GREAT Events

Watch this space for free GREAT Events throughout the year. Events include webinars and workshops on communication and leadership topics.

Past GREAT Events

GREAT Event – Maximizing Club Meetings: Tools for Effective Communication

Join us for an interactive session on maximizing club meetings through effective and organized communication strategies. Delve into practical tools, techniques, and subtle nuances that not only attract guests but also foster a sense of community among existing members and cultivate a safe space for all.

During the 60 minute session, participants will observe a live demonstration highlighting best practices within a simulated meeting setting. Additionally, there will be a dedicated question and answer segment to address any inquiries.

To ensure ample time for socializing, please plan to join the meeting link 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Meeting Information:
Date: Friday, March 1, 2024
Time:11:45 AM – 1 PM PST
Cost:Free!

Agenda:
11:45-12:00 PM : Networking
12:00-12:40 PM : Meeting Demo
12:40-12:55 PM : Q/A
1:00 PM : Meeting Adjourned

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Speechcraft event flier

 

GREAT Event – Speechcraft Workshop

Speaker: Raghunadha Raju

Date: February 5, 2024 from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM, PST

(Date changed from Feb 6 to Feb 5.)

 

For Current Members and the Public
Speechcraft is a condensed program that teaches speech writing and public speaking for attendees. Come learn how to teach others and pass on the skills of Speechcraft.

Visit this networking and educational event – free and open to all – to learn how Toastmasters International can benefit you. Toastmasters has been supercharging communications skills since 1924.

AGENDA
——-
4:45 p.m. – Log in to session

5:00 p.m.-5:45 p.m. Raghu will guide us through making the Speechcraft your magic wand as a tool for membership growth

5:46 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. Q&A, bring your questions.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

About the Speaker:

DTM Raghunadha Raju is an IT engineer, a passionate coin collector.

He is a Toastmaster now for 4 years. He has achieved 4 DTMs and close to completion of his fifth.
To date, he has chartered 7 clubs, conducted 8 Spacecrafts
He is a strong advocate of Core Values of Toastmasters and has shown his commitment by serving the community in various roles.

He has served as Area Director in D18 ( Maryland, USA) and as Division Director in District 101 (California, USA).

You will hear Raghu call himself a Nomadic Toastmaster, roaming around different countries of the world, virtually.

He has now spoken in about 950+ clubs from 145 countries.

 

Date: Monday, February 5th, 2024
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Unlock a club's potential flier

 

GREAT Event – Synthesizing Superb Storytelling 

Speaker: Mas Mahathir 

Date: January 8, 2024 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, PST

Guest Speaker: 60 minutes

About the Speaker:

Mas Mahathir,  has been a Toastmaster since 2016, with a burning passion for communication and public speaking. Since he joined he has won 9 district contests, and became the 2nd runner up in the World Championship of Public Speaking in 2022.
With his passion and purpose in mind, he co-founded MicFront Public Speaking Academy in 2017 with his wife, the first kids and adults Public Speaking Franchise in Malaysia.
Outside of his profession, he is a fun guy on any occasion! Just talk to him and your smile will beam

 

Date: Monday, January 8th, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

 

GREAT Event – Contest Bootcamp

About:

Learn all about contest roles – the hows, the whys and the whens. Get all your questions answered whether you are a novice or a veteran

6 Sessions: 

Tech Chair Training – 30 Nov

Club Contest Training – 6 Dec 

Area/Division Contest Training – 7 Dec 

Contest Chair Training – 11 Jan 

Chief Judge Training – 18 Jan 

Functionaries Training – 1 Feb 

Judges Training – 8 Feb 

Please plan to attend these sessions if you plan to participate or volunteer during the spring contest season.

All Events are from: 6:00 PM – 7:30PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101


 

Unlock a club's potential flier

 

GREAT Event – Evaluate To Elevate

Speaker: Verity Price 

Date: January 13, 2024 from 9:00 AM, PST

MASTERCLASS: 60 minutes

Learn the secret to giving winning evaluations from the 2021 World Champion of Public Speaking and 2015 District 74 Evaluations

Champion Verity Price.

This masterclass covers:

  • The elementsof a great speech
  • How to structure your feedback
  • The secret to opening and closing an evaluation
  • A template for capturing your thoughts
  • Time to practise the tips! Select members can give evaluations to a demo speaker and receive feedback from Verity

About the Speaker:

Verity Price, is all about facing fears, finding your voice and sharing your truth. As the Toastmasters 2021 World Champion, Verity captured the judges, and thousands of peoples imagination with her winning speech ‘A Great Read’ – an inspiring invitation to improve our lives by “writing a different story”.  Helping people do just that is Verity’s passion and today she is here to help us to do that. Please visit Verity’s website to check out her book and sign up for a monthly newsletter!

