Allen Paul

Cardiff Toastmasters Leads the Way in AI technology

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At Cardiff Toastmasters, member Chris Poole has been quietly building something remarkable, a fully integrated meeting management system designed specifically for Toastmasters clubs. From real-time speech transcription and performance analytics to synchronised officer dashboards and immersive speaker introductions, his software is reimagining how meetings can run seamlessly, professionally, and with a touch of theatrical flair. The software uses AI to transcribe speeches live, tracks meeting timing automatically, and stores detailed performance data across meetings. A recent innovation means that speakers can now receive a personalised link showing their timing, filler words, and full transcript, no account required.

Cardiff Toastmasters has been using piloting the use of this software since autumn 2025, and it is transforming how meetings are managed and experienced. Chris didn’t set out simply to build another tool. He set out to solve a real problem. Like many Toastmasters, he saw how much coordination happens behind the scenes of every meeting, agenda flow, timing, evaluations, filler word tracking, engagement, and follow-up. He began experimenting with a range of AI tools and technologies, exploring how they could work together to support officers, speakers, and guests in real time.

 

What started as experimentation quickly became innovation. This web-based meeting management system designed specifically for Toastmasters meetings based on the Cardiff experience, integrating real-time analytics, speech transcription, performance tracking, and synchronised role-based interfaces for meeting officers. And this is only the beginning. It’s a reminder that Toastmasters is not just a place where we practise skills. It is a place where ideas are tested, developed, and brought to life.

Cardiff Toastmasters recently showcased this software during a WWE-themed meeting, creating an immersive and high-energy experience. With music, smooth transitions, and precise coordination, the meeting demonstrated how technology can support creative themed sessions while keeping everything running seamlessly.  Imagine coming on stage to Darth Vader’s Imperial March:

Variety, creativity, and meaningful experiences are what keep members inspired and guests returning. Thanks to innovators like Chris Poole, Cardiff Toastmasters is showing how imagination, technology, and the Toastmasters spirit can come together to create something truly memorable.

And this is only the beginning.

If your club is curious about how technology and themed meeting design can enhance the meeting experience, Chris would be delighted to share more as the tool continues its development journey.

Division L: Leadership in Action · People at the Centre · Together We Lead

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Stretching across five Areas and 22 clubs, Division L is one of the most dynamic and diverse divisions in District 91. From global corporate clubs in Canary Wharf to hybrid and community clubs across London, Division L reflects the full spectrum of the Toastmasters experience.

But geography is not what defines us.

What defines Division L is Leadership.

Leadership that listens.
Leadership that steps forward when clubs need support.
Leadership that believes people come first — always.

Who We Are

Division L is led by Elena Bella, Division L Director, supported by a team of committed and experienced Area Directors who bring professionalism, passion, and purpose to their roles.

Together, the team embodies the Toastmasters values of Integrity, Respect, Service, and Excellence — not as words on a page, but as actions lived daily.

Area L16 – Adalgisa Mazzone

Corporate Leadership in Action

  • Google UK Speakers Club
  • London Business School Public Speaking Club
  • PMI UK Toastmasters Club
  • Society Speakers Club

Adalgisa is a professional who brings clarity, structure, and discipline to her leadership. She was the first Area Director in Division L to complete all her visits, delivering high-quality, thoughtful reports that truly support club officers in improving their performance.

Her approach is focused and strategic: assess, support, elevate.

Area L27 – Muriel Teisseire

Growth Through Commitment

  • Barking Toastmasters
  • db Toastmasters – Canary Wharf
  • Romford Speakers
  • Woodford Green Speakers

Muriel stepped into her role when it became vacant — and delivered impact from day one. Under her leadership, Barking Toastmasters is now one of only two clubs in District 91 with 9 DCP points, already achieving President’s Distinguished status, with more milestones expected before year-end.

Muriel demonstrates that leadership is not about title — it’s about ownership.

Area L23 – Rajan Jesuraj

Leadership with Depth and Purpose

  • Canary Wharf Communicators
  • HSBC
  • London Toastmasters
  • MLP London Bridge Speakers
  • Moody’s London

Rajan brings strong transferable skills and executive presence to his role. This year, he spearheaded one of Division L’s most impactful initiatives:
“Beyond the Podium: The Hidden Gift of Emotional Well-being in Toastmasters.”

This workshop explored belonging, empathy, psychological safety, and growth mindset — reminding us that Toastmasters is not just about speaking; it is about human development.

Area L56 – Sarah Ndebele

Energy, Positivity, and Resilience

  • Manor House Speakers
  • Northern Lights Speakers Club
  • Tottenham Speakers Club
  • Winchmore Hill Speakers

Sarah is known across the division for her positivity and unwavering support of clubs facing challenges. When membership dips or engagement slows, she shows up first — encouraging, guiding, and helping clubs regain momentum.

