(Sylvia Nilsson-Barkman)

After sixteen years with Toastmasters, a woman from Steinbach has been named Lieutenant Governor of Marketing. Sylvia Nilsson-Barkman says that is the equivalent of being a Second Vice President of the organization which governs all clubs in the province.

Nilsson-Barkman says she first got involved with Toastmasters in an attempt to further her career. "I was up in front of a group of people giving a presentation and it wasn't going so well," she admits. "I was very shy when I started out and now I can get up in front of a group of people and speak and feel quite comfortable with it."

Nilsson-Barkman was nominated for the position and then elected by the fourteen hundred members. "It was one of the most exciting moments that I've had," she exclaims. "Just to see them all cheering in the room and be invited to come up on stage and sit with the current executive. I looked out onto the crowd and I thought I really love the view from up here and I really feel that I can contribute something to Toastmasters." She is now one of three leaders and hopes her new position will lead her to one day becoming District Governor for Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.

According to Nilsson-Barkman, Toastmasters exists to help people improve their communication leadership skills. "At this point in my life, having been in Toastmasters for so long I now feel like I'm a servant to this organization that has improved my life. And so my goal now is just to give back and to see others grow and benefit from the program."

When Nilsson-Barkman first started with Toastmasters in the 1990's she says it was never her goal to move up the ranks the way she has. In fact she says when she was first nominated for this new role she wasn't even sure she wanted it. "But the more I got campaigning and really talking to other Toastmasters, I saw the vision for it and then I really wanted it. And so I was just absolutely delighted when I achieved that."

There are three hundred thousand people involved in Toastmasters worldwide in 122 countries. The organization recently held its international convention in Cincinnati, attended by Nilsson-Barkman. "They send their leaders to this convention and we are able to learn new skills and learn more about the organization," she says. "So it was a pretty exciting time."

Nilsson-Barkman says the local group is growing. Carillon Toastmasters has about 21 members. A new season kicks off September 5 at 7pm at Jake Epp Library in Steinbach.