D27 Discuss with Us!

Pierrette shares her story and how Toastmasters helped her to explore and discover skills she did not know she has. She found that as a Toastmaster, you are a leader in every role and that prepares you for leadership positions elsewhere. Annually, her club hosts the Youth Leadership Program which brings her joy because she can give back to the community and see young people grow. Pierrette also speaks highly of her club experience that enabled her to build lasting friendships and offers support beyond the club. Listen to the episode and be inspired to be a Toastmaster!

From a friend's invitation to developing skills and finding her creative side. Listen to Felicia sharing her journey with Toastmasters and why she encourages members to renew their membership or why individuals should join Toastmasters.

In this episode, you hear an interview with Bernadette Pleasant. Bernadette will be an educational speaker at District 27’s Annual Conference. Her conference workshop is entitled “Embodying your message” where she will provide her audience techniques to become memorable speakers who effectively use their physicality and expression. Listen to this podcast and get a preview of the workshop and get to know Bernadette, the workshop facilitator. We discuss techniques on how and why to become “more than a mannequin with a microphone” and the reason she joined Toastmasters just recently. Enjoy!

https://www.theemotionalinstitute.com/

In this episode, I interview Heather Keenan on storytelling and the why, what, and how of creating and using stories in speeches. Human history first passed down through stories but are still powerful tools to explain issues, persuade to take on an action, create a shared understanding, or increase retention of information. For example, in business today there is a push to use big data for decision making, but making sense of the data for an audience requires a good story. Using simple but powerful examples, Heather explains elements, tools, and techniques we should consider when including stories into presentations. Listen to this podcast and become a master of storytelling!

https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/may/the-anatomy-of-a-story

https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/oct/storytelling-lessons-from-photography

https://www.toastmasters.org/leadership-central/the-leader-letter/march-2017

https://www.toastmasters-lightning.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/8300-Connect-with-Storytelling.pdf

https://writingcooperative.com/how-to-craft-a-story-in-5-minutes-4999cedb29d9

https://www.cognizantsoftvision.com/blog/storytelling-5-ways-stories-can-benefit-you-and-your-business/

https://www.cognizantsoftvision.com/blog/storytelling-how-to-craft-an-impactful-story/

Major Evrod Warner is a black Panamanian born and raised on the Panama Canal Zone. He tells us his journey from Panama to the U.S., growing up and military life. Although not U.S. citizens, 1,000 Panamanians were drafted into the U.S. Army in the 1950's. Of the 1,000 draftees Maj. Warner became the only commissioned officer, became highly decorated, awarded the high honor of a Silver Star vor Valor during the VIetnam War.

Major Evrod Warner is a black Panamanian born and raised on the Panama Canal Zone. He tells us his journey from Panama to the U.S., growing up and military life. Although not U.S. citizens, 1,000 Panamanians were drafted into the U.S. Army in the 1950's. Of the 1,000 draftees Maj. Warner became the only commissioned officer, became highly decorated, awarded the high honor of a Silver Star vor Valor during the VIetnam War.

In this episode, I am welcoming James Scarborough. James is an active Toastmaster since 1996. His personal quest is to share his experience when he transferred from working from 8 to 5 every day into retirement life. There are certain issues that might be obvious to everyone, but, well, there are surprises or angles one has not considered or thought enough once the magic age of retirement hit. Now, me being in my 40ies, I look forward to James sharing his experience. I am having important conversations lately with my family, co-workers, and financial advisors and am re-thinking if I am on the right paths when it comes to retirement. Therewith, great timing for this podcast. Disclaimer: We are not providing financial advice per se but want to encourage our listeners to think and plan.

In this episode, you will hear an interview with another member of District 27's Trio. Annette Sanks is the newly elected District 27 Program Quality Director. As in the previous two episodes, our listeners will have a chance to get to know her as a private person, some of her milestones as a Toastmaster, and what her goals are for the current program year. Annette, thanks for being available today.

