Winter 2025 TLI Keynote Speakers
TLI-North Keynote Speaker Jerry Evans
TLI-North Keynote Speaker Jerry Evans - DTM
presents
Empowerment for Success;
Unlock Your Full Potential
Our featured speaker is the CIESMO- (Chief Inspiration, Chief Encouragement, Chief Servant, and Chief Motivation Officer) of the Awards Company, a recognition and incentive company located in Wauconda, IL.
He has been a Toastmaster for 16+ years and achieved his Distinguished Toastmaster designation in 2011 accomplishing one of his leadership goals by serving in different club, area, division, and District roles.
He is a passionate, energetic speaker, entrepreneur and “self-proclaimed addict” for communication (Public Speaking) and improving his leadership skills. He has a disease of public speaking which is quite contagious.
He aspires to inspire, empower and impact people and act as an inspirational catalyst to help people achieve the success they desire
Jerry has long had a passion for personal and professional growth and found his purpose and passion for public speaking in 2008. Over the past 16 years he has given presentations on Leadership, How to Be a better Public speaker, Effective Communication, Motivation and inspiration, and Mesmerizing Your Audience with Vocal Variety and gestures.
- He has started and helped to build more than 98+Toastmasters clubs. Serving as D30 Club Extension Chair 3 times and D54 Club Growth Director.
- He has served as an Area Governor and was named Area Governor of the Year in 2010.
- He was also named the D30 and D54 Toastmaster of the Year 2 times, 2010-2011, 2011-2012, and 2020 Division TMOY, 2024. Honored by District 30 with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
TLI-Virtual Keynote Speaker Jon Greiner
TLI-Virtual Keynote Speaker Jon Greiner - DTM
presents
I Want to Be a Leader---What's Next?
This keynote explores the value of engaging in District 54 leadership opportunities and how that engagement can sharpen your ability to collaborate across diverse teams, lead events with high stakes, and solve real world challenges. We will talk about how engaging in those opportunities can create growth beyond the club level, impact more lives, build an unmatched network, and create a sense of fulfillment and legacy. Developing leadership skills requires "stretching" beyond our everyday activities and challenging ourselves with the "dreaded unknown". We will explore some of the new opportunities and show you how the Toastmasters "network" can make it easier to survive the "dreaded unknowns" and learn those high value leadership skills that create the road to a brighter future.
Past Toastmasters International President Jon Greiner joined Toastmasters International over 52 years ago in Decatur, Illinois. He earned his Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award in 1989. Jon served in all Toastmasters Club and District Offices in the 1980’s. In August 1991, he was elected International Director. He was elected to the Executive Committee of Toastmasters International Board of Directors in August 2001 and served as President of Toastmasters International from August 2004 to August 2005. He is currently a member of 8 Toastmasters clubs in the Central Illinois area. He is also serving as the District 54 Strategic Planning and Advisory Committee Chair and District 54 Prison Club Manager. In addition, he is serving as co-Chair of a working group of Past International Presidents to develop an updated Club Officer Training program for Toastmasters International.
TLI-South Keynote Speaker Pierre Paul
TLI-South Keynote Speaker Pierre Paul
TLI-South Keynote Speaker Pierre Paul
presents
The Bumpy Road
Pierre Paul is a Toastmaster and winner of the 2024 District 54 International Speech Contest.
Pierre is the founder and CEO of We Hear You®. Pierre brings both compassion and a unique worldview to everything the company does. He was born in Brazil, then moved to Guyana, before moving to the US when he was a child. He faced extreme xenophobia, racism, and poverty at a young age. Through it all, he decided to perfect his English and public speaking ability in order to someday be a voice for those who need help. When he is not working on We Hear You®, he is a high demand keynote speaker and travels the USA leading Diversity and Inclusion training for organizations.
Additionally, he volunteers as a mentor for students, hands out food at a local food pantry, gives public speaking lessons to people in the community, and creates educational history videos for his local PBS station. His experiences have instilled a compassionate and giving spirit within him. His drive to consistently work toward a better future coupled with his educational background and ability to articulate the cause and motivate people is a quality unique to him. Helping others prosper is ingrained in his DNA and he brings that to all he does.