Page 40 - April 2020

LEANNA LISTENS

Syrene Glade, DTM
Beyond My Comfort Zone

Leanna Lindquist, DTM

I met Syrena years ago at a Toastmasters event. She has
a history of District involvement. You may have seen her
compete in speech contests. She has served as a District

Governor and volunteered at TLI. Last year she generously
donated one of her paintings to benefit the Prison Foundation.
Her home club is Tualatin Valley Toastmasters.

Tell us about Syrena I’ve done some translation work, but most

I grew up in a small town in the central of my professional experience has been in

coast range of Oregon. My school was technical support and customer service.
a single building from K-12 that housed I’d like to do something different, but this
approximately 250 students at the time. seems to be where my skills lie. If I could
When I wasn’t studying I was probably survive creating or teaching art, that’s what

creating art on my bedroom walls or riding I would be doing.
my horse. I was lucky to graduate in the
80s and have a full scholarship to a local What brought you to Toastmasters?

school provided by a grant to all graduates While I’m good at helping people, I haven’t

of two small Oregon logging towns by a always been an effective communicator or
philanthropist logging family. team player. I had a boss who essentially told
I started college with intentions to be a me that I needed to become a more effective
maths major, but I ended up majoring in communicator or find a new job. I joined

Spanish with nearly enough credits for a Toastmasters, and the rest, as they say, is
maths minor. I continued to graduate school history. I’ve been in Toastmasters now for
where I taught beginning Spanish and over 11 years, and I still enjoy it immensely.
completed my Master of Arts in Spanish.
I’ve also studied French, Russian, German, How do you use your Toastmaster
and some Japanese. The only languages I skills outside your meetings?

still speak from time to time are Spanish I used it more when I was a team lead then
and French. manager at my previous position, but now

40 ONE COMMUNITY