community and the young people by paying it back. Because as I teach, I'm enhancing my public speaking skills.”Somesh: “What surprised us as teachers is the discipline. They always respect each others' opinion, and more importantly, it's all about diversity, right? How do you have diverse opinions, when you are doing debates but in a healthy manner, still respecting each others' view? Sometimes it makes us adults also learn from these young people.”Connect with Somesh and Jahnavi in the links below:Somesh Chablani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somesh-chablani-dtm-/Jahnavi Utukuri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahnaviutukuri/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSPodcasts as a way for self-discovery Growing up in Russia and the concept of conformityLearning English and moving to the United States Joining Toastmasters and loving the sense of communitySelf-improvement and the Toastmaster processLeadership, acknowledging mistakes, and vulnerabilityQUOTESAngelika: “For me, every speech, every topic that I've presented at Toastmasters is a way to relive your experiences, and to kind of underline, okay, what did I learn from them and how did that influence me as a person.”Scott: “The speech making process that's embedded into the Toastmasters educational curriculum, is a way to examine, reframe and process the events in our lives if we choose to make it so.”Angelika: “Your club, you become like a family because you bring some topics that are very vulnerable sometimes. And being that transparent with these little parts of yourself, that gives you that sense of closeness and community.”Angelika: “Being that open about your weak spots, that's the difficult part. But then you receive the support of the person, even of an evaluator saying, I understand, I've been through that, I know what that  feels like, I got you. That gives you strength.”Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSFormative years: From journalism to teaching Learning about and joining Toastmasters There's always someone better than you What makes a story good? Leave your ego at the doorJoin Toastmasters to improve yourself Embrace your verbsQUOTESMarc: "If you don't wanna make it yourself, you don't really want it."Marc: "I would say that anybody, I don't care what level you're at, there is somebody you can meet, somebody you can speak to, somebody you can come across, who will just teach you things that you did not know." Marc: "If I'm a great speaker, if I'm a good speaker, if I'm a compelling speaker, if I'm a helpful speaker, if I'm a transformation speaker, it's only because I've come across people who have helped me, transformed me, taught me."Marc: "Just pick one thing that you would like to be able to do better, one thing that would make you feel a little bit better about yourself and just focus on that. You don't have to be the next Tony Robbins, you just have to be the next version of you who's gonna tell that next story that you just heard or experienced or lived through."Marc: "The secret to being an effective educator is understanding that even if you are on the front of the room, whether you are on the stage or the guy by the side, that it's always about the students in the classroom. That is why as educators we always have to throw the ego out the door."Marc: "Sometimes, performance is a dirty word in public speaking. I say let's stop separating all these things and merge them together. Public speaking, performing, visual, verbal, we gotta put it all together."Connect with Marc in the link below:Website: https://www.marcwilliamsspeaks.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-williams-speaks/Web Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChudlZE4_xiBaXxBNddoktwFind out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSFrom pre-Med to Wall StreetThe critical importance of listening Gains and opportunities opened by joining ToastmastersSpeaking is only one part of communicationCompetition can be supportive and nurturingLessons learned after testing positive for COVID-19Time spent with others is our best asset QUOTESRobert: "As valuable it is to speak, probably more important to be a good listener."Robert: "It's not only public speaking that is the value of Toastmasters to me. It's the communication. What Toastmasters has done is to help me to crystallize my thinking, focus my comment, hopefully get rid of a lot of noise that goes on in my head, and deliver a message, whether it's table topics, a formal speech evaluation, something that people will actually remember because the message is clear." Robert: "Motivate/inspire the people who work with and for you, and that's what Toastmasters do. They inspire and motivate others to help them with their journeys that those people might not have been able to do if they relied strictly on their own capabilities. We are the movers, we are the accelerators. "Robert: "Because we are challenging one another to get better, we realize there's really no limit to our ability to improve how we speak, how we listen, and