Post by ketuckyrain on Sept 8, 2024 17:05:00 GMT -5
Hi, TCAP fans might be interested in this short mention below of one of the show's predators. A friend who's in Toastmasters in Kentucky forwarded this email that was shared between some members in June. It says its okay to forward and share. There's a short call-out about William Dow and his wife.
It's a long email that's mostly about some bitch named Paula from up north. I just pasted it all here so you can see the whole context. The short part that's actually about William Dow and his wife is in blue and underlined so you can just skip to that.
It's a long email that's mostly about some bitch named Paula from up north. I just pasted it all here so you can see the whole context. The short part that's actually about William Dow and his wife is in blue and underlined so you can just skip to that.
"Re: Palm Bay Chamber Toastmasters / Carolina Rojas-Gee, President
Dear Ms. Carolina Rojas-Gee:
Your Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce Toastmasters is in the overwhelming majority of units whose membership numbers and/or educational points fall significantly short of the revenue and points to reach the "Distinguished" rank by June 30th. You already know that it's difficult for any Florida unit to draw prospects in May and June, when many of your key recruits - college students, seasonal workers, and retirees - have left for the summer.
Is your Toastmasters unit going to choose what's ethical, or what's easy?
Many of you add your friends to your unit's roster, rationalizing that "maybe" they'll attend in the future, but you know that they won't. You use your personal funds to re-enroll your former unit members without their knowledge and consent. Of course, you must pay for these "gift memberships" with your personal credit cards, as the Toastmasters organization restricts how your individual unit's self-funded treasury is used, even though the suits in Colorado didn't add a penny to it. Your Area Director, who's probably counting the days to June 30th, pays to enroll her far-flung relatives who likely want nothing to do with Toastmasters International because they've heard her horror stories. You cross your fingers that Goodman, Summa, Deborah Wilde, and other district-wide tormentors will buy "memberships" on your rolls as your cheap reward for your staying silent about wrongs you witnessed this past year. Your "education" officers fraudulently approve incomplete Pathways projects right before the deadline. Wink, wink. “Toastmasters, where leaders are made!”?
It's that most not-wonderful time of the year when units, such as Orlando's Electric Toasters a few years ago, who crawled along for 11 months with eight members - and even a few of those might only be paper-members - "remarkably" achieve 18 right before June 30. It's a mid-Christmas miracle at the Florida Technical College library, with one crooked Distinguished ribbon for the unit and two sham Distinguished Toastmaster member (DTM) plaques arriving in Satan's, er, Summa's, er, Santa's bag! Children, don't be negative and ask which poor sucker's personal credit card took the hit again for those 10 sudden members. Congratulate Sabrina Mallay and the West Orange County Chamber’s Lynn Ramsey on their DTMs! So much for that Toastmasters ethics pledge you signed, hmm?
dashboards.toastmasters.org/2020-2021/ClubReport.aspx?id=84&day=5/11/2021
Since the Electric Toasters are so intent on draining their personal bank accounts for an MLM, perhaps they should join sc-Amway instead of Toastmasters? At least they'll receive overpriced laundry detergent and vitamins in exchange for the thousands of personal dollars they'll each fork over to make rank.
Unfortunately, Electric Toasters is far from alone. Toastmasters units should know that the internet is your virtual Santa. We see you while you're slacking. We know when you're cheating. Be good, for goodness sake. TI has closed or severely restricted several data feeds on their Dashboard that illustrated troubling issues. Unfortunately for them, much of it has already been downloaded and saved on multiple servers, and recipients of this email are welcome to forward it.
The Toastmasters organization encourages this last-minute cheating with other programs such as "Beat the Clock," in which units are rewarded for adding five members in May and June. District 84 leaders know it's rare for that many members to be legitimately recruited in such a short period - especially in early summer - but that won't stop them from issuing that cheap, mail-folded ribbon that will proudly be displayed by their downlines. Some disabled seniors desperately sign over their Social Security checks to artificially pad their unit rosters, either to reach Distinguished, or just to avoid unit suspension. It's not a secret that Toastmasters is the main social outlet of some members, and district directors exploit them. A low-income senior Florida widow bought several fake memberships and paid for the meeting venue rental with her personal funds right before the June deadline instead of a window air conditioning unit she needed. Other sad stories abound. The pressure becomes so intense every June that some older members jeopardize their personal and medical needs to make numbers and pay for unit supplies. Member dues are gobbled by the Colorado headquarters and individual units do not see a penny of it – not for their venue rentals, Zoom accounts, lecterns and gavels, competition trophies, office supplies, member recognition ribbons, nor refreshments. Those expenses are also squeezed out of the members’ own pockets.