In this second episode of season 2, you will hear an interview with Ida L. King, D27’s newly appointed Club Growth Director. Get to know her as a private person, her journey as a Toastmaster, and what her goals are for the current program year. She has a lot of ideas and plans for the upcoming program year she shares with us. Reach out to her if you want to support her: CGD@d27-tm.org

February was American Heart Month. In honor of this, this episode discusses what it means to live with a happy heart attitude and provide advice not just from experts but from a Toastmasters member's approach. We will cover how to keep your heart healthy and happy as wells discuss the connection between a happy heart and Toastmasters.

In today’s episode of D27 Discuss With Us, you will listen to Us Navy Commander Jason Garrett present his experience writing speeches for two naval admirals. As a former Toastmaster, he will address how actively honing his communication skills enhances his career and how he developed his life motto by following "Fortune favors the bold," and "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity."

Today we interview members of DTM Masters, an advanced Toastmasters club, to discuss the benefits of joining an advanced club. DTM Masters will discuss how it is unique compared to a general club, how the club contributed to the District, and the "What's In It For Me" that every Toastmaster would ask.

Pres Vasilev rose above 30,000 contestants from 122 countries to become the 2013 World Champion of Public Speaking. He is the author of the popular online training program “How to Master Compelling Storytelling.” For over a decade, Pres has studied, researched, and spoken on self-improvement, speaking and storytelling. Pres has coached hundreds of speakers from around the world to craft compelling stories, deliver powerful presentations, and win speech contests. In this episode, Pres Vasilev will discuss how he went from learning English as his second language to becoming an effective evaluator. He will also describe his experience as he competed in the 2013 Toastmasters International Speech Competition and how he won.

In this episode, we discuss some public speaking tips and advice with Sheryl Roush, DTM, AS. Sheryl Roush is the youngest female in the world to be honored by Toastmasters with their elite Accredited Speaker designation for outstanding platform professional speaking. Only 88 have earned the award since 1981. She also will discuss what it means to be an Accredited Speaker.

Cultural diversity surrounds us everywhere. Toastmasters International is an international non-profit organization which membership base includes representatives from all over the world. We might work for an international organization with a diverse range of co-workers or clients. Friends and in-laws might come from a different cultural background. Can we talk to all of them the same way? Well, we could but we may miscommunicate or misinterpret what they are saying. Understanding nuances in verbal and nonverbal communication make a difference. In this podcast, we’ll explore some do’s and don’ts and best practices on how to address a diverse audience. Our guest today is multicultural communication specialist Alfonso Pernia from the bilingual Toastmasters club “Que Pasa.” He shared with us how his club embraces cultural diversity and also his experience on how to target a culturally diverse audience.

A short funny story about how one school lunch launched a new lunchtime tradition!

This podcast will discuss the advantages of diversity in the workplace with Linda Zhou. A diverse workplace employs people of different genders, ages, races, cultural backgrounds, languages and national origins.

Workplace diversity offers many advantages:

• Broadened problem-solving and creativity: A diverse workforce bring a wide array of experience, skills, perspectives and insights to problem-solving, increases innovation and strategic thinking.
  
• Better decision-making: Diverse groups of employees pull from a wider range of sources and experiences and make sounder decisions leading to improved results for the agency.
  
• Increased productivity and profitability: Ambitious employees are more motivated when the work environment is inclusive; resulting in increased productivity and profitability. Those organizations are more likely to be high performing.
  

Today, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, Millennials, and soon Generation Z will all work together to accomplish common Toastmaster organizational goals. With differences in each of these generation's viewpoints, upbringings, culture, ideas, beliefs, and experiences, you are likely to see some tiffs or clashes within Toastmasters.

Sharon Anita Hill, DTM, PID, RA will answers questions about understanding and learning how to communicate with different generations within your clubs, areas, divisions, and district leadership.

Managing these four generations under one roof is achievable!

A continuation from the last episode where Paola Fattorini interviews her fellow Toastmasters about the importance and impact of diversity with 5-Star Toastmasters. Listen as she discusses what makes 5-Star unique.

Paola Fattorini interviews her fellow Toastmasters about the importance and impact of diversity with 5-Star Toastmasters. Listen as she discusses what makes 5-Star unique. 

