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JOURNEYS
Karen Sempervivo, DTM
Toastmasters Powerhouse
by Brinn Hemmingson, ACG, CL
In a recent interview with Karen Sempervivo, columnist Brinn Hemmingson discovered that Karen is a person
who understands the value of the Toastmasters program. Karen shared her personal journey and the reason
she encourages everyone she meets to use Toastmasters to become a better leader and communicator. Below are
the results of that interview [Editor].
How did you discover Toastmasters and when those valuable
Toastmasters
was that? skills that I
In September of 1995, I became a graduate learned and
honed while
student in the Portland State University Masters at Blue Ox.
of Public Administration program, where I was This year I am
expected to give oral as well as written presenta- celebrating
tions. Actually, the very thought of oral reports 20 years with
was terrifying, akin to a hideous death. For my Toastmasters,
very first class presentation, after having contem- which all began with graduate school and Blue Ox
plated leaving town (and the graduate program), Toastmasters membership in September 1996.
after sleepless nights before and on the presen-
tation date, I reluctantly gave the presentation. How many clubs have you been in and are
Not wanting to spend the following two years
in perpetual fright and meltdown, I expressed you in now?
this fear to one of my professors, who strongly I have been in as many as five clubs at once.
recommended Toastmasters. My first inclination
was this: why would anyone want to join some Some were clubs that I joined after official
organization at which you were asked to speak appointment as Club Coach. Currently I am
all the time? You see, my avoidance-of-public in two clubs, Portland Progressives and Civil
speaking meter was clearly in the red zone. Tongues. At some point, I would like to rejoin
Blue Ox, which is my Home Club.
However, I decided to try Toastmasters.
Since I worked at the Portland State Office What positions have you held?
Building, I checked the TI website and learned • Blue Ox Club, President, 1998-1999;
that the Blue Ox Club met at Bonneville Power 2002-2003
Administration (BPA). At that time, Blue Ox was • Civil Tongues Club, President, 2003-
a small club composed of mostly men. Although 2004
they welcomed me, I was not sure I could take this • Portland Progressives Club, President,
on along with graduate coursework. However, 2008-2009
it was either take on Toastmasters or take off • Division Governor, 2002-2003; 2010-2011
graduate school. I decided, after much persistent • Area Governor, 1999-2000; 2004-2005
invitations from a Blue Ox member named Leo • District Sgt at Arms, 2006-2007
Kurkoski, I finally joined and stayed in the Blue • District Secretary, 2007-2009
Ox club until about two years ago, when I got • District Database Coordinator, 2004-2005
into club coaching. That led to the “too many • District Speechcraft Chair, 2004-2005
clubs” syndrome all too familiar to overly busy • Club Mentor for Civil Tongues (2000):
Toastmaster members. six months for credit, another six months
for the club
Thanks to Toastmasters (and a lot of hard • Club Coach: Wrip City, At the River’s Edge
work), I graduated from that Masters of Public • Club Sponsor: Portland Progressives, Civil
Administration program in 1998, having used
28 Volume 3 Issue 4 - OCTOBER 2016