Other small units fake their numbers without aiming to gain Distinguished rank. Rather, they’re just desperate to avoid being suspended. It doesn’t matter if a club of six or seven is engaged and happy; this MLM is about money. Units must keep a minimum number of eight paid memberships, or they risk “ineligible” status or suspension. This means its individual members cannot access the online academic programs or participate in competitions. Their academic officers cannot sign off on projects that were completed before the group dropped below eight. There are other penalties such as not being able to participate in those long district meetings with Summa and Goodman. (Some might consider that a reward.) Toastmasters is happy to take money from those seven members, yet the organization relegates them to third-class loser status. Is it any surprise that many small units in ’84 finish with a perfect eight at every dues deadline? Not seven, not nine. Funny, that?
Some units simply buy and renew fake members year-round, despite the extra expense. They follow the “fake it until you make it” belief that’s common in MLMs. They’ve been waiting to “make it” for several years in this organization that has an acknowledged turnover of 50 percent annually. It’s likely far higher than that dismal figure, as lapsed members are often renewed without their knowledge or consent.
Everyone eventually wakes up to the expensive paper-member scams in this toxic-positivity pyramid. Yours may come at your next meeting when your unit is congratulated by your upline for supposedly recruiting 15 members in the past quarter. You guzzle down your upline’s praise like the attention-starved downline you are. You also notice that only the same four happy people who’ve been attending for the past six months are in the meeting. You silently wonder where those 15 new recruits are, but you don’t want to ruin the mood. Later, it begins to click.
Nobody speaks publicly about these swindles in this "nonprofit" that's supposedly centered around communication and public speaking. If only the senior centers, colleges, Chambers of Commerce, Rotary International, religious facilities, and workplaces providing the meeting space knew about these cons taking place in their venues.
While the paid executives and employees in Colorado are happy to gobble millions of dollars from members' dues, corporate donations, Small Business Administration programs, and other revenue sources every year, they largely avoid using those funds to advertise or market. The overwhelming majority of that year-round burden illogically falls on all of the dues-paying members - not just the volunteers who have chosen to be on the marketing committees. The company stubbornly refuses to assist with paid advertisements or marketing campaigns. Half or more of the speeches at meetings are about Toastmasters, with the content often pressuring members to recruit or volunteer more. Imagine if grocery stores, health clubs, or physicians’ offices demanded their paying customers to constantly perform their marketing with personal funds and time, as Toastmasters arrogantly does. Regardless, these incessant demands in Toastmasters don't just happen in May and June. There's no logical reason for so many units to greatly increase their numbers in late June. Yet, that’s when units display suspicious upticks on the Dashboard, when the Distinguished unit awards and DTM member ranks just happen to be calculated.
Paula Summa’s Golden-children (“the Paula-ticks”) are detail-oriented when it suits them. They yammer about the supposed sanctity of the program when they’re raining down their emails of contempt upon their latest victim, and usually copy in about a dozen unrelated district “leaders” to add to the humiliation. How dare that lowly volunteer think they were good enough for a DTM with that service-level job and disability?
Toastmasters members stay ironically silent and submissive in this "speaking" and “leadership” pyramid, but they do eventually notice the incessant cheating. Nobody believes that your unit of 10, of which only five regularly attend, suddenly doubled in size to 20 in late June. No other member will believe that 10 of your friends and relatives, none of whom have even visited the unit, all coincidentally got interested in Toastmasters and enrolled a week before the Distinguished deadline. Nobody with knowledge of Toastmasters buys that your lethargic unit suddenly completed multiple Pathways projects overnight. Sure, you're making the CEO and the rest of his executives of this Colorado "nonprofit" financially wealthy, but you're not fooling anyone. Your unit members notice when your membership roll claims there are 20 members, yet they see the same five people at meetings, month after month. Some of your former members who said they "got busy at work" actually left because they learned about these cons and lost respect for you and the organization.
These fraudulent inflation games are played every May and June because District 84 has been a toxic scam for several years. Rather than recruiting honestly and retaining members by treating them with respect and kindness, paper-members and fake units conceal the malignant problems.
Instead of encouraging Toastmasters’ robust mentoring and coaching programs in order to genuinely revive the dozens of deflated units that are currently on the roster, "leaders" such as not-so-Goodman and Summa actively discourage, ignore, delay, obstruct, or bait-and-switch those pursuing those official volunteer assignments. Instead, they pressure members and unit leaders into the annual charade of buying more paper-members for toxic units and opening more fake units. They don't want you to know just how many existing units routinely have fewer than five club members at their meetings or are no longer holding regular meetings at all.
Even with the systemic numbers-fixing, the Toastmasters Dashboard reveals that District 84 has had some of the worst revenue statistics in the entire global organization. This has especially been the case when Summa, Parpart, Goodman, and other key members of the Paula-ticks have circulated through the top three upline positions, known as the "District Trio." Almost all other districts have recently had superior results to this one despite facing the same challenges for the past several years such as the Pathways issues and pandemic. (All videos and images linked in this letter have already been downloaded by the writers in anticipation that the MLM will attempt to delete them.)
