Palmdale resident finds success as Accredited Speaker

Author, speaker and corporate educator becomes 67th Toastmaster to earn professional designation

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Oct 27, 2015, 08:05 ET

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellie Kay of Palmdale, Calif., didn't join Toastmasters because she feared public speaking. A professional speaker, she joined to practice her new material before presenting it to large groups. She also wanted to help other speakers move their presentations skills from good to great. To further advance her speaking skills, Kay recently earned the Accredited Speaker designation – the most prestigious title offered by Toastmasters International.

"I am so thrilled to be an Accredited Speaker," says Kay. "I look forward to the opportunity to help others in their speaking journey even as I have been encouraged by so many in this pathway to Accredited Speaker."

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit, educational organization devoted to communication and leadership skills development. Those seeking a career in professional speaking can apply for the Accredited Speaker designation, which includes a rigorous set of requirements, including the presentation of at least 25 speeches before various audiences within three years. The presentations must vary in topic and purpose, and include speeches that persuade, entertain, inform and motivate. Only 66 other Toastmasters have earned the title since the Accredited Speaker program began in 1981.

Kay works as a family finance expert for Fortune 500 companies. As a keynote speaker at conferences and events, she mixes humor with hard facts to spread her message about making smart financial decisions.

Kay's true passion is advising military families on finance—a topic she knows intimately. Raised in a military family (her father served in the Navy and in the Air Force, and her grandfather served in the Army Air Corps during WWII), Kay married a fighter pilot and was one of a handful of U.S. Air Force spouses who graduated as a Master Trainer through the Army Family Team Building training and awareness program. Of the couple's seven children, three are serving in the U.S. military—one is in the Marine Corps (USNA 2011), another is in the Air Force (USAFA 2015) and another is in the Army (USMA 2017). As an Admissions Liaison Officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy, she has counseled and mentored high school students on admissions requirements for the academy.

Her career has taken her far, both literally and figuratively. Kay travels the world providing financial literacy education to families who live on U.S. Air Force bases. "It's where my passion and profession overlap," she says. "I love helping these military families." She sits on the advisory board of the Military Family Advisory Network and has received the Army's highest civilian medal, the Dr. Mary E. Walker Award, for outstanding dedication to improving the quality of life for soldiers and their families.

Since its founding in 1924, Toastmasters International has helped more than four million men and women become more confident in their speaking and leadership skills. The organization's membership exceeds 332,000 in more than 15,400 clubs in 135 countries.

Kay can be reached at [email protected], www.elliekay.com or (661) 274-2008. For more information on the Accredited Speaker Program or Toastmasters International, please call (949) 858-8255 or visit www.toastmasters.org.

About Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., the organization's membership exceeds 332,000 in more than 15,400 clubs in 135 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.

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SOURCE Toastmasters International