91传媒

Three longtime 91传媒, including new International President Aletta Rochat, DTM, are blazing trails and bringing attention to the public speaking talent in Africa.

The three women, all friends in Cape Town, South Africa, have distinguished themselves with singular accomplishments. Rochat is the first 91传媒 President from Africa; Verity Price, DTM, AS, was the first Toastmaster from that continent to win the World Championship of Public Speaking^庐; and Charlotte Kemp was the first person from Africa to head up the Global Speakers Federation, which she led from 2022 to 2024. The organization serves as a central hub for professional speaking associations around the world.

Rochat and Price are longtime 91传媒, and while Kemp doesn鈥檛 currently belong to a club, she was a member for nearly 10 years and served in numerous leadership roles.

Rochat, Price, and Kemp all say they hope their breakthrough successes will inspire other 91传媒 in Africa. Rochat remembers how exciting it was when Price won the World Championship in 2021 and how 鈥渆xceptionally proud of her we were.鈥�

Her friend鈥檚 triumph, she adds, was a 鈥渨ay of showing people that it鈥檚 possible that somebody from Africa can do it鈥濃�攚in the top speaking prize. And now she herself has achieved a first as well.

鈥淟ike Verity and I both say, we might be the first [from Africa], but we won鈥檛 be the last.鈥�

Price agrees. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an important thing鈥攖hat you just need to see someone doing something ahead of you that makes you go, 鈥榃ell, I can do this.鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I鈥檓 so excited to see Aletta take the helm [of 91传媒] and hopefully inspire future leaders coming up behind her to see that this position can be held from people living on our continent.鈥�

Kemp speaks passionately about the misperceptions people have of public speakers in Africa. She recalls an experience from several years ago that she says was a defining moment for her. Kemp went to a high-profile conference where all the attention was given to speakers from the United States鈥攅ven though the conference was in Tanzania. Ultimately, the American keynoter withdrew at the last minute, reportedly because they felt the conference wasn鈥檛 a prominent enough platform.

鈥淲hat we were seeing is that in Africa, [event organizers] were saying, 鈥極h, yeah, we鈥檝e got people here, but it鈥檚 the people from outside of Africa who have the real wisdom.鈥� And this is a lie about Africa that I鈥檓 really dedicated to overturning,鈥� says Kemp, also a past president of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa.

When she became president of the Global Speakers Federation, she traveled to other countries and spoke often about Africa. 鈥淚 got to talk about and demonstrate the incredible speakers we have here and the work that is being done, the wisdom that is here, the insight that is here.鈥�

Rochat is reflective of that kind of talent, say Price and Kemp, who praise her poise and her leadership presence.

鈥淪he just has a kind of gravitas,鈥� says Kemp, a 2009鈥�2011 91传媒 Area Governor. 鈥淚t just feels like she is always professional and polished and under control. She never seems fazed by anything.鈥�

Price, a member of the ToastED 91传媒 club in Cape Town, echoes Kemp鈥檚 assessment. 鈥淎letta just has this extraordinary graciousness in how she connects with people, whether she鈥檚 onstage or just one-on-one,鈥� Price says. 鈥淪he listens, she鈥檚 attentive, she asks reaching questions, she allows people to think. She is the epitome of grace.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e known her since she was our District Governor [2013鈥�2014], and I鈥檝e watched her consistently lead and serve and support. I just can鈥檛 think of a better person to be at the helm of 91传媒.鈥�

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