District 35 Leadership Opportunities
Toastmasters Year July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025

Candidate Showcase

Applications are still being accepted for the Appointed roles of Area Director, Administration Manager, PR Manager, and Finance Manager.

You may not have joined Toastmasters with leadership on your mind, but the experience can change your life even more than mastery of public speaking. Leadership at the club level helps you with skills related to organizing and delegation on a small scale. District leadership provides you with opportunities to learn and grow on a much larger scale and can prepare you for opportunities at the region and international levels, all in a safe environment. The leadership skills you develop here also translate to your professional and personal life.

As a District leader, you will be part of Toastmasters International, an organization with a noble mission: to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders using experiential learning methods.

Encouraging educational excellence in each club is fundamental in accomplishing this mission. Members receive the full benefits of their membership through the Toastmasters education program. Serving as a District leader is a great responsibility and an exciting opportunity. Your term of office is filled with chances for you to renew your perspective, practice teamwork, learn new skills, network with Toastmasters around the world on a regular basis, and develop your capacity to translate values and strategies into productive actions. Members of your District team depend on you to help them develop their own goals and achievements. Clubs see you as a facilitator to their success. You instill a sense of enthusiasm, fidelity, and responsibility throughout the district.

The success of District 35 depends on the quality of its leadership. It is up to you to create and maintain a safe atmosphere of enjoyment, teamwork, and dedication. You are responsible for fulfilling the district mission and achieving recognition in the Distinguished District Program.

The District Leadership Committee (DLC) is tasked with finding qualified candidates to step up to the next levels of leadership. Are you ready? 

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  • Do you have a passion for service for other Toastmasters?
  • Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and discover new skills and strengths within yourself?
  • Are you ready for a new challenge to push yourself to new levels?

If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, you are ready to jump into a district leadership position within District 35.

Continue reading for more information.

 

Table of Contents

Leadership “Toastimonials”

Role Descriptions for Elected Positions

Role Descriptions for Appointed Positions

Deadlines

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Leadership “Toastimonials”

Listen to past Area Director Jeff Werwie, Current Area Director Susan Brushafer, past Division Director Karen Polege, and past District Director (and past Region Advisor and past International Director) Jim Kohli as they share their experiences with district leadership and why you should consider stepping up this coming year.

Elected Positions in District 35

District Director (DD)

As the District’s chief officer, the District Director assists all members of the District Executive Committee in their roles. The role involves planning a District Success Plan with the team while helping create a strong leadership team. Some of the goals of the District Success Plan include achieving the mission of the district in a manner that motivates volunteer leaders and promotes a standard of excellence in all district activities.

The District Director is conceptually similar to the Club President but at the district level. The term of office is one year and includes specific training sessions twice a year as well as regular meetings with other District Directors throughout the organization.

Program Quality Director (PQD)

The Program Quality Director helps clubs and members achieve their goals. The PQD leads efforts in designing District Trainings, Contests, Conferences, and other special events.

The Program Quality Director is conceptually similar to the Club Vice President Education but at the district level. The term of office is one year and includes specific training sessions twice a year as well as regular meetings with other Program Quality Directors throughout the organization.

Club Growth Director (CGD)

The Club Growth Director leads District 35’s efforts to build new clubs and works on strengthening existing club membership. The CGD makes the benefits of Toastmasters membership available to greater numbers of people. The role involves planning, developing, and implementing the District Club Growth objectives.

The Club Growth Director is conceptually similar to the Club Vice President Membership but at the district level. The term of office is one year and includes specific training sessions twice a year as well as regular meetings with other Club Growth Directors throughout the organization.

The DLC must put forward at least two (2) candidates for election for the Club Growth Director role.

Division Director (DivD)

The Division Director is the liaison between their Area Directors and the rest of the district leadership team. A Division Director provides support to Area Directors (there are typically 3-5 areas per Division).

The Division Director term is one year and can run again for a second term. This role provides the opportunity to coach and mentor Area Directors and is a chance to sharpen leadership skills, as well as practice delegation, strategic thinking and planning, and collaboration skills.

As of December 2023, District 35 has six Division Director positions: A, Central, D, Eastern, F, and Northern.

Appointed Positions in District 35

Area Director (AD)

The Area Director provides District-level support, contact, and assistance to the clubs within its assigned Area so they may achieve their club mission. Area Directors keep in contact with and visit their assigned clubs. There are typically 4-6 clubs in an Area.

