Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters

Thank you, Ignite Seattle, for a wonderful evening of storytelling, creativity, and connection. What an inspiring reminder of the power of sharing our stories. ✨

Thank you to my fellow Toastmasters for a great evening, Alex Konicke, Theresa Haynes, and Victoria Mathew. You are the best!

District 2 Toastmasters

VPPR TIPS to Produce Your Powerful Presence™ – No. 48
by Kelly Fallucca, VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters

PRESENCE IN ACTION: Toastmaster of the Year
Marty Varela, DTM | District 2 Public Relations Manager

A legacy contributor.

Marty joined Toastmasters in October 2019 to overcome extreme introversion. Since then, she has experienced benefits she describes as incalculable, while generously giving back to the organization through her time, talent, and heart.

I have personally witnessed Marty’s magic in action. As the District 2 Public Relations Manager, a member of multiple clubs, supporting fellow members, and driving initiatives that create meaningful change. Marty does not simply talk about leadership. She lives it. She puts her presence into action.

And she is still striving. Marty is currently working toward her third Distinguished Toastmaster award and becoming eligible to pursue the Accredited Speaker Program.

For Marty, Toastmasters is not a temporary activity. It is a lifelong commitment to growth, service, and impact.

Congratulations, Marty, on being named District 2 Toastmaster of the Year! This recognition is well deserved. Thank you for your service, your leadership, and the legacy you continue to build.

This Week’s Challenge:
Where can you put your presence into action? Join an additional club, visit an advanced club as a guest, support a fellow member, or leave a legacy through your DTM project. The possibilities are endless.

Sparkle & Shine, Friends!
Kelly Fallucca
VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters
D2 Area Director, C35

A special thank-you to Katie Munoz for sharing the District 2 Conference awards at our last our meeting.

It was wonderful to have past president Mara Williams stop by and celebrate with us.

Moments like these remind us how powerful the Toastmasters community is—supportive, encouraging, and full of leaders worth celebrating. Congratulations to everyone recognized for their hard work and achievements! 🎉👏

VPPR TIPS to Produce Your Powerful Presence™ – No. 47
by Kelly Fallucca, VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters

LEADERSHIP PRESENCE: Do Not Be a Dread Dumper

Toastmasters teaches us how to speak with intention. Leadership presence requires us to communicate challenges with intention as well.

When a meeting goes sideways, membership numbers dip, volunteers are stretched thin, or an event suddenly develops ten new problems, it is tempting to march into the room carrying a giant emotional trash bag and dump every worry onto the nearest available Toastmaster.

I have done it too.

Overwhelm can make every issue feel urgent, enormous, and personally assigned to ruin your day.

Leadership presence is not pretending everything is perfect. It is learning how to pause, sort the pile, and lead the next move.

Before you broadcast the panic:
1. Take a breath.
2. Separate the real issue from the dramatic storyline.
3. Identify the one action that will move the needle first.
4. Ask for support with clarity, not chaos.
5. Bring a proposed next step—not just a bag of dread.

Your fellow Toastmasters do not expect you to arrive with every answer.

They need you to bring steadiness, perspective, and a path forward.

CTA: This week, whether you are leading a club meeting, planning an event, or supporting your officer team, pause before you unload. Carry the solution forward—not the dread.

Sparkle & Shine, Friends!
Kelly Fallucca
VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters
D2 Area Director, C35

VPPR TIPS to Produce Your Powerful Presence™ – No. 46
by Kelly Fallucca, VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters

WHAT TO DO WHEN SUBTEXT IS NOT SUBTLE: A Lesson in Leadership Presence

In Toastmasters, the real message is not always said in words. Sometimes it is in the awkward pause, the confused guest, the nervous speaker, the unanswered volunteer request, or the member who says, “I’m just busy,” but slowly disappears.

That is subtext.

Strong leadership presence means noticing what the room is telling you before the room has to shout.

If guests look lost, explain the agenda in plain language. If a speaker seems nervous, offer encouragement before advice. If members are quiet, ask clearer questions instead of assuming they are not interested. If no one volunteers, check the workload, the expectations, and the energy behind the ask.

Correction starts with curiosity. Pause. Observe. Ask, “What might be happening underneath this moment?”

Toastmasters is not just where people learn to speak…it is where leadership skills are developed in everyday situations.

