Conference 2022

Friday, April 29

Saturday, April 30

Sunday, May 1

Meet our Keynote Speaker

Melissa McGavick, DTM

International Director – Region 6

Melissa McGavick, DTM, of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, is a professional speaker and trainer. She is the owner of McGavick Interactive Training, which was founded in 2004.

Toastmaster McGavick earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications and media studies from Pennsylvania State University. In 2008, she was awarded Business Woman of the Year by the Women’s Business Network of Western Pennsylvania for her excellence and leadership in her profession. The following year, she served as president of the Board of Directors for the same organization.

A Toastmaster since 2004, McGavick’s home club is Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters in Cranberry Township. She 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.

“As a business owner, Toastmasters has given me the opportunity to learn to communicate more clearly with my clients. The leadership positions in the Toastmasters program have afforded me the opportunity to develop higher level leadership skills that typically only executives of large corporate organizations have the opportunity to practice,” she said.

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

Who’s Missing at the Table? — The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Opportunity to Impact Change

Lenroy Jones, DTM

Can you imagine or “reimagine” yourself in a community or work environment that is getting more and more diverse? Does Toastmasters International have a leadership role in providing solutions and erasing the great divide? A more significant question, Who is missing from the conversation?

• This session will expand the knowledge and understanding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) opportunity to Impact change.
• The participants will identify situations and formulate how Toastmasters International will contribute to the DE&I conversation and provide solutions.
• The presenter will share his observations, research, and outline with participants who is missing from the DE&I conversation

Biography: 

Lenroy Jones, DTM, is a member of several community clubs and calls Mount Vernon Club home. He was the Club Mentor for the formation of District 10’s first online club – Diversity 4 Success Toastmasters. Lenroy has served 2 terms as District 10’s Southern Division Director and was the 2020 Toastmaster of the Year recipient. Lenroy’s commitment to diversity is best translated by the following statement:  “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is doing the right thing for all people and respecting each other. Lenroy’s life mission has been clear and consistent over the years: To make a difference – one client at a time. Diversity is more than race or ethnicity. Diverse workplaces are comprised of employees with varied characteristics, varied challenges, and varied needs.”

Reimagine, Your Action Plan

Wendi Polman, DTM

You’ve reimagined a new you, you have big dreams, but do you know how can you turn them into reality?  Let’s take the momentum of the conference to create Your Action Plan to Reimagine You.

This session will help you empower yourself in 3 simple steps:

• Visualize goals
• Break them down into manageable chunks
• Measure your success

Biography: 

Wendi Polman, DTM, is a member of Progressive Advanced Toastmasters Club, Progressively Speaking, and Central Akron Advanced.  Her insights come from her commitment to personal growth, service as Area Director, Division Director, and Club Coach Coordinator in District 10, and success as an Operational Excellence professional at her workplace.  Wendi’s many leadership opportunities helped turn her Toastmasters passion into full-time Coaching.   As an Informational Technology Lean Agile Coach, she works with leaders, teams, and organizations on continuous improvement, engagement, and efficiency.  

Becoming Unstoppable!

Bindu Chintha, DTM

Are you interested in understanding yourself more deeply to reinvent yourself? If you answered yes, this session is for YOU! Come to become unstoppable!  The session will help you identify your innate talent, build these skills into strengths, and enjoy consistent performance in the pursuit of life objectives. 

In this session, you will learn:

• Concepts of Emotional intelligence; Mindfulness; Flourishing with Positive Psychology
• How to bring these unique simple practices into day-to-day activities
• How these practices bring success in work, relationships, and our physical well-being

Biography: 

Bindu Chintha, DTM is a Project Management Professional with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology; a John Maxwell Certified Speaker l Trainer l Coach; a Yoga & Mindfulness trainer; and a 10-time marathon runner. Bindu has been instrumental in starting three new Toastmasters clubs and strives to bring the Toastmasters education program to the youth by conducting youth leadership programs in her community. Bindu is a motivational speaker presenting inspiring talks around the world and in her signature podcast show – Inspire & Empower! Some of her speaking engagements include facilitating education sessions at Toastmasters District conferences around the world.

What Is Holding You Back? 

Dr. James Dittoe, PM4

What is holding you back in your relationships, in your business, in your finances, in your health? Foundationally, it is our self-image. You will never grow beyond the boundaries of your self-image. We are inundated today, perhaps like never before in history, with information on what we are supposed to do to “fit in.” The battle for our minds is real and it is important to learn how to discipline our thoughts.

In this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Identify your limiting beliefs
• Identify techniques on replacing those beliefs
• Continually plan to improve your self-image

Have a pen and paper ready. While the techniques are simple, they are not necessarily easy.  It boils down to developing a mindset that supports growth in every aspect of life.

