Toasty Talks

District 36 Toastmasters

Toasty Talks — The District 36 Toastmasters International podcast where communication, leadership, and inspiration come alive. Easy to enjoy, whether you’re a seasoned Toastmaster or just curious about the journey.  🎙️ Your host: Dr. Esohe Irabor 🎨 Logo design: Dr. Esohe Irabor & Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM 🎶 Sound design & music: Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM

Season 1

  1. SEASON 1, EPISODE 2 TRAILER

    Scorecards

    What do successful clubs, thriving companies, and high-performing teams have in common? They track what matters—and use scorecards to turn goals into action. In this episode, Dr. Esohe Irabor sits down with Professor Barry Piatt—former U.S. Senate Communications Director, strategist, past Distinguished District 36 Director, award-winning evaluator, and Public Speaking Professor at George Washington University. Together, they reveal how scorecards are a universal leadership system used by: CEOs & entrepreneursPolicymakers & government leadersEducators & performance coaches13,800+ Toastmasters clubs worldwideYou’ll discover how scorecards help leaders: Set measurable goalsAlign people and performanceTrack progress with dashboardsRecognize excellenceTurn structure into sustainable growthThey also explore how the Distinguished Club Program (DCP) mirrors business frameworks like KPIs and OKRs, proving why a 101-year-old organization still thrives: Structure becomes strength. Metrics drive momentum. See your own club’s scorecard: https://dashboards.toastmasters.org/Club.aspx?id=36 Special Offer — Evaluation All Stars (FREE for District 36): Barry is the founder and director of the Evaluation All Stars, a team of expert evaluators who visit clubs to teach—and demonstrate LIVE—high-impact, supportive speech evaluations that help speakers grow. To request a visit: 📧 giddeeup2599@yahoo.com If you care about growth—personal or organizational—this episode will change how you use data, feedback, and systems to lead. 🎧 Listen in. Take notes. Lead smarter. 🎙️ Your host: Dr. Esohe Irabor 🎨 Logo design: Dr. Esohe Irabor & Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM 🎶 Sound design & music: Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways

    49 min
  2. EPISODE 3

    R.I.S.E.

    In this special 60-minute episode, Dr. Esohe Irabor sits down with four inspiring leaders from District 36 — our Public Relations Manager (PRM), Maria Pia Younger; Club Growth Director (CGD), Jill Vanderweit; Program Quality Director (PQD), Augusta Inniss; and District Director (DD), Arvind Venugopal. Together, they share candid insights about their roles, the RISE (or IRSE!) values that resonate most with them, and the friendly debate behind those acronyms. You’ll hear how this year’s theme — “Nurture. Grow. Inspire.” — was born, how speaking six languages shapes our District Director’s empathy and leadership, and how our PQD and CGD use their professional backgrounds to empower members through Pathways and club growth. You’ll also pick up practical management tips from our PRM and learn about key volunteer roles that make District 36 thrive — plus why you should join the team! Tune in for energy, authenticity, and inspiration from the leaders guiding District 36 forward. Beth Black's Article, "What Does Integrity Really Mean?": https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/sept/what-does-integrity-really-mean Toastmasters International's Mission, Core Values, & Envisioned Future: https://www.toastmasters.org/about/our-mission Contact Info For The Four District 36 Leaders In This Episode: The Trio (Arvind Venugopal, Augusta Innis, & Jill Vanderweit): trio@district36.org Arvind Venugopal, 2025-2026 District 36 Director: arvind.venugopal@district36.org Augusta Innis, 2025-2026 Program Quality Director: pmd@district36.org Jill Vanderweit, 2025-2026 Club Growth Director: jill.vanderweit@district36.org Maria Pia Younger, 2025-2026 Public Relations Manager: publicrelations@district36.org Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways

    1 hr
  3. EPISODE 4

    Pathways

    We gathered your most common questions about Pathways and brought them directly to the expert.  In this conversation, Esohe Irabor, PhD, sits down with Justine Desmarais, District 36 Pathways Chair, to discuss what Pathways is, how it works, what it costs, and how it supports members’ personal and professional growth.   Whether you are new to Toastmasters or looking to understand your Pathways journey better, this discussion offers practical insights and guidance to help you make the most of the program.   Links to Recommended Resources:   TI Guide to 2025 Pathways Enhancements: https://content.toastmasters.org/image/upload/club-officer-guide-to-2025-pathways-enhancements.pdf  TI Better Speaker Series: https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/the-better-speaker-series-set TI Successful Club Series: https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/the-successful-club-series-setTI Leadership Excellence Series: https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/the-leadership-excellence-series-setTI Base Camp Guide: https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/base-camp-user-guideTI The Navigator: https://www.toastmasters.org/the-navigatorD36 Pathways Webpage: https://district36.org/pathways/ D36 Pathways Survey: https://forms.gle/NppD6PFXe4htr7pYA  Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways

    30 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Toasty Talks — The District 36 Toastmasters International podcast where communication, leadership, and inspiration come alive. Easy to enjoy, whether you’re a seasoned Toastmaster or just curious about the journey.  🎙️ Your host: Dr. Esohe Irabor 🎨 Logo design: Dr. Esohe Irabor & Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM 🎶 Sound design & music: Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM