Fusion Toastmasters Amsterdam

Fusion Toastmasters Amsterdam recently took time to reflect on who we are as a club, what is working well, and, even more importantly, where we can improve.

Fusion is an international club, shaped by multiple cultures and different ways of communicating. That diversity is one of our core strengths. To take a step back and learn from this community, we had an open discussion based on the results of our annual survey, "Moments of Truth", where this year 37 out of 40 members shared their feedback to help us better understand the club experience and identify opportunities to grow even stronger.

This discussion was hosted by our President, Naomi Bugre, with active participation from members and the newly elected Executive Committee Peter Akkies, Thaís Silvestre Sier, Léa Froehlich, Alperen Erkek, Wael Mashini, David Schuster, Katrina Ause and Marius Gheldiu.

The insights from this survey will help guide the current Executive Committee’s policies and initiatives as we continue working to improve the club experience for everyone.

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 𝗙𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀

Fusion Toastmasters Amsterdam is pleased to announce the outcome of this year’s club elections, hosted by our Election Master, Judson Rollins.

Please join us in congratulating the newly elected Executive Committee for 2026–2027:

President: Peter Akkies
Vice President Education: Thaís Silvestre Sier
Vice President Membership: Léa Froehlich
Vice President Public Relations: Alperen Erkek
Secretary: Wael Mashini
Treasurer: David Schuster
Sergeant at Arms: Katrina Ause and Marius Gheldiu

Naomi Bugre, our current president, will also join the new Executive Committee as Immediate Past President.

Congratulations to all those stepping into these leadership roles. We wish you every success as you take the helm of Fusion Toastmasters Amsterdam for the year ahead.

The newly elected officers will officially begin their terms on 1 July 2026.

Fusion Toastmasters Amsterdam is pleased to welcome our final new member of this membership round.

Please give a warm welcome to Daria Golub!

When asked why she joined Fusion Toastmasters:

"When I visited Fusion for the first time, my first impression was: 'I want to be part of this community.' I see it as a place where growth and fun, a high bar and humility meet in the best possible way."

Welcome to the community, Daria. We are glad to have you, and we look forward to listening to your icebreaker speech on the Fusion stage

Click or Connect?

Last week at Fusion Toastmasters Amsterdam, our host Min Shi set the tone with one question: when we stop asking real people for advice and default to AI, what happens to human connection?

Four speakers took the stage:

Thaís Silvestre Sier on the resilience of making a foreign country your home.

Hyowon Kim on the stories we tell ourselves - and whether they move us forward or hold us back.

Ruby Singh on the masks we wear with different people.

José Cruz on why being right is not enough - and why Aristotle had it figured out.

🏆 Best Speech: José Cruz
🏆 Best Table Topics: Wouter Gowdy
🏆 Best Evaluator: Christa Beck

Curious about Fusion Toastmasters Amsterdam? Link in bio.

Put your phone down.

Last meeting, Megan Mai hosted a meeting focused on one simple behavior: be present. No screens, just attention.

We heard:

- Alejandro, back after 6+ years, recommitting to his speaking journey

- Federico Varela Mazzantini, revealing a “silent killer” hiding in plain sight

- Wouter Gowdy, on banking, change, and resistance

- Francisca Urrutia Zapata, connecting stories across time

🏆 Best Speech: Francisca Urrutia Zapata
🏆 Best Table Topics: Grace (guest)
🏆 Best Evaluator: Sabyasachi Sengupta

Want to know more about Fusion? Check the link in bio!