Tax-paid social workers, state employment specialists, Rotary International leaders, crime victim advocates, and therapists recommend the organization to their clients. Apparently, these professionals are unaware that much of today's Toastmasters culture consists of speeches about recruiting and spending more money for Toastmasters itself, and whose "leadership" activities are glorified recruiting scams. Marginalized populations open their vulnerabilities and lean wallets at meetings in the hopes of improving their skills, self-confidence, mindsets, workplaces and communities.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief charity. Second Harvest holds federal contracts to administrate multiple welfare programs, such as the US Department of Agriculture's SNAP program ("food stamps") and job-training programs for its recipients. District 84 uses Second Harvest's facilities for its sales and volun-telling rallies, er, "leadership institute." Second Harvest chartered a large Toastmasters unit in 2023, apparently buying 35 "memberships" this past October and renewing 25 payments in April. Suspiciously, it appears that not a single speech, leadership project, Pathways credit, Distinguished point, demo meeting, or election has been completed by Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Toastmasters. Zero. A legitimate unit of that size should have accrued literally dozens of credits and points by now. Units that are a quarter this size often yield more documented activity. District 84 apparently didn't announce the opening of this unit or any meetings thereof in its newsletters or social media as they normally do with others. The only apparent activities of this unit are its "officers" attending and/or hosting an aforementioned recruiting training event this past January - held at Second Harvest - and submitting their names to World Headquarters for officer credit toward their personal DTM rank advancements. If the “officers” were listed as hosting that training event, they each likely received additional credits toward DTM rank for that as well. Nobody openly identifying themselves as members of this unit attended the 2024 convention in Gainesville this past May. No "Second Harvest” Toastmasters member competed in the area or division speech contests. It appears that nobody in area or district "leadership" currently lists membership in the Second Harvest unit in their Toastmasters credentials. There is no contact or meeting information on the Toastmasters website about this unit, and they apparently have no social media. The unit appears on the Toastmasters International Dashboard, but apparently nowhere else on its website or directory, nor on the Second Harvest charity's website. Multiple District 84 units that have been suspended and inactive for a year are often still listed on TI's website. Even Toastmasters' more insular Advanced or Restricted corporate units - such as one that's exclusively for Fairwinds Credit Union employees - are usually announced, listed, reachable, and documented. Hypothetical member restrictions for Second Harvest are, therefore, not a valid excuse that may be used in the future to explain away what appears to be a sham unit. Hopefully, nobody working or volunteering directly for the Second Harvest charity misappropriated tax dollars, unrelated charitable grants, and/or the names of vulnerable welfare recipients from its job-training programs to pay the new unit fee, buy these "members," and/or purchase materials for the district. Similar scams have allegedly happened elsewhere in Toastmasters. This Orlando unit does seem to carry the familiar District 84 stench of yet another fake unit created by those seeking sham officer, sponsor, and mentor credits to reach DTM rank. Why have this unit's area and division uplines, Kathleen Lekadou and John Morrow, been silent as lambs about this large charter? Have they paid their mandated twice-annual visits to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Toastmasters' meetings and completed the other periodic documentation and communications with them? If not, why? Who’s receiving credit as the assigned district sponsors and mentors for this unit? Does the apparent deceit go higher in the district, with uplines calculating the formation of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Toastmasters in order to exploit the charity's meeting space and other resources to hold their MLM's sales rallies?
For the traditionally marginalized low-income recruits who are hardworking and lucky enough to find themselves under honest district and unit leadership, their investments in Toastmasters yield positive or neutral results. Unfortunately, many others in District 84 will find themselves with even more distress and less confidence in themselves and others. This adverse result often comes after obstructions, lies, and intimidation from the uplines. While Summa and Goodman are happy to grab the money and volunteer time of these “lower” castes, they don't want them publicly representing the brand by advancing them to the Distinguished Toastmaster rank. These unwashed masses may successfully progress in their units and in early Pathways projects. Unfortunately, in order to reach the advanced ranks such as Distinguished Toastmasters member (DTM), that member eventually interfaces with district uplines. It's no surprise that most will choke at this stage, as the district's "mean girls and boys" will block society's downgraded groups from arriving at their DTM cool-kids table that mistakes cruel chilliness for coolness. Paula Summa's vicious hangers-on, better known as the "Paula-ticks," have sucked away the enthusiasm of many.
Former district director Debi Londono, Pim and Ron Parpart, Rebecca McGilton, and Division B director Rachael Assignon will continue to parasitically use the Toastmasters program as their cudgel to passive-aggressively and overtly harm persons whom they feel are inferior to them. Those deemed unworthy by the ticks' shallow and elitist standards will be welcomed long enough to pay and serve at the lower levels but won't see the top of the pyramid that Toastmasters is. Nobody speaks out because they fear it could jeopardize their DTMs or units' ranks, but the Paula-ticks are a known element. No "ums" or "ahs" about it.
