2022-2023 District 1 Leadership Candidates (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023) are elected by majority vote at the District Council Annual Business Meeting, to be held on Friday, May 20, 2022, 6pm Pacific. Get more information and register at https://district1toastmasters.org/events/business-meeting/
Also, mark your calendar for the Candidate’s Showcase on Thursday, May 19, 2022, 7pm Pacific. Register at https://district1toastmasters.org/events/candidates-showcase/
For details about the election process, visit https://district1toastmasters.org/leadership2023/.
Below are statements from each candidate.
Janell Carla Williams
Candidate for District Director
District 1 Toastmasters, 2022-2023
Janell Carla Williams, current Program Quality Director, is a candidate for District Director, 2022-2023. When she joined Talk Nation in May 2016, she embraced leadership at the club level and never looked back. A charter member of Talk Nation, ZOOMMasters, and Paw-Ty Pet Toastmasters, she is also an active member of Praisemasters and C.I.T.I.E.S. Club.
Privileged to serve in numerous leadership roles including Distinguished Area Director, and Division Director, she was awarded Division Director of the Year, and has served as District 1’s Public Relations Manager. Janell has cherished the opportunities to chair, volunteer and support our district and region.
She has spent 27+ years in the Ticketing/Technology industry at Ticketmaster/Live Nation Entertainment working with and leading international teams as contributor and manager, utilizing Agile and Scrum methodologies.
Janell will strive to ensure that every member agrees with Past International President Helen Blanchard, “If you get out of Toastmasters all that there is to get out of Toastmasters, you’ll never get out of Toastmasters.”
“As District Director, my vision is to focus on our core values and mission, putting the member first in everything that we do as we collectively work to galvanize every member and club to achieve their goals of success.
While there are still many unknowns ahead, one thing is certain: We are District 1, Together We Can, Together We Will! I humbly ask for your vote for District Director, on May 20, 2022. Vote Janell Carla Williams, DTM, for 2022-2023 District Director!”
Keith Jackson, DTM
Candidate for Program Quality Director
District 1 Toastmasters, 2022-2023
Keith Jackson, current Club Growth Director, is the nominated candidate for Program Quality Director, 2022-2023. After joining Toastmasters in 2005, as President he led Refined Speakers and Business Trainers to President’s Distinguished. Professionally, Keith is the founding CEO of ETEC Consulting Group LLC, a 27-year international Operational Risk Management and Engineering consultancy. His professional experience, education, and creativity, coupled with his broad experience in Toastmasters, has prepared Keith for the future.
Keith has committed to Toastmasters Leadership since early in his journey. He has taken on the most challenging roles, including Spring Conference Co-Chair (2x) and served as chair of Hall of Fame, Ad Sales, Corporate Sponsorship, and Opportunity Drawings. He also served as TLI Advanced Training Lead (2x), and Special Projects Chair for the first Virtual Fall Business Meeting.
Keith has been recognized by District leaders by being honored as the sixth recipient of the Lydia Boyd Communications andLeadership Award in 2020, the Roy D. Graham Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, and 2011 Division Governor of the Year.
“As Program Quality Director, I will focus on helping Clubs achieve excellence, and members to accomplish their goals through outstanding programming. We will model best practices throughout the District and continue building District 1 into a powerhouse in the Region and the worldwide Toastmasters community.”
Leann Levine, DTM
Candidate for Club Growth Director
District 1 Toastmasters, 2022-2023
Leann Levine is a candidate for Club Growth Director, 2022-2023. She is a member of Professional Women Toastmasters and is the current president of Top Sales Toastmasters. Professionally, she is an Aflac benefits advisor, developing new accounts as well as providing regular services for her clients. She has a solid reputation because of her belief in CRM (client relationship management) and active listening.
In 2017-2018, Leann served as the VP membership of Professional Women Toastmasters, during which the club gained a decade-high 25% net growth. In 2018-2019, she led Area A1 to be distinguished. During the following year, she served as the Division A Director, successfully helping her team navigate through the pandemic. Most importantly, she finished the year by thanking her area directors during the Spring Conference, showing her belief in promoting high morale.
“As Club Growth Director, while the journey of picking ourselves back up continues, optimism is the most essential element needed now and always. I am committed to serving District 1. I will introduce new ideas such as opportunities for club officers to exchange best practices; Speechcraft workshops; continue our club coach network; survey our District about what our paid members are looking for; charter new clubs; and more. All of this would be in my SMART (specific-measurable-achievable-relevant-timed) plan. My vision is to ensure that we maximize on our membership investment and gain the most out of our return in our choice to be Toastmasters.”
Kim Dixon, VC3
Candidate for Division A Director
District 1 Toastmasters, 2022-2023
“Change is inevitable, growth is optional,” says John Maxwell. Kim Dixon will always choose growth.
