Summit 2024 Education Sessions

Tracy Speyer – Level Up! Your Leadership

Tracy Speyer

Sponsored by:
Bookmasters

Leadership Lessons From the Walking Dead

Many important lessons can be gleaned from the Walking Dead. Glean how you can better prepare for the leadership challenges you face by reflecting on the type of leadership presented in this famous TV program. Be prepared to discuss concepts  such as leading by example, making the hard decisions, and being prepared.

 

BIO:
A sixteen year veteran of Toastmasters, Tracy Speyer obtained her DTM eleven years ago. She’s served as Area Governor, Division Governor, and is now an Area Director again. Tracy’s favorite program is the Walking Dead, and she draws many leadership lessons from the program.

Nicole Dogan – Level Up! Your Communication

Nicole Dogan

Sponsored by:
Progressive Leaders

Words Matter: Use Them Purposefully

In this interactive session, be prepared to look at how words are used and how they are attached to us and to others. Being intentional in the usage of words in speeches to bring people together and build confidence. Learn how to heed your words and believe you can do all you believe you are capable of.

 

BIO:
Nicole Dogan is a Toastmasters junkie and especially loves D25. She joined Toastmasters in 2021 and is a member of Progressive Leaders, as well as Highway to Excellence.

Nicole just completed her second Pathway (e.g., Presentation Mastery, Engaging Humor). She also loves visiting other clubs, allowing her to attain the Nemileta 9 incentive award for the past two years. She enjoys growing her Leadership and public speaking skills and has served as Club Secretary (3 years), Area Director (1 year) and is currently the Division B Director.

Patty Wyatt & Sarah Tinsley – Level Up! Your Success

Patty Wyatt

Sarah Tinsley

Sponsored by:
Keller Communicators Club

Harnessing ADHD as a Superpower

Are you forgetful? Do you procrastinate? Are you easily distracted? Using humorous stories and messy life lessons, this mother-daughter duo will share the positive aspects of living with ADHD. Whether these questions resonate with you or you just want a more productive daily routine, come gain insight into your untapped potential, hear a few tried-and-true personal life hacks, and leave empowered to recognize your neurodivergent brain as a superpower rather than kryptonite.

 

BIO:
A six-year member of Toastmasters, Patty Wyatt achieved her DTM in February 2024. She is the Vice President of Education for her home club, Keller Communicators, and also a member of Colleyville Toastmasters. In 2022, Patty emerged as the District Champion of the Toastmasters’ International Speech Contest with her speech, “Hello Gorgeous.” She conducts soft skills workshops and co-facilitates the very popular workshop, “Finding Your Success Partner.” Patty’s been with her company, Texas Society of CPAs, for thirty-seven years, but she is most passionate about helping those with social or speaking anxiety to find their voice.

The subject of Patty’s award-winning “Hello Gorgeous” speech and now speaking alongside her, is her daughter, Sarah Tinsley. Sarah is a former Toastmaster who recently returned to the DFW area. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services with a concentration in Deaf Services. Even though she now works within the health insurance industry, she is still fluent in American Sign Language and enjoys educating hearing people about ASL and the deaf community. Her speaking credentials include facilitating and teaching numerous Christian faith-based classes, workshops, and events. She wants you to tell your dog she says “hi.”

Brandy Miller – Level Up! Your Purpose

Brandy Miller

Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:
IT Egos
&
Speakers-Leaders of Tomorrow

The Art of Marketing and Promoting Yourself

No budget? No problem. Uncover five keys to get anyone to lean in and listen to you, along with strategies for communicating the vision and value of developing strategic partnerships to achieve your goals.