how we can better support one another."Robert: "I came to realize in those 10 days, my situation was not permanent. It felt permanent, while going through it, but I realize it's part of life what we go through, our ups and downs. It's a temporary situation and it will get better. Times will change and we will adapt."Connect with Robert in the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobgoodman1/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTSOvercoming stage fright by honoring her father's memoryFinding her voice and starting a singing career in FloridaPaint the picture: show don't tellRecover from your falls, both literally and figurativelyTrust in the processGrowing your speaking skill with ToastmastersContest speaking vs real-world keynote speakingWhat is lateral thinking?Public speaking in the age of ZoomQUOTESVerity: "True confidence, is when you're okay with things not being okay." Verity: "You've gotta live before you die, you've gotta smile before you cry, you can't fall unless you fly, you can't fail unless you try."Verity: "If I look back at the first time that I had my heart broken, it was the end of the world. I didn't believe that I'd ever be okay. But subsequent heart breaks -— because life is a series of heartbreaks, I've learned that I will be okay. And yes, this is hard and I might need to mourn, and I might need to cry and it's a lot of ice cream and watching Netflix. but I know that inherently inside, I will be okay."Verity: "Lateral thinking is just thinking sideways, off course from your normal direction of thinking, and arrive at ideas that are outside of where you would generally think."Connect with Verity in the links below:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamverity/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamverityLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verityprice/Website: https://www.iamverity.com/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS06:38 How Natsuyo landed in New York 07:31 Natsuyo's unusual family life in Japan 15:33 How Japanese communication is very different from the New York-American way19:00 Getting started with Toastmasters24:05 Diving headfirst into competitive speaking25:45 Always focus on one big message26:44 Speaking is entertainment: Catching people's attention29:23 The process of improving your speech helps you grow as a person30:56 Natsuyo's struggle with breast cancer 34:59 Telling a story can heal both the speaker and the audience 38:35 Intercultural communication: Connecting with audiences of different nationalities41:52 Connect with Natsuyo42:54 Natsuyo's favorite leader and speakerQUOTES17:58 Natsuyo: "The interesting thing about cross-cultural issues is you need to be flexible. You can't be far right or far left. You need to be able to gauge where the other person is in relative to where you are and how you wanna adjust to yourself so you are not only heard, but your message is acted upon. 26:42 Natsuyo: "I always thought that performing arts and business don't merge. But at that moment, I figured out speaking is an entertainment, and you have to be able to entertain the listeners so that they will really hear you and act on your message."29:48 Natsuyo:  "I really believe the speech writing process is about self-improvement or self-development because when you craft a story, you really have to go deeper into yourself, deep into your past, and really have a deep understanding of why you did what you did and what was your learning." 34:54 Natsuyo: "I shared my story and I felt like I really felt like through stories. I can connect with the audience, heart to heart, and speaking was healing for me. So telling a story healed me and also it healed the audience to whatever they're feeling, whatever pain they had."36:37 Scott: "You shared something intimate about yourself. And I, as a listener, felt connected to you, not just as a talking head or someone passing on information, but as a human being. And that's where the feelings inside come out and it's a genuine connection. There's real power there.39:16 Natsuyo: "The message itself is really universal. It  doesn't matter what country you're from. Everyone has hearts and everyone has experienced some hardship. So when you, find a universal message, that resonates with everyone in the world. that being said, the way to deliver your story may be slightly different depending on who you're talking to, especially in different cultures."Connect with Natsuyo in the links below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/natsuyolipschutz/Website - https://natsuyolipschutz.us/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/natsuyolInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/natsuyo_lipschutz/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS02:19 Seth's career: An engineer by trade, an artist and designer by heart06:02 A natural introvert, Seth's desire to get out of his head led him to Toastmasters11:08 Listening: At the core of being present and the other half of communication14:15 Use both sides of your brain: Get comfortable saying "I don't know"17:47 Building connection: Let go of ego and go from "mego" to "wego"19:50 To be authentic, you have to know yourself 22:35 Who is Sherpa Seth and the secrets of a Creative Warrior 33:21 Seth's presentation to Toastmasters District 4635:03 Mark Twain: It takes 3 weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech36:53 Connect with SethQUOTES08:25 "Toastmasters is to key to get out of your head. It's all about speaking in public, having confidence to speak in public. We're all about leaders who can speak, who can prepare a speech, who can speak on the cuff."09:10 "To understand communication, you have to first listen and then speak. And that's what Toastmasters actually has taught me because, in terms of evaluation, evaluating someone's speech, you got to listen, you got to quiet the thoughts in your head in order to do that."12:51 "That's what is communication is all about, A plus B equals C, right? Accept plus Build equals Collaboration and Communication."18:30 "If you are run by the ego, you're never going to let others in. What I like to tell my students is that you have to go from 'mego' to 'wego.' It's called a Build It Together Mindset, a B.I.T. mindset. Go from me to we, and how do you do that? You let go of your ego."Connect with Seth in the links below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbgreenwald/Website - https://creativewarriorsecrets.com/Email - seth@creativewarriorsecrets.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqXYyYjgsKWRKuvgpzElQDQFind out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS01:27 Working in HR and finding satisfaction becoming a private tutor05:16 The evaluative experience of Toastmasters equips HR for difficult conversations08:54 Toastmasters: A venue to receive feedback made with good intent15:28 Toastmasters is a family affair for Jasmin18:35 Becoming more open to things because of Toastmasters  19:51 Podcast Pioneers: A tangible way to connect virtually 22:08 Toastmasters enhances you to do better in your chosen field24:11 Muriel Shabazz is Jasmin's favorite ToastmasterQUOTES05:37 "One of the things that I value most about Toastmasters is their evaluative experience. The strategies that they recommend for evaluation I found to be so useful in so many areas... because there were many situations where I had to have uncomfortable or less than favorable conversations with people."10:25 "Overall, learning to communicate with kindness and to be a good listener, which Toastmasters helps us do, is helpful across the board in every field because then you feel like you're talking to somebody who wants you to do well, too."19:10 "Toastmasters has helped me increase my confidence in my competence. And so I'm able to say yes. If someone says here's an opportunity that I think fits you, I'm less likely now to brush it off. I'll say, okay."22:56 "The most critical thing is the feedback because you get to hear from people who are hearing you in real time tell you how impactful you've been. Did you think that you've communicated this message? Well, they'll let you know... and now you know how to shift and rework it. So it's as effective as you want it."Connect with Jasmin in the link below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmin-pemberton-6563bb129/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tmPlease rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS02:25 How Matthew started out in the world of comedy12:58 Books, comedy, and the ability to laugh at one's self15:37 Highschool humiliation, memes, and being banned from announcements19:26 How to read the room as a comedian and a Toastmaster22:51 How and why Matthew ended up with Toastmasters28:36 Matthew's pathway: A helpful tool as a visual learner32:58 Icebreaker: "A little alone time isn't so bad"37:15 Toastmasters and comedy changed Matthew as the world is starting to open up44:04 The Roosevelt line Toastmasters club vibe that Matthew is in49:07 How Toastmasters pathway can help someone who wants to learn comedy54:17 Matthew's favorite comedians and leadersQUOTES11:26 "It's important or helpful to come up with something funny to say when that bomb occurs as a way of rescuing the situation."13:50 "It's all about control in any public speaking situation. The audience is gonna feel more comfortable if they feel like the person talking is in control. And comedy is a way of indicating you're in control by being able to ascertain an emotional response in somebody even when you're screwing up."21:14 "What's great about Toastmasters is it doesn't just give you skills of how to talk to people, it gives you skills on how to listen to people. So it's a very conversational aspect to it... what people in this room and this group of what they're sensitive about. What might work and what might not."24:40 "The best stand-ups are the people who don't view it as a performance, they view it basically just like a conversation you would have with anybody."38:37 "Toastmasters to me has reignited just the love of communication with people. Just talking about anything, just