At the 2020-2021 accounting deadline - when Summa was the '84 "Club Growth Director" - the district's membership payments and total number of units had fallen by more than 25 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Only a quarter of units finished with Distinguished status. By way of comparison, South Florida/District 47's member payment and unit numbers in that same year only decreased by approximately twelve and one percent, respectively. About 70 percent of their units finished with Distinguished rank. Numbers in '84 continued to drastically plummet in 2021-2022 when Summa was district "Program Quality Director" and the following year when she was the Director, i.e. the queen bee of the rotted honeypot. Again, the losses exceeded those of the general trends of the organization.
The three years of steepest drops in district history are those when Summa slithered through the top district "trio" positions. Apparently not content with her hat-trick years of destruction, unit numbers dropped for a fourth year with Summa's role as Immediate Past District President and District Leadership Committee Chair. If you've been a victim of Goodman's or Summa's manipulative long-term gatekeeping cons, intentionally dishonest project/points advice, and juvenile social poisoning, this comes as no surprise. What was stunning was that these two bullies were promoted despite their damaging the organization and its members, and the depressing decline under their grimy thumbs continued. This toxic twosome's misconduct doesn't just harm individual members and units, they're financially damaging the larger organization.
Since 2020, the state of Florida has had the fastest-growing population in the United States. Transplants often seek social and professional development. Moreover, Florida was less impacted and restricted during the pandemic than much of the US and world. These factors offered District 84 enviable potential for revenue growth and to be known as a welcoming organization for newcomers. The Paula-ticks egregiously squandered those opportunities. Unfortunately, these problems will likely continue for several years, as most of the up-and-coming leaders were the “Golden Children” of narcissists Parpart, Summa and Goodman, selected for their similarities to them and/or willingness to ignore the harms inflicted upon others.
Former district director Pim Parpart, Rachael Assignon, Deborah Wilde, and their fellow grifters deviously consume extensive, specialized volunteer work and funds for the benefit of their units from junior members under the pretense that their latest mark will receive a desired leadership role and recognition that could lead to the coveted DTM. Later, the mark is informed that he or she doesn't have the "right image" to represent Toastmasters with high-profile leadership roles and awards because of their accused low-class traits such as their service-industry job or indigenous ethnicity. The Paula-ticks also discouraged the membership of very elderly person who was new to the area, as well as a physically disabled military veteran, despite both of these highly articulate, mentally astute persons holding prior, successful memberships in other districts.
Ever hear about the fairly large, decade-old Brevard County unit whose members changed their unit's name and number, then "transferred" their members into the "new" unit so the leaders could misappropriate mentor and sponsor credits for "chartering" a full-strength unit? And current district leaders were involved in this scam? Talking about that will ensure that Summa will kill your chances of ever winning her rigged speech contests.
You or someone you know may struggle with depression or low self-image following the Paula-ticks' extended cons and exploitation. That’s especially likely if you lost a lot of money and years acquiescing to their financially expensive demands such as buying paper-members, and/or they illogically blocked you from roles, yet nobody at WHQ would assist. You may fear that since you felt unsuccessful or shunned in this reputedly "supportive" organization, there's little hope for you in corporate settings or other social groups. Indeed, Toastmasters’ recruiters and uplines literally tell you that if you can’t make it there, you can’t make it anywhere. Don't let Debi-downer Londono take your life - take it back. Please know that there are community counseling services available to help you regain your mental health and learn that it was them, not you. In Florida, call 211. If you're insured, ask your provider for a counseling referral, preferably with a therapist who’s versed in PTSD, cult recovery, and narcissistic abuse.
If you decide to remain in this scheme, confirm any claim that district leaders make by calling World Headquarters (720-439-5050). The Paula-ticks, for example, have repeatedly lied about sending mentor paperwork on behalf of new units to WHQ, and potential mentors were unaware of the deception until after the 60-day deadline. They're unable to receive credit for their service after that deadline, and this often derails their DTMs. In the 2020-2021 year- the final Legacy program year - Paula Summa used this tactic to prevent multiple longtime members from reaching DTM rank. She has also assigned her cronies to mentor positions on new units, rather than assigning the mentors requested by the founders and officers who are doing that unit’s hard work and paying the fees.
Summa inappropriately and bizarrely hijacked another district leader's duties in order to aggressively prevent struggling units from being matched with motivated volunteers who expressed interest in helping in this specific area. She intercepted communications intended for that leader without the latter's knowledge, apparently to attempt to divert the potential volunteers into chartering new units instead. Meanwhile, some of those struggling units were led to believe that there were no volunteers in the district interested in assisting them. Summa used misleading educational credit information in her attempts to convince those potential volunteers into chartering new units in her district that was already supersaturated with deflated ones, and she behaved punitively when they declined. In addition to hassling those potential volunteers, she also pressured all of the assigned Area Directors to charter new units, despite how stressed and busy they already were managing the existing groups they were assigned. The ones who didn't acquiesce risked having their relationships with the units they oversaw undermined by her. She slyly pits multiple downlines against her latest disfavored one.
