Toastmaster Rantschler,

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Thank You for Attending Our District 2/9/32 Business Meeting and Election!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and supported the combined District 2, 9, and 32 Business Meeting and Election held on Tuesday, May 20th. Your participation helps shape the future of our districts and strengthens our Toastmasters community. Special thanks to Past International President, Gary Schmidt, DTM for serving as the chair of the meeting.

Here are the results of the 2024–2025 district leadership elections:

District Trio

• District Director: Anu Jokinen, L5
• Program Quality Director: Roberta Craig, DTM
• Club Growth Director: Joanna Tavera, DTM

Division Directors

• Division A: Erin Long, DTM
• Division B: Tommy Price, DTM
• Division C: Shakil Pogaku, CC, CL
• Division D: Lisa Chen, L5
• Division E: Joyce Vick, DTM
• Division F: Mikey Miller, ACB, L5
• Division G: Roy Cooley, CC, CL, L5
• Division H: Nancy Shatto, DTM
• Division I: Carolyn Curley, DTM

Please join us in congratulating our newly elected leaders. We look forward to a year of growth, innovation, and success under their guidance!



All documents for the business meetings can be found on our Google Drive.

🎉 Welcome Our New D2 Director – Anu Jokinen! 🎉

📅 Recorded May 20, 2025 | D2 Toastmasters Election Night

Join us in celebrating the inspiring opening address from Anu Jokinen, newly elected District 2 Director for the newly combined Districts 2, 9, and 32! With her passion for servant leadership and a clear vision for growth, Anu is ready to lead with integrity, enthusiasm, and collaboration.

💬 In this video, you'll hear Anu’s heartfelt message to members across our newly united district, as she sets the tone for a year of transformation, inclusion, and renewed purpose.

🌟 Let’s give Anu our full support as she begins this exciting new chapter. Together, we are stronger—and with Anu at the helm, the future is bright!

📌 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated on more district news and events!

Unlock Your Potential with

Pathways Office Hours!

Curious about Pathways or need guidance on your Toastmasters journey? We’re here to help!

Pathways offers an innovative, interactive learning experience designed to boost your communication and leadership skills while fostering personal and professional growth—all within a fun, supportive community.

Join us TONIGHT for our upcoming Pathways Office Hours:

• Date: Wednesday, June 4

• Time: 5:00 – 6:00 PM

Hosted by: Karen Lezon

This session is the perfect opportunity to ask questions, gain valuable insights, and enhance your Toastmasters experience, whether you’re new to Pathways or seeking targeted advice.

Don’t miss your chance for personalized support—register now at:

Pathways Office Hours - D2 Toastmasters

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to Karen Lezon at d2tm.atc@gmail.com.

#district2tm #toastmasterspathways

You can still hear the echoes — the laughter, the applause, the joyful connections made at our unforgettable Pathways to Brilliance Conference!

From the showstopping “Toastmasters! A Wickedly Fun Duet” by our dazzling emcee Rebecca Murray and brilliant District Director June Lear, to the powerful, eye-opening education sessions, to the fierce and fabulous speech and Table Topics contests — every moment sparkled with energy, heart, and excitement.

We came together not just for learning, but for laughter, for growth, for celebration. And oh, the awards! The cheers! The delicious food shared between new friends and old!

Thank you — from the bottom of my heart — to everyone who made this magical day come alive. You made it shine. You made it brilliant.

-Josh Hindman

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us at the District 2 Conference. Your presence, energy, and engagement helped make the event a success. From insightful sessions to meaningful connections, it was a great opportunity to learn, grow, and celebrate together.

Please enjoy this 3 minute recap video created by Alisa Prinos Videography -Pathways to Brilliance Recap

A huge thank you goes to our conference team for making it all possible:

Christy Helvajian, Conference Chair

Kelly Fallucca, Marketing Chair

Rebecca Murray, Education Chair/MC

Josh Hindman, Public Relations Manager

Jeff Copeland, Contest Chair

Tommy Price, Chief Judge

Kendra Smith, Contest Toastmaster

Karthika Pillai, Sponsorship Chair

Lisa Chen, Registration & Volunteer Chair

Betty Gibbins, Conference Advisor

Leah Ammon, Awards Chair

Megan Buchner, VIP Chair

Ashley Arntson, Fundraising Committee Member

HypeSquad Members - Bill Hinrichs, Lynn Chapman, Amanda Clothier & Victoria Mathew

Thank you to our education session speakers: 

Baxter Kent, Omar Rivas, Josh Hindman, Marty Varela, Monica Meas and Amanda Clothier! 

Thank you to our title sponsor, Engaging Virtual Meetings & John Chen for all of the Audio/Visual support!

Thank you to Nina Lindsay Photography and Carol Li for taking photos at the event! 

Thank you Clubs for donating raffle baskets! 

🎤 "Toastmasters" – A Wickedly Fun Duet at the 2025 District 2 Annual Conference!🎭

What happens when two Dynamic Toastmasters take a Broadway classic and give it a leadership twist? You get “Toastmasters” – a hilarious and heartfelt parody of “Popular” from Wicked, performed live by Juniper Lear, DTM and Rebecca Murray, DTM at the 2025 District 2 Annual Conference!

