#293: Personal Experience: Toastmasters, Rotary & the Alliance – Stephanie Steckel

The Toastmasters Podcast with Greg Gazin

The Toastmasters Podcast is like a radio talk show featuring interviews with Toastmasters usually featured in the Toastmaster magazine. The purpose of the podcast is to amplify the magazine - to dig deeper or to put a voice to a face or written wordBut unlike a radio show, a podcast is on the Internet, and available, for free, to anyone in the world with an Internet connection, and a connected device capable of playing audio. 260+ episodes are at ToastmastersPodcast.comThe Toastmasters Podcast is co-produced by Toastmasters International and Archieboy Holdings, LLC, for our global audience of Toastmasters and those interested in public speaking and leadership.

[31:27] What happens when two century-old organizations dedicated to leadership and service intersect in one person’s life? In this episode host Greg Gazin speaks with Stephanie Steckel, a longtime Rotarian and newer Toastmaster, who enlightens us about the benefits of each organization and how the Rotary–Toastmasters alliance shows up in real, practical ways—far beyond a formal agreement.

With more than 30 years in Rotary, Stephanie was deeply engaged in community service long before Toastmasters entered the picture. When she later discovered Toastmasters through Rotary, she found a safe environment to practice speaking, calm presentation anxiety, and strengthen skills she could immediately apply back in Rotary meetings and projects.

That experience turned Stephanie into an advocate for Toastmasters—so much so that her letter to the editor was published in Rotary magazine. She also shares how communication training, mental preparation, and listening skills from Toastmasters strengthened her work in Rotary.

Listeners will hear:

• Why Stephanie views Toastmasters as a form of “personal service” for Rotarians
• How a four-line mental reset helped her manage nerves before speaking
• What Rotary’s Four-Way Test teaches about leadership and ethical decision-making
• How Toastmasters skills improve introductions, meetings, and member engagement
• Real examples of the Rotary–Toastmasters alliance in action internationally
• Why Rotary’s project management strengths benefit Toastmasters members
• How service projects create meaningful, real-world leadership opportunities

The Rotary–Toastmasters alliance isn’t about replacing what either organization does well. As Stephanie explains, it’s about learning from each other—and bringing those strengths back to the people and communities both groups serve.

About Stephanie Steckel

Stephanie Steckel, DDS, MS, is an orthodontist, author, and community leader. She has been a Rotarian for more than 30 years and is a charter member and past president of the Dover Downtown Rotary Club in Delaware. A Toastmaster for three years, she is a member of Freespeakers Toastmasters in Dover, Delaware, and Northrop Grumman Toastmasters in Linthicum, Maryland, and is working toward her Distinguished Toastmaster designation.

Stephanie lives in Smyrna, Delaware, and can be reached through Freespeakers Toastmasters.

References mentioned in this episode

Rotary–Toastmasters Alliance overview — Toastmasters International
Toastmasters and Rotary: An Exciting Alliance — Toastmasters Magazine, February 2020
Toastmasters and Rotary Team Up — Toastmasters Magazine, May 2020
Reap the Rewards of the Rotary–Toastmasters Alliance — Toastmasters Magazine, November 2020
Toastmasters and Rotary: Stronger Together — Toastmasters Magazine, March 2022
The Alliance: What’s in It for Me? — Toastmasters Magazine (sidebar), December 2023

Podcast episodes

#201: Powerful Outcomes from the Toastmasters and Rotary Alliance — Kate McClare

Additional references

Rotary forms alliance with Toastmasters — Rotary Magazine, February 2020

Speak for Yourself, Stephanie's Letter to the Editor, Rotary Magazine, December 2025

World Map, Rotary/Toastmasters Collaboration: Examples