About Us

District leaders

District 56 Director

Program Quality Director

Club Growth Director

Administration Manager

Finance Manager

Public Relations Manager

Immediate Past District Director

Division L Director

Division M Director

Division N Director

Division O Director

Division P Director

Division Q Director

Division R Director

DISTRICT CLUB

What Is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development with more than 345,000 members.

DISTRICT CLUB

BENEFITS OF JOINING

District 56 Toastmasters is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people become better communicators and leaders.

DISTRICT CLUB

our history

District 56 became the second Toastmasters district in Texas on July 1, 1957, as a result of a split with District 25.

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District 56 Director

In 2016, Sharla was introduced to Toastmasters, and her life-changing journey began. She loves her Toastmasters family and the transformative impact Toastmasters has made in her personal and professional development.

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Program Quality Director

Honored to serve as your Program Quality Director (PQD)! The Program Quality Team will leave no Toastmaster behind. For example, we have planned new member orientations, club officer information sessions for aspiring club leaders to help all clubs have 7 club officers at all times, Pathways training and enrollment for Toastmasters who are not enrolled, speech contest and functionary training well before the season begins to help all clubs plan, prepare and lead a successful and fun club contest, and form a full pipeline of trained speech contest functionaries. The Program Quality Team will include all Toastmasters in recognitions earned; no Toastmaster will be left behind. As the PQD, I am responsible for all aspects of education and training within the District. This includes supporting quality club programming efforts, promoting the Distinguished Club Program, and planning and executing the District conference. Education Goals: I promote all members in achieving education awards and recognizing those achievements. I oversee and promote training for club, area, and division officers. Training Programs: I plan, organize, and direct the district's training programs. District Conference: I am responsible for all aspects of the district conference. I plan, organize and direct the event. Speech Contests: I coordinate and supervise the International Speech Contest at the district level and facilitate a smooth flow of information at speech contests. This is the year to elevate a strong foundation of quality clubs! The PQD Team will help every club meet its educational goals and become a Distinguished quality club. Ready for some FUN? Register now on the District calendar for our fun and exciting events and training in the 2023-2024 year.

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Jocelyn V. Williams, DTM

Club Growth Director

Jocelyn is honored to serve as the 2023-2024 Club Growth Director and is excited to join with others in “Engaging the CORE of Toastmasters in District 56!” When Jocelyn joined Toastmasters in 2003, her focus was on her skills development. She quickly expanded her focus to helping others achieve their communication and leadership goals. Jocelyn has served in multiple club officer roles: President, VPE, VPM, VPPR, Secretary, Treasurer, and SAA. At the District-level, Jocelyn has also served as an Area and Division leader. In the area of Club Growth, she has served as a Club Coach, Club Sponsor, Club Mentor, Retention Co-Chair - Community Clubs, and Club Mentor Facilitator. She enjoys helping training participants experience “aha moments” and preparing them to confidently serve in their roles. Jocelyn was Select Distinguished Area N20 Governor 2004-2005; President’s Distinguished Division N Governor 2005-2006; and Division Governor of the Year 2005-2006.

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Administration Manager

Diane has been a Toastmaster since February 2001 and has been involved in Toastmasters activities outside her home club from the beginning. Through the years, Diane has served in all club officer roles. For District 56, she has served as Public Relations Officer, District Secretary, and Pathways Ambassador. Diane has also participated on several conference committees and filled various roles on the district staff over the past 22 years including district newsletter editor, parliamentarian and protocol chair. A native Houstonian, Diane has spent the past 32 years involved in vaccine research and development at Baylor College of Medicine. Her career began with the surveillance and testing of respiratory viruses and currently involves supporting vaccine development for neglected tropical diseases. She credits her involvement in Toastmasters for enhancing her confidence with public speaking and for expanding her leadership skills.

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Finance Manager

Latonia is honored to serve as the 2023-2024 District 56 Finance Manager. She began her Toastmasters journey in 2002, but it wasn't until 2018 that she became hooked on the transformative program. Latonia has grown professionally and personally because of her involvement in Toastmasters. She is inspired by the countless people who found their "voice" in Toastmasters and blossomed into phenomenal public speakers and leaders. During this Toastmasters year, Latonia will focus on balancing her efforts to continue to build her Toastmasters knowledge and give back to the broader D56 community.

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Public Relations Manager

Andrea joined Toastmasters in 2016. She loves talking to anyone who will listen about Toastmasters and has been a Pathways Ambassador, Club Officer, District Conference Co-Chair, Club Officer Trainer, and Marketing Volunteer. She holds a master's degree in strategic communication from Purdue University and is looking forward to telling more people about how awesome District 56 is.

Chandra

Immediate Past District Director

A Toastmaster since January 2015, Chandra values his journey in Toastmasters. The communication and leadership skills he learned in Toastmasters helped him both personally and professionally. Chandra gained a lot from Toastmasters and wants to help others so they can have a rewarding Toastmasters experience.