With a Wizard of Oz/Wicked theme setting the stage, this unforgettable duet captured the magic of Toastmasters with a show-stopping mix of humor, harmony, and heart. 💚✨ From Glinda-style gestures to spot-on lyrics, it was a crowd favorite and a joyful celebration of who we are as Toastmasters!

Enjoy the replay above, and get ready — more conference highlights and exclusive content are coming your way soon! 🌪️🌟

👕 Last Chance for Pathways to Brilliance Tees👕

Still feeling the magic from conference? Our limited-edition “Pathways to Brilliance” t-shirts are still available — but not for long.

✨ Shine bright in our exclusive event tee, featuring the signature conference logo. Available in sizes S–3X, while supplies last!

🛍 Now with shipping!

Couldn’t grab one at the event? No problem — we’ll ship your shirt straight to your door. No lines, no hassle, just brilliance delivered.

📦 Don’t wait — once they’re gone, they’re really gone.

👉 Click below to order now and own a piece of the magic!

UNLEASH THE FORGES OF CREATION!

No Charterversaries this week? Then Destiny is Calling You.

The embers of greatness are glowing, waiting for a bold spirit to strike the first spark.

What if your workplace, your community, or even your favorite hobby group became the next launchpad for confident speakers and inspiring leaders?

What if you were the one who brought that dream to life?

This is more than starting a club.

This is about starting a legacy.

Imagine:

• A club for healthcare heroes.
• A club inside a comic shop or a co-working haven.
• A club for multilingual storytellers.
• A club that meets at sunrise, fueled by coffee and courage.

The forge is open. Will you craft something legendary?

Club Growth Director Roxanne Spring is ready to hand you the hammer, the blueprint, and a team to help you build it.

.

All it takes is the will to shape the future.

Be the architect. Be the spark. Be the story others will tell.

Reach out to Roxanne today and let’s build something unforgettable together.

Notice an outstanding Toastmaster or Toastmasters?

Nominate them to be featured here!

Congratulations Educational Achievements

See the full list of recipients

Pathways Education award recipient for last week:

Vincent Zhao, Emerald Chung, Deepak Kasar,

Dan Rystrom, Cory J. Smith, Ash Driscoll



Great work everyone!

Seattle Speaking Project Challenges You To Try Something Different

Do you love Table Topics? Do you hate Table Topics? Either way, this meeting is for you. Join us online, Saturday, May 31 at 10 a.m. for a quick Table Topics Only meeting featuring some formats you may never have tried before.

The keyword to this meeting is FUN! We always have fun table topics sessions and this one will be triple the fun! For more information and the Zoom link please contact ssptoastmasters@gmail.com

Is your club holding a special event? Celebrating a milestone? Or want people to know of a significant upcoming meeting they should join? Want to include your post here for next week's newsletter?

Fill out this form to submit your post request

There are moments when words feel too small — and this is one of them.

To the incredible members of District 2, thank you. Thank you for your energy, your encouragement, your spirit. Thank you for showing up — not just for yourselves, but for each other.

Being named Toastmaster of the Year is one of the greatest honors of my life — not because it’s about me, but because it reflects the passion, generosity, and heart you bring to this district every day. I am humbled and grateful beyond words.

The heart, the late nights, the effort — it was never about recognition; it was about believing in us — in what we create when we lift one another higher. This past year, in its final season under our current alignment, has been unforgettable because of the people who make it shine.

This district has given me friendships, challenges, growth, and purpose. And if you’ve ever wondered if you make a difference — you do. We all do. We are part of something truly extraordinary.

Thank you for making this district, and this journey, unforgettable. Together, we shine brighter — and the best is yet to come.

Empowering voices by Josh Hindman, your Starburst Editor

2024/2025 Starburst Submission Guidelines

We're excited to share our guidelines for submitting articles to Starburst, our official District 2 newsletter. Your club's special activities deserve the spotlight, and we're here to help you shine!

Guidelines for Article Submissions:

• Topic: Focus on club special events.
• Word Limit: Try to limit posts to 200 words or less.
• Images: You may include one image with your article. Ensure it follows the Toastmasters Brand Manual (You may have to login to the Toastmasters main Site to access) and contains minimal text. We're happy to help create one if needed. If the image doesn't meet TM guidelines, we'll work with you or recreate it if we don't hear back.
• Contact Information: All articles must include your club website and/or a contact email for more information.
• Event Posts: Submit up to three consecutive posts for a single event.
• Deadline to Submit: 5:00 PM on the Friday before the upcoming Monday Starburst release.

Submission Process:

• Use the submission form to send us your article requests.
• We look forward to showcasing your amazing events in Starburst!

If you have any questions or need more clarity, feel free to reach out to Josh Hindman.

Starburst Suggestion Box

Have a Starburst suggestion? Please check out our Starburst Suggestion Box (only 5 questions), to help us improve the Starburst Newsletter!

This newsletter was edited by - Josh Hindman, Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter is for the sole use of Toastmasters members for Toastmasters business only. It is not to be used for solicitation and distribution of non-Toastmasters materials or information.