Learn to notice what is unsaid and do not ignore the signals. Pause, read the room, respond with intention, and course-correct before small moments become missed opportunities.

Create a room where people feel seen, heard, supported, and ready to take on new challenges.

CTA: At your next meeting, notice any subtext in members or guests, course-correct in the moment, and lead with intention and presence.

Sparkle & Shine, Friends!
Kelly Fallucca
VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters
D2 Area Director, C35

VPPR TIPS to Produce Your Powerful Presence™ – No. 45
by Kelly Fallucca, VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters

Your Future Member Called. Did Anyone Answer?

If your membership is struggling, please stop chasing the big quick fix. start here: respond promptly and look alive.

I have written about this more than once now, and I sincerely wish I did not need to keep saying it. But it keeps happening.

We hear it again and again from guests:
“I contacted a few other clubs, but no one responded.”

That is not a small, missed detail. That is a missed member.

If your club is worried about growth, stop searching first for the flashy campaign, the perfect open house, or the one big membership miracle. Membership growth begins with the basics—and one of the most important basics is answering people who have already raised their hand.

At Public Speaking Northwest, we treat every inquiry like a warm invitation. We respond the same day whenever possible, and always within 24 hours at the latest. That simple habit matters. Interest cools quickly. A prompt, friendly reply says:
You matter here. We are glad you reached out.

Make sure more than your VPM receives website contact-form messages. Vacations, busy weeks, and overloaded inboxes should never become lost opportunities.

Your website matters too. When a potential guest lands there, does it feel active, welcoming, and worth visiting? Does it show real people, current events, club personality, and a clear next step?

Quick Club Checkup
Does your contact form reach 2–3 club officers?

Regarding ‘contact forms,’ do a check regularly. Sometimes there are glitches.

Does your VPM or backup officer reply within 24 hours?

Does your website feel current, warm, and lively?

Are your meeting details easy to find?

Do guests receive a clear invitation to visit?

CTA: Audit your club’s guest experience this week.
Where can your club improve its first impression?

Your next great member may already be waiting to feel seen. Presence begins the moment someone reaches out—and someone answers.

Sparkle & Shine, Friends!
Kelly Fallucca
VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters
D2 Area Director, C35

I am proud to support Victoria Mathew as she runs for our next District 2 Growth Director.

Victoria is the kind of leader who shows up with clarity, consistency, and action. She was a trusted partner to me during last year’s Pathways to Brilliance Conference, where I served as Marketing Chair, and she also assisted me during a live workshop for DECA Washington.

She is brilliant, dependable, action-oriented, and always focused on moving the mission forward. Victoria embodies leadership presence—not just in what she says, but in how she serves, collaborates, and sets the example for others.

District 2 would be fortunate to have her leadership in this role.

Kelly Fallucca
VPPR Public Speaking Northwest
Area Director, C35

District 2 Toastmasters
District 2 Toastmasters

VPPR TIPS to Produce Your Powerful Presence™ – No. 44
by Kelly Fallucca, VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters

Put Some Sparkle on That Standard

Doing the bare minimum may check the box, but adding sparkle creates the experience people remember.

In Toastmasters, business, and life, standards matter. Show up. Be prepared. Follow the agenda. Use the materials. Do what you promised. But do not stop there. Look for one simple way to elevate the experience for your audience.

For example, the next time you present Toastmasters material, do not rely only on the provided text-heavy slides. Use them as your foundation, the standard, then bring the message to life with strong images, real-time examples, and stories with which your audience can instantly connect. A powerful photo is still worth a thousand words, especially when it helps people understand the point faster. A slide packed with text, however, can make even great information feel flat.

The goal is not to show off.

The goal is to show…not tell, so your audience stays engaged, understands the message, and remembers what matters.

Other places you can add sparkle:
Create a stronger opening for your meeting.

Add a unique hook or opener to your next speech.

Welcome the guest before they feel lost. Replace a boring slide with a bold visual.

Connect with a person who looks like they need a boost after the meeting.

Bring energy, warmth, polish, and personality to everything you do as an officer or club member.

Sparkle is not about being flashy.
It is about being intentional and creating memorable experiences.

Call to Action:
This week, pick one standard task and add one extra touch of sparkle. Then watch how people respond.

Sparkle & Shine, Friends!
Kelly Fallucca
VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters
D2 Area Director, C35