Her leadership is grounded in belief — belief in people, in progress, and in possibility.

Area L47 – Currently Vacant

  • EBRD
  • JPMC London–Glasgow TM
  • London Public Speakers
  • Master Speakers
  • Wharf Speakers

Even where formal leadership roles are vacant, Division L works together as a team to ensure that no club is left unsupported. This reflects the division’s commitment to service and continuity.

Our Leadership Focus This Year

Division L has aligned around a simple but powerful principle:

Support clubs in a way that works for them.

Our priorities include:

  • Strengthening Club Officer Training
  • Supporting a vibrant contest season
  • Encouraging sustainable membership renewals
  • Developing and mentoring future leaders

Two mentors have been assigned to clubs facing challenges, reinforcing our belief that leadership is about standing beside others — not directing from a distance.

Our Workshops: Developing Leaders, Not Just Speakers

Division L has invested in meaningful learning experiences that go beyond technical speaking skills.

Beyond the Podium Workshop

An in-person, reflective session focused on emotional wellbeing, belonging, and growth.

Sculpt Your Story – 6 Secrets to Storytelling Success

Delivered by Dan Magill, a two-time UK representative at the World Championship of Public Speaking, 3-time District 91 International Speech Champion, and winner of multiple Moth Storytelling Slams.

Every attendee received a complimentary copy of Dan’s book — because leadership is about creating tangible value.

Challenges — and Leadership Response

Like every division, we face challenges:

  • Membership fluctuations
  • Officer workload
  • Balancing corporate and community needs

Our response is not reactive — it is proactive:

  • Regular check-ins
  • Transparent conversations
  • Shared best practices
  • Leadership visibility

We do not ignore challenges.
We address them together.

Looking Ahead

As we move toward the end of the Toastmasters year, Division L remains focused on:

  • Finishing strong in contests and renewals
  • Supporting smooth officer transitions
  • Identifying next year’s leaders
  • Strengthening collaboration across Areas

Leadership continuity is not an afterthought — it is a responsibility.

A Call to All Toastmasters

Division L’s success does not belong to its Director or Area Directors.

It belongs to:

  • The President who runs the meeting
  • The VPE who tracks Pathways
  • The VPM who welcomes guests
  • The member who shows up and says “yes” to a role

Leadership in Toastmasters is not a title — it is participation.

If you have ever considered:

  • Taking on a club officer role
  • Stepping into an Area role
  • Organising a workshop
  • Mentoring a new member

Now is the time.

Division L is here to support you — but the strength of the division rests with each and every one of you.

Together, we lead.
Together, we grow.
Together, we finish strong.

44 Years Stong: Celebrating Thame Speakers

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Thame Speakers proudly celebrated its 44th year, marking over four decades of growth, learning, and fellowship. The year was made especially memorable by a brilliant Tall Tales contest, filled with humour and creativity, and convincingly won by John Morris, whose performance delighted everyone present.

The celebrations were enhanced by visits from valued district guests, including District Director Debbie Williams, Finance Manager Guler Cortis and Conference Director Pearl Cadogan, whose support and engagement were greatly appreciated by the club.

A true highlight of the celebrations was the gala dinner, featuring a delicious three-course meal with drinks, all expertly organised and cooked by Thame member Alison Morris. The evening brought members and guests together in a warm, celebratory atmosphere and was a wonderful example of the talent and generosity within Thame Speakers.

As the club moves forward into its 44th year, Thame Speakers continues to celebrate achievement, creativity, and community—values that have sustained it for more than four decades

Getting to Know Deborah: The Person Behind District Operations

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From working in high-pressure environments to supporting District leaders and running large hybrid meetings, our District Admin Manager – Deborah Stevens, explains what it really takes to keep a complex organisation moving and why this role matters more than most people realise.

 
1. Tell us a little about yourself – where are you based, and what do you enjoy outside Toastmasters?

I’m Debs, I’m based in Aylesbury in Bucks with my husband who is a teacher. I work for Bucks Council running improvement programmes for the Planning, Growth and Sustainability directorate which covers Housing, Planning, Registrars, Regeneration and Infrastructure amongst other things. I’ve spent the last couple of years working predominately in Housing to help us deliver more support for people in Temporary Accommodation (TA) and I got to help organise presents for children in TA in December which was a lovely part of the role.

