Jurgens Pieterse awards the Toastmaster of the Year trophy to Ana Garcia

Congratulations to Ana Garcia, Peninsula Club’s president, on being awarded the Division D (Western Cape and Namibia) Toastmaster of the Year award for 2008/2009. The Toastmaster of the Year is awarded to the member who inspires other Toastmasters, in their personal capacity, with their commitment, diligence and growth in Toastmasters.  The five nominees  for the Toastmaster of the year award were: Michael Fawcett, Ana Garcia, Brian Gowans, Dawid Katerere and Jurgens Pieterse.

“Ana Garcia has achieved Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB), Silver (ACS), Competent Leader (CL) and finished her high performance leadership in one year. She has been a tremendous force within the entire Toastmaster’s community. The way she assisted and participated in especially the areas D2 and D3 has been extraordinary. She managed to develop a mentoring program that successfully assisted the members of the Peninsula Club.

“Her drive and passion for Toastmasters is beyond compare. She also managed to be the coach of Pinelands club and is currently their president. She is also a member of Talking Heads Toastmasters club. Her ability to lead has made her so successful that she won the election of the 2009/2010 Area governor D3. I believe that this lady is a true icon within the toastmaster’s community and she is plainly said just great,” said the judges.

“I found Toastmasters quite by chance and it soon became my soul family in a foreign country where I hardly knew anyone. The personal development that I underwent by working through the program and with the help of my Toastmaster colleagues was so dramatic that my soul purpose became clear and it involved to inspire, motivate and ignite others to shine forth with their own light.

“Toastmasters became the vehicle for my message. For two years I worked insanely hard at meeting all my goals and a week ago, out of the blue and as a great surprise to me, I received notice that I was nominated for the Toastmaster of the Year award, which I won! So it is obvious that someone is paying attention! But seriously, I will always cherish it and I hope it is but the first stage of great things to come!” said Ana.

Ana joined Peninsula Club in May 2006. This year, as well as being Peninsula’s president, she is also president and club coach for Pinelands Toastmasters, as well as area governor for area D3 (Cape Town).

It’s certainly going to be a busy 12 months for this Toastmaster of the Year. Her goals are to: work towards her Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG), attain club coach requirement at Pinelands Club and Area Governor’s points towards her Advanced Leader Silver (ALS).

Ana has a PhD in Metaphysical Sciences specialising in Transpersonal Counselling and a Masters degree in Education and Languages. She is a soul coach, metaphysical author and inspirational speaker. Her main speaking subjects are:  emotional energy, control dramas, metaphysics and coaching on personal development.

You can read Ana’s inspirational speeches and more Toastmaster’s news here.

Congratulations again on this well-deserved achievement.