Watch this space for free GREAT Events throughout the year. Events include webinars and workshops on communication and leadership topics.
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!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
Past GREAT Events
GREAT Event – The Three Keys to Storytelling with Data
Presenter: Justin Strong
Description:
The amount of data we produce continues to increase by almost 25% annually. With that continued growth our challenge continues to be gaining insight from the data and ultimately presenting it in a way that causes our audience to take action. In this seminar you will learn how to extract the story in your data and how to present that story in a way that is easily understood by your audience. In addition to valuable principles and concepts, attendees will walk away with immediately actionable advice they can use in their very next presentation.
In this session participants will learn how to:
- How to extract the headline and story for your data
- How to choose the right visualization to tell your story
- How to highlight your story using your visualization
About the Speaker:
Justin Strong is a senior product manager and instructor of presentation skills at Western Digital and Principal at Strong Communications. He has over 30 years of customer presentation experience in the technology industry and is currently the President of his local Toastmasters club. His passion is helping people deliver better presentations than they thought was possible.
Date: Thursday, April 27, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Hey ChatGPT, what’s going on in AI right now?
Presenter: Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek
Description:
Recently featured on the front page of TIME Magazine in March 2023, the world is reeling from advances of AI hitting the mainstream. The world now has access to free, powerful, AI tools that leverage large language models including OpenAI’s ChatGPT. However, does the public understand what these tools are and their repercussions? This talk is an accessible overview of this cutting edge technology from a practitioner designed for a general audience.
In this session, participants will learn how to:
- Articulate the significant advantages and disadvantages of these new AI advances
- Understand the multi-prong answer of timing to answer “why now?”
- Describe practical applications to day-to-day work (and how you’ve already been using these) and the repercussions on society
About the speaker:
The #4 Influencer in Voice AI, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek is the VP of Product Research (Data Analytics) at AI startup OneReach.ai and the Founder of Women in Voice, an international nonprofit with 20+ chapters. With 10+ years of technical experience, she is also an investor and technical advisor to startups and enterprises.
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Compression, Repression, and Transgression: A Workshop on Three Vital Tools for Storytellers
Presenter: Brendan Murphy, DTM
Description:
Have you ever told a boring story? Well, if you haven’t, Brendan Murphy, our workshop presenter certainly has.
SEVERAL TIMES!
That’s why after 25 years, he still needs to be in Toastmasters—to continue to get better at telling a tale. He knows that Toastmasters has helped him learn about the three vital tools of storytelling: Compression, Repression and Transgression.
About the Speaker:
This session will be presented by Distinguished Toastmaster Brendan James Murphy; a past President of the Tales ‘n’ Tellers Toastmasters club; a presenter of over a hundred workshops; a past District 57 Table Topics Champion; and, a past District 57 Humorous Speech Champion.
Date: Monday, March 20, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Real World Leadership
Description:
Join this talk to hear from women leaders share practical tips and advice on real world leadership.
Our panelists include:
Angela Yang, VP Nvidia
Dina McKinney, VP Nvidia
Kari Briski, VP Nvidia
Azita Martin, VP & GM Nvidia
Suzanna Sanchez, Assistant Director, ASU
Date: March 8, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:30PM PT
Cost: Free!
Join via Microsoft Teams:
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 238 002 681 277
Passcode: biMkwi
Download Teams | Join on the web
Join with a video conferencing device
teams@vc.nvidia.com
Video Conference ID: 111 730 769 3
Alternate VTC instructions
Or call in (audio only)
+1 949-570-1120,,772721162# United States, Irvine
Phone Conference ID: 772 721 162#
Find a local number | Reset PIN
Learn More | Meeting options
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Why Leadership
Description:
Have you ever thought about how you can accelerate growth at work and increase your visibility? This is your chance to learn how Toastmasters Leadership can accelerate your career growth.
Date: March 1, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Evaluate Like the Pros
Description:
Peninsula Pros Toastmasters was chartered in 1991 as an advanced club. District, Division, Area, and Club leaders have traveled through Peninsula Pros in their leadership and communication development. The stand-out element of Peninsula Pros is their round-robin evaluation of every speaker. Not only does each speaker have an assigned evaluator, but each speaker receives an evaluation from every member of the club. The only requirement is that you don’t repeat what someone else has shared. This process has given the members of Peninsula Pros unique insights into the art of evaluation. You don’t have to be a Pro to evaluate, but everyone can evaluate like a Pro. Join this experiential workshop to gain insights, tips, tricks, and techniques to up your evaluation skill set.
Here are the Panelists:
- Arnie Buss, DTM
- Carl Thormeyer, DTM
- Carrie Glenn, VC5
- Diane Bair, DTM
- Tetyana, Margolina, DTM
Date: February 27, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Path to Pathways DTM
Presenter: Raghunadha Raju, DTM
Description:
Distinguished Talking Machine
Don’t Time Me!
What is your definition of DTM?
Irrespective of all the pun, Distinguished Toastmaster Award is the highest educational award you receive in Toastmasters. It is also considered as Holy Grail by many!
Join this session clarify all your doubts about Pathways DTM from our three times DTM, DTM Raghunadha Raju
Date: Monday, February 20, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Growing Young Leaders
Panelists: Evelyn Belen, DTM, Neil Evangelista, DTM, Kate Plant, PI5, EH5, Satish Shenoy, DTM
Description:
Want speaking to be natural for your youth? Want to develop your youth’s leadership and team skills or their active listening skills?
Join our panel and youth for a discussion on benefits, how to build a youth leadership club, and work on your DTM at the same time. This workshop includes Q&A, games, and more.
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Here Come ‘Da Judge
Host: Solarzar Dellaporta, DTM
Panelists: Arnie Buss, DTM, Dennis Dawson, DTM, Lindy Maclaine, DTM, Carl Thormeyer, DTM
Description:
Have you ever wondered what makes judging different than evaluation? Do you know how to be effective as a Contest Judge?
Solarzar Dellaporta, DTM will host a panel including Arnie Buss, DTM; Carl Thormeyer, DTM; Dennis Dawson, DTM, and Lindy MacLaine, DTM to discuss the expectations and best practices of being a Contest Judge.
Date: Monday, February 6, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Tech Chair Extraordinaire – Tips & Tricks to Running Zoom Contests
Presenter: Kari Lynn Morgan
Description:
Date: Monday, January 23, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:00PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Pitch Your Club
Date: Monday, January 16, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – How to Promote and Produce a Contest
Presenter: Solarzar Dellaporta, DTM
Description:
Contest Season is Here!
Club Contests are held in February. Area Contests are held in March. Division Contests are held in April. All leading to the District 101 Spring Conference in May.
It’s time to plan your Area and Division Contest. Who does what and when?
How do you select your Contest Chair; your Tech Chair; your Chief Judge; your Toastmaster; your Sergeant at Arms? How do you conduct Registration? How do you plan and execute your Public Relations and Marketing Plan?
Plan, Prepare, and Execute your Contest without losing sleep. We’ll provide guidance, resources, and answers.
Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:30PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Pitching Like a Pro
Presenter: Satish Shenoy, DTM
Description:
As leaders, we have to “pitch” every time we want to communicate to our audience. This audience could be the teams we lead, to our peers, senior company executives to board of directors or even investors. Learning the different and most effective ways to pitch can really set you apart as a leader.
In this session, come learn from Distinguished Toastmaster Satish Shenoy who shares some effective pitching techniques having learned them while working at some of the world’s most exciting startups to the largest enterprises from leading pitch practitioners including Dan Pink, Simon Sinek, Nathan Gold and others. You will learn several different ways to pitch effectively based on the situation you are faced with and the outcome you are driving to deliver.
Date: Thursday, January 5, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Evaluate with Empathy
Presenter: Dennis Dawson, DTM, PDG
Description:
Evaluation is the heart of Toastmasters – it’s the core of our education program, and it’s how we show we care. Dennis Dawson discusses the importance of giving honest criticism in a way that the speaker is able to incorporate the feedback and build their skills. The workshop will include a practical example with a target speaker and evaluations from three attendees who will try out Dennis’s techniques in real time.
Speaker Bio:
Dennis Dawson has completed the traditional Toastmasters education program two times to earn two Distinguished Toastmaster awards. He is a Past Governor of District 57 Toastmasters. Dennis is a district champion in the Humorous, Tall Tales, and Evaluation contests. He teaches drawing at local elementary schools, and volunteers as Santa Claus at San Jose Christmas in the Park.
Date: Monday, December 19, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Connecting with Others: What Effective Leaders Do Differently
Presenter: Ramesh Dewangan, DTM
Description:
Connecting with others is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.
The Talk “Connecting with Others: What the Most Effective Leaders Do Differently” will cover how leaders display genuine interest in their audience and team members. Without the right connections, the efforts of leaders may be wasted. While the merits of strong relationships and connections may appear straightforward, forming connections requires planned and purposeful adherence to a select set of principles and practices. The talk will explore several principles and practices using real-life examples and discussions.
Speaker Bio:
Ramesh Dewangan is the Founder and CEO of Quantum Vision Consulting, and a leadership coach for mid-level professionals. He is a best-selling author and certified coach, speaker, and trainer.
He has led global teams in software development, product management, and marketing in his 30+ years of career. He is an MBA from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, and an Electrical Engineer from NITK India. He is a Distinguished Toastmaster.
Date: Thursday, December 15, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Blarney! Tall Tales Tips from Three Wild Irishmen and a Lovely Lass to Keep Them in Czech
Description:
This workshop focuses on the keys to effective tall tales: Imagination, Exaggeration, Vocalization, and Visualization. District champions and Distinguished Toastmasters Brendan Murphy, Declan Shalvey, Jana Lannen, and Dennis Dawson will talk about the skills they use to capture and delight their audience with tales of hyperbolic improbability, then let audience members try it themselves. If you don’t walk out of the workshop a consummate purveyor of pure preposterous pabulum, you will have the skills to convince everyone you do.
