Podcasts
Meet Maureen Zappala, DTM, Toastmasters' 2024 Newest Accredited Speaker
In this episode, host Greg Gazin, DTM, speaks with Maureen Zappala, DTM, about her journey to become an Accredited Speaker at the 2024 Toastmasters International Convention. Zappala shares some key takeaways from her presentation and origin story.
Learn more in the Toastmaster magazine.
Meet Lauren Parsons, DTM, Toastmasters' 2024 Newest Accredited Speaker
Lauren Parsons, DTM, is one of two members who earned the Accredited Speaker (AS) designation in 2024. In this episode, Parsons shares highlights and valuable lessons from her AS final presentation and personal story.
Learn more in the article, “New Accredited Speakers Exemplify Resilience”.
Holiday Harmony: Tips for Multicultural Workplace Celebrations – Dean Foster
In this episode, Dean Foster tackles an essential question: How can we ensure holiday celebrations are inclusive and respectful of everyone’s traditions in a multicultural environment? Foster shares invaluable tips and strategies to make holiday celebrations a success while embracing cultural diversity.
Read “Celebrating the Holidays in a Multicultural Workplace” for eight tips to make everyone feel welcome.
Winning Wisdom: Speech Contest Secrets, Insights and Tips – Dilip Abayasekara, DTM, AS
Past International President Dilip Abayasekara, DTM, AS, has accumulated a treasure trove of wisdom, captivating stories, and winning secrets for speech contests. He offers valuable insights on how he learned from others and tools and techniques he used to perfect his craft.
For more advice on how to elevate your speaking skills, read his article.
Dr. Ralph C. Smedley’s Legacy: Hidden Stories and Rare Finds – Bob Palmer
Bob Palmer is a Toastmaster with a passion for historical research, who shares some lesser-known facts and hidden mysteries about Toastmasters founder Dr. Ralph C. Smedley. Palmer’s vast knowledge is on display in this episode and in this magazine article about the first Toastmasters club.
Celebrating 100 Years of History - Part 2 – Daniel Rex
In this second episode, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Rex returns to discuss the organization's centennial celebrations and the resources World Headquarters created to help members explore and celebrate the past 100 years of Toastmasters.
Celebrating 100 Years of History - Part 1 – Daniel Rex
In this first episode with Chief Executive Officer Daniel Rex, he shares stories and a bit of background about the history of Toastmasters International, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley’s vision, and the organization’s growth.
Luisa Montalvo – 2024 World Champion of Public Speaking
In this episode, Luisa Montalvo shares her path to victory, reflects on her runner-up finish in 2019, and dives into her winning speech, which was inspired by a life-threatening accident. She also offers valuable advice for aspiring speakers.
Read more about Montalvo and the other finalists in “Meet the Winners of the 2024 World Championship of Public Speaking”.
Gearing Up for Growth: Meet 2024-2025 International President Radhi Spear, DTM
Meet Radhi Spear, DTM, and hear stories about her personal and Toastmasters journey to become International President. She also shares her vision for her year in office.
Learn more about Spear in the September 2024 issue of the magazine.
How Supercommunicators Identify and Match Conversations – Charles Duhigg
Pulitzer Prize-winner Charles Duhigg joins The Toastmasters Podcast to share how anyone can become a supercommunicator. Duhigg explains how to identify and tune in to the right conversations and enhance communication skills. He also shares personal stories and wisdom from his latest book.
For more from Duhigg, read his article, “Strengthen Your Conversation Skills”.
2024 Convention: Celebrating 100 yrs – Anaheim, CA – Joan Lewis and Jessica Allen
Mother-daughter duo and Distinguished Toastmasters Joan Lewis and Jessica Allen are the 2024 International Convention host co-chairs. In this episode, they share their thoughts on celebrating Toastmasters’ 100th anniversary and explain what they’ve learned from using their family connection and skills in their positions.
Learn more about Lewis and Allen in the Toastmaster magazine.
Gravitas Personified: Meet the 2024 Golden Gavel Recipient – Lisa Sun
Lisa Sun discusses her Toastmasters International Convention presentation and highlights each of the eight superpowers from her book Gravitas: The 8 Strengths That Redefine Confidence. Read more about Sun and her business in the May 2024 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.
A Toastmasters Ribbon of Inspiration for my 6-Year-Old Daughter – Todd Bryant
In this episode, hear about Todd Bryant’s experience bringing his daughter, Cambrie, to a Toastmasters meeting, where she walked away with a prized ribbon for Best Table Topics speech.
Bryant’s article shares more on how Cambrie expressed her interest and prepared for the big day.
Meet the Resilient Shawn Ellis: 2024 International Convention Keynote Speaker
Get to know Shawn Ellis, the 2024 Toastmasters International Convention keynote speaker. He shares his journey of resilience and adaptability and the nuggets of wisdom he has acquired over the years.
To get even more of a sneak peek at his keynote, read the June 2024 Toastmaster magazine.
Leading Successful Teams Like a Master Gardener – Lauren Parsons
In this episode, Lauren Parsons explains how building and leading successful teams is similar to being a master gardener. Parsons explains how to develop a proverbial green thumb through a better understanding of elements of leadership. She dissects these further in her Toastmaster magazine article, “Lead Like a Master Gardener”.
Cultivating Your Authentic Self as a Speaker – Elizabeth Danziger
Elizabeth Danziger helps listeners understand what it means to be authentic as a speaker and how to build authenticity while avoiding the pitfalls of coming across as inauthentic to an audience. For more tips, read her article in the January 2024 Toastmaster magazine.
500 Lunches with Strangers: Breaking Bread for Personal Growth – Nick Bendel
Imagine having lunch with 500 strangers to enhance your social skills, fortify your mindset, expand your network, and unlock new opportunities. In the 250th episode, delve into Nick Bendel’s journey of doing just this.
Read more about Bendel and his lunches in the April 2024 issue of the Toastmaster.
Group Wisdom: Reading The Toastmaster Aloud – Dorothy Chanakira and Viola Dondo
In this episode, Dorothy Chanakira, DTM, and Viola Dondo, DTM, explain their creative approach to sharing the Toastmaster magazine. They established an online group where participants give a toast to Toastmasters each month and engage in in-depth discussions after reading aloud articles from the magazine.
To learn more about Toast & Read, read this article from the January 2023 Toastmaster.
How One Person Beat Burnout Through Personal Daily Routines – Olya Amelina
If you’re feeling emotionally or physically drained or mentally exhausted, you may be suffering from burnout—and you’re not alone. Olya Amelina has been there, rebuilt her life from scratch, and began a career as a health and performance coach. Listen to this episode to hear about her journey and how you can turn it all around.
For more tips from Amelina, read her article in the January 2024 issue of the Toastmaster, “Finding a Balance to Beat Burnout”.
Improv: Laugh While Flexing Your Spontaneous Speaking Skills – Karen Rae Hannah
Improvisation—or improv—the art of saying or doing something relevant to the moment, yet completely unplanned, is a great way to get people laughing and flexing their spontaneous speaking skills. In this episode, meet Karen Rae Hannah, a 16-year Toastmaster who belongs to five clubs, two of which are dedicated to humor and improv.
In this lighthearted episode, Hannah gives her take on what improv is and explains how it’s integrated into her club meetings. To learn more, read the article “Improv-ing Club Meetings”.
The Roast: Lightheartedly "Grilling" the Person of Honor – Chris Arning
A roast is something you can bake in the oven, but it’s also a humorous way to honor an individual by poking fun at them in a good-natured way. On this episode, Chris Arning demystifies and enlightens listeners on this time-honored topic. He shares his recipe for what a good roast is and how roasts can be used within Toastmasters and the outside world.
For more grilling tips, read “Fire Up the Lectern!” in the February 2024 Toastmaster magazine.
Meet the Newest Toastmasters International Accredited Speakers 2023
Stephanie Angelo, Verity Price, DTM, and Dale Rees-Bevan are the most recent three of only 93 individuals to earn the Accredited Speaker designation, after they secured their places at the Toastmasters 2023 International Convention.
In this episode, hear their interesting stories and pick up some valuable tips. For more about these women, read the article featuring them in the January 2024 Toastmaster magazine.
Handling Presentation Misfortunes & Mishaps with Grace – Jim Cathcart
Even when you've thoroughly prepared for a presentation, things can go awry that you could never possibly anticipate. Jim Cathcart has faced the impossibly unpredictable countless times. He joins the podcast to share his stories, strategies, and mindset for handling the unexpected with grace.
Reach Cathcart’s article “Expect the Unexpected” in the December 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.
My Toastmasters Education is like a College Degree – Philip Wilkerson III
In this episode, Philip Wilkerson III likens his four years of Toastmasters membership to being equivalent to receiving a college degree. He shares how he came up with the idea to charter a virtual club—Alpha Toastmasters 1906—by recruiting members from Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Black fraternity, whose past members include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Owens, Thurgood Marshall, and Lionel Ritchie.
Learn more about Wilkerson’s career, podcast, and Toastmasters journey in his December “My Turn.”
Finding Her Voice and Purpose Creates a Path of Opportunities – Kelly Kaur
People find their voice and purpose in many different ways. Kelly Kaur found hers through storytelling, writing, overcoming adversity, and Toastmasters speech competitions. Learn how this 15-year Toastmaster became a fiction writer and how the word “no” has had a powerful impact on her life.
Read more about Kaur in the Toastmaster magazine article ”Path of Opportunities.”