“We are here to serve, or we don’t deserve to be here.” The message of Division Director, Division A, Nathaly Lobato de Windt.
Toastmasters is about service! Toastmaster Lobato de Windt is a charter member of Leaders Beyond Borders Advanced Toastmasters Club and The Pioneers Advanced Toastmasters Club. In 2020, she served as President of Toastmasters Club BNA and in the same year, she helped form two clubs where she served as club sponsor and mentor. An Area Director who served Division A from 2019-2021, this Toastmaster is also a Triple Crown Awardee, not once, twice or thrice but four times around. She has also participated in speech contests at the area level and in May 2018 represented Curaçao at the International Speech Contest held in Haiti for District 81.
On September 16, 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with Toastmaster Lobato de Windt as we continue with our series Division Directors in Focus and I posed the following questions to her:
Why did you join Toastmasters?
"The reason I joined Toastmasters is a long story". She added that she is married to a charter member of her home club and when she saw his personal development, she was enticed to join Toastmasters for her own development.
How has Toastmasters impacted your life?
I have seen a lot of development in my leadership and communication skills. These skills continue to be applied in my job as a Manager at an accounting firm.
You have served as Area Director on two occasions, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, what did you do differently the second time around?
The first year as Area Director was an opportunity to learn about the clubs and the district, while the second year was about applying what I learned in year one.
As you campaigned for the position of Division Director, I note that you used the letters of your first name as an acronym, tell me about that.
Writing is a hobby that I have embraced since my school days and many persons have asked me to write poems, using the person’s name. As I campaigned for Division Director, I used the letters of my first name in order to demonstrate what I wanted to achieve for the Division.
What targets have you set for Division A and how do you plan to achieve them?
Some say that Curaçao is a small island of 160,000 people and that 22 clubs are too many for a small island, however one of the targets that I have set for the Division is to form new clubs. There are also club members who are not Pathways enrolled and I will be focused on implementing a buddy system to encourage those members to enroll. Focus will also be on convening one meeting per month in Papiamento, the native language of Curaçao as some members do not speak English. In so doing, all members will feel a part of the club experience.
Why should a Toastmaster serve at the District level?
A Toastmaster should serve at the district level as you will have the opportunity to share the benefits gained from leading at that level. In serving at the district level, you also learn more than at the club level. I encourage members to start at the club level, move to the area and then to the district.
What is your most memorable experience as a Toastmaster?
My most memorable experience as a Toastmaster was in May 2018 when I represented Curaçao at the International Speech Contest. I did not win the contest, however one year later in Bonaire, someone came up to me and reminded me about the impact of the speech on the person’s life.