In addition to women representing more than half of the world’s population, 54% of Toastmasters International’s 364,000+ members are females who joined Toastmasters to become more confident and competent Communicators and Leaders. Women also hold leading roles throughout the organization, including on the 2020-2021 Board of Directors, where the International President-Elect and Second Vice-President are both women.
More than 54% Women Toastmasters
“Our organization helps women from around the world, in all walks of life, to develop their communication and leadership skills,” says Margaret Page, of British Columbia, Canada, Toastmasters’ 2020-21 International President-Elect. “Our club model, learning program, and peer support help to empower women and enable them to step into their potential to make a difference in the world.”
In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, Toastmasters International salutes these five inspirational females:
- Robyn Benincasa is an award-winning keynote speaker, veteran San Diego firefighter, World Champion Adventure Racer, Guinness World Record Endurance Kayaker, best-selling author, and founder of The Athena Project Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping survivors of medical or other traumatic setbacks achieve their adventurous dreams. Benincasa is known as an inspirational force for leadership, teambuilding, and extreme performance.
- Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history and captivated the attention of millions of people around the world when she recited “The Hill We Climb” at President Biden’s inauguration ceremony. Gorman is also an activist and her work focuses on oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization.
- Sarah Khan is a professional speaker, trainer, and advocate. She has traveled internationally presenting keynotes and workshops for various organizations. Khan engages audiences with her messages that range from confronting Islamophobia to conquering ignorance by spreading compassion and empathy.
- Morag Mathieson, of Moehrendorf, Germany, is Toastmasters’ 2020-21 Second Vice President as well as a self-employed professional development consultant and chair of the Board of the child-sponsorship charity Living Water Germany e.V. Mathieson mentors women from various walks of life and dedicates time to supporting the development of females in the nonprofit sector.
- At the age of 64, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage, swimming 111 miles in 53 hours from Havana to Key West. In addition to being recognized as one of the greatest long-distance swimmers in history, Nyad is also an accomplished author, journalist, and motivational speaker.
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