2024 Conference Keynote Speakers

Friday Dinner – Violetta Rios

Violetta Rios

Sponsored by:
Crefmasters Toastmasters Club

 

The Price of Being Yourself

Violetta is an avid Harry Potter fan and claims to be from the house of Slytherin. Her favorite role in Toastmasters is anything PR. Violetta will help you discover who the hell you are, what you have to offer to the world and how to make yourself bulletproof.

 

Biography

Violetta Rios, DTM, is the Head of People Operations at Blu Creative Agency, a creative studio focused on social media and public relations. In her role, she optimizes human resource processes for onboarding/offboarding, performance management, career development, feedback, and coaching. She also designs and coordinates team-building and integration activities.

Rios majored in Communication with a minor in Advertising from the UANL (University of Nuevo Leon) and earned a  Master’s  Degree in Human Talent Development from the Universidad Regiomontana; both in Monterrey, Mexico. During the pandemic, she began training in resilient thanatology and thanotherapy, enabling her to provide support for individuals navigating the grieving process as a result of the pandemic and everyday life, and concluded her certification in December 2023.

A Toastmaster since 2005, Rios is a member of her home clubs, Comunicacion y Participacion, in Monterrey and RedJal in Guadalajara. She has held several high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters including Region Advisor and Lead Spanish Reviewer.

Breakfast – Bob Tiede

Bob Tiede

Sponsored by:
IT Egos

Leading with Questions

Would you like to multiply your leadership effectiveness times ten?  Would you like to learn to lead with questions in 30 seconds?  Would you like to become a better listener in eight seconds? If your answers are “Yes! Yes! Yes!” then you will not want to miss Bob Tiede’s “Leading With Questions” session!

 

Biography

Bob Tiede (pronounced “Tee-Dee”) has been on the staff of Cru (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ) for 52 years – serving eight years at Cru Campus and then 24 years as the CEO of Josh McDowell Ministry – a Division of Cru. He now has 20 years on the U.S. Leadership Development Team – developing the next generation of leaders for Cru.  Bob’s blog LeadingWithQuestions.com is now in its 11th year and is followed by leaders in over 200 countries.  Bob has written six books, including “Great Leaders Ask Question – a Fortune 100 List” and “Now That’s a Great Question”. His newest book is the 3rd Edition of “LEADING WITH QUESTIONS” which has been Amazon’s #1 Best Seller in the category of Business communication!  Bob’s mission is to help leaders everywhere multiply their leadership effectiveness times ten by moving from “Let Me Tell You!” to “Let Me Ask You!”  Bob has been married to Sherry for 53 years. He is the proud Dad of four adult children who are all married and has eight incredible grandchildren – all who love to ask their “Papa Bob” questions!

Lunch Keynote – Sandy Diaz Haley

Sandy Diaz Haley

Sponsored by:
Weatherford Club

Resilience redefined: One woman’s story of navigating adversity through vulnerability & connection

Sandy will share her personal story of adversity, triumph, and everything in between. Life’s setbacks have fueled her, not defined her, and the comeback is even better! From her health problems to her career setbacks, she has overcome obstacles, proving that vulnerability is not a weakness; it is her superpower!

 

Biography

Sandy Diaz Haley is a mother, a wife, an entrepreneur, and a Multiple Sclerosis Warrior. Born in Lima, Peru, she has straddled two cultures all her life.

When she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2014, she told herself she’d be ‘the best damn thing that ever happened to MS.’ She has represented the National MS Society as a patient advocate ever since.

Sandy is the Founder and Principal of SDH Communications, helping organizations define what they stand for and connect with audiences through strategic communications. Sandy is also the Founder of TBC, The Bada$$ Collective, a networking community of 2K+ professionals, empowering women and allies to define success on their own terms. She has been named a Top 100 Most Influential Latina by Latino Leader Magazine and received a 40 Under 40 award in 2021. She serves as an advisory board member for the Mayborn School of Journalism, and she is a member of CHIEF, a network supporting senior executive female leaders.

DTM Dinner Keynote – Dana Dillard

Dana Dillard

Sponsored by:
Mr. Cooper Speaks &
Mr. Cooper Inspires

My Leadership Adventure – The Woodshed, The Tears, and More

 

Leading with inclusion is at the heart of the talk as Dana recalls the ups and downs of her career and the lessons she has learned along the way.  In addition to sharing information about her own career journey, Dana will focus on her three big career takeaways which help build a successful career in leadership.  With an eye towards inclusive leadership and a long list of examples from her decades-long career, Dana will both encourage leaders in their daily roles and leave them wiser by sharing her lessons learned.

 

Biography

Starting her career as a call center agent and working her way to the executive level, Dana Dillard is an award-winning leader in financial services.  She is known for her collaborative style and humorous personality, and she has a heart for the customers she has served for over 30 years.  Whether leading call center operations, handling the customer complaints area, or being the star witness for the company in litigation, Dana has experienced a robust career focused on collaboration and building people up.  It was Dana’s curiosity about how teams perform that led her to pursue a master’s degree in Inclusive Leadership and this combination of experience and education culminated in her debut book, Jackfruit Leadership.  When she’s not working on her next book, you can find Dana giving keynote speeches and leading workshops where she helps managers evolve into the type of leaders they were meant to be.