Reignite Your Passion

Welcome to District 15’s 2025 Annual Conference in Boise, Idaho! We are happy to have you join us on this journey of exploration and empowerment, delving into how greatness can be achieved in various aspects of our lives, particularly in the realms of communication, leadership, public speaking, and community engagement.  

We have a spectacular cast of presenters that we believe will help you “Reignite Your Passion”.  Take a look at what’s in store!

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Key Note

2005 World Champion of Public Speaking

Lance Miller, DTM

Lance Miller is an award-winning speaker and trainer. He is Toastmaster’s 2005 World Champion of Public Speaking and has delivered over 5,000 speeches in over 80 countries on public speaking, leadership and overcoming failure and adversity. Over the last 20 years he has coached over 600 speakers, including coaching 15 people to the finals of Toastmasters International Speech Contest and 2 World Champions. Lance was part of the team that built his home Toastmasters Club, Renaissance Speakers, to 95 members and the #4 Club in the world, when Toastmasters International ranked all of the clubs. Renaissance Speakers has continued to be one of the top 50 clubs in Toastmasters based off of their educational  achievements.

Lance has an extensive adventure background from climbing mountains to sailing across oceans to flying his own plane across continents as well as notable business achievements. . He is the CEO of TerraX LLC, providing sustainable products and technologies to the agriculture, commercial, industrial and marine markets.

2005 World Championship of Public Speaking Lance Miller “The Ultimate Question” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=620224715235438

Workshop Session Presenters

Ken Jenkins DTM, Pioneer and Well Said TM Clubs

One of our workshop presenters is two-time Distinguished Toastmaster Ken Jenkins. Ken is a twenty-nine-year Toastmaster, and he is currently a member of Pioneer Toastmasters Club and Well Said Toastmasters Club, both in Boise. He earned  is first Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award in 2004 and his second DTM in 2014. During his career, Ken has coached, mentored and supported fellow Toastmasters of every generation, from Silents to Generation Z. In addition, he has held  numerous club offices and served three tours as an Area Governor/Director. In March Ken completed his third Path, Engaging Humor, and he previously completed both Presentation Mastery and Effective Coaching Paths.

Beyond Toastmasters, Ken is a happily retired grandfather who is an active volunteer for the Morrison Performing Arts Center in Boise. Prior to retirement in 2022, Ken served as a Training Coordinator and a Training Manager for the Boise Police Department and Ada county Juvenile Court Services. Over his thirty-eight-year adult education career, Ken has taught courses in areas such as coaching, mentoring, generational team building, meeting management, and instructor development. His wife Kari is a member of Boise Club 61.

Workshop Session 1: Toastmasters Club DEI: Diverse, Engaged, Ignited! – 9:20 AM – 10:05 AM

Summary: The workshop begins with a short reference back to earlier Conference and TLI sessions Ken has taught, including those on Generational Team Building. It then moves into the first of the three letters: D. The workshop will address the growing diversity (including generational blending) found in Toastmasters Clubs, and the importance of knowing and supporting members from each unique group. This portion will include a short activity and group discussion.

The workshop then transitions into the letter E: Engagement. Too many members (and leaders) assume the communication and collaboration methods they learned as new members still apply today. This portion will include a short brainstorming session to gather a list of potential tools for ensuring new (and existing) members are fully involved and supported.

The final letter is I: Ignition. Once you know your diverse club, and have them engaged, you need to ignite the fire within each one of the members! This means everything from having fun, creative meetings to getting Club Contest participation to holding productive Open Houses and Demonstration Meetings. This portion will have members writing down tips to take back to their clubs. A short Q&A session will then wrap up the workshop.

Marsha Davies, DTM

Marsha Davies has been an active Toastmaster since 1991 when the Capitol Club started meeting in the basement of the Idaho State Insurance Fund where she worked. For over 20 years, her job focused on educating and training public and  private employers in safety and loss control concepts and practices.

As an enthusiastic Toastmaster, Marsha has participated in multiple speech contests, including winning the D15 International speech contest, and various Area and Division contests. She has presented educational sessions at District and Regional Conferences, held every club office a time or two, served two terms as an Area Governor, and two terms as a Division Governor.

