NEW YORK TOASTMASTERS
est. 1956
ABOUT US
MISSION
Established in 1956, New York Toastmasters (NYTM) is a popular public speaking and leadership training organization that meets weekly every Monday evening. Our mission is to:
-
Help you build your communication skills
-
Help you develop leadership abilities
-
Boost your self-confidence
-
Help you FIND YOUR VOICE
The NYTM Club belongs to Toastmasters International. The International mission is to provide a mutually supportive environment where members can practice their leadership and speaking skills.
Club 1949
Area 41
Division D
District 46
COMMITMENT
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Using the Toastmasters International
structured manual series, NYTM offers members opportunities to hone their public speaking and presentation skills in a lively, supportive environment.
LEADERSHIP
Using the Toastmasters International
leadership guides, NYTM offers members opportunities to serve in meeting roles,
as mentors, and as club officers, to
improve leadership skills in a dynamic community of peers.
FEEDBACK
Using the Toastmasters International meeting and competition protocols, NYTM offers members opportunities to learn to give and receive essential feedback in impromptu speaking, communication/ speech writing and to develop emotional intelligence.
AWARDS
PRESIDENT'S DISTINGUISHED CLUB
This is the highest level of recognition available in Toastmasters. The Distinguished Club Program is an annual program consisting of ten goals. Achieving nine of ten goals earns a club the President's Distinguished Club
PERFECT TEN CLUB
A Perfect Ten Club sets the Gold Standard by excelling in education, membership, and leadership, modeling the way for all clubs to follow.
PRESS
7 Public Speaking Tips From A Toastmasters Pro
By Richard Feloni
Services
MEET THE TEAM
President
Alvin Jones
VP of Education
Robert Dong
VP of Public Relations
Chanel Qin
Alvin always strives for high performance and consistently pushes the envelope. He has a professional background in leadership, including sales and project management, as well as business strategy consulting and coaching. He is also an author of books, loves volunteering in his community, and physical fitness.
Robert is a Distinguished Toastmaster having held a variety of roles in Toastmasters including Division Director and District Administration Manager. He holds degrees in computer science and works in the technology sector.
Chanel serves as the VP of Public Relations for NYTM. A native New Yorker, she brings a deep love for the city's vibrant culture and history to everything she does. Outside of this role, she appreciates the challenge of SLT classes, and the adrenaline-pumping world of Formula 1 racing. With a background in psychology, Chanel remains a dedicated learner and explorer of the human mind. She immerses herself in books on psychology and is an enthusiastic consumer of podcasts.
VP of Membership
Audrey Harris
Audrey Harris serves as the VP of Membership for New York Toastmasters, overseeing guest and new member services for the club. Audrey has built her career in marketing within the financial services industry. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area native, she now spends her free time exploring New York through leisurely walks, discovering new restaurants and bars, and enjoying live music.
Treasurer
Romona Baxter
Romona finds profound meaning and purpose in the way she lives her life. Although her current role as a Tax Accountant keeps her occupied, she yearns to indulge in her passion for hiking and embarking on adventurous road trips more frequently. Her most cherished moments are those spent immersed in the awe-inspiring wonders of nature.
VP of Mentorship
Valentina Guido
Originally from Italy, Valentina moved to New York in 2022, after living and studying in France and Switzerland. Passionate about sustainability and environmental justice, she works at a nonprofit to accelerate a just energy transition. Valentina has a passion for building and nurturing community and exploring new places, foods and ideas. Whenever possible, she finds a way to get out and in touch with nature, people, poetry and art. Valentina is always looking for fun ways to stretch her comfort zone and learn new things or activities. Her hobbies include traveling, running, hiking, going to the movies and performing improv.
Sergeant-at-Arms
Pooja Jadhav
Pooja enjoys problem-solving and uses technology coupled with data insights to lead digital transformation projects in the financial services industry. As a lifelong explorer, Pooja satisfies her curiosity by learning about and experiencing new things. Joining New York Toastmasters allowed her to rekindle her love for public speaking and also challenge the introvert in her to network and grow in a supportive community. She finds the greatest fulfillment in spending quality time with her family in India and living a life in alignment with her core values. In her free time, you can find her sweating it out in group fitness classes, digesting insights through book summary apps, experimenting with new recipes, volunteering for New York Cares, going to Broadway shows, or traveling the world.
Secretary
Jonathan Sherman
Jonathan has been a toastmaster since 2015 as a former President, VPR, VPM, and Secretary at his former club in Washington, DC called “Speakeasy in Downtown DC.” He is pathways L3 on “Leadership Development” and has competed in several prior Table Topics and International Speech contests. He was also a volunteer at the 2016 International Convention in Washington, DC. He works as an IT Manager at the World Economic Forum, and is an avid DJ, soccer player, and photographer on his spear time. Jonathan is excited to be the Club Secretary for the 2024-2025 season!
CLUB OFFICERS
ALVIN JONES
President
ROBERT DONG
VP Education
AUDREY HARRIS
VP Membership
VALENTINA GUIDO
VP Mentorship
CHANEL QIN
VP Public Relations
ROMONA BAXTER
Treasurer
POOJA JADHAV
Sergeant-at-Arms
JONATHAN SHERMAN
Secretary