 

Date: Saturday, January 13th, 2024
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00AM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Unlock a club's potential flier

 

GREAT Event – Unleash Your Creativity with AI

Speakers: Mahan Soltanzadeh, Sheena Tu 

Date: January 19, 2024 from 6:00 PM, PST

Agenda:

  • Integrating AI in our Design Tools
    • Adobe Photoshop Beta
    • Adobe Illustrator Beta
    • Figma Plug-in
    • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Q&A

About the Speakers:

Mahan Soltanzadeh is a seasoned event organizer and creative director with over two decades of experience crafting immersive brand narratives in experiential design and marketing. His expertise in melding creativity, strategy, and technology has led to transformative collaborations with esteemed brands like Chevron and Samsung. His track record includes organizing over 17 national and international tradeshow events and completing over 75 design-build custom tradeshow booths. It creates memorable experiences, boosts event attendance, and drives substantial sales. A pioneer in employing AR and VR, Mahan enhances the human experience in brand storytelling. His academic contributions further underscore his commitment to shaping the future of experiential marketing and design.

 

Sheena Tu is a multidisciplinary art director and brand designer with over ten years of experience creating influential designs for prominent brands like Microsoft and Crocs. Her expertise encompasses branding, presentation, motion graphics, web design, and development. She crafted over 30 corporate identities and elevated over 60 startups, seamlessly merging design and development strategies in diverse business environments. She has a proven track record of executing design concepts across diverse project phases, enhancing brand storytelling, and driving growth. Her ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and her expertise in various design software underscores her versatility and impact in the field.

 

Date: Saturday, January 19th, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Unlock a club's potential flier

 

GREAT Event – Thriving Through the Tough Times

Speaker: Maryam Ganni 

Date: November 14, 2023 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM, PST

 

About the Speaker:

Maryam Ganni, the current holder of the third-place title in the World Championship of Public Speaking, has been a member of Toastmasters for exactly two years. Her initial motivation for joining was to become part of a community of like-minded individuals who shared similar aspirations. She aimed to enhance her public speaking skills for both professional purposes and to reach a broader audience with her own story. Her ultimate objective is to inspire others by spreading hope and positivity, encouraging them to tackle their own life challenges. She views her journey to securing third place in the competition as a valuable opportunity to leverage her voice for the greater good, serving and motivating those around her. Maryam considers herself a perpetual learner and plans to remain a dedicated student in the realm of public speaking.

In addition to her speaking endeavors, Maryam is a passionate advocate for individuals with visual impairments. She actively engages with companies to discuss topics related to accessibility, diversity, and inclusion, utilizing her personal brand, which she has established under the name Maryam Ganni Enterprises, Inc.

 

 

Date: Tuesday, November 14th, 2023
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

 

GREAT Event – Train the Trainer

Presenter: Solarzar Dellaporta, DTM 

Description:

 

 

Have you attended Officer Training and thought, “I would like to do that,” or “I can do that.”

District 101 is conducting a Train the Trainer session on November 7th, 2023 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm (PST)

We will review the difference between Speaking and Training; how to do Gap Analysis; the difference in Communication Styles; what are Adult Learning Principles; how to Facilitate; the use of Questions to move the learning forward; how to manage Problem Participants; how to plan your Club Officer Training Session; how to manage training online and in person.

These and more will be covered in three participative hours. At the end of the training, you will receive a completion certificate for your attendance and participation, and you will be qualified to be one of the trainers for District 101 Club Officer Training.

Don’t passively sit on the sidelines, become one of the influential leaders in District 101 by sharing your officer knowledge with other Toastmasters. Seneca, the philosopher and author, shared, “Men learn as they teach.”

Learn how to teach, and then learn as you teach.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Date: Tuesday, November 7th, 2023
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:30PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Unlock a club's potential flier

 

Great Event: It’s not okay to say it’s okay!

Speaker: Vijaya Lakshmi

Date: September 25, 2023 from 5:00 – 6:00 PM, PST

About the Speaker:

Vijaya Lakshmi, a seasoned professional with over 25 years of expertise, wears multiple hats as a life coach, corporate trainer, educator, and psychologist. Her extensive career has involved mentoring and guiding diverse groups, spanning from schoolchildren, and engineering students to middle-level managers, of various MNCs encompassing more than 10,000 individuals. Central to her philosophy is the belief that continuous learning is the key to evolving into a superior version of oneself.

