Golden Gate Toastmasters is now Smedley Distinguished — the highest recognition in Toastmasters International's Distinguished Club Program (DCP), awarded to clubs that achieve all 10 of 10 DCP goals in a single program year. Reaching this milestone requires strong member engagement, steady Pathways progress, membership growth, and dedicated club officers who consistently complete training throughout the year. Thanks to the collective efforts of our members and leadership team, GGTM achieved all 10 goals and earned this prestigious distinction.

Three more members leveled up this June, adding to the steady drumbeat of Pathways progress that carried GGTM to Smedley status this year.

Congratulations to all three — and to every member whose Pathways work this year added up to the 10/10 that got us here. 🎉

With a major milestone worth celebrating, it was time to turn our attention to the evening's program and the speakers who brought the theme of Team Spirit to life.

Wearing two hats as Toastmaster of the Evening and Interim President, Albert Yan welcomed members and guests, highlighted GGTM's more than 90 years of history, and invited guests to share how they found the club and the teams or communities they support.

We were especially pleased to welcome Hannah and Dipayan from Rhino Toastmasters, one of GGTM's sister clubs. 👋

Inspired by The Devil Wears Prada, Michelle shared lessons learned while working with luxury fashion house Chanel. What began as an inside look at a prestigious brand became a deeper exploration of customer service, preparation, and attention to detail. Her message was clear: whether in business, leadership, or Toastmasters, success comes from putting people first, thinking ahead, and pursuing excellence in the smallest details.

For Harris, soccer has been much more than a sport—it's been a gateway to friendships, travel, and community. From cheering for Lionel Messi and Barcelona to watching the World Cup Final in a packed Paris café, he reflected on how shared passions bring people together. His message encouraged us to take chances, build relationships, and seek out the communities that make life richer and more meaningful.

Kathleen explored the powerful partnership between Visionaries and Integrators, drawing from the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) framework. While visionaries generate ideas and inspire change, integrators transform those ideas into reality through systems and execution. Using examples such as Walt and Roy Disney, she illustrated how success often depends on combining both strengths. Her challenge to the audience: understand your natural style and find people who complement it.

Inspired by Juneteenth, Dipayan approached history through the lens of an engineer. Using concepts such as debugging, root cause analysis, and systems thinking, he challenged the audience to look beyond dates and events to understand the forces that shape them. His thought-provoking message encouraged us to question assumptions, examine how we form beliefs, and seek deeper understanding in both history and everyday life.

Ahead of next week's Figma Config conference, Ella delivered a vibrant visual journey through the Bay Area's street art scene. Showcasing murals and public art from neighborhoods including the Mission, Tenderloin, Bayview, Chinatown, Oakland, and Yerba Buena, she demonstrated how thoughtful design and community-driven art can transform public spaces, strengthen local identity, and inspire positive change.

Agasthian praised Michelle's confident stage presence, genuine smile, and engaging storytelling.
💡 He encouraged her to trust her story enough to leave the notes behind and tighten the timing to make an already strong message even more impactful.

Derick commended Harris for bringing authenticity, humor, and passion to his speech.
💡 He noted that the theme of connection resonated throughout the presentation, turning a love of soccer into a meaningful message about community and belonging.

Blair highlighted Kathleen's clear message, effective visuals, and memorable comparison between Visionaries and Integrators.
💡 He suggested involving the audience more directly by inviting them to identify with well-known Visionary-Integrator partnerships.

Dennis applauded Dipayan's thoughtful use of engineering concepts to explore history and critical thinking.
💡He recommended adding more deliberate pauses after key questions to give the audience time to reflect and deepen the impact of the message.

Sheila praised Ella's cohesive theme of transformation, color, and community, along with her strong connection to San Francisco.
💡 She suggested simplifying text-heavy slides, making fuller use of the stage, and incorporating greater vocal variety to further elevate an already engaging presentation.

⏱ Timer
Caitlin Brown reported strong overall time management throughout the meeting. A few speeches exceeded the voting eligibility window, including those by Michelle, Blair, and Derick.

🔤 Ah-Counter
Irene Suwarno highlighted two filler patterns for members to watch for: overusing the word "and" to string thoughts together instead of pausing, and unintentionally repeating words. Both are common habits that can be improved with greater awareness and intentional pauses.

📖 Grammarian
Hannah Bennett, a guest from Rhino Toastmasters, served as Grammarian and introduced the Word of the Day: camaraderie. The word appeared six times throughout the meeting. 👏

Pop Quiz Master Sheila Vida kept the room on its toes with a quick test of how closely we were listening:

👜 According to Michelle, The Devil Wears Prada isn’t about fashion — it’s about what?
Transformation

⚽ According to Harris, what’s the best team of all time — including the year?
Barcelona’s 2010 squad

🧠 What word — meaning "thinking about your thinking," practiced at lunchtime back in school — did we hear for the first time today?
Metacognition

🎨 Ella showcased several SF and Bay Area neighborhoods through street art. Name three.
Mission, Tenderloin, Bayview

🏆 Best Prepared Speech: Dipayan Paul (guest speaker, Rhino Toastmasters)
🏆 Best Evaluator: Sheila Vida
🎀 Icebreaker Ribbon: Kathleen Hurtubise

You picked a topic, wrote the speech, and built in time to rehearse — but is that prep time actually working for you? Speech coach Joel Schwartzberg has spent years coaching speakers through exactly this question, and a few of his sharpest tips are worth carrying into your next GGTM speech.

1. Say it out loud, every time.
Running lines in your head trains your memory, not your delivery. Your mouth needs the same rehearsal your mind gets — especially through the transitions where speakers tend to stumble.

2. Skip the mirror.
Practicing in front of one mostly turns into checking your hair and your collar. A mirror can't tell you whether your point landed — only a real listener can.

3. Ask the right question after you rehearse.
"That was great!" tells you nothing. Instead, ask your practice audience what they think your main point was. If they nail it, you're in good shape. If they don't, you've just found your next edit.

4. Brief whoever introduces you.
A great speech can get undercut by a clumsy introduction. Hand your introducer at least three facts that answer one question: why are you the right person to speak on this?

5. Lock your opening and closing lines word-for-word.
The middle of a speech can flex. The first and last lines shouldn't. Plan them exactly, memorize them, and you'll start and end on solid ground every time.

📚 Adapted from "Prep Talk" by Joel Schwartzberg, Toastmaster magazine, Toastmasters International.

A huge thank you to everyone who made the June 17 meeting—and this entire Smedley Distinguished year—possible: our speakers, evaluators, functionaries, officers, guests, and every member who showed up week after week.

GGTM didn't achieve 10 out of 10 DCP goals by accident. We achieved it because our members keep choosing to learn, lead, and grow together. Congratulations to everyone who helped make this milestone possible. 💛