Marsha is currently a member of Eclectic Voices in Boise.

Workshop Session 3: The Other Side of the Lectern – 11:10 AM – 12:00 PM

What’s the easiest way to build membership and mentor all members at the same time? Provide every speaker with a terrific audience! No visitor can resist a group that actively demonstrates the mission of a Toastmasters Club: to provide a mutually “supportive and positive learning experience”. When a new member, (or a seasoned one) gives a speech, everyone in the audience should contribute to their success through positive audience feedback.

Learn how great speaking skills can translate into great audience skills, and the impact both have on club vitality.

Sarra Idehen, DTM

Sarra Idehen, DTM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP has over 25 years combined experience in administration, operations, and business development. Sarra has worked in various industries including construction, consulting, and human resources. She has held positions of Vice President of Operations, Director of Corporate Services, Business Development Resource Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, and entrepreneur. Sarra is a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, (SPHR, SHRM-SCP) and serves on the Board of Directors of Salt Lake Society for Human Resource Management (SLSHRM). Since 2024 she has been serving as Chairperson on the Board of Directors for Anchor of Hope, Inc., a nonprofit organization that assists at-risk families with housing security. Sarra served four years as President of the Nigerian Association of Utah, Inc. from 2016-2020, and an additional two years on the Executive Committee as Finance Secretary. She was the first non-Nigerian, and the first female to serve as President in the 20-year history of the association.

Since joining Toastmasters in 2015, Sarra has served as Division Director, Club Growth Director, Program Quality Director and District Director in additional to various officer roles at the local club level. Sarra earned Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) designation in 2022. During the rollout of Pathways in 2018, Sarra served as a Pathways Guide. Sarra enjoys reading, listening to music, audio books, and spending time with family and her husband of 25 years.

In addition to her professional credentials, Sarra has demonstrated a deep commitment to community service and leadership. Her roles in various organizations highlight her dedication to empowering others and fostering growth within her community. Whether spearheading initiatives for Toastmasters or guiding nonprofit efforts, Sarra’s influence is felt far and wide. Her passion for personal development and her love for family shine through in all her endeavors, making her a respected and inspiring figure in both her professional and personal life.

Workshop Session 5 – Coming to Grips with Pathways: Understanding It, Accepting It, Managing It – 2:05 PM 2:50 PM

Workshop Description: Join us for an engaging and informative session designed to help you better understand, accept and manage the Toastmasters Pathways Education Program. In this 45-minute workshop, we’ll address some challenges faced by users, provide valuable information on the recent changes to program’s features, and guide you through essential processes with a practical How-To approach. This session will:

• Identify challenges users encounter with the platform and provide solutions to overcome them.
• Offer background on the program’s creation, features, and how it supports your goals to become better communicators, speakers and leaders, helping you feel more comfortable and confident using it.
• Encourage active engagement, with opportunities to ask questions, share feedback and interact during the session, ensuring you leave with a better understanding, better acceptance, and increased knowledge to manage Pathways.
• Links to Resources that include a step-by-step User Guide to Pathways and Base Camp Manager Guide, videos and other how-to’s.

Target Audience: New and existing users looking to improve their knowledge and ability in using the Pathways Education Program.

Join us to take the next step in mastering Pathways.

Conference Menu

TBD

Time

3:30 – 4:30 PM

4:30 – 6:00 PM

6:00 – 6:15 PM

6:15 – 6:30 PM

6:30 – 7:30 PM

7:30 – 10:00 PM

Agenda

Saturday

Time

7:00 – 8:00 AM

8:00 – 8:15 AM

8:15 – 9:15 AM

9:20 – 10:05 AM

10:05 – 10:20 AM

10:20 – 11:05 am

11:10 – 12:00 PM

12:00 – 1:15 PM

1:15 – 2:00 PM

2:05 – 2:50 PM

2:50 – 3:00 PM

3:00 – 4:00 PM

4:15 – 5:30 PM

6:00 – 8:00 PM

8:00 – 10:00 PM