The Engagement Room

Join in with our guest Gary Vaughn as we chat about things related to his life and presentation in an extra clip set to a more personal approach.

TITLE: "The Taffer Tactic" As a fan of the hit Paramount show, "Bar Rescue," Gary pulls inspiration from the show's host, Jon Taffer. Jon uses a no non-sense guide to changing the situation and is something that isn't just for bar owners, but can create real change in any situation. Gary will discuss the 3 Tactics that Jon challenges owners and employees with to be successful. The common thread between corporate training, a podium, and a sleigh? Gary A. Vaughn. As a Senior Automation Trainer with over five years of experience, Gary specializes in guiding professionals through the critical process of upskilling their careers. An accomplished Toastmaster, he has ascended the leadership ladder within his District, most notably serving as District Director and reclaiming the prestigious title of Select Distinguished for the first time in 20 years. When he isn’t leading in his career or on stage, he is delivering "magical moments" as Santa Gary, where he has mastered the art of empathy, presence, and joy. Gary brings a rare blend of technical leadership and authentic heart to every engagement, leaving a lasting impact on everyone he meets.

Title: "If I Only Had the Words To Tell You "As a lifelong stutterer, Dennis' presentation will highlight his anecdotal experience with stuttering, what it has taught him about himself and how to live a fulfilling life, what stuttering is/is not and, importantly, an inclusive and engaging discussion with the audience!Dennis Szymanski is a native of Long Island, NY currently living in North Carolina. As a life long stutter, Dennis found that to best practice his fluency, he needed to challenge it. During that challenge he found a love for public speaking and a yearning to share his journey through fluency.

Title: "What We Carry Into the Room: How Life Experience Shapes Leadership, Connection, and Communication"In today’s workplaces and communities, people carry invisible experiences that shape how they lead, communicate, and connect — caregiving, loss, transition, and profound life change. Yet these realities rarely have space in professional conversations.This session explores how lived experience influences leadership presence, communication, and workplace culture, and how story awareness can deepen trust, engagement, and human connection. Through reflection and dialogue, participants gain practical insight into leading and communicating with greater compassion and authenticity.Teri Kingston DTM is a keynote speaker, TEDx coach, and grief-informed storytelling expert who helps leaders and professionals communicate with authenticity, clarity, and human connection. She is the founder of Real Impact Speaking and one of Canada's Top Ten Speaking Coaches. A TEDx speaker and international speech champion, Teri brings over 20 years of experience helping people transform personal experience into meaningful messages that inspire change. Her work focuses on storytelling, compassionate leadership, and the human side of communication.

Here is the edited version of our Engagement Room Session 11 with Maria Leggett-Gulder, the co-owner of Maria's Spice Company. Being resourceful in and making yourself uncomfortable, dealing with imposter syndrome, and finding the mission as the fuel to your success, not motivation.

Title: "Give your teen the head start you wish you had"At just 17, Malcolm Keith (now 19) launched the Teen Mastermind, a community of 60+ teens focused on leadership, entrepreneurship, and legacy (theteenmastermind.com).In 2025, he has taken it offline with Teen Mastermind Live, a three-day immersive leadership experience for teens and their parents (teenmastermindlive.com).In an era where headlines fixate on screen addiction and teen isolation, Malcolm’s story flips the script: a teen teaching leadership to his peers while uniting families around confidence, purpose, and legacy.

Discover how to activate your unique Wildprint™—your personal blueprint for success. In this inspiring 20-minute presentation followed by Q&A, Dr. Charmin Gans, Certified Napoleon Hill Leader Instructor and President of the Jeffco Challengers Toastmasters Club, shares practical tools for mastering time, mindset, and purpose. Combining Napoleon Hill’s success principles with modern insights, she empowers audiences to break free from limitations and design a life that’s purpose-driven, prosperous, and wildly rich in every way.

Join us in this post-Valentine’s themed event where Jackie Kam-Blackard tell tells us how she chose her husband. She’s going to tell us how she developed “The List” along with timing and ACTingJackie is a Business Analyst for Cygna Healthcare and is the 2025-2025 Program Quality Director for Distict 8 Toastmasters in St Louis, Missouri