 

BIO:
Award-winning international speaker and author, Brandy M. Miller began learning how to promote and market herself on a $0 budget out of necessity. She had no money to use to launch her books or her business but a desperate need to bring in revenue to the household. As she struggled to draw awareness to her brand and her business, she developed effective strategies that she would later apply to Path To Connections, an entrepreneurial service organization, and to Denton Toastmasters in her work as the VP of PR. Her strategies prompted the use of events to benefit Denton Toastmasters through a partnership with the Greater Denton Arts Council and helped Path To Connections go from an email list of zero subscribers to 2,000 with a single webinar.

Jeffery Mercier – Level Up! Your Leadership

Jeffery Mercier

Sponsored by:

Your Circle Levels Your Playing Field

Hear the story of a young man influenced by his circle of friends. Unbeknownst to him, he was impacted for many years. When he changed his circle of friends, his mindset, career, and opportunities changed. Changing your circle will Level Up! your life.

 

BIO:
Jeffery R. Mercier was born in Florida but after 6 months He couldn’t take it anymore and moved to the greatest state in the union, TEXAS! His rough upbringing altered the path he would take as a young man, and after years of drug use and uncertainty he started to train to fight in cages. A few failed fights and a bad mentor led him back down a dark road, ultimately ending in an arrest.

Jeffery is now VP of Project Management for an up-and-coming construction company where he wears many hats. In his free time, he’s an avid gym goer and helps mentor young men with his podcast Sauna Sessions. He also volunteers with Hope Farms and AmeriCorp to advocate for young men who need solid male role models.

Kristin Clark – Level Up! Your Communication

Kristin Clark

Sponsored by:
Southlake Club

Craft a Memorable Story

Developing a memorable story is the key ingredient to making a lasting impression on your audience. There are three elements that should be included in every speech to make people remember you. Do you know what they are?

 

BIO:
Kristin Clark is a leadership and success coach who loves helping people get confident about listening to their own voice when deciding on a career path. Before becoming a sought-after career exploration coach, she ran corporate marketing departments, has been the most requested mentor through Torch, a professional mentoring company and became a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach.  Through these experiences, Kristin found her love for mentoring young people.

Kristin founded College Planning Untangled and works with students to help guide them to identify a career they love. Through Kristin Clark Coaching, she works with young adults and experienced workers to transition into a career that makes them happy.

She and her husband, Steve, have two sons, Matt, a recent graduate of Oklahoma State University, Go Pokes. And Chris, a college graduate from the University of Alabama, Roll Tide. Both are enjoying their careers!

Tim Anderson – Level Up! Your Success

Tim Anderson

Sponsored by:

How To Be Assertive And Still Have Friends

She said. He said. That’s how many conflicts start. We think we heard one thing, but the person meant something else. We thought we said one thing, but the person received a totally different message. We’ll discuss practical ways we can more effectively be understood and understand others.

 

BIO:

Tim Anderson is the proud father of six and the founder of Father & Friend, an initiative dedicated to empowering fathers from all backgrounds to excel in their essential role as a parent. Understanding that family is often the most challenging team to lead, Tim is committed to providing dads with the mentorship skills and practical tools needed to effectively guide their children.

With over 15 years of experience in real estate, construction, and leadership, Tim appreciates the valuable skills fathers can transfer from their professional lives to their personal roles. His mission is to help fathers grow and leverage these skills to succeed in all aspects of their lives.

Kenneth Ray – Level Up! Your Purpose

Kenneth Ray

Sponsored by:
Mr. Cooper Speaks

Level up! With Professional Presentations 

Level up your professional presentations with Power Point slides that shine. Learn best practices for success and what miscues to avoid.

 

BIO:
Kenneth Ray is a teacher, student, Dive Master, Competent Communicator, Competent Leader, Past Area 64 Governor, Information Security Professional, and movie maker. He’s a person you’ll want to hear. His presentations are full of golden nuggets no matter the subject. As a student of life, he strives to teach and share knowledge with everyone.

