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.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The challenges in the transition coming out of lockdowns
• Their goals for the year as incoming officers
• The Pathways program and how people can find a club of their choice
• Dora, Evelyn, and George's most memorable moments

QUOTES

Evelynn: "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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please 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.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Mahesh and Amha's journey to joining Toastmasters
• If a 6-year old can't understand it, you don't either
• Toastmasters helps people improve their leadership skills
• Who should join Toastmasters?
• There's no limit to what you can learn

QUOTES

Mahesh: "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.lawson

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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please 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. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• An appetite for learning foreign languages 
• Healing and Hildegard of Bingen
• Joining Toastmasters and learning how to use her voice 
• What's for us is good for the planet too
• Toastmasters is a great place to learn leadership skills

QUOTES

Gerlinde: "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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please 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. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• How women changed Toastmasters clubs
• Talking is not communicating
• Lessons learned from volunteering in a prison for women
• Toastmasters Clubs host youth leadership programs too
• Every speed bump is a stepping stone to success

QUOTES

Sheila: "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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please 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. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• How Susan discovered Toastmasters
• Toastmasters can help improve both personal and professional lives
• Teaching in New York and joining multiple Toastmasters clubs
• A Toastmasters club for podcasters 
• Why do you want to join Toastmasters?
• Toastmasters will help you achieve your goals if you work on it

QUOTES

Susan: "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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please 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. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• STEM needs more women of color 
• Gamification as a delivery method for learning STEM
• Living in three different countries and the lessons learned 
• Toastmasters improves both professional and personal lives
• Giving and receiving feedback is a skill that can be learned 
• It's never too late to learn and improve 

QUOTES

Stella: "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.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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please 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. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• How Anna rediscovered her love of public speaking with Toastmasters
• Early childhood and growing up in China
• Entering the United States and developing more passions
• It's all about commitment: speeches in the era of Zoom meetings
• Picking up leadership skills with Toastmasters
• A lifetime of developing passions

QUOTES

Anna: "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.html

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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please rate, review and subscribe!

Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Toastmasters goes beyond public speaking 
• Toastmasters can be a safe space 
• Lessons learned while doing PR during a global pandemic
• Storytelling can help you impact more people
• RG's transformational story

QUOTES

Rose: "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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please rate, review and subscribe!

Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS

• You need to put in the work
• Building confidence through experience
• Keep listening to others but find your own authentic voice
• People respond to vulnerability
• Just keep going, even if you miss a step
• Keep your mind in the present

QUOTES

Kimberly: "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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please rate, review and subscribe!

Toastmasters - where leaders are made.

HIGHLIGHTS

• What makes a relatable story? 
• Journey with different Toastmasters clubs 
• The power of building networks and storytelling
• Anu's vision for the podcast 
• What listeners can expect for this version of the podcast and Anu as host
• What makes a great question? 
• Questions to look at for the new podcast format
• Listenership will take care of itself

QUOTES

Anu: "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/id1511084574

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-46
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TMDistrict46/ 
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/toastmasters46/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/district46tm

Please rate, review and subscribe!

Toastmasters - where leaders are made.