Name: Allison Lips 
Position: Public Relations Manager
Club(s): Freehold Phrasers and Talk of Monmouth
Other positions: President of Freehold Phrasers and former Vice President of Public Relations for Freehold Phrasers
How long have you been in Toastmasters? 1½ years
What are your plans for the district/area/division?
I plan to continue the excellent job Su Brooks did managing the District 83 Facebook and Twitter pages. I also would like to expand District 83’s online presence. Currently, we have the blog and are looking for Toastmasters who would like to help with a podcast and a vlog.
Why did you join Toastmasters?
Toastmasters found me. My first introduction was through my former employer’s intranet, which featured several corporate clubs from around the country. Even though I felt I needed to improve my public speaking and leadership skills, none of the clubs were close to me. Two days later I joined Meetup. As I was scrolling through local Meetup Groups, Freehold Phrasers Toastmasters popped up. I took this as a sign and ran with it.
What advice do you have for new members?
Don’t be intimidated. When I walked into my first Toastmasters meeting, I immediately noticed that I was significantly younger than the majority of members. At first, I doubted Toastmasters was for me, but I went to a second meeting, then a third. Before I knew it, the age difference did not matter and my fellow Toastmasters became my biggest supporters.
This is an excellent blog. Thank you for sharing.
Love this, Allison. One of the benefits of Toastmasters is that not every member is exactly like you; we can learn from the diversity in age, education, experience, etc.