Find a club

Spring Conference 2026 Speaker's Corner Application
Apply today to be a workshop presenter at the District 86 Conference,
May 2 - 3, 2026!

At this upcoming District 86 Annual Conference 2026, the theme is Rooted In Leadership.

Speakers Corner is that opportunity, a new concept for this conference that allows you to present a
longer Pathways speech in front of a larger audience.

It has often been a problem to allow a longer speech during the regular club meetings, even if you go to
another club there is sometimes a lack of opportunity. We want to open that door for you to take the
next step in your Toastmaster and personal development by speaking at the conference. So if you are
working on a longer Pathways speech, this is your chance to deliver that 20-minute Pathways speech in
front of a larger audience.

An area in one of the more silent lobbies will be set aside for the Speakers Corner. Your speech will be
evaluated by two or more evaluators who will share their evaluation with you privately at some point
during the conference.

All speeches will be recorded and will be made available for some time after the conference for
conference participants.
 

All applications for Speakers Corner will be reviewed for relevance and approval.  We are anticipating
having all Speakers Corners participants booked by early March. The Conference Committee will select
the Speakers and to Notify all applicants of their decision by March 15.

The Conference Committee is accepting proposals for Pathways connected speeches that are max
20min. Contribute to this new initiative and reach an engaging audience.

 

Speaker’s Corner Expectations and Information:

  • Presenters are required to be registered at the conference
  • All presentations are in-person without access to any technologies like projectors etc.
  • Only Pathways projects will be considered
  • Sessions are 20 minutes in length.
  • Each speech will be recorded and distributed to all conference registrants including you.
  • Each speech will be privately evaluated by two or more evaluators.
  • Speeches with political, religious, or other potentially inflammatory subjects will be rejected.
  • Speakers at the conferences are required to cover all of their expenses. No financial compensation or reimbursement of any expenses will be provided. There is no reimbursement for conference registration, equipment or materials.
  • The Conference Committee will provide a feedback form and share all responses with the presenters.
  • No hard-selling, pitching, or promoting yourself, your brand, or your products or services is allowed during your presentation or the Conference.
  • The selected speakers will be profiled on the District 86 social media platforms. Presenters will also be featured in at least one email sent to our entire D86 membership (2000+).

 

Persons not eligible to present at Speaker’s Corner:

According to Toastmasters International rules, the following individuals are not eligible to present speeches/workshops at the District Conference:
 
  • Members competing in any Area, Division, or District speech contest
  • Current, nominated, and any potential District Leaders: Area Directors, Division Directors, and other District Leaders
  • 2026 District 86 Conference Committee Members and Speech Contest Officials.

 

Handouts

The preparation and distribution of any handouts is the responsibility of the presenters.
 
All handouts must be shared with the Conference Committee before the conference for approval. Presenters must use Toastmasters branding guidelines on all of their materials.
 

Photos

To avoid any delays when announcing the Speakers Corner sessions, all proposals must include a publishable headshot photo. The image should be in jpg file format and no smaller than 800 x 800 pixels. Only applications with photos will be considered.

All presenters must sign the Toastmasters Photo/Video Release Form and include it with their application. 

Photo Release Form

Spring Conference 2026 Speaker's Corner Application Form

Step 1 of 3