District 99 Leadership Spotlight on the Public Relations Manager

Leadership in Action

“Every message matters. Every story connects. Every member deserves to be seen.”

The Public Relations Manager (PRM) is the voice and vision behind District 99’s brand. Working closely with the District Trio and PR team, the PRM is responsible for internal and external communications, social media, newsletters, media outreach, and public image strategy.

However, this role is more than just posting and issuing press releases. It’s about storytelling. It’s about creating visibility for clubs, sharing member success, and inspiring engagement across the District and beyond.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and implement a District-wide Communication Plan
• Oversee the District’s website, social media, newsletter, and media relations
• Promote District events, club achievements, and Toastmasters awareness
• Uphold Toastmasters International’s brand standards and guidelines
• Collaborate with other District leaders, especially Club Growth and Program Quality, to align messaging and strategy
• Lead a team of content creators, social media volunteers, editors, and designers (if available)

What You’ll Learn (Core Competencies)

Serving as PRM will sharpen skills that are vital in any professional or creative role, including:

• Strategic Leadership: Align messaging with District goals, anticipate needs, and proactively shape communications.
• Public Speaking: Represent the District in videos, interviews, or promotional events.
• Management: Coordinate a communications team, delegate tasks, and manage timelines.
• Interpersonal Communication: Collaborate with volunteers across all levels and nurture club engagement.
• Confidence: Develop your voice as a visible leader — and help others find theirs.

Pathways Tie-Ins: Turn Content Into Capstone Projects

Many Toastmasters forget that all activities can be eligible for Pathways project credit. Consider this as you take on new roles in your Club and beyond. Not sure how your District-level leadership applies to Pathways? Contact the District Program Quality Director for more info.

The PRM role is a goldmine for relevant Pathways projects at every level:

• Level 3 Electives:
  • Make Connections Through Networking
  • Connect with Your Audience
  • Focus on the Positive
• Level 4 Electives:
  • Public Relations Strategies (ideal!)
  • Write a Compelling Blog
  • Create a Podcast
  • Building a Social Media Presence
• Level 5 Electives:
  • High Performance Leadership (lead a PR campaign or major initiative)
  • Lessons Learned (reflective storytelling)
  • Prepare to Speak Professionally (representing the District externally)
  • Ethical Leadership (brand guardianship and responsible messaging)

Pro Tip: Keep a communications portfolio — newsletters, social posts, campaign metrics — to support your Pathways evaluations and future leadership opportunities.

Experience-Based Career Competency

The PRM role is more than marketing. It’s a hands-on opportunity to lead storytelling, brand alignment, and communications strategy at scale. Every campaign, newsletter, and social post builds portfolio-worthy experience that maps directly to the skills sought in communications, public engagement, and digital strategy roles across Canada. Here’s how your time as PRM connects to Toastmasters Pathways and the Skills for Success framework.

Testimonial

“When I accepted the role of Public Relations Manager for Toastmasters District 42—covering all of Alberta and Saskatchewan—I genuinely felt like I’d bitten off more than I could chew. But as I leaned into the role, it opened the door to an incredible range of opportunities in speaking, leadership, and legacy-building within the district.

I had the privilege of travelling across the region, promoting district conferences, contests, and events. Along the way, I learned what it really takes to be an effective marketing and communications leader. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but stepping into this role gave me the foundation I needed to start marketing my own business with confidence and clarity.

Collaboration was a key part of my success—I recruited a volunteer who became our “social media queen,” and I worked closely with the District Trio to ensure our messaging was aligned, timely, and effective across all channels. We worked tirelessly to create programs and speak at business events, supporting corporate club building.

This wasn’t just about internal communications. As part of our district initiatives, I had the chance to represent Toastmasters on radio and television—something I had never done before. It was nerve-wracking, yes, but also invaluable. That kind of real-world exposure sharpened my communication skills far beyond the club setting.

We often talk about developing communication and leadership within Toastmasters—but this role took it to another level. Through the speeches, presentations, and events I led at clubs, areas, and divisions across the district, I accelerated my personal growth. By the end of my term, I had not only grown as a speaker and professional, but I had also completed enough presentations and projects to earn my Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) designation.

Serving as District Public Relations Manager didn’t just help the district—it transformed me.”

Marc Haine – District Public Relations Manager D42 – 2014/2015

Next Steps

If you’re passionate about communications, branding, writing, media, or design (or want to build those skills), the PRM role is the perfect fit.

Reach out to the current PRM () or District Director () to learn more about timelines, onboarding, and how you can prepare for this exciting opportunity.

Your voice matters. And as PRM, you’ll use it to amplify others.