Will You Be Part of the 2026-2027 Leadership Team?

District Leadership Committee Chair Melissa Jean has a question for you: How are you going to become the person you envision for your future?

In her special video message, Melissa shares how stepping into these roles—from Area Director to the Trio—provides a safe, supportive environment to "catapult" your self-confidence, project management, and communication skills.

Take the next step: Nomination forms are available at https://www.d2tm.org/district-leader-nominations



Hurry! Please email your completed forms to Melissa by February 28, 2026.  

Stepping into the Arena

I’ve always enjoyed competing. You win some, you lose some, and either way, you learn from the experience. When I was seven, competing in math felt straightforward–losing showed me my gaps and winning confirmed my process. Competition, to me, was information.

I took chances at contests simply to give my best shot and gather information. That changed when I competed in the District Contest in 2023, filling in as the runner-up. I was filled with imposter syndrome and didn’t feel like I had earned the spot. My motivation to practice shifted from giving a valuable speech to proving myself–I didn’t realize how many nerves I had until then.

During my speech, my heart felt ready to leap out of my chest and my hands were sweating. After the competition, I didn’t place, but I felt relief once the pressure lifted and I could analyze the speakers who followed. Reflecting later, I realized how sensitive I was to feedback at the time, avoiding critique because I feared it would confirm I wasn’t fit to represent the competition. Competition is valuable, but it’s easy to get into your head depending on the mindset you adopt.

When I worried more about placement than personal growth, I stopped using competition as my practice arena. It became stifling–something I avoided.

That’s the mindset I try to return to now. Toastmasters competitions don’t have to be a verdict on your ability–they can be an arena to practice, learn, and gather information. If your club still has a chance to compete, give yourself permission to step into that arena, not to prove yourself, but to grow as part of your Toastmasters practice.

Vincent Tang

VPPR of Story Weavers Toastmasters (#00819229)

How Toast of the Town Helped Me Deliver the Talk of My Career

When I walked into the ballroom at the DONA International Conference in Seattle last month, ready to present a 90-minute workshop on culturally-informed postpartum nutrition to hundreds of birth professionals, I carried something unexpected with me: a serving tray.

There was no podium—just this makeshift lectern someone handed me to hold my notes. But here's what I did have: months of preparation, honest feedback, consistent practice, and a Toastmasters club that showed up for me in every way that mattered.

Toast of the Town, my club in Seattle, Washington, was instrumental in making that presentation a success. Not because they offered generic encouragement or told me I'd do great—but because they gave me exactly what every speaker needs: flexibility, honest feedback, and a community committed to growth.

The Preparation That Actually Worked

I've been a member of Toast of the Town for [timeframe], and I've learned that good public speaking isn't magic—it's preparation. When I started developing my DONA talk, I knew I needed more than solo practice in front of a mirror. I needed real people, real feedback, and real opportunities to refine my message.

That's where my club made all the difference. When I asked to be added to the speaking schedule to practice sections of my workshop, the answer was yes. When I needed to work on specific skills—eye contact, pacing, transitioning between topics—members gave me detailed, actionable evaluations. When I recorded an early version of my talk (that I couldn't even bear to watch myself), fellow Toastmasters offered thoughtful critiques that helped me see what I couldn't see on my own.

The flexibility Toast of the Town showed me wasn't just convenient—it was essential. Preparing for a 90-minute workshop with interactive activities and scenario-based learning required a different kind of practice than a standard speech. My club adapted. They understood that sometimes growth means doing things that aren't traditional. That willingness to be flexible while maintaining high standards made my preparation possible.

Feedback That Made the Difference

I used to think I was a naturally good speaker because I'm comfortable with impromptu conversation. Toastmasters taught me I was wrong. I'm actually better at structured speaking—but only after I learned how to truly use feedback.

The evaluations I received at Toast of the Town were specific and honest. Members told me exactly where I rushed through content, when I lost eye contact, and how my notes were controlling me instead of supporting me. They pointed out the moment in my speech when the room's energy shifted, and helped me understand why.

That level of detail transformed my preparation. When I practiced with my mom and her nursing-school friend, when I ran through sections on Zoom with coworkers and family, I knew what to focus on—because Toastmasters had already shown me where the gaps were.

On the day of my DONA presentation, when I had to improvise with a serving tray instead of a podium, when I walked through the projector light while managing slides, when I adjusted my pacing based on the room's energy—I was drawing directly on skills my club helped me develop. The feedback I'd received wasn't just helpful. It was the foundation of my success.

The People Who Showed Up

Toast of the Town has followed the Toastmasters International program since 1988, and that legacy of commitment to growth was evident in how members showed up for me. They didn't just attend meetings—they invested in my development. They stayed after sessions to discuss my approach. They offered specific suggestions. They celebrated progress and challenged me to do better.

When a participant at DONA came up to me afterward and said, "I finally understand how to honor my clients' food traditions without appropriating them—you gave me a framework I can actually use," I felt the weight of that accomplishment. But I also knew I hadn't done it alone.

The Real Gift

Toastmasters didn't teach me to be perfect. It taught me to prepare well. To seek honest feedback. To be resourceful about practice. To lean on people with a growth mindset who are willing to help.

That's what Toast of the Town gave me—not through some magic formula, but through flexibility when I needed it, honest evaluations when I asked for them, and a community of people who genuinely cared about helping me succeed.



To my fellow Toast of the Town members: thank you for showing up. For being flexible. For caring enough to give me real feedback. You made that DONA talk work. And you've reminded me what Toastmasters is really about—not individual achievement, but the community that makes growth possible.

About the Author: Kristin Stinavage is a member of Toast of the Town Toastmasters in Seattle, WA. As a postpartum doula and CIA-trained chef, she recently presented "Healing Through Food: Culturally-Informed Postpartum Meal Planning to Nourish Families and Build Resilience" at the 2025 DONA International Conference in Seattle.

Club Officer Training Presented by

SPEAKOUT Advanced Seattle Toastmasters Club

We've joined Toastmasters and we've grown. We became club officers and we've grown. Keeping growth going, however, is difficult.  How do we keep growing? There are two critical next

steps to our growth. Our keynote speaker, Kyle Hall, will tell us about his experience with Our Most Important Next Steps.

Training for all officers. Offered in a hybrid format during the last chance week of Winter Training. 

Feb 24, 2026, 5:40 PM – 7:30 PM PST

Online & In-Person, 1326 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Register here!!

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.