Welcome to the very first episode of Toasty Talks!

In this introduction, host Dr. Esohe Irabor and the 2025-2026 District 36 Public Relations Manager Maria Pia Younger pull back the curtain on our brand-new podcast. You’ll hear why we created Toasty Talks, what you can expect in future episodes, and how this space will connect, encourage, and inform our District 36 community and beyond.

With 138* clubs and over 2,300 members, District 36 Toastmasters is a dynamic hub of learning, leadership, and communication — and this podcast brings those stories to life. From our district theme Nurture. Grow. Inspire. to fun glimpses of what’s ahead, this episode sets the tone for the journey we’ll take together.

Stay with us to the end to catch our district leadership highlights, a preview of upcoming guests, and a warm invitation to be part of the conversation.

🎙️ Your host: Dr. Esohe Irabor
🎨 Logo design: Dr. Esohe Irabor & Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM
🎶 Sound design & music: Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM

Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast

Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops
Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter
Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways

What do successful clubs, thriving companies, and high-performing teams have in common?
They track what matters—and use scorecards to turn goals into action.

In this episode, Dr. Esohe Irabor sits down with Professor Barry Piatt—former U.S. Senate Communications Director, strategist, past Distinguished District 36 Director, award-winning evaluator, and Public Speaking Professor at George Washington University.

Together, they reveal how scorecards are a universal leadership system used by:

• CEOs & entrepreneurs
• Policymakers & government leaders
• Educators & performance coaches
• 13,800+ Toastmasters clubs worldwide

You’ll discover how scorecards help leaders:

• Set measurable goals
• Align people and performance
• Track progress with dashboards
• Recognize excellence
• Turn structure into sustainable growth

They also explore how the Distinguished Club Program (DCP) mirrors business frameworks like KPIs and OKRs, proving why a 101-year-old organization still thrives: Structure becomes strength. Metrics drive momentum.

See your own club’s scorecard:
https://dashboards.toastmasters.org/Club.aspx?id=36

Special Offer — Evaluation All Stars (FREE for District 36):
Barry is the founder and director of the Evaluation All Stars, a team of expert evaluators who visit clubs to teach—and demonstrate LIVE—high-impact, supportive speech evaluations that help speakers grow.

To request a visit: 📧 giddeeup2599@yahoo.com

If you care about growth—personal or organizational—this episode will change how you use data, feedback, and systems to lead.

🎧 Listen in. Take notes. Lead smarter.

🎙️ Your host: Dr. Esohe Irabor
🎨 Logo design: Dr. Esohe Irabor & Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM
🎶 Sound design & music: Maria Pia Younger, D36 PRM

Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast

Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops
Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter
Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways

Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast

Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops
Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter
Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways

In this special 60-minute episode, Dr. Esohe Irabor sits down with four inspiring leaders from District 36 — our Public Relations Manager (PRM), Maria Pia Younger; Club Growth Director (CGD), Jill Vanderweit; Program Quality Director (PQD), Augusta Inniss; and District Director (DD), Arvind Venugopal.

Together, they share candid insights about their roles, the RISE (or IRSE!) values that resonate most with them, and the friendly debate behind those acronyms. You’ll hear how this year’s theme — “Nurture. Grow. Inspire.” — was born, how speaking six languages shapes our District Director’s empathy and leadership, and how our PQD and CGD use their professional backgrounds to empower members through Pathways and club growth.

You’ll also pick up practical management tips from our PRM and learn about key volunteer roles that make District 36 thrive — plus why you should join the team!

Tune in for energy, authenticity, and inspiration from the leaders guiding District 36 forward.

Beth Black's Article, "What Does Integrity Really Mean?": https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/sept/what-does-integrity-really-mean

Toastmasters International's Mission, Core Values, & Envisioned Future: https://www.toastmasters.org/about/our-mission

Contact Info For The Four District 36 Leaders In This Episode:

The Trio (Arvind Venugopal, Augusta Innis, & Jill Vanderweit): trio@district36.org

Arvind Venugopal, 2025-2026 District 36 Director: arvind.venugopal@district36.org

Augusta Innis, 2025-2026 Program Quality Director: pmd@district36.org

Jill Vanderweit, 2025-2026 Club Growth Director: jill.vanderweit@district36.org

Maria Pia Younger, 2025-2026 Public Relations Manager: publicrelations@district36.org

Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn | X (Formerly Twitter) | Facebook | YouTube | EventBrite | MeetUp | Podcast

Nurture - Take a TLI Course | Sign-Up for Workshops
Grow - Meet Your Community through Our Newsletter
Inspire - Use Your Voice via Pathways