Ramu Garapati PM3
District Director, 2024/2025
From the Desk of the District Director
Welcome
I hope this message finds you well! Our district successfully completed the first month of the 2024-2025 Toastmaster’s year. It is time to celebrate these achievements so far - 26 of the 33 Area Director positions and all 7 of the Division Director positions have been filled along with the positions for finance manager, administration manager and public relations manager. On the Program Quality front, we had our first in-person TLI last month at Holy Cross Hospital was well attended by 30 club officers. Area and Division Directors have been trained on leadership roles and responsibilities. For club growth, we have one club coach assigned and are actively working on chartering 6 new clubs.
In the current era where everything seems to be in a constant flux, we in Toastmasters have a ready made eco system (learning platform, supportive community and lots of opportunities) to build confidence, develop communication and leadership skills by mastering executive presence and building crucial influence. Executive Presence boils down to three main topics - how we speak. how we act and how we look. Increasing our executive presence leads to an increase in our authority when we communicate, which in turn can help advance our career and social standing. Crucial Influence helps with building trust and credibility, maintaining collaborative relationships and developing new leaders who could choose to lead us in the future.. Using the collective power and strength of District 36 community, we in the District Executive Leadership Team look forward to elevating your Toastmasters experience and supporting you on your journey throughout this Toastmaster's year.
We are excited to work with some wonderful Division and Area leaders that stepped up to lead and serve our district this year!
Bruce Andersen, EC5 - Division A Director works for the Department of Labor and has varied experience training teams and volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America. Bruce recently served as president of his club and brings planning, mentoring and compliance skills to our district.
Maria-Pia Younger, LD5 - Division B Director Maria-Pia is enthusiastic about member engagement and reaching out to members through varied communication channels. Her leadership style is a combination of leading by example, being strategic and coaching. She is eager to contribute to our district’s growth.
Shivali Haribhakti, DTM - Division C Director brings a decade of leadership experience to our district, having served in numerous roles as a club officer in multiple states, before serving as an Area director in District 38. Working for one of the nation's leading nonprofits, Shivali has been inspired to give back and wants to recruit new Toastmasters throughout the district while facilitating others in their journeys to reaching their full potential.
Justine Desmarais, EC4/SR3 - Division D Director has been a champion of community building efforts in the non-profit and philanthropic sectors. Her leadership philosophy has a strong emphasis on empathy, communication, teamwork, preparation and adaptability. Her motto is “Pay it forward” and loves giving back to the Toastmasters community that has helped her grow tremendously over the last 6 years.
Shivali Haribhakti, DTM - Division C Director brings a decade of leadership experience to our district, having served in numerous roles as a club officer in multiple states, before serving as an Area director in District 38. Working for one of the nation's leading nonprofits, Shivali has been inspired to give back and wants to recruit new Toastmasters throughout the district while facilitating others in their journeys to reaching their full potential.
Justine Desmarais, EC4/SR3 - Division D Director has been a champion of community building efforts in the non-profit and philanthropic sectors. Her leadership philosophy has a strong emphasis on empathy, communication, teamwork, preparation and adaptability. Her motto is “Pay it forward” and loves giving back to the Toastmasters community that has helped her grow tremendously over the last 6 years.
Mike Onzay, DTM -- Division E Director has served in Toastmasters for close to 15 years in various capacities and is known for his varied skill sets and leadership roles promoting sustainable change. His North Star is “Leave it better than you found it”. He is passionate about helping others develop their public speaking and leadership skills.
Patrick Cuff, PM5 - Division F Director is an active Toastmaster in addition to serving as a commander in the American Legion. His biggest strength is strategic planning which helps drive his enthusiasm to serve in multiple clubs as a club officer. Patrick is a successful club coach and has served as Area Director twice.
Jill Vanderweit, DTM - Division G Director brings a wealth of experience to our district, having been a longstanding member with more than 20 years of experience. Jill's “Get It Done” attitude is infectious and has served the district extremely well during the last several years. Jill served in multiple roles throughout her term in Toastmasters and is eager to help the district grow back to pre-pandemic membership and charter strength.
Area Directors are listed on District 36 website : https://district36.org/
Finally, District 36 Executive Team: https://
Patrick Cuff, PM5 - Division F Director is an active Toastmaster in addition to serving as a commander in the American Legion. His biggest strength is strategic planning which helps drive his enthusiasm to serve in multiple clubs as a club officer. Patrick is a successful club coach and has served as Area Director twice.
Jill Vanderweit, DTM - Division G Director brings a wealth of experience to our district, having been a longstanding member with more than 20 years of experience. Jill's “Get It Done” attitude is infectious and has served the district extremely well during the last several years. Jill served in multiple roles throughout her term in Toastmasters and is eager to help the district grow back to pre-pandemic membership and charter strength.
Area Directors are listed on District 36 website : https://district36.org/
Finally, District 36 Executive Team: https://
Warm Regards,
Ramu Garapati, PM3
District 36 Director
Ramu Garapati, PM3
District 36 Director