Distinguished Toastmasters in 2015 – 2016

The highest award presented by Toastmasters International is the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award. Hours, weeks, and even months can be required just to complete one of the steps in this daunting process. But for those Toastmasters with the drive to accomplish it, all the work is worth it to receive the bronze medallion, the admiration of their peers, and the skills gained.

For the 2015-2016 year (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016), the following District 23 Toastmasters have earned the Distinguished Toastmaster Award:

Suzanne McConaghy Date: July 7, 2015 Club: Salud Speakers City: Albuquerque, NM District Office: Area 32 Governor (2013-14 – President’s Distinguished Area) Club Coached: Sandia Lite in Albuquerque (2013-14) HPL Project: Started Valencia Voices TM Club, which chartered in June of 2014. Canvassed all businesses in Valencia County on foot and in person, mailed out 264 pieces of mail. VVTM achieved Select Distinguished in its first year (2014-15).

Bobby Kimbro Date: July 21, 2015 Club: EnergyPlex Toastmasters City: Hobbs, NM District Office: Area 64 Governor Club Sponsored: The Lovington Toastmasters in Lovington, NM (Chartered 2/14/15) HPL Project: My HPL project was my year as an Area 64 Governor and all the goals that were associated with it including starting two new clubs, coaching clubs, and developing members while supporting the goals of Division F and District 23.

Jason Davis Date: July 25, 2015 Club: Downtown Club City: Lubbock, TX District Office: North Division Governor (D44) Club Coached: Lubbock Professional Club in Lubbock, TX (2014) HPL Project: Goal: Build awareness of Toastmasters in the Lubbock business community. Project: Worked with all Lubbock clubs to join and participate in the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce as a single entity. Coordinated the Lubbock Chamber Business expo Toastmasters booth with members from all clubs. Results: over 500 people from the Lubbock business community visited our booth and 200 follow-up letters were mailed.

Cecilia R. Garcia Date: August 24, 2015 Club: Duke City Club City: Albuquerque, NM District Office: Area Governor (2008-2009) Club Sponsored: Chatty Chargers in Albuquerque, NM (2008) HPL Project: Chair of First Timer Committee for Spring 2012 District Conference. My project successfully concluded with one of the highest number of First Timer attendees on record. The team sponsored unique activites to involve and welcome the newcomers to the conference.

Stephanie L. Steelman Date: August 27, 2015 Club: Pantex Lunch Bunch City: Amarillo, TX District Office: Division E Governor (2013-2014) Club Coached: Amarillo Toastmasters Club in Amarillo, TX (2013) HPL Project: My High Performance Leadership project was planning and hosting a behavior based interview seminar with Panhandle Pro Club (#7608.)

Pamela Emmons-Beasley Date: Auguast 29, 2015 Club: EnergyPlex Toastmasters City: Hobbs, NM District Office: District Public Relations Officer (2014-2015) Club Sponsored: Nor-Lea Toastmasters in Lovington, NM (April 2015) HPL Project: My High Performance Leadership project related to my 2014-15 year as Public Relations Officer.

Charles D. Beasley Date: August 31, 2015 Club: EnergyPlex Toastmasters City: Hobbs, NM District Office: Division E Governor (2014-2015) Club Sponsored: The Lovington Toastmasters in Lovington, NM (February 2015) HPL Project: As Club President for EnergyPlex Toastmasters, led the club from Charter to Distinguished in 4 months and President’s Distinguished (10 of 10 goals) the following year. Spring Area 64 Contest Chair, Fall Area 64 Chief Judge. As Division Governor, assisted with the development of the the Division TLIs, and coordinated the Fall and Spring Division Speech Contests. Division Contestants took 1 place in District Tall Tales and International Speech contests and 3rd place in District Evaluation and Table Topics contests.

Amber M. Marsh Date: September 2, 2015 Club: Llano Estacado Toastmasters City: Lubbock, TX District Office: Area 61 Governor (2015-2015) Club Coached: Eloquent Raiders in Lubbock, TX (April 2015) HPL Project: I implemented the Scrum method of project management for my team at work.

Bonnie Lynn Smith Date: September 15, 2015 Club: The Majestics Advanced Club City: Anthony, NM District Office: Division D Governor 2014-15 Club Sponsored: El Paso County Toastmasters in El Paso, TX (December 2014) HPL Project: Advertising Toastmasters in Fort Bliss Bugle to generate interest within the military and EL Paso community to help drive membership for our Division D clubs.