I’ve also made a name for myself at work as being able to work in chaos so I’m often called on to work on emergency projects – these have included running a food hub and delivery service during covid, overseeing the council’s response to Homes4Ukraine and supporting sponsors and guests, and more recently running an interim continence delivery service for Bucks when our supplier went into administration. The continence delivery was a really tough but rewarding project as we have about 6000 residents in Bucks that rely on these products to live their day to day lives, however I now know more about Tena pads that I ever thought I would need to!
 
Outside of work and Toastmasters I run an annual performing arts platform called Honeycomb Festival, giving just over 1000 young people the chance to perform on a professional stage! It’s my pride and joy – it was previously called Activate Dance Festival and I performed in it when I was school, then for a variety of reasons I got the chance to take it on as my own business in 2016. I have a team of people that work with me to deliver it and we’re busy working on the next festival which will take place in April 2026 – check us out at www.honeycombfestival.co.uk if you’re interested!

 
2. How did you first discover Toastmasters, and what motivated you to take on a District leadership role?
 

2026 marks 10 years since I joined Toastmasters! I came into a corporate club and then moved over to my current club Thame Speakers in 2018. I would say that other people persuading me that I should move into District leadership roles has played a big part in my Toastmasters journey – I’m not sure I would have taken on the different roles without the encouragement!

 
 
 
3. What’s one thing about you that might surprise District 91 members?
 

I have Jean Gamester to thank for not only getting me into Toastmasters but also working in change and improvement programmes! 12 years ago, she was a consultant at my council and I was trying to make the move from a community development officer into project management. She gave me a chance to prove my abilities by organising world cafe events for the change programme she was running, then after I successfully ran these, gave me service reviews to project manage, and this has shaped my career ever since! Whilst she was at the council she had set up a new club with Alison Morris, I was encouraged to go along and the rest is history!

 
4. For members who may not know, how would you describe the Admin Manager role in one or two sentences?

The purpose of my role is to ensure that District business is able to take place – my role is comparable to the club secretary role. I ensure that our District Executive Committee and District Council meetings are held with the correct attendees, agendas and minutes. I also support the District Leadership Team more generally on what they need to undertake their roles. It’s very varied!

 
5. What’s a common admin question or issue you help clubs and leaders with?
 

I mainly support the District Executive Committee which is comprised of Area Directors, Division Directors and the District Leadership Team. I help this group with publishing things on the D91 calendar, ensuring that they have access to the accounts they need (e.g. zoom to run online sessions), and organising the regular catch ups that we need to make sure the exec and council meetings happen! I also manage the central google drive with all the documents for our programme year to make sure we keep track of everything!

6. What’s one admin process or habit that club leaders could improve to make life easier for everyone?
 

Having a good central filing system! The beauty of Toastmasters is that most roles change annually, however the downside of this is that key information can get lost with members who are moving on from the roles. A central filing system makes everyone’s lives easier because you don’t have to start from scratch each year – if you store copies of your promotions, club success plans, contest information etc. then when someone new takes on the task the following year they have somewhere to look for inspiration! Just make sure that your secretary has access during the handover so everyone can get into the files!

 
7. What’s a misconception people often have about District administration?
 

I’m not sure it’s a misconception, but I definitely thought that the role just worked on ensuring the exec committee and council meetings ran and had the right attendees, minutes, venues etc. I was surprised at how involved the role is in the wider District Leadership team and there are lots of little things such as ensuring we get digital signatures for our preapproval forms for Guler that I didn’t realise formed part of the role! I’m enjoying working closely with the leadership team and supporting them with the delivery of their roles.

 
8. How has serving as an Admin Manager stretched or developed you?
 
It’s been really interesting looking at the District as a whole – it’s such a vast area and there are so many people involved. It’s really tested my skills in finding places for us to meet and also pulling together all the requirements of a large group (there are 50+ members of the District Exec Committee). It’s also tested me with my ability to run hybrid meetings – the first time I sat down with all the kit I was worried about how long it would take me to set up but I think I’ve got into a rhythm with it now, even if I do look like the bag lady carting it all around!
 
 
 
9. Who or what has supported you most in your District journey so far?
 
I have lots of people who have supported me along the way, however I have to give a big shout out to Alison and John Morris who I met on my first day at toastmasters back in 2016. They taught me the art of ‘voluntelling’ people into taking on roles such as contest chair and chief judge and I’ve kept this tradition up throughout my various roles!
 

 
 
10. What are your key priorities or focus areas for the rest of the Toastmasters year?
 

I’ve finally completed my first pathway (I got distracted by leadership roles along the way!) so I’m starting to look at what I might need to get my DTM, so I’m thinking about running speechcraft sessions in a part of J4 where we are looking at options for a new club!