The Area Director term is one year and may be reappointed for a second term. This role provides a great opportunity to hone your leadership and communication skills.

As of December 2023, District 35 has 19 Area Director positions.

Public Relations Manager (PRM)

The Public Relations Manager focuses on internal and external publicity. Using your creativity, this is the position that allows you to write and edit content, collaborate with others, and give recognition to Toastmasters within District 35. The Public Relations Manager is a critical role in ensuring District Success through detailed planning and execution.

The Public Relations Manager term is one year and may be reappointed for a second term.

Administration Manager (AM)

The Administration Manager helps the district function effectively and achieve its mission by recording and maintaining accurate minutes of district council, executive committee, and other meetings. The Administration Manager serves as upholder of the District Administrative Bylaws and policies.

The Administration Manager term is one year and may be reappointed for a second term.

Finance Manager (FM)

The Finance Manager establishes and maintains effective fiscal management of the district and promotes the growth of Toastmasters by providing sound fiscal guidance to the district. The Finance Manager is responsible for producing monthly reports reflecting the district’s financial status and ensure expenditures remain within the budget approved by the district council.

The Finance Manager term is one year and may be reappointed for a second term.

If you’re interested in learning more about the specific role of any elected or appointed positions available in district leadership, please review the District Leader Handbook. To read about the specific competencies you can learn and develop in each role, please read the District Leader Competencies file.

Training is provided for each role at the beginning of the new Toastmasters year for all district leadership roles.

Feel free to reach out to your current district leaders for specific questions or reach out to DLC Chairperson Jim Kohli at jimk.tm@gmail.com.

 

Deadlines (all dates are 2024)

January 15 (or earlier): call for candidate declarations is published

February 12 (deadline extended): all forms to be completed and submitted to DLC Chairperson Jim Kohli Clock - Time for action Clock with text - Time for action, three-dimensional rendering, 3D illustration deadlines stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

March 16: DLC notifies District Director of nominated candidates

March 30: DLC report and biographical forms are emailed to all members of the District Council and posted on the District website

Prior to April 20: Eligible floor candidates shall declare their intent to run in writing to the District Director after the DLC report has been published and at least seven (7) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the District Council

April 27: election conducted at the 2024 Spring District Council meeting

Nomination DEADLINE: All forms must be completed and submitted by February 5, 2024 to the DLC Chairperson Jim Kohli at jimk.tm@gmail.com. The evaluation and interviews of nominated candidates will occur in February and March. Please do not wait until the last minute.

Please see the required forms (indicated with * markings in the Resources section), as well as other useful references.

Resources

District Leader Nominating Form  *

Candidate Application  *

Candidate Biography  *

District Leader Agreement and Release Statement *

Call for Nominations District Leader Qualifications and Responsibilities 

District Administrative Bylaws – Duties of  Officers

Competencies (developed and learned in each district leadership role)

District Campaigns and Elections FAQ

 * Required for each nomination

 NOTE: For those interested in an appointed position, all required forms should be completed and submitted to DLC Chair Jim Kohli at jimk.tm@gmail.com. These forms will also be submitted to Toastmasters International. We are asking for forms for all district officer roles – elected and appointed – to be submitted at the same time in order to submit them to Toastmasters International in a timely manner or at the same time.  Thank you. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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WHAT IS THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE?

    • The District Leadership Committee (DLC) vets and qualifies candidates through assessments and interviews for district leadership positions.

WHO IS ON THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE?

    • The DLC is comprised of seven members (one from each division) and is chaired by Jim Kohli, DTM, PRA, PID. Members have previously served as District Leaders.
    • The DLC is independent from the District 35 Trio leadership team.
    • Members (in alphabetical order by their representative division):
      • Division A: Yvonne Lumsden-Dill, DTM
      • Division Central: Mike Zelm, DTM, PDG
      • Division D: Tere Eckrose, DTM
      • Division Eastern: Kris Pool, DTM, PDD
      • Division F: Mark Robinson, DTM
      • Division Northern: Dick Hawley, DTM, PID
    • Members of the DLC may not serve on the DLC in consecutive terms.

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR EACH ROLE?

