First DTM? Yes.
When did you join and in which club? January 2009. At the time I worked at Presbyterian Healthcare Services which was a corporate sponsor for Top Shelf Toastmasters. Subsequently I took a job at UNM and joined Lobo Toastmasters.
Other clubs: Toastmasters@TVC, ABQ Speaks Up, and Salud Speakers Toastmasters.
What made you decide you wanted to be a DTM? I met a Toastmaster who had been in for a decade and still was not a DTM. I thought, “If I’m in Toastmasters for 10 years, I definitely want to achieve a DTM.” Then the traditional DTM program was ending, making it even more of a priority.
What district position did you hold? Area Director, July 2015-16.
What was your High Performance Project? I chaired District 23’s first all-virtual Toastmasters Leadership Institute on June 6. Past International President Ted Corcoran in Ireland gave the keynote speech, and we had 14 sessions in five breakout rooms. More than 200 members attended from New Mexico, Texas and several other states.
What would you tell other Toastmasters about becoming a DTM? Looking back on Toastmasters as a whole, you really get to know people through hearing their speeches in a club. It’s exhilarating to see people grow and thrive as they find their voices. That is why I have stuck with it for nearly a dozen years.
To ensure you get your DTM as soon as possible, keep good records and pay attention to requirements and deadlines.
Kudos to the district leadership for encouraging and supporting all members. They are doing it for love, not money. Shout out to Toastmasters International Board member TK O’Geary, District 23 Director MyChelle Andrews, District 23 Training Coordinator Jim Pechie, and Distinguished Toastmaster Bill Moffatt who served on my High Performance Project Guidance Committee, as well as District 23 Webmaster Tracy Thomason, Region 3 Advisor Violetta Rios, and Distinguished Toastmaster Jonathan Gardner.
