The purpose of the Communication and Leadership Award is to honour a non-toastmaster who has made substantial contributions in communication and leadership within our community.
It is presented at our annual conference at a special lunch held in their honour. Past recipients (please see the full list at the bottom of this page) include:
- Angie Peters – President & CEO, Yonge Street Mission
- Cindy Yelle – CEO, Canadian Olympic Foundation
- Mark Wafer – Tim Hortons franchise owner, and advocate for individuals with disabilities
If you have a hero / heroine that you would like to see honoured, please nominate them for the 2026 award which will be presented on April 25, 2026 at the annual conference.
The criteria, process and nomination form are all below.
Thank you!
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Criteria used for the award recipient selection:
- Must be a resident of or work within the geographical area covered by District 60
- Must currently be a non-Toastmaster, can be a former Toastmaster
- They have distinguished themselves as leaders or spokespersons for a worthy cause or purpose clearly demonstrating their communication and leadership skills
- They have made a significant contribution to their community
- Must be able to personally accept the award and give an acceptance address at the District 60 Annual Conference on April 25, 2026.
- This award may not be presented to a recipient a second time
Nomination Information:
- Any District 60 Toastmaster in good standing may submit a nomination for the award. If you wish to nominate more than one person, please submit separate entries for each individual. The Nomination Form and any supplemental information should be sent to the Program Quality Director (PQD@Toastmasters60.com) using the format provided on the Nomination Form below.
- Nominations must be submitted by the nominations due date of March 31, 2026. The District Trio will only consider nominations submitted by this date.
- The District Trio will decide which nominee, if any, is worthy of the award. A majority vote will make the decision.
- If a majority of the Trio feels that no nominations merit the award, then no award will be made for that year.
- If an award is to be given, the District 60 Director will contact the recipient to inform them that they have been selected to receive the award, and advise the recipient that they must make an acceptance address at the District Annual Conference as a condition of receiving the award.
Presentation:
The Communication and Leadership award will be presented at the District 60 Annual Conference. The award is given in the form of a plaque and is engraved with the recipient’s name, year of the award, name of the award, and other pertinent information.
Nomination Form:
Please click here for the nomination form.
For more information, please contact: Yukta, District 60 Program Quality Director 2025/26, PQD@toastmasters60.com.
Past Recipients:
2025: Lynda Tilley, Executive Director Moorelands Kids
2024: Sherri Freedman, Special Advisor to the President & CEO of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
2023: Angie Peters, President & CEO, Yonge Street Mission
2022: Jennifer Bernard, CFRE, President & CEO, Women’s College Hospital Foundation
2021: Cindy Yelle, CEO, Canadian Olympic Foundation
2019: Blake Goldring, Executive Chairman, AGF Management Ltd.
2018 Spring: Dr. Ann Cavoukian
2017 Fall: Darrell Gregersen, President & CEO CAMH Foundation
2017 Spring: Mark Wafer, Tim Hortons franchise owner, and advocate for individuals with disabilities
2016 Fall: Betsy McGregor
2016 Spring: Mark Rodgers, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada
2015 Fall: Jim Clemmer
2015 Spring: Carla Kisko
2014 Fall: Ophira Ginsburg
2014 Spring: Carolyn MacKenzie
2013 Fall 2: Dave Perry & Rocco Rossi
2013 Spring: Yvette Nechvatal-Drew
2012 Fall: David Bronskill
2012 Spring: Gery Rockstein
2011 Fall: Nancy Graham
2011 Spring: Rona Maynard
2010 Fall: Christine Magee
2010 Spring: Christine Bentley
2009 Fall: Joe Millage
2009 Spring: Dr. Rick Tobias
2008 Fall: Audrey M. Loeb
2008 Spring: Mary Thornton
2007 Fall: Hon. James K. Bartleman
2006 Fall: Brenda Herchmer
2006 Spring: Dr. Gordon L. Flett
2005 Fall: Ed Holder
2005 Spring: Karen Lieberman
2004 Fall: Richard Rohmer, Major-General (ret.)
2004 Spring: Rukhsana Khan
2003 Fall: Lewis McKenzie, Major-General (ret.)
Region VI: Warren Evans
2003 Spring: Laurie Williamson
2002 Fall: Christine Dernederlanden
2002 Spring: Ken Shaw
2001 Fall: Helen Connell
2001 Spring: Robin Sharma
2000 Fall: Bill Carroll
2000 Spring: Sue Johanson
1999 Fall: Todd Brooker
1999 Spring: Erin Davis
1998 Fall: Christopher J. Randall
1998 Spring: Michael “Pinball” Clemens
1997 Joan Homer
1996 Fall: Judy Gibson
1996 Spring: Frank C. Buckley
1995 Peter Urs Bender
1994 Roberta Bondar
1993 Ronald McDonald House Daily Bread Foodbank
1991 Her Worship the Mayor Hazel McCallion
1990 Telephone Pioneers of America, Northern Telecom Canada
1989 The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander
1988 Bill Simpkins
1987 Bob Proctor
1985 W. Bill Moody
1984 George B. Weber
1983 D. K. (Don) McIvor
1980 Don Herron
1979 Paul Victor Godfrey
1977 Laura Sabia
1976 Lynne Gordon
1975 Clarence F. Meyers
1974 J. Arthur Robertson