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Division L Director

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Division M Director

Mary Jubb is a geologist, Toastmaster, and mom originally from the mountains of East Tennessee. She holds a BS in Geology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a MS in Geology from the University of Tennessee. Her career as a geologist took her to North Carolina, Ohio, and California before she settled in the Houston area in 2014. She joined Missouri City Toastmasters in 2018 and Sound of Greenway Toastmasters in 2019, and she has served as an officer in both clubs. In 2022, she won Best Presentation at the International Geomechanics Symposium in Abu Dhabi, thanks to her experience in Toastmasters. When she isn’t looking at rocks or planning speeches for Toastmasters, she enjoys reading, running, playing with her dogs and cat, and homeschooling her two boys.

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Division N Director

Samantha is two-time Distinguished Toastmaster, three-time Area Director, current executive officer in three clubs, a speechcraft program facilitator, club mentor and coach. She has also served District 56 as a Club Extension Chair, Pathways guide and Technology consultant. Outside of Toastmasters she holds degrees in Computer Science, Management Inform Systems and Geospatial Information Systems. She is also a Certified Team Kanban Practitioner, Certified Scrum Master and Project Management Professional.

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Division O Director

Jennifer Nelson, DTM, is honored and excited to serve as Division O, Division Director for 2023-2024! In District 56, Jennifer has held all club office roles, served in Club Growth committee as Club Sponsor Chair, Club Quality as a trainer for different officer roles, District committees, and other roles in District 56! As Division Director, she will support the Area Director’s to serve the needs of the clubs and support the Area Directors. As a division, we will ensure that each club in the Division achieves its mission and fulfills its responsibilities to its members. Members Matter Most! To achieve this as a Division O, the Division will have activities, set goals, and assist in the training of Area and club leaders. Most of all, Division O will have FUN! Get ready OUTSTANDING Division O, let’s have the BEST year!!

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Division P Director

Elizabeth (Lizz) Moala-Page was born and raised in California and has been a resident of Houston for 15 years. She is a mother of 3 beautiful children and the eldest of 7 children. Lizz works full-time as a New Home Consultant for Lennar Homes. She enjoys family time, K-Drama, a compelling audible, and Toastmasters in her spare time. Lizz joined West Pearland Toastmasters in September 2020. Since she joined Toastmasters International, Lizz did not hesitate to step up and serve in Leadership Roles. She has served as President for West Pearland Toastmasters 2022 - 2023, Area Director of P4 for 2022 - 2023. She has joined five other clubs, including Storytellers, Southeast Houston Toastmasters, Master Evaluator, and League City Toastmasters. Lizz is honored at the opportunity to serve as Division Director of Division P and is excited to work alongside a team of phenomenal Area Directors to get the job done.

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Division Q Director

Erin joined Toastmasters as a member of Medically Speaking Toastmasters in early 2019 and has since served as Sergeant-At-Arms, President, and Vice President-Education for the club, as well as Area Q53 Director. She is currently a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine and plans to pursue a career in research after graduating. Erin’s hobbies include cooking Cajun food, tending to her houseplants, and visiting national parks with her husband and baby daughter.

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Division R Director

Carolyn Charney began her life journey in Fort Collins Colorado, the daughter of two college students at Colorado State University. As part of her father’s medical training the family moved from Colorado to Hawaii, from Hawaii to Washington State, and from Washington State to Texas. The experience provided her a variety of educational experiences, paving the way to in a degree in education curriculum and instruction (science & math concentration) from Texas A&M University, and then on to a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Texas at Austin (tu). Make no mistake, as her emails indicate, her blood runs true Maroon. Carolyn taught in public schools for over ten years, in both Elementary and Secondary teaching positions. She was an Assistant Principal before stepping out into the business world as a Contract, Proposals & Project Manager for Dell. She moved to Houston at the turn of the century (2003) for love. Her immediate family includes a retired accountant and three adopted children (puppies). Gucci, Babs, and Ollie were all adopted from animal rescue organizations, proving that while you can’t buy love, you can adopt it. Beginning her Toastmaster journey in 2015, at MD Anderson Cancer Center as a charter member of Destined for Excellence Toastmasters (04114404). Carolyn has served as an officer in six clubs over the past 8 years, as well as working with several district leadership teams in the roles of: Area Director, Club Officer Training Co-Chair, Pathways Ambassador, and District Administration Manager. She earned her “legacy” DTM in October of 2018, and now appears to be working on her 2nd and 3rd at the same time, as she is working simultaneously in four different Pathways. Carolyn is currently employed by a global insurance company as the Software Compliance and IT Asset Manager Program Manager. She has never lost her love of children, or of being a child. “The kids I work with now, are just able to drive themselves home.”

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