Club leadership

Club leadership

The Düsseldorf Toastmasters leadership team is elected every year. Being a club member can be a lot of fun and also help develop valuable leadership skills.

Club year 2026/2027

Thomas Koj, President

Originally, pure curiosity was what drove Thomas to the Düsseldorfer Toastmasters. He simply wanted to try it out for himself. What made him stay, however, was something far bigger: the unique opportunities for growth and the deep, almost family-like sense of togetherness. When he returned after a brief absence and was told from all sides how much he had been missed, he knew: this is no ordinary club, but a genuine community.

In his role as President, Thomas sees himself first and foremost as an enabler and someone who has others’ backs. His goal is to shape the space in a way that allows every board member and every club member to do exactly what moves both the club and each individual forward. In doing so, he focuses on what really matters, and above all, on what brings joy. Because anyone who wants to grow doesn’t need a dry textbook, but a safe space: first take a deep breath, then simply dare to try, and finally master every new challenge together.

 

Dr. Gaby Schilling, Immediate Past President & Vice President easySPEAK 2

As a chemist, Gaby has gained many years of leadership experience in a large international company. Having achieved a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she is currently self-employed as trainer and coach, primarily supporting young scientists who are planning to start a career outside academic research. Her wish to deliver more inspiring speeches has motivated her to join Toastmasters. She enjoys the opportunity to try out something new in an atmosphere of appreciation and to support others in reaching their targets.

 

Björn Schulz, Vice President Education

Björn studied computer science and marketing and is working on a product information system for a large retail group. In his spare time he loves to produce music in his mixing & mastering studio. At a communication seminar in July 2018 he got the tip to visit the Toastmasters which he followed. At the Toastmasters he appreciates the versatile environment and the atmosphere in which members grow as speakers and also in their personality. Since July 2019, he has taken over responsibility for the education program.

 

Emanuel Alvarez, Vice President Mentoring

Emanuel brings many years of experience in the automotive and chemical industries and works as a Supplier Quality Manager, where he supports suppliers and cross-functional teams in the continuous improvement of quality and processes. For him, communication, leadership, and the development of people are just as important as technical excellence.

Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, he has been living in Germany since 2015. He joined Toastmasters with the goal of strengthening his communication skills and overcoming his nervousness when speaking in a foreign language. Today, he sees Toastmasters as a place where people become not only better speakers but also better leaders.

As Vice President Mentoring, he is committed to supporting both new and existing members on their personal development journey and helping everyone find the guidance they need to reach their full potential. His motto is: “Practice makes perfect.”

 

Maximilian Brünnette, Vice President Membership 1

Maximilian combines many years of experience in the hospitality industry, food service, and service management with a passion for personal development and effective communication. Professionally, he works as an independent partner for the hospitality sector. Through his consultancy, Service Excellence Consulting, he helps businesses establish effective structures, strengthen leadership, and sustainably enhance service quality. Since 2025, he has been a member of the Düsseldorfer Toastmasters club. He particularly values the opportunity to continuously develop himself while learning from the experiences and perspectives of others. To him, Toastmasters is a place where people challenge themselves, build confidence, and strengthen their communication skills in a supportive and encouraging environment. His focus is on fostering an open and collaborative atmosphere, providing honest and constructive feedback, and cultivating a club culture where both new and experienced members feel equally welcome.

 

 

Lupus Aulich, Vice President Membership 2

 

 

Malte W. Wilkes, Vice President Special Projects

Malte is honorary president of the BDU “Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater”, author of several books as well as columnist and commentator. Malte has experience – also in TV and radio – from more than 1000 public stage talks as speaker, talk-participant and moderator. His areas of interest are inspiration & innovation, change & growth. His core topics are persuasion techniques in leadership, transformation, advertising but also therapy processes. Malte joined Toastmasters in 2013 to optimize his “5-minute speeches” and to experiment with different speaking techniques. He has reached the highest level as a speaker at Toastmasters with the ACG (Advanced Communicator Gold). His credo: “My speeches and presentations should persuade, not inform.”

 

Christine Sommerfeldt, Vice President Community Management

Christine is a self employed photographer with her own studio in Düsseldorf. She is specialized in business photograhy and executive portraits. When she joined Toastmasters in 2013, she was looking for a way to help her clients to have a more confident appearance in front of the camera and in their photos. As a photographer, she speaks publically about body language and presence as well as about the importance of having excellent photo material.

 

Jayne Mulcahy, Sergeant At Arms

Jayne is originally from Ireland. She has lived in Germany for over 30 years. Before that she lived in Paris for a few years. Professionally, she has worked in a variety of roles from in-house training to international training programmes, internationally funded projects and now Regulatory Advisory, Central Services. She has set herself the goal of being able to speak in front of people and is delighted with the development opportunities that Toastmasters offers her.

 

Dr. Maik Adelt, Treasurer

Maik is a department manager in the internal audit group of a Dax Company. He regularly faces the challenge – in German and English – to convince employees, colleagues not only in content, but also emotionally. Toastmasters helps him develop these skills. The German and English club evenings give him the opportunity for rhetorical experimentation. He appreciates the friendly, motivating and constructive feedback from the other club members.

 

Marcela Medina, Vice President easySPEAK 1

Marcela studied chemical engineering in her home town of Bogotá, Colombia, and completed further training in the field of environmental protection management in Germany. She has been working in chemical compliance in an international company in Düsseldorf for 15 years. The action and operational enforcement of scientific and legal issues require special communication skills, which Marcela has been able to develop further at Toastmasters since 2022.

 

Ivan Polak, Vice President Public Relations

Ivan has professional background in marketing and project management, and works for a global company with the European head office in Düsseldorf. He comes originally from Slovakia and has studied and worked in multiple countries across Europe. Ivan joined Toastmasters in Prague in 2013, where he also held several leadership roles in the club. After his move to Düsseldorf, Ivan has re-discovered the world of Toastmasters and the development opportunities that the organization offers. Presentations at work, client meetings, assertive negotiations, all of which can get improved at Toastmasters, while getting to know wonderful people in the club.

 

Sebastian Poths, Vice President Digital

Sebastian is a professional golfer with the clear goal of qualifying for the top European tour. In parallel, he works as a junior manager in the office of a golf club, where website management is one of his responsibilities. He joined the Düsseldorfer Toastmasters in 2025 to expand his social circle while also strengthening his speaking and communication skills as well as his self-confidence. He particularly values the friendly, appreciative learning atmosphere, where members can try new things without having to be anyone other than themselves. As Vice President Digital, he now brings this professional experience to the club’s digital presence as well.