being able to be out with people to talk of the cuff about anything. It not only makes you a stronger speaker as it has for me, but it also just reignited a certain for communication that maybe got lost when we were all inside or maybe never went away but now rediscovering."47:34 "So just the idea of knowing that, like I can talk to this person and they will feel comfortable talking to me and we can have a free-flowing conversation. Even if either one of us has maybe had a rough day or whatever.”50:21 "It can be a very uncomfortable, uninviting space for women in general. And also basically any marginalized group, because there are lots of men, shall we say who feel that comedy is still largely about who you can attack and who you can bring down and kind of revel in a certain amount of cruelty in their comedy."59:20 "Leaders tend to just kind of naturally gravitate to positions of leadership. And part of gravitating to that position is respecting the people around you and making them feel important in a way that if they are asked that question, they will point to you."Connect with Matthew in the links below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-fay-1a600988/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blondeone991/Twitter - @HisNameisFayFind out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Please rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS28:05 How Adam ended up with Toastmasters after all of his experience in banking, the Royal Australian Air Force, and being an Intelligence Specialist.36:03 A Toastmasters club of which he was supposed to be president until the pandemic hit and how it affected the members and himself personally38:54 Service towards the people in Toastmasters and why it was fundamentally engrained into Adam's life43:04 Tactics Adam used to rebuild the club from shambles52:30 Adam's experience to convince young and hungry executives to join Toastmasters and why it's a mustQUOTES21:35 "I remember going to sleep one night in a pitch-black room and a rocket landed nearby and exploded. And the room went from pitch-black to as bright as the mid-day sun in a flash. As soon as it was over, I rolled over and went back to sleep. That's how you got used to it ... It was normal."28:36 "I lacked a lot of self-confidence and I really needed to improve my ability to communicate, and my leadership skills. And I remember someone recommending Toastmasters to me. So I joined the Toastmasters club in Wollongong, which sadly no longer exists. Its name was Collieries Toastmasters Club."37:47 "To give people a break from what was happening with the pandemic, in March, April, and May were particularly dark times here in New York. To give people a reprieve was my objective, to give people that space to grow. To be supported and to discover who they could be, was my plan. It was not easy but it was a lot of fun."39:00 "If you're in a better position than someone else then help that person to achieve, to succeed, to learn, to grow, and develop. I've always believed in it."41:45 "I knew the pandemic wasn't gonna last forever, I knew it was gonna finish at some point ... but I wanted to set those people up for success. I wanted to give them that foundation on which they could step forth and become better people before this was all over, or during it."Connect with Adam in the link below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-cole-pmp%C2%AE-pmi-acp%C2%AE-csm%C2%AE-270987158Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ Please rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS05:15 Toastmasters instilled confidence and a sense of accomplishment from the get-go06:05 The Foreign Service Exam made it clear that public speaking is a necessary skill07:36 Learning through imitation and challenging himself to join Toastmasters12:30 Nurture the fire that led you to Toastmasters: Nerves are normal!16:41 Public speaking is a practice in leadership18:27 Story-telling as an executive skill and exercising leadership for a Fullbright scholarship27:00 The lasting change of video conferencing and its effectiveness in teaching30:53 Coaching and corporate training with Jesse33:20 Barack Obama as an example of great executive presence34:38 Being nervous means stepping out of your comfort zone and growingQUOTES02:33 "What I realized is that when you don't speak, other people make assumptions about what you're thinking. You don't have to dominate a conversation or try to control other people's thoughts, but it's really important to speak your own mind."10:48 "I'm Toastmaster even now because I realized that the most important thing to public speaking is regular practice. It's like playing an instrument or playing a sport that, to keep up your skills, you have to do it regularly."16:49 "That willingness to step forward, to put yourself forward, and willingness to put yourself forward. That's what leadership is. And when you practice public speaking, you're literally taking a step forward." 