Lark Doley, DTM , of Jonestown, Texas, served as the 2018-19 Toastmasters International President. A Toastmaster since 1990, Lark is currently a member of three Toastmasters clubs. Her home club, the Arthur Storer club, located in Pflugerville, Texas, was chartered in honor of her father-in-law after his death in 1997. Lark comes from a family of Toastmasters. Her brother was a Toastmaster before women were allowed in the organization. Her husband, Roger, was an award-winning Toastmaster speaker. That is one reason that Lark pursued leadership roles in Toastmasters. Lark has served at all levels of leadership in the organization – in every club officer role, as district governor twice, region advisor, international director, and is now serving her final year on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. Lark has attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation, the highest level of educational achievement in the organization.
In business, Lark was the chief executive officer of Second Wave, Inc., an Apple Macintosh hardware peripherals manufacturing company she founded in 1987 and sold in 1999. After selling Second Wave, Inc., Lark joined MAXIMUS, Inc. and now manages the Training Department for their Enrollment Broker Texas Project. Her MAXIMUS team coordinates the technology and management training and the professional development strategy for the project.
A lighthouse homeowner, Lark served as secretary of the Lighthouse Estates Homeowners Association. She also served as president of the Metropolitan Breakfast Club, an Austin business group that meets weekly and features business and government speakers presenting topical issues of importance to the city and state.
Lark graduated with honors from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and German. She continued her education studying business management at St. Edward’s University in Austin, and mathematics at the University of Houston in Clear Lake, Texas.
Lark says, “I have used my improved communication and leadership skills to found and lead a successful company. I now have the privilege to work for a company where I use my Toastmasters skills daily.”
As an officer of the Toastmasters International Board of Directors, Lark is a “working ambassador” for the organization. Her current board role is the Strategic Planning Committee Chair, which has been a challenging role this year due to the pandemic. Lark believes that Toastmasters has a strong future, especially in light of the strategic alliance with Rotary International. Lark participated in the formation of this alliance, for which she is incredibly proud.