Lauren Midgley – Level Up! Your Leadership

Lauren Midgley

Sponsored by:
Southlake Club

Overcome Being an Overwhelmed Leader

When you as the leader are overwhelmed, those around you feel the chaos and turmoil. Identify what is causing the overwhelm and learn three techniques to being more confident, focused, and in control. Today’s fast-paced environment impacts how much is added to our workload and personal life. Prioritizing, being able to say no, and understanding the time constraints each day will lead to less stress and more personal satisfaction.

 

BIO:
Lauren Midgley, a DTM of Southlake Toastmasters Club, has been speaking professionally on the topic of productivity to entrepreneurs, employees, and leadership teams since 2013. Her message focuses on how best to use one’s time on what matters.

She’s published three books, including the most notable It’s 6 a.m. and I’m Already Behind: Strategies to Get Caught Up.  In addition to her speaking, Lauren consults with business owners on running a profitable, growth-oriented business.

Alisha McCuan – Level Up! Your Communication

Alisha McCuan

Sponsored by:
Mr. Cooper Speaks

An Afternoon with Socrates

Socrates is well known as a philosopher who asked questions, but not many recognize his methods can help people communicate their ideas and thoughts. Learn to use the Socratic method to better understand yourself and communicate in an effective and mindful way both personally and professionally.

 

BIO:
Alisha McCuan is a proud member of Mr. Cooper Speaks. She works as a Claims Analyst at Mr. Cooper and as an Adjunct Professor at Southern Nazarene University for the adult Bachelors of Business Administration program. She currently teaches Business Analytics, Management Information Systems, Finance for Managers, and International Business and Ethics and is an avid user of the Socratic method inside and outside of the college lecture hall.

Tasha White – Level Up! Your Success

Tasha White

Sponsored by:
Oratory Excellence

How to Level Up! Your Mental Focus and Rest

In this informative session, you’ll not only discover a form of science that may sharpen your mental capacity to focus during the day, you will increase your ability to rest better at night.

 

BIO:
Tasha White is a native of the picturesque state of North Carolina. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from Appalachian State University. While there, she joined the Distinguished Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She loves to travel in order to broaden her global awareness and respect for international cultures and cuisines.

She currently works for a Fortune 500 organization that assists national mental health communities in providing reliable and cost-effective resources.

As early as ten years old, she’s volunteered with service organizations that assist children, women, and men. Some forty years later, she continues to serve in outstanding organizations like Toastmasters.

Tasha’s lifelong goal is to launch a professional Public Speaking platform that utilizes biblical principles to uplift, educate, and sustain the surrounding international community-at-large who struggle in everyday life.

Ninfa Flewitt – Level Up! Your Purpose

Ninfa Flewitt

Sponsored by:

Growing a President’s Distinguished Club

Learn how YOUR club can grow into President’s Distinguished this year. Ask our panel of President’s Distinguished Club Officers the hard hitting questions and find out their secrets to success.

 

BIO:
Ninfa Flewitt is a lifelong learner, leader, and encourager. She’s been a member of Toastmasters since 2016. Being a member of a President’s Distinguished Club every year of membership, Ninfa believes that every club CAN be President’s Distinguished.

A Distinguished Toastmaster and Past District 25 Director, Ninfa Flewitt will lead a panel to offer suggestions and answer your questions to help you GROW your club into a President’s Distinguished Club.

Emily Murray

Emily Murray
Leadership Committee Chair

Sponsored by:
Lakeside TAC Leaders
&
Highway to Excellence

Leadership Panel – Speed Dating Style

 

Level Up! Your Leadership Game!

Ready to unlock the secrets of leadership in District 25? Join us for the Leadership Panel and discover how to level up your role-playing skills in the real-world game of district leadership! Whether you’re eyeing the high-score path of the Trio, thinking about crafting the perfect event décor, mastering the art of education at TLIs, or strategizing your way through Public Relations, this is your chance to gain insider tips from those who’ve played the game before you.

In this dynamic, speed-dating style session, you’ll get the chance to ask questions, gather pro-level tactics, and learn how YOU can power up and help D25 Level Up!