Burrard Toastmasters
Vancouver's leading business-oriented public speaking club
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Club Executive

Emmanuelle Forest, Club President
Emmanuelle joined Toastmasters in February 2024 through an online club in Ottawa, and joined Burrard in March 2025.

Emmanuelle is passionate about Toastmasters as a tool for personal growth and learning to face and overcome fears and challenges. Burrard has been a great, friendly, and fun club to work on these goals.

As Club President, Emmanuelle is looking forward to helping members achieve their goals, and continuing the Burrard and Toastmasters mission to provide members and guests with a safe and supportive environment to learn in, face fears, take chances, grow and thrive in their personal journey.

Outside of Toastmasters, Emmanuelle enjoys all things health and fitness, hiking, walking along the sea wall, and reading. In 2026, she is looking forward to trying Hyrox, going hiking on the West Coast Trail, and achieving Level 4 of her Presentation Mastery Pathway.

The Club President leads the club, inspires members, and chairs meetings.

Deema Zaher, VP Education
Deema joined Burrard Toastmasters in October 2025 and currently serves as Vice President Education. She is passionate about clear communication, continuous learning, and creating welcoming spaces where people can grow their confidence as speakers and leaders.

Outside of Toastmasters, Deema is passionate about cybersecurity and enjoys helping others stay safe online. Feel free to reach out to her with any cybersecurity-related questions. She also loves learning new languages, traveling, and is always curious about different cultures and perspectives from around the world.

The VP Education plans weekly meetings and encourages members to work on their Pathway programs.

Sasha Denysiuk, VP Membership
Oleksandra (Sasha) joined Burrard Toastmasters in October 2024, and the club has already made a significant impact on her personal and professional life. As an Account Manager, she brings strong relationship-building skills and is dedicated to fostering a positive, welcoming environment for both new and experienced members. Sasha's goal is to ensure that more people join Burrard Toastmasters, experience a smooth transition, and achieve lasting personal growth and confidence through their journey.

Sasha is passionate about building connections among club members and believes in the power of collaboration to drive success. Outside of Toastmasters, she enjoys swimming, reading, playing the piano, and spending quality time with her family.

The VP Membership builds membership and handles membership applications.

Tannaz Alesafar, VP Public Relations

The VP Public Relations manages our social media and handles guest inquiries.

Alexander Janusz, Treasurer/Past President
Alex joined Burrard Toastmasters in early 2023. Naturally a numbers person, Alex is striving to build his communication skills at Toastmasters, and enjoys the fun and supportive meeting environment. In his spare time, Alex is an avid DIY'er, cook, and backcountry skier.

Alex is happy to be on the executive this year and support the club.

The Treasurer manages the club's finances. The Past President provides guidance and ensures the club is run smoothly.

Ken Bell, Sergeant-At-Arms
Ken has been with Burrard Toastmasters since 1986. Throughout various clubs, he has held every executive role multiple times. He has been Club President three times.

Originally a very shy person, Ken credits his modest success in life to speaking abilities he developed at Burrard. He is committed to a safe and fun public speaking environment, with rapid progress through the educational materials, harmony, and inclusion. Partly due to his gentle guidance, over one thousand Burrard alumni now occupy positions of influence worldwide.

The Sergeant-at-Arm sets up the room before a meeting, cleans up the room after the meeting, and brings meetings to order.

Nam Phan, Secretary
Nam has been with Burrard Toastmasters since the fall of 2000. Over the years, he has come to appreciate the importance of effective communication and constructive feedback. He sees every meeting as an opportunity to learn, improve, and grow.

As Secretary, Nam will put his listening and note-taking skills to the test as he records Executive meeting minutes. He will also support other Club Executives in keeping the club strong and help members become confident communicators.

Nam has an IT background and an interest in financial markets. He enjoys watching hockey, MMA, and The Amazing Race.

The Secretary maintains supplies and takes minutes at Executive meetings.