International Speech Contestants 2024

(in alphabetical order)

  • Dan Magill
  • Deepak Caurasia
  • Elizabeth Queenan
  • Ga Lok Chung
  • Isaac Baker
  • Sushil Rapatwar
  • Swarajit Das
  • Thibault Grumett

Evaluation Contestants 2024

(in alphabetical order)

  • Abigail Norman
  • Allen Paul
  • Bruno Marques
  • Catalina Rosca
  • Chris Merchant
  • Ga Lok Chung
  • Lewis Kyriakou
  • Samir Malak

Humorous Speech Contestants 2024

(in alphabetical order)

  • Andy Tulley
  • Dan Magill
  • Emmet Naughton
  • Ga Lok Chung
  • Lewis Kyriacou
  • Richard Sharkey
  • Tom Price
  • Violeta Saladiene

Table Topics Speech Contestants 2024

(in alphabetical order)

  • Anthea Armar
  • Carol Bausor
  • Elizabeth Queenan
  • Matthew Robertson
  • Monie Manugue
  • Ryan Al-Hakim
  • Stephen Dance
  • Tim Hammett

Contest Functionaries

Chief Judge

Vanessa King, DTM, brings a wealth of experience to her endeavours, having served in various leadership capacities within the District, including District Director in 2016/2017. Alongside her Toastmasters achievements, she is a passionate educator and teacher-coach and serves her local community as a Borough Councillor.

With over 20 years of teaching experience, Vanessa possesses a deep understanding of how people learn and excels at identifying and overcoming obstacles to progress. Her dedication to empowering individuals in public speaking is evident through her extensive mentoring experience. 

Vanessa’s multifaceted background and commitment to excellence positions her as a trusted advisor and leader in communication, education, and organisational development.

Evaluation Contest Chair

Lucinda joined Toastmasters in 2019 and dived in from the start as a member of Worthing Speakers Club. To date she has completed two pathways, competed up to Division level and served as a Club Sponsor for Sussex Online Speakers. In 2022/2023 she was the President of Sussex Online Speakers and this year is the President of Worthing Speakers Club.

As the current Area Director Elect for H32, she looks forward to widening her Toastmasters network at the conference and by taking on the role of Evaluation Contest Chair. In her professional life Lucinda has been a professional translator for several decades and has a wide network of colleagues in the industry. 

In her spare time she loves walking in the Sussex countryside (and beyond), visiting her family in Singapore, being an active member of a local choir and the High Salvington Windmill Society.

International Speech Contest Chair

Chris Arning is a proud member of Berkeley Square Speakers Club and during his Toastmasters journey he has served as District Public Relations Manager, as well as competing to Division level. 

As the Founder and Director of Creative Semiotics, Chris is passionate about sharing ideas and connecting people around semiotics. As well as co-founding event brand Semiofest, A Celebration of Semiotic Thinking he also set up the Semiotic Thinking Group on LinkedIn in 2010.

Chris is looking forward to hosting the District 91 International Speech Contest and seeing who will go on to represent our District at regional level, and hopefully see a member of our District go on to compete in Anaheim, California this August at the International Convention!

Table Topics Contest Chair

Russell has played an active role in multiple Toastmasters clubs since 2012. These including Riverside Communicators, Woking Speakers & Fluor Farnborough Speakers. He has held multiple roles, up to President level, on each club committee.

He is also the current Division D Director, with responsibility for 19 clubs located in Berkshire, West London and Surrey.

Professionally, Russell has worked in many IT and project management related disciplines for organizations involved in engineering, intellectual property, infrastructure, healthcare, hospitality, legal services and software development.

In his spare time, he is still trying to learn the fourth chord on his the guitar and can be found roadie-ing for various bands across the UK.

Humorous Speech Contest Chair

A member of Toastmasters since 2009, attributes an enhanced quality of life to the experience of throwing fear to the wind, gaining confidence and improving incrementally to Toastmaster meetings. Grosvenor Square Speakers was her alma mater. She is a founder member of City Limits Speakers and briefly a member of 104 London Debaters. Now there’s no stopping her craving stage time! However, back in the day her fear of speaking in public was an obstacle to her pursuing her career as a barrister.

For the past 30 years Jill has been immersed in the world of live performance, mainly working with international classical musicians managing their careers in the UK and abroad, promoting and presenting concerts. In early days she also produced two plays at fringe London theatres. Most recently her time is taken up as International Development Director for the Lerici Music Festival in Italy which takes place in July/August each summer and expanding her current passion for stage time, interviewing artists and hosting events.