 
11. What’s one thing you’re excited about for your role in the District in 2026?
 

I’m really enjoying getting to know the different area and division directors and understanding more about the clubs in their patches. We’ve got two face to face District Executive Committee meetings between now and the end of the year and I’m excited to bring the group together, see what Seema has planned for the group as our PQD and hear about all the great stuff the team are working on. I’m also looking forward to the conference – I’m a fairly new conference attendee and this year I’ll be more involved as I have the District Council meeting to run on the Saturday morning so I’m looking forward to working with Pearl and the team to make sure that runs smoothly!

 
12. As members start a new year, what’s one practical tip you’d give club leaders to stay organised and stress-free?
 
We’re halfway through the Toastmasters year so take a moment to see what is left on the calendar and make sure you’ve got your dates in! There is the International and Evaluation contest, the second round of club officer training, a second visit from your area director and of course the District Council meeting in May for the President and VPE – attendance at this is really important because this is where we’ll elect our leaders for next year!
 
 
My other practical tip is to start succession planning now – who in the club is going to step up and take over the roles for the next toastmaster year? Then, start a document where you pop down key bits of information you think the next person will need to know – I’m going to start taking my own advice and do this for the admin role so that I’m not scrabbling around at the end of the year!

January: Revisit, Recalibrate, Rise

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My dear Toastmasters,

A new year is the perfect time to revisit your goals, recalibrate your actions and rise to new challenges!

What bold step will you take this year? 

Whether it’s aiming for Distinguished Toastmaster, completing a Pathways level, giving back by mentoring someone, or delivering a keynote. The options are limitless. 

Own your actions, embrace the journey and rise above every challenge.

Revisit and Recalibrate Your Goals

• Reflect on your Toastmasters milestones: DTM, Pathways levels, club leadership achievements or contests.

• Identify where you can stretch yourself: public speaking, leadership, mentoring or community impact.

• Set specific, measurable goals. Small consistent actions lead to big results.

Toastmasters is a safe space to step outside your comfort zone, try new things, and grow.

The Root to Rise Conference – website is live! Book your tickets!

Secure your spot for 2–3 May 2026 at De Vere Latimer Estate for a weekend of growth, connection, and inspiration.

Book your tickets here: Root to Rise Conference 

Upcoming Learning Opportunities & Drop-Ins

• Club Officer Training (Round 2): Strengthen your club leadership skills. 

• Pathways Drop-In  with Juli Chapman on 21 January at 7:00 PM GMT: the first of a series of Monthly Q&A sessions for guidance on your Pathways journey.

  • Contest Collective Drop-In on 25 January at 7:00 PM GMT: get some tips, get answers to your questions and prepare to ace upcoming contests.

• Coming soon: Distinguished Toastmaster Pathway Drop-In if you need inspiration to complete your DTM.

Check the District Calendar for all the upcoming sessions.

Ditch the Nerves Podcast

Watch & Listen Here: District 91 Ditch the Nerves Podcast . 

Check our YouTube channel to gain inspiration from leaders and champions in the Toastmasters community. 

• Aletta Rochat, DTM – International President

• Gauri Seshadri, DTM – First Vice President

• Jean Gamester, DTM – Second Vice President

• Sabyasachi Sengupta – World Champion of Public Speaking

Learn how Toastmasters helped them grow as leaders, speakers, and mentors to take your own communication skills to the next level.

Quarterly Incentive winners 

Congratulations to the 27 clubs who won Quarter 2 incentives. Please find the link of winners here 

Celebrating Achievements
Congratulations to our newest Distinguished Toastmaster

I am excited to announce that I have just gained my second DTM award – yes it takes time and effort but is so worthwhile!

And Congratulations to our Triple Crown achievers, members who completed three or more education awards this toastmaster year.

December’25 additional winners

Mirna Gomaa from 1st London Toastmasters 

Himanee Anthwal from 1st London Toastmasters 

January Triple Crown Winners 

Cecily Liu from LSEG London Toastmasters Club

Celia Edwards from Purley Speakers

Murat Ozturk from Tube Talk Toastmasters 

Step Up, Compete and Grow

Contest season is here! Take the challenge to step outside your comfort zone. Take the Challenge: Become a Better Version of Yourself

This year, focus on one area to elevate your impact and growth. Make a difference in your club, community or workplace. Every step you take, every new challenge you embrace, is an opportunity to grow, do good and inspire. Let 2026 be the year you revisit your goals, take accountability, and rise to your full potential. Toastmasters is here to support you every step of the way.

Lastly, we’d Love Your Feedback on program excellence to help us serve you better. Your voice matters. Please take a moment to share your thoughts by completing our short survey if you didn’t get a chance to do in December: https://forms.gle/rwaNZQU4cocW5yaX8

 

With encouragement and excitement,

Seema Menon, DTM

Program Quality Director, District 91