22:33 "I need to be out there putting my ideas in the world, publishing articles, giving guest lectures, basically going beyond what's asked of me. And when you start going beyond what's asked of you, that's when you start to exhibit leadership."35:09 "The only way you know whether you're really pushing the envelope and challenging yourself is if you feel some nervousness about what you're doing. If you're completely comfortable with everything that you do, you're not stretching in any way whatsoever."Connect with Jesse in the link below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessescinto/Website - https://publicsphere.llc/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Please rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS01:59 Growing up in Guyana and moving to New York07:22 A fascination with the moon and her emotional arrival in New York 12:17 Working and studying full-time and joining Toastmasters as an extracurricular activity17:17 Being welcomed into Toastmasters and doing her first Table Topics23:14 Toastmasters is a platform for sharing and learning26:41 Losing her confidence and walking out of the room and the audience33:19 Facing her fear of speaking in front of an audience and overcoming it39:52 Joining a bilingual Toastmasters club42:16 Keeping an open and mind listening to each speaker and their stories44:17 Growing with Toastmasters and working on areas for improvementQUOTES10:01 "There's the other side of the world in Guyana where people who have seen you for all this time can't bear to let you go. So here I was sort of stuck in that limbo. Should I be happy that I'm here, or should I be sad that I'm here?"15:43 "To be honest, I wasn't looking to go do speeches. I just really wanted somewhere to be, somewhere to go, so I can feel that I was a part of college outside of the academics."23:46 "It's such a good platform. the way you can share and you can learn from people. So people go there and yes, they are improving their public speaking skills, but they're also sharing something that people in the audience would have never known."31:51 "From that day on, I never went back to speak in front of an audience because there was this always lingering fear that okay, this happened, and this will probably happen again."34:34 "Are you waiting for some miracle to happen for you to say, oh yeah, let me do this. I mean, I guess I realized that if I don't make that effort to work at it, I'll always be a prisoner to this fear."Connect with Christina in the link below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-p-bb350294/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Please rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS02:47 Radhi's journey: Growing up in Nigeria, India, and the US09:08 Barely speaking at her father's toast and joining Toastmasters14:32 Running for area director and creating an impromptu speech17:43 Becoming a leader in Toastmasters and building confidence23:38 Join the Toastmasters club that's right for you and learn new skills28:16 Toastmasters' international conventions bring the world together like never before33:42 Radhi's commitment and plans as a leader in Toastmasters 35:10 Even Mahatma Gandhi had to learn how to speak publicly37:06 Connect with any Toastmasters club around the world and make new friendsQUOTES09:56 "My hands are all shaking and I'm like, To the best dad. One sentence. It was awful. And at that time, my two sisters who had come from India, belonged to a Toastmasters club in India and they said enough, you have to join Toastmasters."19:14 "Everything in Toastmasters, it is all about experiential learning. You're learning by doing, and not only that, everybody there in your club is also having their own goals and trying to get there. But we give each other feedback. We support each other."20:35 "The skills you learn in Toastmasters is general. It's what you need in everyday life, at home, at work, everywhere. So this is a skill that you take with you. It's always something that will benefit you."22:32 "Women sometimes underestimate themselves. They're really capable of so much. Maybe it's my mom would always tell us, you can do it. You can do it. But yet, it was easier said than done, but Toastmasters gives you that confidence." 32:46 "Ours is the only organization dedicated to the individual. We use the skills to help each other and then move on. We don't care about the stock price. We don't care about the stock market. It's nothing. It's just to help each other."Connect with Radhi in the links below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhi-spear-b769061/Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Please rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS02:12 Living by Oprah's words and helping others grow04:09 Joining Greenspeakers was the best decision of Kira's life13:25 Speaking at Toastmasters activates the desire to create 16:24 Good mentorship views both parties as equals17:28 Work at NBCUniversal Media and being empowered by Toastmaster skills 22:25 WordsbyKira Podcast: Creating content on self-love25:53 A space to speak provides unforeseen benefits 26:57 Toastmasters teaches you