Speaker Bios:
Dennis Dawson is a Distinguished Toastmaster and past district champion in the Tall Tales contest.
Jana Lannen is a Toastmasters enthusiast, who competed twice in the International Speech Contest District Level.
Declan Shalvey is a Distinguished Toastmaster and the winner of the 2020 Fall Fusion Humorous contest.
Distinguished Toastmaster Brendan James Murphy is a past District Table Topics and District Humorous Speech Champion.
Date: Thursday, December 8, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – To Hybrid or Not To Hybrid, That is the Question!
Moderated by: Solarzar Dellaporta, DTM
Description:
Many clubs are still meeting online; other clubs have returned to meeting in person, and some have begun Hybrid meetings.
Our expert panel representing Downtown Santa Cruz Toastmasters, Los Gatos Toastmasters, and Saratoga Toastmasters will share their successful hybrid meeting tips. There are many “Do and Don’t’ lists about hybrid meetings but let’s hear from those doing it. The lessons learned, what works and what doesn’t work, and more. If you are planning to start Hybrid meetings, then this is the one session that is a Must Attend
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:30PM PST
Cost: Free!
Agenda:
Session: 6:00 – 7:00PM PST
Q&A: 7:00 – 7:30PM PST
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
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 12th 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, November 12, 2022
Time: 9:00 – 12:00PM PST
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Great Meetings
Presenter: Dennis Dawson, DTM
Description:
Dennis Dawson will lead a discussion not only of best practices for running a great meeting, but also why the rituals are important to running meetings that motivate members and transform guests. There will be ample time for attendees to discuss the issues that interfere with the fun and success of their clubs and brainstorm practical solutions.
Date: Thursday, November 10, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PST
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – What, Why, and How of Pathways
Presenter: Raghunadha Raju, DTM
Description:
Do you know that Pathways program offers more than 300+ competencies that can nurture our public speaking and leadership journey. Pathways also offers several projects where we can safely practice and exhibit our leadership skills. come join the pathways orientation session where Raghu is going to talk about Why, what and how about Toastmasters.
Speaker Bio:
Raghunadha Raju is a 3-time DTM and has completed 9 pathways. He has mentored several members across the globe on pathways. He believes in converting his personal experiences and stories into speeches. Raghunadha is currently serving as Division Director for Division A in District 101. He calls himself Nomadic Toastmaster, roaming around different countries of the world virtually. He has now virtually visited 600+ clubs in 144 countries.
Date: Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PST
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Think Inside the Box: How to Reach Your Audience Online
Presenter: Alexandre Matte, DTM
Description:
The number and frequency of online events skyrocketed in 2020. While many Toastmasters and presenters embraced the new medium, many others resisted or hesitated to make the switch. And while the world is opening again and we can go back on stages in front of real live audiences, the need and desire for online events is expected to continue growing. Don’t be left out.
Join Alexandre Matte, DTM, First runner up in the 2022 World Championship of Public Speaking, and the only online contestant to reach the podium, in his rich and participative workshop. Come prepared to practice your content live, and increase your level of comfort and skills in online presentations.
Date: Monday, October 24, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – Pathways Percipience – What!
Moderated by Solarzar Dellaporta, DTM
Description:
Love it – Hate it – it doesn’t matter, Pathways is here to stay.
- Learn how to work Pathways and how to make Pathways work for you.
- Our panel of knowledgeable Pathways trainers will offer tips, tools and insights to make navigating Pathways and doing assignments easy.
- Advanced registrants will be asked to offer questions and concerns that can be covered during the discussion.
Our Panelists:
Program Quality Director, DTM Abhijeet Joshi
Club Growth Director, DTM Raji Bandanapudi
Pathways Professor, DTM Ken Braly
Date: Thursday, October 13, 2022
Time: 6:00 – 7:15PM PT
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
GREAT Event – An Evening with Meetup’s CEO: David Siegel
Leadership Advice and Decision-Making Strategies from a Leading CEO
Description
David Siegel is the CEO of Meetup, the largest platform for finding and building local community.
From his bestselling book, Decide & Conquer (HarperCollins) David will share the framework for decision-making that leaders can use to ensure organizational and personal success.
About the Speaker
David Siegel has over 20 years of experience as a technology and digital media executive leading organizations through innovative product development, rapid revenue growth, and digital traffic acceleration.
Prior to joining Meetup, David was CEO of Investopedia and before that, President of Seeking Alpha. David holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics & Economics and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. He is an adjunct professor at Columbia University where he teaches strategic planning and entrepreneurship. He hosts Keep Connected, a podcast dedicated to the power of community, which ranks among the top 3% of global podcasts.
David’s bestselling book, Decide & Conquer (HarperCollins) can be purchased from Amazon through this link: Amazon Link
Agenda
6:00 PM: Doors Open
6:30 PM: Session Begins
8:00 PM: Adjourn
Date: Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Location: Synopsys, 800 N Mary Ave, Building 1, Sunnyvale, CA 94085
Online: An online option is provided with the registration.
Cost: Free!
Questions? Contact:
Abhijeet Joshi
Program Quality Director, District 101
