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RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., June 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Toastmasters announced an impressive lineup of speakers for its 2015 International Convention, held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas Aug. 12-15. Thought leaders with backgrounds in mentoring, entrepreneurship, entertainment, law, comedy, accounting and more will share their insights and expertise. Attendance at this annual event is expected to exceed 2,000 people.

"We're excited about the diverse group of dynamic and inspiring speakers at this year's convention," says Mohammed Murad, Toastmasters 2014-15 International President. "Each presenter is highly regarded and proves by their own examples how important leadership and communication skills are to achieving success."

Patricia Fripp will deliver the keynote presentation during the Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Fripp is an award-winning keynote speaker, business presentation expert, sales trainer and in-demand speech coach to executives and celebrity speakers. Meetings & Conventions magazine named her "One of the 10 most electrifying speakers in North America." She delivers high-energy, high-content and dramatically memorable presentations.

World-renowned economics professor and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus will be honored as the recipient of Toastmasters' 2015 Golden Gavel award. The prestigious award is presented annually to an individual distinguished in the fields of communication and leadership. Yunus joins an illustrious list of Golden Gavel honorees that includes Walter Cronkite, Anthony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Robin Sharma and John C. Maxwell.

Other expert presenters include:

• Judy Carter, Author of The Comedy Bible – a bestselling book on how to turn problems into punch lines. As a child with a speech impediment, Carter found a way to turn being laughed at into a standup career. She has performed on over 100 TV shows and was nominated for Atlantic City Entertainer of the Year.
• Tim Gard will present Laughter Becomes You, where he will teach the audience how they can use humor in their presentation to connect to any audience. Tim has spoken at more than 2,000 events worldwide from Texas to Tasmania and was selected by Meeting Planners Magazine as one of the "best speakers ever seen or heard on the main stage."
• Darren LaCroix, 2001 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking. Darren travels the world demystifying the process of creating powerful presentations. With his inspirational story "from Chump to Champ," he shows people that anything is possible if you are willing to learn and have the right mentor.
• Dana LaMon, 1992 Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking. Blinded at four years old, LaMon is a retired judge and has been a professional speaker and author since 1991. He has spoken to audiences from Asia to South Africa, including more than 35 U.S. states.
• Alex Malley, Alex's bestselling book, The Naked CEO, was borne out of the success of his popular mentoring community (thenakedceo.com), and combines his candid, real-life stories with practical career and life guidance. He is the CEO of CPA Australia, as well as a TV host and blogger for The Huffington Post. Malley was recently was invited to join an exclusive group of global leaders to become a LinkedIn influencer, where he shares his leadership and career insights via regular blog posts.
• Marilyn Tam, Formerly CEO of Aveda, president of Reebok and vice president of Nike, Marilyn is a speaker, author, and founder and executive director of Us Foundation. Inc. magazine ranks her as one of the top 100 leadership speakers in the world. Her life is an inspiring example of what can be achieved when following one's dreams. She grew up as an abused and neglected child in Hong Kong, and left home as a teen to come to the United States alone. By following her life mission, she achieved international business and humanitarian success.

To learn more about the 2015 International Convention, Aug. 12-15, and obtain a complete schedule of events, including the Opening Ceremonies, Education Sessions and the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking, visit http://www.toastmasters.org/Events/2015-International-Convention. The public is welcome to attend.

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, California, the organization's membership exceeds 313,000 in more than 14,650 clubs in 126 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