By all metrics, little was gained from Summa’s forceful and odd tactics during her year as Club Growth Director in 2020-2021. The district officially lost 30 clubs and gained only 11. Many of those 11, such as LensMasters and Rachael Assignon’s Technically Speaking, have apparently since disbanded. Many more units, such as Y Toastmasters in Jacksonville, were peculiarly accounted on the Dashboard as open at the end of that program year on June 30th despite Summa’s awareness that they had closed. They weren’t listed as dissolved on the Dashboard until the 2021-2022 cycle. The number of units that permanently closed during Summa’s tenure as Club Growth Director may be as high as 60.
In addition to the declining numbers, much goodwill and talent were lost. Some members, who'd each contributed a decade or more of hard work under the now-defunct Legacy program, never reached DTM rank due to Summa's obstructions. Multiple struggling units didn't receive the assistance that they requested. During the pandemic, good people craved the supportiveness and values that Toastmasters International claims to represent. It says much about Summa's character, or lack thereof, that she chose to deceive and obstruct them without justification.
If Toastmasters World Headquarters simply allowed districted members and unit leaders trapped in limbo to directly submit their applicable forms to WHQ, this deception and abuse could be curtailed and more well-earned DTMs and other high ranks would be reached. An employee at WHQ personally approves assignments and major ranks after they've been submitted by a district upline - it's not an automated process, and there's no obscure lingo that the officer speaks that makes it more logical for her to call or email them. WHQ could do the same for members directly, but usually won't. Because World Headquarters illogically and inconsiderately shifts many administrative tasks to unpaid district uplines and unit leaders that paid Toastmasters employees can perform within a few minutes, the Paula-ticks' latest victim has little recourse when they know or suspect for months that a role, assignment, path, promotion, opportunity, or relationship is being hindered, blocked, irreparably delayed, or sabotaged. Even when a member documents that a district upline is breaking Toastmasters policies or behaving dishonestly, the aloof WHQ employee usually replies that the member must resolve the matter with the same cruel district upline who’s harming them.
A small bone that WHQ will throw to its districted low-level members and unit leaders is reveal whether certain paperwork's been submitted by the district upline. If an assignment confirmation, rank approval or other matter has been oddly delayed for several weeks or months, chances are the district leader is lying to you that she emailed or faxed it to Colorado. WHQ has plenty of liabilities, but excessive delay is rarely one of them. Their turnaround times on assignment approvals and rank upgrades are often less than one business day. Call Colorado to find out the truth. At the end of the call, ask the employee to email or text you about the matter discussed and wait to receive it before you disconnect. Consider recording the call as well. They’re recording you.
Far outside of district leaders' clutches, Toastmasters members who belong to undistricted units can have these same tasks, such the approval of an assignment to mentor a new unit, performed quickly and directly within a few minutes by paid employees at World Headquarters. Colorado employees refuse to provide the same quick services for members of districted units even though they know, at best, this causes delay – sometimes for months – and, at worst, affords too much power to spiteful district uplines who clearly aren't operating in good faith.
If WHQ greedily insists on the current model of pushing unpaid volunteers to perform inordinate amounts of administrative and management tasks, there should be systems in place to facilitate logical workflow and fewer conflicts of interest. Base minimum, procedures should allow for an adjacent or higher upline to immediately authorize some assignments and projects when the designated upline is provably unresponsive to the member or unit for more than 30 days. If Summa hadn’t been the only sign-off for certain roles in ’84, there could have been dozens of beneficial projects completed, quality members retained, and well-earned DTMs reached.
Eventually you realize that many of the “leaders” in this so-called speaking organization are neither good at speaking nor leadership despite their reaching multiple DTM ranks apiece. Summa received the Humorous Speaking rank despite dubious work. If you’re one of her many downlines who’s experienced her frustrating months-long delays on assignment signoffs, her lack of comedic timing isn’t surprising. Humor and empathy are extrinsically linked, and both are in short supply in her Find Your Funny Toastmasters unit. What the members lack in wit, they attempt to compensate in tired stereotypes about minorities such as Jews. Ay-yi-yawn.
Despite what you're told by your ’84 district uplines and a few lazy Colorado employees, there actually are some tasks that districted members and units can complete directly with World Headquarters. If you find out what they are, your Toastmasters path will be far less booby-trapped. For example, Summa pressures members who are forming new units to consult her and/or the "chartering committee" rather than directly contacting WHQ. Don't automatically believe her - you may be able to directly call or email WHQ to charter your unit. If this is the case, you’ll be able to select your mentors and other options, such as Advanced classification and zoning. Don’t let someone “accidentally” make those selections to fit their preferences rather than yours. While you're at it, perhaps consider starting that new unit in a district other than '84 or as an undistricted one (or maybe form it outside of Toastmasters altogether).