to invest in yourself 28:50 Connect with KiraQUOTES02:20 "I just believe that, sometimes in order to get where you're supposed to go, it might take longer than others, but as long as you get there, you do the work, you're actually growing yourself, helping to grow others, that's what really matters."04:23 "When it came to professional settings, networking, going to job interviews, I had a lot of anxiety. I was very nervous about do I sound intelligent enough? Will I come off confident enough? And Greenspeakers helped me so much with that."14:43 "I feel like now, for one of the first times in my life, I actually have people coaching me, in a sense, to get to that next place in my career and have that support that I didn't necessarily have."24:56 "I think for me, the hardest part is just staying consistent and wanting to make sure that my content is helpful and interesting, engaging. And also marketing."26:07 "Being able to speak in different spaces and feel confident about yourself and know how to articulate your message is incredibly powerful. It can lead to all sorts of opportunities like this podcast."Connect with Kira in the links below:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiraaseale/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGqA5LczAlnzBoov6hYsuFAFind out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Please rate, review and subscribe!Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS03:46 Using the principles of economics in Toastmasters and day-to-day life10:29 Growing up in Cairo and loving math and Arabic17:25 Creating an impact in the Egyptian Ministry of Finance22:44 Toastmasters: Finding community and mentorship35:25 Experiencing different Toastmasters clubs 39:15 Conquering the fear of public speaking and job interviews 44:37 Advice to fresh grads: Speaking is the most important skill47:13 Connect with LoujainaQUOTES02:38 "People would always think about economics as money, how to make money. But no, it's not like this. It's a way of thinking. It's how we make decisions. It's all about making decisions."07:15 "When I think about giving a speech, so basically, how many speeches would I give in a given year? So now I have to think about what we call the marginal principle. So what's the additional cost of giving that speech versus the additional benefit?"09:03 "We have to clear about what is opportunity cost? Opportunity cost is what is the value of my second best alternative? So if I am not in a Toastmasters meeting now, what is the thing that I would be doing? This is my opportunity cost, right?"29:45 "I think this is what a great mentor is, right? They'll support you but they never tell you what to do. You're the master of your decisions at the end of the day, right?"45:28 "Believe me, speaking is more important because most times you're just going to be talking. Not everyone is going to read the material that you write, but everyone has to listen to you at least for two minutes when you introduce yourself."Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS02:55 Maim's diverse background growing up in Queens 07:24 Joining the debate club and harnessing public speaking with Toastmasters 13:05 Coaching young debaters and forming meaningful connections16:45 Toastmasters is a venue for constructive dialogue to bridge gaps19:33 Furthering your career in another city and meeting new Toastmasters28:23 Pursuing happiness is a luxury, pursuing meaning is a moral obligation 29:45 Connect with MaimQUOTES08:16 "Saying something is very different from doing something, and that extends greatly to public speaking... You think public speaking looks easy but there's so many nuances to the art form of public speaking that it just boggles your mind."14:06 "Like anything in life, nothing can be transactional. You need to have some level of genuinity when you're dealing with this. And one thing that I've learned is the genuine relationships I started forming with my students."16:51 "I just don't want to give speeches or do debate competitions or rounds just for the sole purpose of me trying to gain a win, trying to gain advantage or win the argument. So that's what really lured me to Toastmasters."25:15 "While you do meet people in a professional environment, it's also how you carry yourself over with them and how you keep in touch with them. By building upon that relationship, not only do you form a really cool friendship, but you're also able to ask for assistance."26:50 "You may not necessarily see yourself exactly in one place, but you have certain values aligned with your beliefs and your experiences, you'll eventually get to that place."Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS06:43 Rediscovering Toastmasters and becoming active in pursuing roles11:33 Growing confident through public speaking and developing leadership19:09 Brenee embraces leadership and wins the presidency of her chapter27:12 Using the lessons of Toastmasters and applying it to the workplace30:27 The role of mentorship in creating strong leadersQUOTES08:20 "He tells stories about his childhood growing up in Jamaica because he lived with our grandparents when he was young. So he told stories. And when he came down and he sat back next to me, I'm like, how did you do that, Jason? He's like, Toastmasters."09:33 "He definitely learned the technique of telling personal stories. Again, he just spoke warmly of his childhood and what it meant to him and what she meant to people in the community. And it felt like he was having a conversation with the audience."16:44 "Management is managing processes and things and leadership is empowering others and reach their potential."28:33 "I would definitely say if you want to go far in your career, if you want to reach your potential and you want to go fast, I say join Toastmasters. It's going to teach you a lot of skills that transition into the workplace."31:25 "You'll go further and faster if we have great mentorship if you have a support system if you have a team. And that transitions into the workplace."Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Genein Letford is the Chief Executive Officer at CAFFE Strategies, LLC which integrates both developmental processes for individual and organizational success. As an award-winning educator, speaker, and 2019 LA LAKERS Business Women of the Year, Genein's company develops and facilitates intercultural creative thinking needed to inspire, revive, and empower employees to connect, create and innovate beyond cultural lines. She believes that the critical need for intercultural creative thinking within ourselves and in our team has now taken precedence over other workforce skills. Genein has worked and consulted with various organizations, including Woodbury University, Medtronics, DonorsChoose, PwC Foundation, Moreno Valley School District, and many other organizations and entrepreneurs needing to feel confident in their ability to create and produce effective ideas for a global workforce.     Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Johana Jiang is a Marketing Analyst at StepStine Group. She is the President of the Fordham Lincoln Center Toastmasters Club since 2019. She is also a graduate of Fordham University.Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Matt Kinsey is the President and CEO of MK Tech Group, Inc. Matt has over 30 year's experience in IT Infrastructure. High focus on providing high quality, exceptional customer service, and creative solutions. He has extensive experience with open systems, internetworking, workplace computing, technology evaluation, solution architecture, enterprise architecture, and technology forecasting.Matt Kinsey will take on a new role as an International President for the Toastmasters starting on August 2021.Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Osama Tawi will take on a new role as Club Growth Director for the entire District 46 by July 2021.Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Evelyn Marrero is Principal Financial Investigator at the New York County District Attorney's Office. She is involved in cases in the areas of White Collar Crimes - Money Laundering and Tax Crimes.Evelyn seats as the Growth Director of all Toastmasters District 46 but will eventually take on a new role as a Program Quality Director for the entire District 46 by July 2021.Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Jan Paul Roodbol is the VP for Corporate Treasury: International Capital Management at MetLife. He has 30 years of experience in the life insurance industry. These are some of the highlights about Jan Paul:Broad experience in financial management, financial/business modeling skills, understanding how profits are generated, and the multi-dimensional nature of business.Experience in internationalization strategy development and execution, from strategic planning and financial analysis to project management and implementation.Communication skills, including English, Dutch, German, French, and Afrikaans.Since joining Toastmasters in 2013 Jan-Paul has also had a variety of roles in Toastmasters, including club leadership roles as well as district roles and is now the incoming District 46 Director.  Jan Paul is very passionate about Toastmasters. He has experienced the positive impact it has had on him, and he has seen the life-changing growth in others. He has been inspired by senior toastmasters who keep on giving back. His vision is to continue the foundation they have in the District, involving a broad range of fellow toastmasters to focus on facilitating growth in club officers to ensure clubs offer quality experiences that meet members' needs. He also focuses on establishing new clubs to expand the reach of the wonderful organization of Toastmasters. Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Mary is an information professional with extensive experience working in various legal settings – including academic institutions, government agencies, and Am Law 100 firms. She has particular expertise in banking, securities, and legislative materials. Mary has also worked for several legal information providers – gaining experience handling user education, customer support, and contract proposals/negotiations.Mary is also an elected leader in Rotary International, one of the world's oldest and largest service organizations, serving as District Governor for District 7230 during 2020-21. As District Governor, she and her team serve the 44 Rotary, 8 Rotaract, and multiple Interact clubs in greater New York City (Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, & Westchester County) and on Bermuda. Mary is a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Metro New York City.Find out more and reach out to Mary Eileen Shackleton through the following links below.Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mary.e.shackletonWebsite - https://rotary7230.org/Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Pat Johnson is an Ontological coach and the President of Pat Johnson & Associates who is also an Affiliate/Mentor at Accomplishment Coaching who specializes in empowering individuals who wish to create their dreams into reality. She also served as the International President for the Toastmasters International from 2010 - 2011, making her the fifth woman and the only Canadian woman to serve in this prestigious role.As a seasoned professional backed with leadership experience in corporate, government, non-for-profit, and entrepreneurial industries, Pat offers more than 30 years of experience not just working in policy, career development and strategic planning but also in organizational development and delivery and evaluation of programs in adult education. Also with her international experience as a speaker and trainer, she is skilled in conflict resolution, negotiation, and mediation. Being in a position with great influence at Toastmasters international, Pat credits the organization in helping her learn how to support others and become a cheerleader for their projects. Having joined the communication and leadership organization in 1983, Pat was immediately involved in the communication portion of the program and she later on found her way into assuming consecutive leadership roles - from leading the province of British Columbia to the Top 15 in the world of Toastmasters out of the 83 Districts in 2001 - 2002, to being elected to serve as the International Director on the International Board of Toastmasters International in 2004 - 2006, she was elected to serve as, until finally assuming the highest position in the organization in 2010 - 2011. Being a World Class Certified Speaker Coach, Pat is a well known keynote speaker and educator across the globe who works with individual speakers at various levels of their speaking development. Through her unique understanding of global leadership, she's very much passionate about the transformative work for an individual's empowered future.Find out more and reach out to Pat Johnson through her email - patthetrainer@shaw.ca and website - http://patjohnsonspeaks.com/. Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Patricia Kidwingira is the District 26 Director of Toastmasters District 46 Greater New York City who doubles as an International Auditor at UNICEF, the United Nation Children's Fund. Patricia firmly believes in the power of education because of the way it has changed and shaped her life and gave her the privilege to visit around a hundred countries on five continents. Having grown up in Burundi, Africa, to a big family with 7 siblings, Patricia's parents placed great value in her education, which she pursued at an intercontinental level from Africa, Europe, and the United States as she's earned her Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) – Belgium. She Acquired her MBA in International Business from American Intercontinental University. Fast forward to today, Patricia has over 25 years of audit experience and working in almost 100 countries for both external and internal functions in the private sector and the United Nations. She's a part-time lecturer at the University of Burundi and Rwanda for Econometrics and Local Planning. She holds multiple international certifications such as Leading Professional in Ethics & Compliance (LPEC) Certification - Ethics and Compliance Institute (ECI), COSO Certification, Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA) - the Institute of Internal Auditor (IIA), Leadership online course with Harvard Business Corporate Learning (Harvard Manage mentor), Executive Leadership Certificate - eCornell, and Certification in control self-assessment (CCSA) - IIA. She's also the recipient of many awards in her years of experience, including the World Voices President Distinguished Award in 2016 and being the Most Distinguished Toastmaster in 2019. Please rate, review and subscribe!Find out more about Toastmasters, visit https://toastmasters46.org/ and follow District 46 on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/toast-masters-district-46Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

Today we're going to get to know your host, Scott Mason and learn more about the podcast and what to expect from the coming episodes!