Biography: 

Dr. James Dittoe practiced veterinary medicine for 42 years, with most of that time spent in large animal medicine.  He found early that cows did not sign the checks for his service and that while he was an “animal doctor”, the practice was a people business.  He developed an interest in personal development and discovering why people do what they do. Through years of intensive study and embracing mentors, he became a ProctorGallagher consultant and mindset coach.  He is a member of the Canton Public Speaking Club #637 and a four-time speech contest winner. While he continues to practice veterinary medicine, his mission is to help people discipline their minds to develop a supportive self-image.

Unlock Your Growth with a Mentor Key

Stephen Britton, EC2, DL2

Have you wondered what it would be like to reach that next level in your personal development journey? Having a mentor is not just about a name and title only, but rather developing an action plan.

In this session, you will learn:

• Key advantages and importance of having a mentor
• Questions to ask when seeking a mentor
• Establish a simple, nuts and bolts strategy to find, grow, and be accountable with your mentor

Biography: 

Stephen Britton, Ohio Army National Guard Engineer Warrant Officer; Dual Club Member, EC2, DL2. Stephen joined Toastmasters early last year and is nearing his 1-year membership anniversary. He competed in his first speech contest this year, earning 2^nd place in the Area round. Furthermore, he’s been a member of Ohio Army National Guard for 13 years, and transitioned as an Engineer Warrant Officer.

How to be a WARRIOR instead of a WORRIER 

Preeti Venkataramani, CC, CL, SR5

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Have the past two years felt totally out of your control? Feeling helpless and powerless drains energy. To deal with the seismic shift in our lifestyles, we have to shift our mindset as well. Join this session to learn the tools and tactics to recharge, reimagine, and reinvent yourself.  Let’s take charge together!

In this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Overcome resistance to taking action
• Deal with the crippling effect of analysis paralysis
• Map your overall impact
• Take ownership of your actions

Biography: 

Preeti Venkataramani, CC, CL, SR5 has been a member of the Parker SpeakEasies Club for the past 4 years. She has served District 10 in various roles such as Area Director, Division Director, and PR Committee. She contributes to the DTM Blog and is currently serving as the Finance Manager. 

As an ex-over thinker herself, she learned the hard way that thinking without action leads to nothing but unnecessary worry. She wishes to share the lessons learned and help break the inertia from thinking to action.

Preeti loves different languages and believes in the power of words to educate, engage and transform.

Session 1

11:15 AM – 12:00 Noon
Select one session

Room A: Just a Minute! Game

Hosted by Monika Springer-Schnell, PM4

This game is a play-off of different roles that get filled at a Toastmasters meeting, including Ah Counter, Grammarian, and Table Topics Master.  You will have the opportunity to use your speaking skills while having some real fun!  Audience members will be divided into two teams and one team will be given a topic to begin speaking on.  Players on the opposing team can stop the speaker when a filler word, grammatical error, or verging off-topic occurs.  The opposing team then takes over until they make an error.  Competitive and fast-paced, the player still speaking at the end of the Table Topics time for each topic earns a point for their team!

Room B: Improv

Hosted by Louise Debell, EH1 

A form of table topics but going further and adding comedy and humorous antics with speaking skills. We add not just one-person improv, but also have two-person improv where we go back and forth with the role-playing on various subjects.  Come and have some fun in this interactive session.

Room C: Virtual Lounge – Networking & Chat

LUNCH JAMBOREE

12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Select one session

Room A: Virtual Bookstore

Hosted by Selena Mallory, PM2

Room B: Reimagine YOU Room: To Dream the I’m “Possible” Dream

You are invited to participate in a relaxing, reflective guided imagery exercise that will focus on a journey to explore where you currently are and where you would like to go to create the best Toastmaster that you can possibly be.  Constantly busy?  Never have a moment to get your thoughts together.  Here is an opportunity!  Please have paper and pen handy to partake fully in this process.

Room C: Virtual Social Lounge

Brown bag lunch it!

Session 2

1:35 PM – 2:20 PM
Select one session

Room A:  Q&A with Educational Presenters and Virtual Social Lounge

Hosted by Sharon Stadul, DTM

Room B: JeoParty

Hosted by Eugene Schnell, DTM

Based on the well-known and beloved game of Jeopardy!®️, JeoParty is an adaptation that has been formatted for the fun of playing with Table Topics questions.  Participants will play in teams and cover topic areas such as Icebreakers, Past/Present/Future, Toastmasters Hodge Podge, and more!  Come join the fun and get to know your fellow Toastmasters on a whole new level.  Do you think you will know the answer to the Final JeoParty question?

Room C: Toastmaster on Trial Skit

Hosted by Susan Russell, EC2

Prepared scripts are a fun way to teach areas such as the finer points of meeting procedures or how to run effective committee meetings. This script is designed to emphasize some of the duties of the assignments of Topicmaster and Toastmaster.

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