Silences can be as Strong as Speech

Stop and listen -- on the Windsor Trail near Santa Fe Ski basin

An absorbing meditation on listening, and the importance of silence: an interview with Acoustic Ecologist Gordon Hempton

Andrews and Ralph Elected

MyChelle Andrews and Stephen Ralph, both of Albuquerque, were elected to district-level offices on May 18, 2019, during the District 23 Toastmasters 2019 conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

MyChelle Andrews

The members of District 23 Toastmasters elected Andrews, a data architect for the City of Albuquerque, to the role of Program Quality Director for the 2019-2020 Toastmasters year. Andrews has previously served as an Area and Division Director. In addition to helping found the CitySpeakers club at the City of Albuquerque offices, she frequently guides the Toastmasters club officer training programs for Albuquerque and northern New Mexico. The latter feeds directly into her role as Program Quality Director where she will be leading the training efforts across the district.

"I am so excited, but more importantly honored, to serve the district as the 2019-2020 Program Quality Director," said Andrews. "This year my focus is on the members. How can Toastmasters help our members have success in their personal and professional lives, as well as, in Toastmasters?"

She believes the approach to achieve this goal can be accomplished through three steps:

1. Ask the members what their goals are and why they joined Toastmasters. When a club understands what it’s members need, they are better equipped to help them achieve their goals.
2. Provide educational opportunities to ensure club officers and district leaders have the skills necessary to fully their obligations to the club and it’s members. And that all members who attend educational events take away something that will help them move closer to their goals.
3. Encourage members to “Do one task and do it well." When members focus on one role, one office, one leadership opportunity, the organization will thrive. So often we think, well no one else will want to do it, or no one else has volunteered so I will just go ahead and take on yet another task. 

"I know I am guilty of this, but what I have found is, when members understand what the task is, that they will have guidance from a mentor, and are allowed to think about it, they are very likely to step up. We have to allow members the opportunity to grow."

Stephen Ralph

Ralph, an assistant District Attorney with the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office, received the nomination and was elected to the position of Division Director for the northern division of District 23. 

Ralph began membership in Toastmasters in the Hi-Plains club in Clovis, New Mexico. Upon moving to Albuquerque, he stepped into an Area Director role for the district. In this position, he worked directly with four clubs - Marketing Masters, Off-the-Cuff, Sandia Lite, and Tumbleweeds - to help ensure their success. He also assisted with officer training and the running of contests. 

Graduating from the University of New Mexico with both a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Juris Doctorate of Law, Ralph brings a wealth of knowledge to the role of Division Director.

Albuquerque Members Take On District Officers

Larry Buelow
District 23 Director

Albuquerque and the surrounding cities are home to a number of newly elected and appointed officers in District 23 Toastmasters. The top officer in the district, the District Director, is Larry Buelow of Albuquerque. Larry is a long-time member of Toastmasters International and has held many other offices including the district's Program Quality Director, two terms as a Division Director, and a term as an Area Director.

Along with Larry, twelve other Toastmasters members (pictured below) serve the Albuquerque area and the entire district, which includes all of New Mexico, the Oklahoma Panhandle, the Texas Panhandle down through Midland/Odessa and across to El Paso.

District 23 is home to 1400 Toastmasters and 101 clubs, all of whom are served by 40 district officers. More information about the District and Toastmasters is available at www.District23.org.

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 352,000 in more than 16,400 clubs in 141 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org.

Eva Fanari
Public Relations Manager

Felecia Crull
Division B Director

MyChelle Andrews
Division C Director

Janice Gaston
Area 22 Director

James Pechie
Area 24 Director

Stephen Ralph
Area 25 Director

Scott Sharot
Area 31 Director

Nancy Risenhoover
Area 31 Director

Brian Lynch
Area 33 Director

Lorraine Sachs Garcia
Area 34 Director 

Photos not available for:

• Les Feka - Area 21 Director
• Roger Due - Area 23 Director

Can You Remember When You First Heard This Word?

If you're feeling stressed out (2008) because your smartphone (1996) died as you headed out to do some cardio (1984) ... why not take a moment to visit the new Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler feature.

Find out when words first entered the language -- perfect for "Word of the Day" or a themed speech. 

Vocal Exercises from the Experts at National Public Radio

National Public Radio

If you'll be speaking into a microphone (podcasting?), or in front of an audience, here's how to liven up your voice with breathing exercises and visualizations.

Be a labrador retriever... be a kid with a birthday cake.... be an opera singer.

It's fun and diaphragm-opening!

https://youtu.be/cSTqKi7Wuq4

An Unusual Take on Powerpoint

Do you use Powerpoint for your speeches sometimes? Time to examine the tool you use. Not a "How to Use Powerpoint" article, however.

How to re-cast your nervousness into excitment

A Toastmaster member at a club meeting

Few people can calmly look at an audience and not feel some twinge of trepidation. Here's how to make that extra energy work for you: Can Three Words Turn Anxiety into Success?