Unfortunately, Toastmasters districts have become a haven for former middle or high school bullies who sadly retained those cruel habits, then added 50 years and pounds apiece. Members ignore or endure the abuse because they don't want to jeopardize their rank advancements, speaking contest results, and/or their unit's status. World Headquarters refuses to address reports of misconduct. It's concerning that these sadists are entering the public schools with their Youth Toastmasters program, as well as the prison system. The Paula-ticks are likely to claim they are "maintaining unit quality" or use other bogus cop-outs for their targeting of certain individuals. These potential excuses fall flat when one considers that all of the Paula-ticks knowingly permit the rampant paper-members and fake units, and have directly engaged in those practices themselves. They know that this is expressly against Toastmasters ethics policies (Club Constitution, Article II,
Section 2; Policy 3.0, Section 1). If this district upheld the organization's purported tenant of "integrity," they wouldn't have appointed notorious mean-girls Deborah Wilde and JetBlue's Rachael Assignon to co-chair the Pathways program. They attempt to pass as a couple of wise Buddhas-in-drag leading the pathway to professional and personal enlightenment, but this corrupt duo more closely resembles the tyrant Jabba the Hutt in stereo, considering the smoke-and-mirrors that allegedly went into their cadre's DTMs. There's the usual code of silence about the Palm Bay group they helmed a few years ago that received President's Distinguished status after a sudden June membership increase yet was peculiarly shut down only a couple of dues cycles later.
As a top district upline, Paula Summa repeatedly and knowingly provided incorrect role/credit information to several members, including indigenous persons whom she and her cadre have made some harsh remarks about their suitability to represent the Toastmasters brand as DTMs. Summa continued with the misleading credit/role information even after multiple local leaders corrected her in reference to her previous false advice that had wasted other volunteers' time and money. For example, there are saved email exchanges - specifics are obscured for privacy - in which “Leader A” on a Monday morning linked Summa to Toastmasters' policies indicating that the time-consuming "Role A" assignment will NOT result in the member attaining "Credit Blue," and Summa acknowledges the correction on Monday afternoon. She likely already knew that information. Yet, in a separate Tuesday morning email exchange with “Member Y,” who lacks only a Credit Blue toward their DTM, Summa advises that taking the Role A assignment will attain Credit Blue. She has intentionally and maliciously derailed multiple DTMs and other ranks, including during the final Legacy year. She has delayed, frustrated and demoralized hardworking, kind, longtime members until they gave up on their goals and the organization altogether.
Summa has a callous attitude toward existing, struggling units. This seems reflective of an overall ruthless personality. She dislikes a specific program to help those units because she believes it competes with her tunnel-vision goal of chartering more units. If a volunteer is resolute that they want to be in that “competing” program after Summa has delayed them for months, she deviously sets that volunteer up to fail. She assigns them to what Summa knows will be a highly problematic appointment in that program without giving the volunteer those sticky details in advance. The volunteer, having spent months attempting just to secure an assignment from Summa, toils more unproductive months trying to make that unreasonable project succeed. Usually, it won’t. This has two benefits in Summa’s sadistic mind. She now has another example of her hated program “not working,” as well as ammunition to use against the volunteer. Summa will be sure to mention the volunteer’s “failure” without the mitigating circumstances all over the district, and for the rest of their time in it. Subsequently, that volunteer will have an even more difficult time securing productive assignments and roles because of that apparent failure. Summa will unnaturally wedge the subject into her evaluation of a speech at the volunteer’s unit a year later. Yes, she is that vindictive.
It's happened far too many times, to too many good people who didn't know each other yet, and across too many of Summa’s roles for these to be mere coincidences. She doesn't make these "mistakes" when attaining multiple DTM ranks and high leadership positions for herself and her Golden Children. She manipulates and lies. Hopefully, her adult daughters and young grandsons have a kinder role model in their family.
Because of the good nature of many Toastmasters members and the power that Summa has held, she’s repeatedly given the benefit of the doubt and addressed respectfully as she harms members and units. There are many situations in which Summa’s caught lying or deliberately stalling for no apparent reason and the downlines are patient with her, but she just plays more mind games. For example, with specifics obscured for privacy, she told two different members who didn’t have frequent contact with each other but would be interacting on “Project A” that she’d already signed off on it and sent the form to WHQ. After weeks of no responses and other odd delays from Summa, the two members checked in with each other and eventually determined WHQ didn’t even have the form. The even-tempered members just wanted to move forward; they politely emailed Summa another completed form for “Project A” and asked her to sign it. She had the opportunity to quickly remedy the situation at hand without judgement. Instead, Summa spun additional lies, “Project A” never commenced, and those victims eventually gave up on Toastmasters.
Toastmasters International World Headquarters has been made aware of the shady Paula-ticks in District 84. They've received the calls, emails, and certified letters. They do nothing, possibly because they view the 'ticks as useful idiots who enrich the paid employees in Colorado. The CEO's income is based on a percentage of the organization's gross revenue, and the rest of his employees' salaries are similarly calculated. The paid executives and employees benefit from the widespread fraudulent practices of fake members and paper-units. Contacting the Colorado headquarters regarding local issues will only waste your time. If you do decide to reach out to them, be sure to record or document those communications. They record all inbound calls.
