Your Story is Still Being Written 

Renew your Toastmasters Membership by March 31st! 

Every great leader is, at their core, a storyteller. Whether you are advocating for a new project, mentoring a peer, or inspiring a room full of people, your ability to draw from your own life experiences is what makes your leadership authentic.

Toastmasters is the workshop where those stories are refined. It’s where your challenges become lessons and your milestones become motivation for others.

As we approach the March 31st renewal deadline, I encourage you to continue this journey. Your membership is an investment in your voice, your confidence, and your ability to lead with purpose.

Why Renew Today?

• Refine Your Narrative: Continue using the Pathways program to structure your unique experiences into powerful messages.
• Lead with Impact: Harness your growth to motivate your club and community.
• Stay Connected: Maintain your place in a supportive network of members dedicated to mutual success.

Don’t let the clock run out on your next chapter. Please submit your renewal by March 31st to ensure uninterrupted access to all our resources and District 2 events.

🌟 Celebrate Excellence: Nominations are Now Open!

It’s time to shine a spotlight on the stars of District 2! We are thrilled to announce that nominations for the "Of the Year" Awards are officially open.

Your participation in the voting and nomination process is vital. This is your chance to help us recognize and celebrate the outstanding members, clubs, and leaders who have gone above and beyond to make our district exceptional this year.

🗳️ How to Cast Your Vote

Before you submit, please read the instructions carefully on the nomination form to ensure your vote counts toward honoring our community's finest.

• Recognize leadership and growth.
• Celebrate club achievements.
• Inspire others by highlighting excellence.

Thank you for being an active part of our District 2 community and for helping us honor those who embody the Toastmasters spirit!

The recipients of these awards will be announced at the District 2 conference on May 16th. 

Submit your votes here!

UPDATE!

District Leadership Nomination Applications accepted through March 14th!

You still have one more week to get in your district leadership applications in!

All forms and information found at the following link - https://www.d2tm.org/district-leader-nominations

Michael Bown,

“Grow the Garden: Cultivating Members Who Stay”

District 1 International Director

So delighted to spotlight our own District 2 Keynote Speaker Rebecca P. Murray, DTM, with her speech 'From Toastmaster to Paid Speaker: The Power of Yes!'

.

"Michael Bown, DTM, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, is a Divisional Cross-Functional Team Manager at BC Pension Corporation, where he partners with diverse teams to drive innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. In this role, he empowers teams to refine processes, implement efficiencies, and champion a culture of high performance. Michael oversees divisional business planning, contributes subject matter expertise to key projects, and collaborates with leaders across departments to guide operational and project outcomes. In 2024, he received the CEO Award of Distinction, the organization’s highest individual honor, recognizing one employee out of more than 600 for exceptional service and impact.

Michael’s professional expertise is complemented by a strong foundation in both leadership and technical disciplines. A dedicated member of Toastmasters International since 2014, Michael belongs to the First Canadian Toastmasters Club 38 in Victoria. He has served in numerous senior leadership roles and earned the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) designation—the organization’s highest educational and leadership achievement.

Michael has also been recognized for his work in the nonprofit sector in Hong Kong, where he coordinated an anti-drug film initiative and was honored by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and the Consul General of Pakistan to Hong Kong for his leadership and community impact.

As a member of the Toastmasters International Board of Directors, Michael serves as a working ambassador for the organization. In this capacity, he collaborates with global board members to develop and refine strategies, policies, and programs that advance Toastmasters International’s mission of empowering individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders worldwide.

Michael invites us to think differently about what it means to nurture strong, lasting membership within our clubs and within our organization.

His keynote, “Grow the Garden: Cultivating Members Who Stay,” explores how we can foster the roots of connection, belonging, and shared purpose that help members not just join—but truly flourish. "

We look forward to learning from Michael and growing our Toastmasters garden!

Roxanne Spring, DTM

Conference Marketing Chair 2026

Building Leaders Through Trust

By Vincent Tang

True leadership isn’t found in the perfect execution of a process, it’s found in the moment you train someone and then trust them to figure the rest out.

I’ve found that "letting go" is one of the trickiest, yet most vital, responsibilities we have in building the next generation of leaders. I think back to the first time I covered for a colleague during their vacation. I grew exponentially in that moment because I knew the safety net was gone. I was the one in charge.

In Toastmasters, we often get too comfortable with how things should be. We’ve defined the processes and it can be painful to see them ignored. Perhaps you’re training a new Vice President Membership. You notice they didn’t CC the President on an e-mail or they missed the 24-hour follow-up window. Your instinct is to jump in and "fix" it, but I’ve learned that building a leader isn't about correcting their emails. It’s about watching how they reflect afterward.

One of my biggest regrets as a mentor was leaving a mentee to their own devices without a framework for growth. I thought I was giving them freedom, but without guided reflection, they eventually stopped experimenting. They weren't learning and eventually drifted.

To avoid that trap and truly lean into your role as a leader-builder, try these two strategies:

Create "Presence-Free" Space: Give the member time to navigate the meeting structure or a new role without you hovering. If a process is truly vital, its importance will eventually become clear through the natural flow of the system.

Prioritize Reflection Over Correction: It’s easy to follow a checklist, but it’s hard to understand why the checklist exists. Instead of pointing out a missed step, ask: "How did that process work for you? What would you change next time?"

Leadership is about trust and ownership. The next time you can’t make it to a meeting, don't worry about what might go wrong. See it as the greatest gift you can give your club–an opportunity for someone else to lead.

4-Week Communications Course

Diamonds in the Rough Toastmasters

Build real-world communication and leadership skills in just four weeks. This guided training

program helps participants become more confident speakers, stronger listeners, and more

effective professionals.

Even though the course has begun, feel free to drop-in to learn and build your communication skills!

Go to the DIRT website or Meetup Group for more info.