Welcome to the 2026-2027 Toastmasters year!
It is an honour to serve as your District Director, and I am excited for what we can accomplish together.
This year, our vision is simple:
Building thriving clubs through exceptional leadership.
Everything we do as a District should help clubs become stronger, healthier, and more enjoyable places for members to learn and grow. When clubs thrive, members thrive. When members thrive, our District succeeds.
As your District leadership team, our role is not simply to achieve District goals. Our role is to support the volunteers who make Toastmasters possible every day, our Club Officers, Area Directors, Division Directors, and every member who steps forward to lead.
Throughout the coming year, you can expect us to focus on:
- Supporting clubs with practical resources, education, and mentoring.
- Developing confident, capable leaders at every level.
- Encouraging collaboration across clubs, Areas, and Divisions.
- Celebrating the achievements and successes of our members.
- Creating opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together.
Whether you joined Toastmasters to become a better speaker, build confidence, strengthen your leadership skills, or help others succeed, I hope you’ll find opportunities this year to stretch yourself just a little further than you thought possible.
Leadership is not about titles. It’s about service.
Every evaluator who offers thoughtful feedback, every mentor who guides a new member, every officer who keeps a club running, and every member who encourages someone to give their first speech is helping build something bigger than themselves.
District 86 is fortunate to have passionate volunteers who genuinely care about the success of others. Together, we have the opportunity to build clubs that members are excited to attend, proud to belong to, and eager to recommend to others.
I invite you to get involved this year. Attend District events. Visit another club. Support your Area and Division teams. Share your ideas. Ask questions. Reach out when you need help.
Most importantly, continue investing in your own growth.
On behalf of our entire District Trio and District Leadership Team, thank you for everything you do to make District 86 such a remarkable community.
I look forward to serving alongside you throughout the year.
See you at a meeting!
Jeff Burroughs, DTM
District Director, 2026-2027
Toastmasters District 86