From an area in the back I saw Matt Branstetter approaching with an attractive woman I wasn't totally familiar. I had met Matt's wife Tracy only once (that I remembered) and thought the woman must be her. Discretely, I checked my iPhone for her name then spoke to her as she and Matt neared. "Hello Tracy," I said.

Later Matt came over to me and whispered. His words hit me like a ton of bricks. "That woman with me a moment ago was Charlotte Howard!"

That wasn't the first time I had made a fool of myself trying to be cute. In fact, that was one of the primary reasons I joined Toastmasters. I've never been afraid to meet strangers and speak. But, because of incidents just described, I was afraid of what I might say.

It's been a tradition in District 16 for the incoming Top 3 to meet with past district governors to discuss the district's ideas for International Director and others that the new team would elect at the next International Conference.

When Matt Branstetter was District Governor, Ed Engelke and I met with him, Charlotte Howard and others to discuss the upcoming elections. I've met Charlotte a few other times and since that incident at the Crestwood I've studied her pictures a thousand times. I didn't want a repeat of the mistaken identity scene again.

Charlotte joined Toastmasters on April 1, 1996. She is a member of the Satanta Club. She is a past International Director and was 2003/2004 District 16 Governor. The other members of her team were LGET Jodi Santangelo and LGM Don Hunt. District Governor Keith Trolinger selected her as 2007/2008 Dedicated Toastmaster. Matt Branstetter nominated her for the Presidential Citation and in August 2012 Toastmasters International President Michael Notaro presented Charlotte Howard the award.

Charlotte Thompson Howard is my June 10, 2014 'Toastmaster of the Day'.