You do have choices, fellow Toastmaster. You can stay in this MLM but attempt to do so ethically. You can refuse to add fake members or start paper-units in an abusive district. You can start a healthier Toastmasters unit in a nearby district other than '84, or perhaps an undistricted unit. You may feel that Florida districts 47 and 48 are far kinder. If that’s the case, remember that you can transfer your existing membership in ’84 to a different district or an undistricted unit at no charge. There’s no need to financially reward Toastmasters International for knowingly permitting toxic units and districts by buying a second or “dual” membership when you find a healthier fit for yourself.
You might have the logical but incorrect assumption that paid employees at World Headquarters are making your speaking and “leadership” path easier by taking care of administrative tasks for you with your dues. In reality, they’re making it harder because they spend much of their paid time devising ways to make you recruit and perform redundant administrative work. There are outside speaking organizations in which you will not be volun-told into district trainings and redundant roles, and pressured to buy fake memberships with your personal funds.
If you do decide to stay in this pyramid scheme, always be alert to protect yourself and your unit from the increasing MLM culture. Document and record your verbal conversations and phone calls - especially those regarding assignments or credits - with district uplines, executives, and employees. Preferably, communicate by email or text. Keep all written communications, even after you've reached DTM rank and left the org. Record, date-stamp, and retain your speeches at meetings and competitions.
Regardless of whether those recordings and emails are legally actionable, they're good to have for your mental outlook. Many uplines are experts at gaslighting and backpedaling. When a costly project or assignment goes sideways, you may mistakenly blame yourself. You'll be left wondering a year later why you were assigned to worthless Role X when your goal was Credit Y. Did you clearly state your goals to the person assigning you? Did you misunderstand? If you have the conversations documented or recorded, you can review them and know that you were in the right. You can also pass them along to others having similar issues.
Please be aware that there is a convicted sexual felon in District 84, and he has subsequently committed at least one new incident at an event. That known victim no longer attends. Perhaps there are others, but don't expect to be suitably advised. The Paula-ticks quietly warn each other about such dangers in their exclusive whisper-network, but you lower castes are on your own, as are the minors in the public school Youth Leadership Programs. Sexual predators hide out in cults like this one in which fetishized, performative “positivity” is prioritized over truth. In Kentucky's District 63, the uplines keep secret that their DTM-ranked crony Jeri Steele's name on her legal documents and ID cards is Jeri Dow – her married name. Her upline husband was introduced as “Bob” at Thoroughbred Toastmasters and district-wide events including speech contests. He earned his DTM rank in Texas as “William Dow,” where he also gained an exciting television appearance on NBC's To Catch a Predator. Jeri and another upline who knew about Billy, er, Bob’s tastes appointed him to co-lead a youth program in Kentucky, where he allegedly targeted new minors. There were also alleged incidents at district events. Billy-Bob died last year. Too bad his 2022 district speech contest topic wasn’t about his plans for that mysterious rubber toy. As is the case with her friend Paula Summa in ’84, Jeri Steele Dow controls the local speech contests, ensuring that downlines won’t discuss these matters. (Too late to dirty-delete, Cuzzin' Jeri - we've already saved those receipts.)
Before you accept any long-term role or perform any major project based on someone's verbal claim that it will be constructive to your educational goals or your unit's points, triple-check that claim with World Headquarters and ask them to send a copy of that information in writing. The Paula-ticks intentionally obstruct and derail DTM ranks and other advancements. Some district roles carry no credits. Copy multiple people in on all email communications with district uplines that are vital to your credits, roles, and assignments. Include a relevant address at World Headquarters in the list of recipients, such as educationprogram@toastmasters.org.
Ensure that the intended time period and dates of service meet the specifications for DTM credit. Confirm that in writing with WHQ. If someone’s attempting to offload their Area Director position on you in November, for example, find out whether this is a position in which you must be assigned from July 1 to June 30 to receive credit. Too many good members and units have been bait-and-switched into volunteering for time-consuming, redundant, educationally worthless positions and events. The person who knowingly tricked you will never admit it nor apologize. She'll just illogically backpedal, victim-blame, change the subject, and lie. It goes against a narcissist’s mindset to admit that she's finally been caught.
If you want less biased information about this organization, visit the unofficial Toastmasters group on Reddit (www.reddit.com/r/Toastmasters). An upline in another Toastmasters district discusses his unit rolls including a couple of paid year-round senior paper-members who haven’t attended in at least seven years. Rather than questioning the ethics of the situation, the discussion strategizes waiting until June to leverage the pair’s money for extra Distinguished unit points for gaining “renewed” members. Apparently, some don’t abide by the “Toastmaster’s Promise” on their membership and renewal forms to “…attend meetings regularly.” These immoral games are nothing new, but this thread’s been screenshotted.
