Highlights
(1:21) Describes her role as Quality Contest Chair, overseeing
organization and quality of contest materials
(2:24) Currently works at Willis-Knighton Health teaching leadership and communication skills
(3:21) Reveals being new to Toastmasters—just over two months!
(4:05) Shares her 20-year experience with the National Speakers Association
(6:04) Illustrates Toastmasters' diverse applications through
example of physician assistant school candidate joining to improve interview skills
(11:10) Details her path from banner company owner to professional speaker
(13:14) Encourages members to participate in upcoming Tall Tales and International Speech contests
Summary
In this episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett interviews Bonnie Dubin, District 50's Quality Contest Chair. Despite being just two months into Toastmasters, she brings extensive experience from her 20-year membership in the National Speakers Association and career in corporate training.
Currently at Willis-Knighton Health, she manages talent
development and training for 8,000 employees, focusing on leadership skills, communication, and conflict resolution. Her entrepreneurial journey includes running Banners Plus with her husband and founding Motivate Me, a corporate training consultancy.
Bonnie's path from aspiring physical education teacher to
corporate trainer evolved through various roles, including waiting tables and office management. Her transition into professional speaking began when clients from her banner business sought advice on team building and leadership.
She explains how the National Speakers Association differs from Toastmasters. NSA focuses on for-profit speaking careers, while Toastmasters develops communication skills for various life applications. As Quality Contest Chair, she'll oversee the organization of District 50's first in-person contests in recent years, ensuring quality in both written materials and speaking events.
As a call to action, she invites all District 50 Toastmasters to
talk their club Vice President of Education about the upcoming contests, start thinking about speeches that they can prepare, and “give it a whack.”
