Meet Metro Speaker’s executive team for 2022-2023. We’re here to help you grow and become effective public speakers, so don’t hesitate reach out to us for support!
René Gavidia President
Aly Jamani VP of Education
Tiffany Mark VP of Membership
Leon Ling VP of Public Relations
Layane Fernandez Secretary
Melanie EngTreasurer
Kevin Chu Sergeant at Arms
Mike Powroznik Immediate Past President
René Gavidia
President
René provides feedback that may sometimes carry a hint of cynicism and resentment, but his gentle demeanor makes him incredibly personable. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting René before, you may have heard members sharing amusing tales about him during table topics, such as his love for drinking water. Despite being the subject of such stories, René takes it all in good fun.
René used to serve as the Treasurer and VP of Education in our club. He took on these roles in the executive team during the pandemic when club morale was down and push the club forward alongside the president at the time. With his leadership, Metro Speakers is sure to embark on an enjoyable journey of public speaking during his tenure as President.
Aly Jamani
Vice President of Education
Aly has this amazing ability to grab your attention the second he steps on stage. He’s a master at using vivid words, expressive body language, and killer storytelling which makes him one of the standout speakers in our club. What’s more? He is extremely attractive! This term, Aly is taking on the role of VP of Education, where he’ll work his magic to plan, organize, and lead our club program, making sure it meets the educational needs of all Metro Speakers members.
Tiffany Mark
Vice President of Membership
Tiffany is a web designer who enjoys the outdoors and spending time with friends. Although sociable, she has a fear of public speaking and networking. Joining Toastmasters has boosted her confidence in these areas so much that she ran for VP of PR in 2022-2023.
As VP of Membership this year, Tiffany will help guests navigate whether Metro Speakers is the right fit for them, and help new members with onboarding. Tiffany is confident that she can help guests turn into members, because as fellow member Ping puts it, “Metro Speakers is the best club”.
Leon Ling
Vice President of Public Relations
Leon is an enthusiast of captivating stories, particularly those rooted in diverse cultures. Over the past two years as a member of Metro Speakers, he has absorbed invaluable knowledge from fellow club members’ compelling narratives, honing his own storytelling abilities in the process. As the Vice President of Public Relations this year, Leon will be coordinating engaging public relations and publicity initiatives within our club.
Layane Fernandez
Secretary
Layane has been a part of the club for the past two years. She’s learned a lot from the meetings and especially from her peers. Toastmasters is a great way to overcome the fear of public speaking and at the same time make friends. Outside of Toastmasters, Layane enjoys spending time around friends and family, reading, and watching documentaries.
Melanie Eng
Treasurer
At meetings, Melanie is often the first person to greet you with a hello and smile. She loves travel and trying new places to eat. If you’re wondering how to pronounce her last name, it’s like ‘Eng’ in England.
As Treasurer, Melanie sets a budget for the club, monitors expenses, and collects membership fees.
Kevin Chu
Sergeant at Arms
Kevin may catch your attention with his passion for exercise and exceptional skills for speech evaluation! As a past sergeant of arms during the pandemic when meetings went online, Kevin is eager to bring his experience to the in-person setting. In the upcoming year, Kevin hopes to plan some fun events and to keep the meeting room stocked with delicious snacks!
Mike Powroznik
Immediate Past President
Known for organizing the most elaborate Metro Speakers scavenger hunts, Mike is also extremely skilled at running Toastmasters meetings. Whether it is online or in-person, Mike’s vision is to provide members a platform to practice public speaking effectively for any type of professional communication skills.
As Immediate Past President, Mike continues to support meetings and executive members when we need it. Whether it is to fill in roles at weekly meetings or connect us to sources for our monthly newsletter, he does not hesitate to help.
Last updated: September 7, 2022