President – Rob Weaver

Rob says he dreaded having to speak publicly, and went to great lengths to avoid it. He then confronted his irrational fear by joining Toastmasters, following their tried and true program. He enjoyed success, also holding different Executive Officer roles. He quotes an experienced member that says “We join Toastmasters to go beyond our comfort zone. If we are not uncomfortable sometimes then we are not stretching ourselves and growing”. Rob says it’s important that you know your own personality and stay true to it when speaking. The audience knows when a speaker is sincere and speaking from the heart, and they will be able to relate to you. In 2014, some imaginative Toastmasters came up with the idea to start a new club with a novel concept, ‘Finding Vino’. Rob is a charter member and was club mentor. The club provides a chance to practice speaking while simultaneously learning about another fun and interesting subject. Wine.

Vice President Education – Christine Steward

Christine joined toastmasters in 2011 and since then has welcomed both the challenge and opportunity of Toastmasters as she continues to address her fear of public speaking. Stepping into the role of VP of Education in her second year and becoming Area 63 Governor in her third year provided an avenue for tremendous growth. If you are looking for an organization to challenge you to stretch your boundaries, Toastmasters is it, and if you are looking to have fun while challenging yourself then Finding Vino is the place to be, we look forward to having you visit our club.

Vice President Membership – Shay Waters

Shay joined Toastmasters in Sept 2016 and the Finding Vino Club has turned out to be a great choice. She has next to no experience making speeches, but has a background in theatre and improv, and is delighted to discover the connection between the two. Shay looks forward to mastering the craft of speech making while sampling and learning about the world of wine. What fun! She has found the members of Finding Vino to be a grape bunch!

Vice President of Public Relations – Bev Young

Bev joined Toastmasters in the fall of 2015 to improve her confidence and skill at presenting to an audience. She jumped in by enrolling in the Speechcraft program twice, a fast-track to completing the CC manual, and has made tremendous strides. She finds the unique concept of Finding Vino, combining food, wine and public speaking, a fun way to gain speaking and leadership skills in a supportive environment among friends.

Secretary – Shammy Ramasamy

Shammy had heard many great things about Toastmasters and it was by chance that she spoke to a member of the Finding Vino Club. She visited the club, drank wine, socialised, learned public speaking tidbits and just had to become a member of the club. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to learn how to deliver her speeches and presentations in a more impactful way, while learning more about wine. She joined Finding Vino in October 2016 and is excited to give back to this club in her first executive role as Secretary.

Treasurer – Ilan Zvikler

Ilan joined Toastmasters in 2010 to overcome his fear of talking in public or even in small groups. He is now working on the advanced manuals and He has become vastly more confident giving speeches and in performing leadership roles. He has come a long way and still has a long way to go. Toastmasters is definitely a wonderful program that he will be committed to for years to come. He came to Finding Vino with minimal wine knowledge and really enjoys learning something new at each meeting and especially the food pairings. He is past president for White Rock Toastmasters and has also been secretary and Sergeant At Arms for two years.

Sergeant At Arms – Nathan Hutchinson

Nathan has been in Toastmasters since January 2016 and has stepped up into an executive position as VP of Public Relations for Finding Vino Toastmasters. He has completed his CC manual, completed two speech craft programs, won a club contest then participated in the Area contest, and as a result received the Standing Ovation Cup for Rookie of the Year at his club. Nathan originally joined to increase his confidence, and to simply challenge the primal fear of public speaking while in a safe and supportive environment, hoping to benefit his communication abilities on stage and off. Participating in club meetings and events has provided him with many opportunities to challenge and expand his capabilities, Nathan invites you to attend a meeting and find out how you too can benefit!