Kerry Mobley Date: November 3, 2015 Club: Llano Estacado City: Lubbock, TX District Office: Area 62 Governor (2015-2016) Club Sponsored: Lubbock Realtor Toastmasters Club in Lubbock, TX (April 2015) HPL Project: I worked with Jason Davis & Val Cochran to coordinate the Lubbock Chamber Business Expo in Lubbockh with members from all clubs. Results: over 500 people from the Lubbock business community visited our booth and 200 follow-up letters were mailed.

SherryLynn Philyaw Date: December 3, 2015 Club: Pantex Lunch Bunch City: Amarillo, TX District Office: Club Mentored: HPL Project:

Miguel Navrot Date: March 4, 2016 Club: CitySpeakers City: Albuquerque, NM District Office: Area 31 Governor (2013-14) Club Mentored: Valencia Voices Toastmasters Club (July to December 2014) HPL Project: Albuquerque TLI Co-Chair, 2015-16. In cooperation with Toastmaster MyChelle Andrews, worked with District 23 officers and area leaders to plan, organize, and execute the Albuquerque-area Toastmaster Leadership Institute training sessions for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016.

Charlie Stapler Date: March 18, 2016 Club: The Majestics Advanced Club City: Athony, NM District Office: Area 45 Governor (2011-2012) Club Mentored: Healthy Voices (October 2014) HPL Project: My high performance leadership award was given to me on March 17, 2016. The project was to put before the El Paso Texas City Council a proposed ordnance to license tour guides.

Santokh Kalkat Date: April 10, 2016 Club: UTEP Toastmasters City: El Paso, TX District Office: Area 45 Director (2014-15) Club Sponsored: UTEP Toastmasters in El Paso, TX (December 2015) HPL Project: YES – Youth Empowering Science. Project is based on life virtues to succeed such as self esteem, attractive personality, immagination, and selfless control.

Darrell Henderson Date: April 25, 2016 Club: EPCC Club City: El Paso, TX District Office: Area 43 Governor (2014-2015) Club Sponsored: Workforce Toastmastesr in El Paso (June 2015) HPL Project: Reviving EPCC Toastmasters club from suspension. The club was 1 month away from losing its charter. I became its President, recruited the officers and got the club back into good standing.

Barbara Lewis Date: May 3, 2016 Club: Sandia Sunrisers Toastmasters Club City: Albuquerque, NM District Office: Area 21 Governor (2014-2015) Club Sponsored: Free Thinkers in Albuquerque, NM HPL Project: Tools for a Toastmasters Roadshow at Sandia Labs – We developed a set of tools including a request form, outlines, and slides to enable Toastmasters at Sandia Labs to easily put together customized presentations for department meetings and other events.

Carol Chandler Date: May 30, 2016 Club: Pop-Up Toastmasters Club City: Midland, TX District Office: Area 63 Governor (2008-2009) Club Mentored: Tall City Toastmasters (Midland, TX) HPL Project: TLI Chair Spring 2016 Midland/Odessa area. I worked with District 23 Director Tracy Thomason and Area 63 clubs to plan, organize and execute the TLI sessions for Spring 2016.

Robyne Vaughn Date: June 4, 2016 Club: WWJS Toastmasters City: Lubbock, TX District Office: Area 62 Governor (2012-13) Club Sponsored: L.E.A.D. Toastmasters (Lubbock, TX) HPL Project: Recruited members from all toastmaster clubs in Lubbock in order to promote Toastmasters in Lubbock by gaining permission from the local mall and other merchants to man marketing tables at their establishments. In this way, we were able to share the value of Toastmasters face to face with passers-by and collect email contacts and subsequently re-contact them. We also manned booths at 2 business expos and used newspaper calendar event postings and personal outreach to reach as many as possible.

Lucille Forster Date: June 23, 2016 Club: Albuquerque Challenge Club City: Albuquerque, NM District Office: Lieutenant Governor Education & Training (2007-2008) Club Sponsored: Sandia Sunrisers (Sept 2009) HPL Project: Arranged sponsorship for Speechcraft class at my company, recruited students and fellow Toastmasters to help teach, and delivered well-received weekly Speechcraft course. Corporate sponsorship is still in place so Speechcraft may be repeated.

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