Description:

Have you ever comforted someone when they were hurt, disappointed, or sad?

 

Have you ever wondered if you were addressing the situation or their emotions?

 

Are you willing to learn a new tool for better relationships?

 

Join us to uncover the intricacies of emotional validation, a powerful tool for nurturing and strengthening relationships. The sessions will help you enhance your ability to connect and grow stronger bonds for happier lives.

Toastmaster, you won’t want to miss this event! 

Date: Monday, September 25th, 2023
Time: 5:00 – 6:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Unlock a club's potential flier

 

Great Event: Unlocking a Club’s Potential: A Club Coaching Panel Discussion

Speaker: Sean Wang

Date: September 14, 2023 from 5:00 – 6:00 PM, PST

About the Speaker:

Sean Wang, a member of Saratoga Toastmasters since 2019, has evolved from honing his public speaking skills to embracing dedicated leadership roles. In 2022, Sean coached a Club, leading its growth from 8 to 20 members and achieving President Distinguished Club status.

Description:

Have you ever wondered how to transform a club from small beginnings to a thriving powerhouse? 

Are you curious about the tactics and approaches that can elevate your leadership skills while nurturing a vibrant Toastmasters club? 

Get ready for an insightful and engaging Club Coaching Panel Discussion, where seasoned experts will share their experiences, strategies, and triumphs in the world of Toastmasters club coaching. 

Sean Wang, a member of Saratoga Toastmasters since 2019, has evolved from honing his public speaking skills to embracing dedicated leadership roles. In 2022, Sean coached a Club, leading its growth from 8 to 20 members and achieving President Distinguished Club status.

 Sean Wang will guide you through a dynamic conversation with four remarkable panelists:  Declan Shalvey: A two-time DTM and enthusiastic club coach, Declan’s insightful journey spans diverse roles and impactful contributions.  

Jaymol George: An accomplished Division Director, Jaymol’s journey includes leading a club from struggling to President’s Distinguished in record time.

  • Françoise Muller: A versatile leader who revitalized a club and advanced through various leadership roles, demonstrating the ripple effects of effective coaching.
  • Nish Neelalojanan: A district-level contest winner and dedicated coach, Nish’s story encompasses transforming a 4-member club into a DCP-achieving success story.  

This is your chance to learn, ask questions, and gain invaluable insights from experts. Whether you’re an aspiring coach or a seasoned Toastmaster, you won’t want to miss this event! 

Date: Thursday, September 14, 2023
Time: 5:00 – 6:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Great Event: Retainify

Speaker: Monique Levesque-Pharoah

Date: August 30, 2023 from 6:00 -7:00 PM, PST

About the Speaker:

Monique Levesque-Pharoah is a long-standing Toastmaster. As a member of Vital Words since 1994 and charter member of We Believe in Winnipeg since 2009, she enjoys using her Toastmasters skills in all aspects of her life.

Monique is the business owner of Unique Communications & Training. A highly experienced presenter and facilitator, She uses her energetic approach and real-life workplace situations to bring training alive. Participants regularly comment on her ability to make training fun and meaningful.

Monique holds a Certificate in Human Resources Management (Honours) and has professional experience in employee development, communication & leadership and especially enjoys facilitating conflict resolution strategies and was recently recertified as a Conflict Mediator with Mediation Services.

Monique served on the Toastmasters International Board of Directors from 2016-2018 helping to set the strategic direction. In August, 2019 she was invited to train Region Advisors conflict resolution strategies at the 2019 Toastmasters International Convention and is currently serving on the Toastmasters International District Conflict Working Group. Monique was recently voted to the Board of Directors for the Canadian Mental Health Association, Manitoba, Winnipeg and is serving as Board Chair. She has also been voted on to the National Canadian Mental Health  Association Board.

Monique understands the importance of retention, not only for your own growth but for the health of your Toastmasters club. Being a part of a healthy Toastmasters club that had retention at the heart allows you to get the most out of your Toastmasters experience.

Description:

Members are your MAIN ingredient.

Have you ever made a recipe and something was missing? Well, did you make that recipe again? If so, did you try and make changes? You likely did, because we wouldn’t make recipes again if we didn’t enjoy the meal. However, it’s more likely that you didn’t go back that recipe at all and you tried something new!

Well, members are the MAIN ingredient of a successful club. Are you retaining your members for a successful recipe?

Monique Levesque-Pharoah is excited to share some secret ingredients that will help your club maintain members and invite new members to join.