Ironically, there is a good skill that you can learn in District 84, but it’s probably unintended by the uplines. It’s that you should listen to your instincts about people and situations. If you suspect that a “leader” is hindering your progress despite her grandmotherly appearance and mannerisms, you’re probably right. Don’t waste months trying to negotiate with a narcissist – they enjoy it. Go around, above, or away from them. In most cases, you aren’t required to complete any project or role in District 84 just because that’s where your membership currently is. You may be able to complete it in a different district or undistricted unit. Globally, most unrestricted Toastmasters units have virtual or hybrid meetings, so you’re not a prisoner to ’84. It’s called Toastmasters International for a reason – the world is at your fingertips with this and several other speaking organizations. Interacting with Toastmasters in another locale can be mutually beneficial, and does not necessarily signal permanent transfer or discontentment. Indeed, there is currently a high-ranking upline in ’84 who openly holds a similar position in District 7 (Oregon). Be sure to have credit eligibility emailed or texted to you in writing by WHQ before you start any cross-district project or role.
You can also learn from Paula Summa and her clique how not to be. Former members who belonged to Toastmasters for a decade and met a thousand people apiece consistently remember Summa as the cruelest, most dishonest person they encountered. It costs zero dollars to not be like her. When you reach a senior role in an organization, workplace, or family, don’t be unkind just because you can.
The Federal Trade Commission would shut down any for-profit enterprise that conducted its business in the manner that Toastmasters International operates. The secrecy around the Colorado move, the shady 32-million dollar real estate deals, coverups of illegal behavior at events, and soliciting estate giving for the "Smedley Foundation" that's actually one and the same as the Toastmasters International bank account are just the tip of the iceberg. A Facebook group discusses this information (https://www.facebook.com/groups/NoContributionToTMI/). What happened to those 60 hires discussed with Colorado economic development officials a decade ago?
Perhaps one day the IRS will review Toastmasters' 501c3 status as an "educational" charity. No legit "school" routinely pads its rolls with triplicate, lapsed, dead, and fake "students." What major "lessons" are taught in District 84 lately, other than how to cheat and be cruel? At best, this recruiting-obsessed MLM should be downgraded to a 501c6 professional-trade organization or 501c7 social-recreational club. To call Toastmasters a "charity" is a farce. This MLM exists for its own benefit, not "mankind" as its tax filings assert. Toastmasters is a years-long Dale Carnegie or Anthony Robbins seminar without the verve but certainly with more hidden costs and cultish undertones. The "leadership" sessions consist of pressuring the attendees to recruit more, along with volun-telling into various district slave roles. Toastmasters units aren't allowed to perform any service or fundraisers for the community, or even internally for their fellow members. Districts do not assist or even announce when a longtime volunteer is struggling with illness, natural disasters, a car accident, or other difficulties. If you’re a high-level current upline when you die, they might mention your death a few days after the funeral, so it doesn’t compete with any unit’s meeting.
This letter will be misclassified as “spam” by the Paula-ticks. True to the messaging of cultish toxic-positivity, current district director Vickie Goodman dismisses these concerns as “hateful,” and doesn’t want her adherents to decide for themselves. Of course, the truth sounds hateful when you’re not used to hearing it. If you’re not willing to display the entire accounting and membership history for your own DTM rank or “Distinguished” unit, perhaps it’s best to sit this debate out?
Lately, it's common to see one or more members of the Paula-ticks quietly sitting in on small unit meetings with raised eyebrows and pursed lips, as if they're ensuring that nobody mentions the intimidation problems in the district or the option of disaffiliation. They carry the air of the creepy monitors of disreputable cults. Perhaps another reason they attend is to conceal how many units are failing. It's humorous to watch unit meetings online if you know who's who in the district. For example, if there are eight attendees in the meeting, sometimes as few as three or four of them are members of that unit. The rest may be district uplines. When your unit’s celebrating a major anniversary – if you’ve pumped in the paper-members for enough years to get to one – a few dozen leaders make an appearance and Deborah Wilde’s downward sneer graces your lower left corner square. She’s a human Grumpy Cat meme without the humor and warmth.
The big mystery about District 84 will always be the seemingly nice leaders who enable Goodman's and Summa's bullying and dishonest games. Eric Boehm, Rotary International liaisons Richard and Cathy Hoar, Cathy Gorgensen…? Are you just as deceptive and cruel as they are, but better at hiding it? Or are you terrified of being their next target, so you passively go along to get along? “Toastmasters, where leaders are made!”?
You have a choice. Will you falsely and grossly inflate your unit's numbers with fake or "traded" members between now and June 30th like the Electric Toasters unit and dubious DTM Lynn Ramsey did? Will you pretend not to notice when someone else in your unit does? Will you pose with that cheap, mail-folded "Beat the Clock" ribbon and pretend that nobody notices your grossly suspicious and sudden member increase? Will you sign off on incomplete Pathways projects?
