Candidate’s office: Club Growth Director
Toastmasters member since: September 25, 2019
Education:
BA from Smith College, and various undergraduate Business Classes from UC Berkeley. Graduate Accounting course from Golden Gate University.
Multiple certifications in Hypnosis from IHF International Hypnosis Federation and Coaching Certification from ICF International Coach Federation Institute.
Oracle General Ledger and Financials trainings.
Serendipity Bible Studies and Precepts Ministries, Small Group Leadership and Dynamics courses.
Door-to-Door and Street Christian Evangelism Training and Ministry, Wisconsin and San Francisco. (Aka, Membership building)
Numerous Sales, Influence, and Persuasion trainings, including cold-calling.
Toastmasters offices held and terms of service:
North Division Director 2023-present.
Division A Director 2022-23
Area A5 Area Director 2021-22, SD Area.
Club Coach to NAAAP-OC 2022-23, no credit received.
Club Coach Christian Century Club 100 2022. Successful.
Christian Century Club 100 VPPR/M July 2022-Mar 2023
HB Rise & Shine Toastmasters Club 179 President May 2021-23, VPM July 2021-June 2022
Club Coach Club 179 Aug 2020-June 2021, Successful. Club Achieved Presidents Distinguished first time in 11 years.
Crystal Clear President/VPPR March 2023-Present
All Nations Toastmasters VPPR January 2021-January 2023. VPE June 2022-January 2023.
TEAM LEAD Division A Zoom Orientation Clinic April-June 2020 (start of the Pandemic).
Divine Light Toastmasters VPPR Feb-Dec 2020. Club Achieved Magnificent 5 (5 DCPS by Oct 31st 2020.)
Toastmasters honors and recognition:
Division Director of the Year, FD 2022/23
Monthly Club Coach Panel Gues Panelist with District 100 Club Coach Chair Richard Snyder, PID.
Journey to DTM Learning Lab Trainer March 2023, District 100.
DTM 2022
Founders District Champion award for achieving 10 Distinguished Club Program Goals and Bring It Home award for achieving Distinguished or better, Club 179(President)
Presidents Distinguished Club – ANTM (VPPR) and Club 179 (President) June 2021.
Spirit of Excellence November 2021 (A5 Area Director)
District Fast Ball – Club 179 first club in Founders District to achieve 8 DCP Points.
T.E.A.M Trainer/Speaker for two session, Fall 2020, as part of Scott Friedman’s DTM Project for Members Leadership Training
All Officers Trainer COT July-June (2021/22) and Division Director (2022-Present), VPPR Trainer at L.A.C.E. Training January, February, June, and July 2022.
Two YLPs: In-Person, Nov-Dec 2020, Jun-Aug 2021 in partnership with Mariners Church’s Citrus Grove Lighthouse ministry, serving the Low-Income Community in Orange, CA.
Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a District leader:
April Braswell have been an active and enthusiastic member of Toastmasters since joining in September 2019, serving as Club VPPR 4 months into membership, spearheading a Hands-On Zoom training in Division A open to all Toastmasters, when the Pandemic-instigated shutdown occurred Spring 2020.
She has served successfully as a Club Coach both to Club 179 and Club 100. In her first successful Club Coach assignment was in the team effort to bring Founders District First Four Club 179 from 3 active members to Presidents Distinguished for the first time in 11 years. Subsequently, the club won the Fast Ball Award as the first club in Founders District to achieve 8 points in the DCP. She continues as a member and club officer there, mentoring a member she sponsored to step into District Leadership as an Area Director this past year.
The District 100 club where she serves as VPPR also achieved Presidents Distinguished and is a top new recruiter and mentor for new members in both her clubs.
This TI year, she serves as the North Division Director, choosing to deepen her District experience and further cultivate relationships and emerging leaders before raising her hand to be considered to serve in the Trio. She’s aimed to visit most of her Division Clubs and also to be the local “boots on the ground” to visit in-person clubs on behalf of her outside of area based Division Director colleagues, Central and South Divisions. April is mindful of growing her successor in her Division and planting seeds and cultivating future District Leadership all around the District.
She was thrilled to be honored as Division Director of the Year September 2023 for her teamwork within the District, not exclusively in her Division. It was a Team honor to all the Division Directors.
While serving as A5 Area Director, was committed to empowering her area clubs to achieve Select Distinguished club excellence, including growing their membership, and all members enrolled in Pathways. District Director David Hosmer honored her dedication with a Spirit of Excellent Award for Area Excellence in getting all her Area Club Reports in by October 31, one month in advance of the deadline.
April matriculated from the Princeton Day School and Smith College. She studied business at Golden Gate University and UC Berkeley and Comparative Religions and Women’s Spirituality at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her professional Sales & Marketing and Accounting & Finance background includes Princeton’s McCarter Theatre,the Metropolitan Opera, VC-backed Start-Ups in Silicon Valley and 3 International Fortune 500 Companies, Xidex, BHP Minerals, and Oracle.
April has been recognized as America’s Midlife Dating Coach by DatingAdvice where she was their columnist 2012-2021. An International Speaker/Trainer, Mentor Coach, and Executive in a Holistic Association. April is a professional Network Marketer with doTERRA where she is an ELITE and Silver Club Rank Educator and Certified Essential Oils Specialist. She is an active member of Orange BNI where she serves on the Visitor Host and the Growth and Retention Committees. April was awarded a Top Networker award for bringing the most Visitors for the whole year in her just 3 months in chapter membership. She is a member of Network Marketing Pro’s Inaugural Accelerator Mastermind where she continues to be active.
April emerged thriving, dynamic, and resilient from two cancers, inspiring audiences from the US, Europe, South Africa, Central and South America, Asian, and Oceania. She continues to be passionate about the opportunities Toastmasters offers to all. She has the vision to massively grow new clubs and brand new members during the centennial 18 months of Toastmasters International in the District where it all began.
What experience do you have in strategic planning?
Both running my own business in doTERRA for four years, as Club Officers, Club Coaches, Area and Division Director, and in Corporate Accounting and FP&A, I’ve participated in the development, training, and implementation of strategic planning. With clubs and corporate departments of varied departments and temperaments, for each to be successful, while maintaining their uniqness, style, and manner.
What experience do you have in the area of finance?
Former Corporate Accounting and Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) for various Fortune 500 companies including Xidex, BHP Minerals, DHL, and Oracle.
What experience do you have in developing procedures?
What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?
Why do you want to serve as a District leader?
In your opinion, what are the District mission’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?
Additional information about yourself: