Kimberly Myers, DTM

Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a Board Member:

Kim is a Senior Product Manager at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The products she supports range from the application that insurance companies and jurisdictions use to license companies to applications that support the members (insurance commissioners for the 56 US jurisdictions) which include both financial applications and applications used to assign members to critical committees. Serving as a Product Owner is a service leadership position advocating for the users and business owners of the products. She believes that user experience is critical to all end users of products.

What experience do you have in strategic planning?

Having served on the Toastmasters International Board of Directors, she has been involved in the strategic planning for the organization from 2022 to 2024. Additionally, as Product Owner at the NAIC, Kim has been involved in setting strategy and priority for work being done for the teams she supports. Prior to working at the NAIC, Kim worked as an Application Architect as a major financial firm setting the long-term direction for the computer systems that supported the company. Since the software and technology infrastructure was the business of the company, this critical role directly supported the company's financial success.

What experience do you have in the area of finance?

Having supported the financial system for a major financial company, Kim's financial expertise is varied, from supporting the applications that manage the back-office work for mutual fund and retirement applications, to how insurance companies file their financial applications. Additionally, Kim was the architect that supports the Department of Labor. A member of the Board at Toastmasters, Kim has been involved in approval and discussion of the budget for the organization.

What experience do you have in developing policies?

Setting policies is part of the role of a member of the Board of Directors. Policies that aid members are a component of the role. Serving as a Region Advisor helped Kim in understanding a broader range of the needs of members and leadership of the organization.

What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?

Leadership means listening, advocating, putting others before self. As a member of the Board, it meant learning that negative comments are to be expected and encouraged. Leadership is an evolving process for every leader.

What experience and key strengths would you bring to the Board of Directors?

Kim's major strengths are focusing on members and the member experience in Toastmasters. She also understands that service lead organizations have unique needs that must be recognized and addressed. Having been both a support liaison for the NAIC Board and as a member of the Board gives her a unique insight into the difference between the operational and strategic parts of an organization that is member based and funded.

Why do you want to serve as an International Officer/Director?

As a Past International Director just completing her term in office, Kim strongly believes that continuing the vision set during that term is important to leaders and members of the organization at this time. Coming out of the pandemic and rapid changes for the organization, we cannot wait to make tough decisions that impact the future of the organization as we enter our next one hundred years of existence building confidence for speakers and leaders. Members of the Executive set the momentum of the organization.

What volunteer experience do you have outside of Toastmasters?

Kim is has been dedicated speech and debate contestant and judge since she joined the activity at the age of 14. Additionally, Kim works with the Great Communicator Debate series which focuses on our leaders of the future by engaging in civil discourse.

Have you worked with other Boards of Directors outside of Toastmasters? If so, describe your experience.

Kim supports the Board of Directors of the NAIC as support liaison as well involvement in other aspects of supporting our members.

In your opinion, what are Toastmasters International’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?

In order to thrive the next one hundred years, the organization needs to be on a strong financial foundation. Additionally, we must support our clubs and members and all levels of volunteer leaders. Our District leaders are essentially a part of the organizations operational arm and must have the support to the work necessary for success of the organization. This success includes retaining members and growing members in both existing and new clubs. I would help by working on strategies to help the organization to be successful and financially strong.

Additional information about candidate:

Kim loves bowling, reading, and learning. She has a daughter who lives in Australia and two sons who live much closer to her.