In this interactive session, participants learn how to combine ingredients and likely add a few of their own to the recipe of success.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Date: Thursday, August 30th, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

Great Event: How to Put Your Speech Together in 5 Minutes

Speaker: Kai Rambow, DTM 

Date: August 24th, 2023 from 6:00 -7:00 PM, PST

About The Speaker:

Kai Rambow, DTM, PID, AS, is a full-time professional speaker.  He has delivered over 2,900 presentations in North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and Asia.  Kai is also the author of over 600 articles.

He has earned two Distinguished Toastmasters Awards and is one of only90 people to have ever earned the Accredited Speaker designation.  Kai served as Club President, District Director and on the International Board of Directors.

Description:

Taking too long to put your speeches together?  Our workshop leader will develop and present a five minute speech based on your ideas during this special presentation.  You will also be working on your speeches during this workshop.

In this interactive workshop you will learn:

  • How to generate ideas quickly
  • Construct the body of your speech more easily
  • Open more powerfully
  • End your speech with more than one sentence

 

 What to bring:

  • Your Pathways speech assignment
  • Paper and pen for making notes

Date: Thursday, Aug 24th, 2023

Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

 

 

Great Event: Get Them In The Door

Panel Speakers: Rhoda Abidog, Liping Ma, Judy Sink, Leena Ambekar, Munjung Kim 

Date: August 9th, 2023 from 6:00 -7:00 PM, PST

Description:

What is an open house ? How do I convert the guests into the members of our guests ?

No guests showed up at our open house, how can we change that ?

Are these questions on your mind ?

Come and be a part of our panel discussion where clubs reveal the insider tips for hosting a remarkable Open House. Our esteemed panelists will generously impart their knowledge on the intricacies of planning, outreach, and flawless execution. Don’t forget to bring your notes!

Date: Wednesday, Aug 9th, 2023

Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

 

 


Great Event : “Hey AI, let’s seize the moment! Part 2: Big Picture and 5 Actionable Tools”

 

Speaker: Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek

Date: July 6,  6-7 PM PST

About the Speaker:

 

The #4 Influencer in Voice AI, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek is the Founder and CEO of a Clarity AI and the Founder of Women in Voice, the international nonprofit with 20+ chapters. With 10+ years of technical experience, she is also an investor and technical advisor to startup and enterprise.

Description:

 

ChatGPT has opened the world’s eyes to large language models (LLMs). Following up from the first talk, this talk covers big picture concepts as well as actionable tips. Despite the large opportunities and democratization of these powerful tools, some are keeping their heads in the sand and are not dipping their toes in the water. Just 14% of US adults have tried ChatGPT (Pew Research, May 2023). According to 500 IT decision-maker professionals, only 12% plan to leverage LLMs and 44% had NO plans to check it out whatsoever (Wall Street Journal, 2023). This is shocking considering Google recently called a code red on their stability as a company. Some classify LLMs in the same bucket as cryptocurrencies, NFTs, VR, and Web 3, but enterprise companies are seeing ROI from implementation in the millions already.

This talk will cover:

  • The big differences between LLMs GPT-3 and GPT-4’s multimodal qualities,
  • Enterprise companies opportunities and use cases,
  • Digital twins and employee efficiency, and
  • 5 actionable tools for participants to try out for free today.

This talk is given by a tech practitioner and designed for a general audience.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Date: Thursday, July 6th  2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Raji Bandanapudi
Program Quality Director, District 101

 

GREAT Event – Train the Trainer

Presenter: Solarzar Dellaporta, DTM 

Description:

Have you attended Officer Training and thought, “I would like to do that,” or “I can do that.”

District 101 is conducting a Train the Trainer session on June 3rd from 9 am to Noon (PST)

We will review the difference between Speaking and Training; how to do Gap Analysis; the difference in Communication Styles; what are Adult Learning Principles; how to Facilitate; the use of Questions to move the learning forward; how to manage Problem Participants; how to plan your Club Officer Training Session; how to manage training online and in person.

These and more will be covered in three participative hours. At the end of the training, you will receive a completion certificate for your attendance and participation, and you will be qualified to be one of the trainers for District 101 Club Officer Training.

Don’t passively sit on the sidelines, become one of the influential leaders in District 101 by sharing your officer knowledge with other Toastmasters. Seneca, the philosopher and author, shared, “Men learn as they teach.”

Learn how to teach, and then learn as you teach.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Date: Saturday, June 3, 2023
Time: 9:00 – 12:00PM PST
Cost: Free!

Click to Register

Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101