Kim joined Inglewood Community Toastmasters in October 2018 with a goal of improving her public speaking skills. She has gained so much more in her Toastmasters journey thus far and looks forward to future growth.
Kim has held the club leadership roles of VPPR, VPM and President. As 2020-2021 President, Inglewood Community achieved President’s Distinguished status. She was also a member of the District 1 Public Relations team, and received the 2020-2021 “Spark Plug Award” for bringing positive energy and supporting her club, and clubs in Area F6.
Kim remains focused on her own personal development and achieved Triple Crown status in 2021 and 2022. She is currently Area Director for the auspicious Area A3. As an Executive Leadership Coach, Kim is a lifelong student of leadership and believes the Proverb: “Iron Sharpens Iron, so one person sharpens another.”
If elected for Division A Director, Kim plans to lead from within by supporting the Division A Toastmasters, Club Leadership and Area Directors in achieving their personal leadership development goals, while delivering Distinguished results. 2022-2023 Division A results will be achieved by remaining true to the Toastmasters core values of Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence.
Joyce Randall, LD5, VC3
Candidate for Division B Director
District 1 Toastmasters, 2022-2023
Joyce L Randall has been a Toastmaster for eight years. She is a charter member of Clergy Women Toastmasters serving as VPPR, as well as Faith Based Toastmasters, serving as VPE. She is also the President of Strengthening Voices. Joyce has been very strategic and deliberate with her leadership of Strengthening Voices, which is poised to be at least Select Distinguished this year. Becoming active in District 1 has led her to serving as an Area Director, Co-Chair of TLI, and Assistant Division F Director for Program Quality.
Professionally, Joyce is a Career Educator. She impacts the education of at-risk students on multiple levels. Empowering others is one of Joyce’s hallmarks of service. She facilitates several departments as Clergy in the AME Church. She is the CEO of Empowerment Agenda, a consulting consortium providing collaboration and networking solutions to improve the educational impact of services delivered by community-based organizations and churches.
It is with this foundation of experiences by which she is humbled to be a candidate for Division B Director. Her favorite Toastmasters’ query is: “Where can you get a Masters’ Degree in Communication for $90 a year?” Joyce believes that Toastmasters has many tools and a myriad of Pathways for the journey. With her passion for service Joyce believes she can model best practices, motivate, and empower Toastmasters in her sphere of influence to achieve their best Toastmasters achievement levels.
Dinesh Kakde, MBA, IP5, PM5, DL5, LD5
Candidate for Division E Director
District 1 Toastmasters, 2022-2023
Dinesh started his Toastmaster journey in February 2015. He believes in consistent learning and participation to achieve success. Dinesh is an active member of five clubs: Lakewood Toastmasters, Lakewood Star Toastmasters, Demosthenes Wannabees, Refined Speakers, and Officers Club of District ONE. He has served as President, Vice President Education, Vice President Membership, Secretary, and Treasurer. Dinesh attributes his growth to all members and leaders of Toastmasters and would like to share his same experience through leading by example.
Presently, Dinesh is serving as Area E5 Director. If given the opportunity to serve as Division E Director, he will support his Area Director team, as well as members and clubs, to achieve their goals, be an example for future members, and most importantly feel proud of their leadership and communication skills. Dinesh believes strong membership comes through existing members achieving their goals and will be there in helping clubs to achieve that.
“Toastmasters is where Leaders are made after consistently practicing.”
Robin Cash, PM5
Candidate for Division F Director
District 1 Toastmasters, 2022-2023
Robin joined Toastmasters in 2016 and served as VPPR in Southwest Toastmasters. She was Area F4 Director in 2020-2021, which is the year she began to spread her wings and use her learned skills in leadership development and team collaboration. During this past year, she was Secretary and a Charter Member of the Distinguished Faith-Based Toastmasters, President of The Real Berkshire Elite Toastmasters, Assistant Division F Director for Club Growth, Co-Chair of the Winter Toastmasters Leadership Institute, Club Coach for Toasted Fridays, and Contest Chair for the Division F Evaluation and International Speech Contest.
Robin has worked in higher education for over 20 years and consider herself a lifelong learner. Her career includes degrees in Electronics, Engineering Technology and Computer Information Systems, as well as teaching. Her current role is Coordinator of the Computer Lab at the largest Community College in California. As a Division leader, her focus is on achieving the District mission goals in building and supporting clubs. She feels that the combination of her education, technological background, energizing personality, and skills developed in Toastmasters will empower her as Division F Director. She is committed to training officers and interacting with the Area Directors to have successful clubs excel even more! One of the greatest joys in her life is to give a little direction to help people tap into their ability to achieve their full potential.
“I humbly ask for your vote and support in the role of Division F Director, 2022-2023.”