Terri introduces us to one of the most essential leadership roles in any Toastmasters speech contest, the Chief Judge. This training equips you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to serve as an effective Chief Judge—the person responsible for safeguarding the integrity, fairness, and professionalism of every contest. Participants will learn how to recruit and brief judging teams, manage ballots and tiebreakers, oversee contest rules, handle eligibility requirements, and ensure a seamless, unbiased experience for contestants and officials. Drawing from Toastmasters International’s official contest rulebook and best practices, this session provides step-by-step guidance, real-world scenarios, and practical tools so you can lead contests with clarity, confidence, and credibility. Perfect for anyone preparing to serve as Chief Judge or looking to deepen their contest leadership expertise.Terri Orban is the Marketing Director for The Advance Group and its family of companies, with offices in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. With nearly 30 years of relocation marketing experience, Terri has worked with some of the most recognized brands in the industry, including Mayflower Transit and United Van Lines. In these roles, she managed local marketing efforts for more than 500 locations nationwide, specializing in digital presence optimization.Terri holds a BS in Organizational Leadership and an MBA from Maryville University. She has been an active member of Toastmasters since 2017, completing three paths, DynamicLeadership, Presentation Mastery and Engaging Humor, and is currently on the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) track. Terri has served as a District Admin Manager, Division Director, Area Director, and has been a member of the District Leadership Committee (DLC) and District Education Committee. She has also held every officer position at the club level, demonstrating her commitment to personal growth and leadership development.

Derek brings us a presentation noting Harvard that research shows that people who ask questions are perceived as more intelligent, more interesting, and more attractive. This presentation gives you the exact question types that create memorable conversations -- as well as a way to make curiosity a habit.Derek Zboran founded Triumph With Your Talk to help hesitant experts, silenced creatives, and passionate enthusiasts find their confident voice. He blends positive psychology research with practical communication strategies to help people turn self-doubt into bold expression. Derek has spoken at TEDx Missouri S&T, authored four books, and hosts a podcast of his own.

Major (ret) USAF Yolandea Wood presents a riveting story about the famous Tuskeegee Airmen of World War II. As a local expert and archivist for this daring group of men and women, Yolandea weaves both history and stories from the heroes themselves and adds her personal experiences with them as a cadet and graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.

As founder of the nonprofit Lifting Up Dads, Todd brings us a presentation to encourage fathers from being the to STOP being the silent, stone-faced hero our culture demands: discover why hiding your pain is a lethal failure and how vulnerability is actually the single most powerful tool you have to build an unbreakable family. He invites us to hear this speech to learn the proven, daily steps—the "Core Leisure"—that create profound psychological strength, allowing you to ditch the "Disneyland Dad" guilt and finally find your true, constant identity as a father.TedX Speaker Todd Duermyer is a passionate advocate dedicated to redefining paternal strength, urging fathers to trade silent stoicism for active, vulnerable presence. Drawing on his experience as an adoptive father and his personal journey overcoming anxiety and mental health challenges, he brings a deeply empathetic and practical perspective to modern parenting. His strives to deliver essential "Dad hacks," mental wellness strategies, and a message of team-based parenting. His mission is simple: to transform families and future generations by empowering men to lead with love, consistency, and courageous vulnerability.

Join Jamil in a poetic storytelling of fiction, non-fiction and future endeavors.Jamil is a student of Southwest Illinois Community College and is also 2025-2026 term President of the O'Fallon Toastmaster Club of O'Fallon, Illinois. He is an aspiring political leader in the State of Illinois and is an active worker in many philanthropic endeavors in the MetroEast area of Illinois.

The Power of No: Energy, Focus, and Resilient Leadership.... In leadership, every “no” protects a bigger “yes.” This talk explores why great leaders say no—and how it unlocks focus, energy, and clarity. Learn practical strategies to set boundaries, beat burnout, and protect the yeses that matter most.Kevin Harper is a nationally recognized executive leader, strategist, and nonprofit innovator with more than two decades of experience guiding organizations through growth, transition, and transformation. As the former President &CEO of Food On The Move, Kevin grew the organization from a small volunteer-led initiative into a multi-million-dollar enterprise with $11M+ in assets and over 100 cross-sector partnerships. His work and insights have been featured innumerous publications highlighting innovative approaches to leadership, philanthropy, and community impact.As the founder of The Nonprofit Coach, LLC, Kevin equips leaders and organizations with tools to maximize influence, strengthen boards, and drive mission success. His coaching has impacted a wide spectrum of clients—ranging from CEOs and nonprofit executives to celebrities, community leaders, and even the next generation of changemakers through mentoring high school and college students.A dynamic speaker known for blending practical strategies with relatable sports-driven analogies, Kevin delivers clarity, confidence, and actionable insights. Whether on stage, in the boardroom, or in the classroom, his mission is simple: to help leaders unlock their potential and create lasting impact.