    • District Director: At the time of taking office, the DD shall have served at least six consecutive months as a Club President AND served at least 12 consecutive months as a Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director OR Division Director OR a combination thereof.
    • Program Quality Director: At the time of taking office, the PQD shall have served at least six consecutive months as a Club President AND served at least 12 consecutive months as a Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director OR Division Director OR an Area Director OR a combination thereof.
    • Club Growth Director: At the time of taking office, the CGD shall have served at least six consecutive months as a Club President AND served at least 12 consecutive months as a Program Quality Director, a Club Growth Director OR Division Director, Area Director, OR a combination thereof.
    • Division Director: At the time of taking office, the DivD shall have served at least six consecutive months as a member of a District Council.
    • Area Director: At the time of taking office, insofar as practicable, the AD shall have served as a member of a District Council (President or Vice President of Education).
    • Administration Manager: At the time of taking office, the AM should be a reliable, prompt, well-organized Toastmaster who can accurately record meeting actions, has access to a personal computer, and is able to reproduce materials.
    • Finance Manager: At the time of taking office, the FM should have accounting experience and understand basic bookkeeping practices.
    • Public Relations Manager: At the time of taking office, the PRM should possess experience in and have a core understanding of public relations.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SERVING AS A DISTRICT LEADER?

    • Gain practical leadership experience that can be applied in other contexts, possibly leading to new career opportunities
    • Grow skills and confidence in a safe environment
    • Work with and lead teams
    • Enhance project management skills
    • Develop decision making, facilitation, and delegation skills
    • Receive guidance from Region Advisors and others throughout the organization.
    • Possibly participate in interviewing candidates for International Directors and International Officers of Toastmasters International
    • More speaking opportunities in front of different audiences as well as High Performance Leadership projects within Pathways

I KNOW SOMEONE WHO CAN BE A DISTRICT LEADER. CAN I APPLY ON THEIR BEHALF?

    • You may download and submit a nomination form (see the Resources section of this page), but please be sure that they would accept the nomination.

WHEN CAN I START SUBMITTING MY APPLICATION?

    • You may begin submitting your intent to run on January 15, 2024.

IS THERE A DEADLINE TO RUN AS A FLOOR CANDIDATE?

    • The deadline is February 5, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.

WHAT IS A FLOOR CANDIDATE?

    • Floor candidates are candidates who wish to run for an elected district leadership position but missed the filing deadline or may not have been nominated by the DLC.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RUNNING AS A FLOOR CANDIDATE?

    • Please read the qualifications for the position you intend to run for (see the FAQ on qualifications above).

WHY DO I NEED TO BE INTERVIEWED?

    • All candidates running for elected positions must be qualified. The best way to know if they are qualified is through an interview process. This can be compared to a job interview.

DO I STILL NEED TO BE INTERVIEWED IF I’M RUNNING AS A FLOOR CANDIDATE?

    • The DLC must evaluate the specific position you are running for. A nomination from the floor also must be made.

I HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED FOR ONE POSITION; DO I HAVE TO INTERVIEW AGAIN FOR ANOTHER POSITION IF I WANT TO RUN FOR THAT POSITION INSTEAD?

    • Interviews are conducted to qualify you for each position you intend to run for.
    • The only exception is for Division Directors. Anyone qualified for a Division Director position may withdraw and resubmit for a different Division Director position (example: Joe Smith was approved by the DLC for the Division A Director. At the time of the election, Joe Smith may withdraw from Division A and run for Division F).

WHO CAN NOMINATE FROM THE FLOOR?

    • Nominations may be made from the floor by any member of the District Council only if the floor candidate meets the requirements outlined in Article VII (e) of these administrative bylaws and has been evaluated by the DLC for that specific role in that election cycle.

HOW WILL I KNOW THE RESULTS OF MY INTERVIEW?

    • All candidates will receive a phone call and an email from the DLC Chair within 72 hours of the interview.

WHEN ARE THE INTERVIEWS GOING TO BE CONDUCTED?

    • Interviews will begin shortly after the nomination deadline and conclude by March 30, 2024.
    • There will also be a recorded Candidate Showcase – candidates for each elected position will be asked additional questions for  the District Council to get to know each candidate. The date is TBD but will be made available prior to the district elections.

WHEN ARE THE DISTRICT ELECTIONS?

    • The elections will be held during the District Council meeting that is also known as the Spring Annual Business Meeting on April 27, 2024.

WHERE CAN I REFERENCE THE PROCEDURES AND BYLAWS?

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. WHO DO I CONTACT?