Richard E. Peck, DTM, is the International President for the 2020-2021 program year. Peck was a senior member of the Network Support division at AT&T, where he had worked for over thirty years. During his tenure as a project manager, he led cross-functional teams to successfully deliver several multimillion-dollar high-tech projects annually. His volunteer work includes serving as club president and Lieutenant Governor for Kiwanis International, serving with Lions Club International, as well as serving in various capacities with the Catholic War Veterans. Peck enjoys traveling, studying world cultures, and helping others achieve more than they believe they can.

Excellent public speaking is a desirable skill that we all try to attain. With the current shift to the virtual world, this allows us to explore new opportunities and avenues. Be it professional, conducting a presentation, or meeting online, how do we deliver our message most effectively? Be it private, celebrating an anniversary or birthday, how do we acknowledge achievements and deliver social speeches at online social events?

The next two series in D27 Discuss With Us will analyze and develop some ideas for the new challenges we are encountering in the virtual world. The second episode of this two part series addresses technology issues. Although the podcast does not want to teach the basics on how to use virtual platforms, we want to touch up on common issues and problems. In the end, features are mostly similar, and it is “just” a matter of clicking the right bottom. The podcast wants to address how to charmingly play around technical issues one may encounter. As updates occur frequently, how can we prevent the awkward gap of delivering a speech when encountering technical issues?

Excellent public speaking is a desirable skill that we all try to attain. With the current shift to the virtual world, this allows us to explore new opportunities and avenues. Be it professional, conducting a presentation, or meeting online, how do we deliver our message most effectively? Be it private, celebrating an anniversary or birthday, how do we acknowledge achievements and deliver social speeches at online social events?

The next two series in D27 Discuss With Us will analyze and develop some ideas to the new challenges we are encountering in the virtual world. The first episode of this two part series addresses the issue of delivering content effectively on an online televideo conferencing platform.

How can we prevent not just speaking to the computer but rather connect to the far away audience? How do we keep people engaged listening to the virtual speaker without the normal methods, such as eye contact, body gestures, and movement? How can Toastmasters help us with public speaking, presentation, and leadership skills?

New Jersey native, Charles S. Gates is an entrepreneur, coach, trainer, emcee and transformational speaker.

Charles takes his audience and clients from mundane to magnificent, using his TOP HAT leadership philosophy. His high-energy presentations and workshops are fun, in-your-face, and memorable.

Charles has been featured in the New Journal and Guide, Virginia’s oldest African American owned newspaper, The Suffolk News Herald, WAVY News 10 (Norfolk), WODU’s Let’s Face it Radio Show with Wil Strayhorn and WNSB’s Nonprofit Exchange Radio Show with C. Richard Gillcrese. He has also appeared on The Common Show with Juanita, WHRO’s Another View and the now defunct Cheryl Wilkerson Presentstelevision shows.

Charles serves on the boards of a handful of community based non-profits and was the immediate past Region 7 Advisor for Toastmasters International. He lives George Washington Carver’s mantra, “no individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.”

Just celebrating her 98th birthday, long-time member Helen Burkett discuses the challenges and her journey as being one of the first few females who joined Toastmasters and how she took that experience to receive her 13th DTM award.

Matt Kinsey, DTM, of Coral Springs, Florida, is the CEO of MK Tech Group in Coral Springs, Florida, which he started in 2007. Kinsey oversees all aspects of his IT consulting firm that services small and medium-sized businesses in the South Florida area.

Kinsey holds a master’s degree in computer information systems from the University of Phoenix, Arizona. He has a certificate in strategic management and was recognized with the Silver Beaver and Vigil Honor awards for his work with the Boy Scouts of America. As a Boy Scout volunteer for 23 years, he has held numerous positions within the organization including district chairman, event chairman, and currently serves as the council’s camping chairman.

A Toastmaster since 2003, Kinsey is a charter member of his home club, Outspoken Toastmasters, in Coral Springs. He has held a number of high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters and has attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation—the highest level of educational achievement in the organization.

“I have learned that to be most successful, you need to lead with your heart and not your head,” he says. “There is no finer program than Toastmasters for helping people build their self-confidence, communication and leadership skills.”

As an officer of the Toastmasters International Board of Directors, Kinsey is a “working ambassador” for the organization. He works with the Board to develop, support, and modify the policies and procedures that guide Toastmasters International in fulfilling its mission.