Dear Florida Speakers Association Members,
It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as the President of the Florida Speakers Association. As we embark on another year of professional development and networking, I wanted to share some exciting highlights from our recent Board Retreat held in August.
At the retreat, each of your dedicated board members was tasked with identifying three priorities they believed would have the most significant impact on the success of our chapter. We then collaborated as a team to prioritize these items, resulting in a list of 14 essential areas for our focus. To start, we will concentrate on the top three priorities:
1. Implementing the NSA Buddy Program: This initiative aims to provide mentorship to new members, fostering a supportive and welcoming environment.
2. Creating a Strong Sense of Community: We are dedicated to enhancing the sense of belonging among our members, making every interaction a valuable one.
3. Capturing Video Testimonials: After each meeting, we plan to collect video testimonials from our members and guests, which will be used to promote the chapter on social media and our website
In the coming weeks, I will provide updates on our progress regarding these priorities and share more details about additional initiatives on our agenda.
The September meeting featured the inspirational Jeff Hoffman, who encouraged us to pursue our dreams and provided invaluable insights into relevant speaking topics. Special thanks to Jeremy Torisk, Past President for securing Jeff as a speaker.
Your Programming Committee has worked diligently to secure an impressive lineup of accomplished speakers for the upcoming months. Please mark your calendars for the second Saturday of each month to ensure you don’t miss these informative sessions. More information about each meeting will be provided soon:
- October 14, 2023 – Gary Rifkin, Cavett Award Recipient
- November 11, 2023 – Gerry O’Brion, CSP, CPAE
- January 13, 2024 – Cara Silletto, CSP
- February 10, 2024 – Christine Cashen, CSP, CPAE
- March 9, 2024 – Kelly Swanson, CSP, CPAE
- April 13, 2024 – Michelle Villalobos, CSP
- May 11, 2024 – Bill Stainton, CSP, CPAE
- June 8, 2024 – Ron Karr, CSP and Bruce Turkel, CSP, CPAE
Your Programming Committee, consisting of Sharon Grossman, Jeremy Torisk, Dave Bricker, and Marilyn Rousseau, has been diligently curating these events to ensure they meet your expectations.
We’d like to remind you that All-Access Membership includes access to meeting recordings on the chapter website, allowing you to revisit valuable insights at your convenience.
Finally, I urge you to help grow the chapter by inviting your friends and colleagues to meetings. When guests attend, they experience firsthand the real value of membership in the Florida Speakers Association.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the chapter. We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead filled with growth, learning, and camaraderie.
To your success,
Kim Beckett
President, Florida Speakers Association
