FRIDAY SPEAKER
Françeska Davidhin
Françeska Davidhi is an electrical engineer with 8 years of professional experience in electrical system design, project coordination, and energy management. Her proactive approach has also led her to self-train in Web Development and Project Management, broadening her technical and managerial capabilities. A passionate communicator and writer, Françeska has been a dynamic member of Toastmasters for nearly two years, serving in key roles such as Vice President of Education for Toastmasters Tirana and Vice President of Membership for Toastmasters Maastricht. Her commitment to effective communication, leadership, and public speaking is a cornerstone of her professional philosophy. She is fluent in Albanian and English, possesses intermediate proficiency in Italian and Spanish, and has basic knowledge of German and Dutch. In addition to her engineering career, Françeska has a profound interest in scenic and visual arts and theatre, which fosters her creativity and expression. Her driven force lies in the desire to contribute to impactful initiatives, larger than herself. Her guiding motto is: “We can be whoever we want to be if we have the courage to dream big.”
SATURDAY SPEAKERS
Mila Myrsep
Mila is the founder and CEO of Word for Word, based in Zurich (Switzerland), which specialises in language, communication and business management services. She holds BScs in International Management and Translation and an MSc in Mentoring & Coaching. Her professional experience and trajectory include working for and with corporate, government and non-profit organisations. Mila has been a member of the Zurich Toastmasters Club since 2014. She is the 2024 Public Speaking Champion – Continental Europe, and a 2024 World Championships of Public Speaking semi-finalist. A firm believer in making the most of every opportunity that life presents, Mila is delighted to be a Keynote Speaker at the Tirana Winter Event, and for the opportunity to share lessons learned from be(com)ing a world semi-finalist.
Carina Schey
Carina calls herself a Toastmasters junkie. Carina has held multiple officer roles, and has been the District Administration Manager for two consecutive years. While she has won the International Speech Contest and Evaluation Contest at District level, and been awarded Toastmaster of the Year in 2020, her real passion is helping others find their voice. She is a TEDx speaker trainer and currently mentors several Toastmasters members across multiple countries. In her professional life, Carina is passionate about helping patients with rare diseases obtain effective treatments.
Andy Barbiero
Lisa Marie Gelhaus
isa Marie Gelhaus has been speaking in public almost as long as she can breathe, and she waited way too long before joining Toastmasters in 2018. Now she’s hooked. Her love of rhetoric, debate, public speaking, and general mouthing off has taken her from Debate Team and Forensics Championships in high school to National Speaking Finals in college, to organizing conferences and other major events, to opening her first company: WordWorks Express Your Business. This boutique training firm, based in Bologna, Italy, specializes in training executive teams in international companies in the art, science, and practice of business presenting. Half of her team she met in Toastmasters, and she regularly collaborates with other Toastmasters in coaching TEDx events around Italy. She’s a member and Vice President Education (VPE) of Toastmasters Two Towers Bologna and a founding member and VPE of EloquenTIS. In her already busy free time, Lisa loves to hang out at jazz jam sessions, where she can belt out a tune with the best of them. For fun, she also plays grandma for two adorable grandsons.
Yoko Owatari
Yoko Owatari has been a committed member of Toastmasters since 2019, participating in four clubs across Switzerland. Her love for public speaking and storytelling has encouraged her to take part in various speech contests. In 2024, Yoko was grateful to become the Division D Speech Contest Champion in all three categories. She also placed second in the Table Topics contest and third in the International Speech Contest at the District level. Yoko’s passion for storytelling is a key part of her speaking journey. She believes that stories have the power to connect with audiences on a deeper level and leave a meaningful impact. Her speeches are known for their engaging narratives and thoughtful messages. Through her involvement in Toastmasters, Yoko has focused on improving her communication and leadership skills, and she enjoys encouraging others to find their voice and share their stories. Her dedication to storytelling and personal growth is appreciated in the Toastmasters community. Yoko continues to support and mentor fellow members, fostering a positive environment where everyone can grow and achieve their speaking goals.
Deniz Senelt Kalelioglu
District 109 Division H Immediate Past Director Deniz Senelt Kalelioglu is an executive coach, an international master trainer, a learning & development consultant, and the founder of ProAkademi Consulting. She believes in life-long learning, has an MA in Cognitive Psychology and is pursuing a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She is the co-author of the cross-cultural book ‘Destination Facilitation’. Over the past 23 years she has designed and delivered face to face workshops for 100 nationalities in 35 countries, with more than 10000 hours of speaking in front of participants. Deniz was awarded ’Most Outstanding Trainer’ by JCI, received a Lifetime Achievement award from IUPT, and the Presidential Citation award from Toastmasters International in 2018. In addition to her involvement in other international NGOs, she has been an active Toastmasters member since 2007 who enjoys the camaraderie. She became a DTM in 2014, and DTM in Pathways in 2020. She has served in several officer roles, as well as being a trainer, Club Coach, Club Mentor and Club Sponsor. Having been to 90 countries, Deniz loves traveling and diversity, and even more her daughter Denise Zeyno, their Irish setter Star, and her fellow Toastmasters.
Deniz Senelt Kalelioglu
Born with the support of Jupiter, Hasan is a Storyteller, as foretold by his birth chart. For years, he has been on a quest within his Toastmasters journey, seeking what story to tell. His favorite path has always been Storytelling. In a world where children grow up with stories, one of his greatest strengths is telling stories to adults. He is a public speaking coach, mentor and digital transformation expert, and has been a Toastmaster for over 10 years. He won the Turkiye Public Speaking Championship in 2016. He has many original tales waiting to become children’s books, and Swami Hiro is one of the characters he created. Whenever he needs to tell an important story, he seeks help from Swami.
Anastasia Salichou
Anastasia Salichou is the Division G Director for 2024-2025. She has been an active Toastmaster for five years, demonstrating unwavering dedication to leadership and growth. She previously served as Area Director G1 (2023-2024) and held multiple club officer roles, including Vice President Education (VPE), President, Vice President Membership (VPM), and Vice President Public Relations (VPPR) for Glyfada Toastmasters Club. Through these roles, Anastasia has inspired countless members to achieve their goals and unlock their potential. Anastasia is also a Transformation Coach and Energy Healer, committed to helping individuals discover their unique talents and apply them in life and business. Her work focuses on empowering clients to build inner confidence, find their authentic voices, and lead purpose-driven lives. Passionate about personal growth and connection, she believes that storytelling and authentic communication are transformative tools for creating meaningful change.