ICF New Jersey Coach Connect - September 2026 
President's Message
Fall is the perfect moment to lean back into your coaching community. Whether you’ve been deeply involved or quietly observing, this season invites you to show up in a way that feels meaningful. Volunteer your time, share your strengths, or simply reconnect with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
Our chapter thrives because members step forward. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to contribute behind the scenes, this is your season. Join a committee, offer your expertise, or raise your hand to support an initiative. Every act of service strengthens our collective impact.
Board nominations open soon, and we’re looking for members who want to shape the future of ICF New Jersey. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about showing up with intention, curiosity, and a willingness to contribute. If that sounds like you, consider stepping forward.
One of the easiest ways to support our community is simply making yourself visible. Refresh your member profile so fellow coaches — and potential referral partners — can learn who you are, what you do, and who you serve. A small update can spark a big connection.
This season is full of opportunities to gather. On November 10, we’ll host our virtual Annual Meeting at noon and 6 PM — two options so you can join us when it works for you. Come hear updates, celebrate accomplishments, and connect with fellow members.
Coachesgiving returns on November 12 as our 8th annual signature dinner celebrating gratitude, connection, and community impact.
Autumn is a season of growth. Reach out to a colleague. Welcome a new member. Introduce two coaches who should know each other. Attend a Community Group you’ve been meaning to try. Every small action plants a seed — and you never know what might grow from it.
AUTUMN invites you to choose one intention: connect, develop, or contribute.
Your presence, your voice, and your energy help shape the future of our chapter!
Warmest regards,
Board Nominations
ICF New Jersey Board Leadership Opportunities
ICF New Jersey is seeking passionate members to serve in key Board roles for the upcoming term. Board service is a meaningful way to shape our chapter’s direction, support innovative programming, and strengthen our coaching community.
Interviews begin: October 1, 2026
- President*
- Vice President, Credentialing Support
- VP, Professional Education / Development (This is a co-VP position.)
- Vice President, Marketing & Communications
- Vice President, Governance & Operations
- Vice President, Technology
Term length: 2 years
*Credential required. All other roles need to be working towards a credential. All candidates must be ICF members in good standing.
For details or questions, contact Kathleen Cashman Walter at immediatepastpresident@icf-nj.
Member Spotlight - The Power of Us!
We are shining a spotlight on our incredible coaches and their stories, opening opportunity to get curious about our members. Our goal is to share stories and insights to build connections and inspire engagement.
Click on the image below to find out more about MK Larsen and Lisa Le Vere.
Call for Group Mentor Coaching Proposals
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The ICF New Jersey Charter Chapter is looking for qualified mentor coaches to submit proposals for our Group Mentor Coaching Series: Develop your Coaching Skills and Prepare for your ICF Credential for our robust coaching community. The term is one year, to begin in 2027. To be considered, candidates must:
If you meet the eligibility criteria and are interested in leading the ICF NJ professional development program for coaches, we invite you to submit a proposal for consideration by November 1, 2026. Proposal Details
This program is designed to help coaches:
Please complete the following application in full. All required fields are marked with an asterisk (*). ICF CCE and MCS certifications will be needed for uploading. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Submit your proposal by clicking this link: Group Mentor Proposal
Deadline for submission: November 1, 2026. |
ICF New Jersey DEIB | Ideas
Ideas Matter
The magnificent Marconi peppers in our garden have finally turned a rich red and are ready to be enjoyed.
The DEIB | IDEAS Advisory Council, like the garden, has been productive all summer. We are now ready to celebrate the September 24th partnership with Dress for Success Northern New Jersey to honor Coach Willa, a former DEIB | IDEAS Chair. We will recognize Sharon N. Mireku and Katherine Rodriguez, two alumni of the Steps 2 Success Empowerment Program, founded and led by Coach Willa.
Our members are invited to join us for this special evening. See the website for details - Evening of Empowerment
A big shout-out to Melinda Neiman, Chair of this initiative, and her team, Debbie Godfrey, Dorisse Shakir-Ullah and Mindy Gewirtz.
It is our privilege that the ICF partnership will be the main part of the program event. The newly launched ICF New Jersey video will play during the evening’s program. Chapter President Kelli Kombat will discuss the partnership, and Coach Willa’s husband, Lawrence, will present the award.
The DEIB vision for this partnership is to move from intention to action to lasting impact in the community. In that spirit, participants at the gala will be asked to commit to paper how they will honor Coach Willa’s legacy by paying it forward through their own act of kindness empowering women. We anticipate revisiting those acts of kindness in the future to record their impact as a way of continuing the partnership with Dress for Success NNJ.
Join us at this gala event. Join our DEIB Advisory Council and become a part of the change you want to see happen.
IDEAS MATTER
Rise Up,
Your Voice Matters,
You Matter.
Dr. Mindy Gewirtz, MCC
VP of DEIB/IDEAS Advisory Council
[email protected]
Patricia “Patti” Lee
Linda Leonard
Dorisse Shakir-Ullah
Walter Slade
Ellen Wagner
Check out all IDEAS resources on our website: IDEAS Matter
See all Global DEIB events, groups, and resources in ICF ENGAGE:
https://engage.coachingfederation.org/communities/communities-deib
➡️To view, login is required.
ICF Converge
Interested in attending ICF Converge 2026?
October 28-30, 2026
For more information, write [email protected]
travel to and from ICF Converge, if interested.
Community Groups
I held the first Executive and Leadership Community meeting on August 21st. Group and team coaching came up almost immediately, and it kept coming up. So we're running the September 18th session as a live group coaching session instead of a discussion about one.
The formats do different work. Individual coaching sharpens one leader's self-awareness and decision-making. Group coaching builds shared accountability, cross-functional relationships, and cultural alignment across a team. Recent reports show 30–40% higher collaboration scores and 25% faster decision-making among teams coached collectively. There are practical advantages as well.
Group coaching scales. It creates peer learning and cross-silo connection that individual engagements don't produce. It gives emerging leaders a shared language, which shortens the runway on your leadership pipeline. None of this makes group coaching a cheaper version of individual work. It serves different goals. Individual coaching still wins on confidentiality and personalized behavioral change. The useful question is which one a given client needs.
Bring a real challenge. You'll leave with peer perspective and a clearer sense of when to recommend the format in your own practice.
September 18, 12–1PM EDT. Executive and Leadership Community Group
Warm Regards,
Sangita Dutta
Leadership Opportunity
DEIB/IDEAS Community Group
Our Community Groups create space for members to build relationships, explore coaching trends and challenges, and continue developing as coaches. Interested in leading or co-leading the DEIB/IDEAS Community Group? We have an opportunity for you.
We’re looking for a member interested in leading or co-leading the DEIB/IDEAS Community Group. Help shape meaningful conversations relating to inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and solidarity topics, strengthen your facilitation skills, and contribute to a community where members can learn with and from one another.
- Coordinating meeting schedules and communications
- Planning and facilitating group discussions
- Supporting learning by sharing relevant information
Contact Dorisse Shakir-Ullah at [email protected] to learn more.
Credentialing Corner
Upcoming Changes to the ICF PCC/MCC Credentialing Exam
ICF Global has announced an update to the PCC/MCC Credentialing Exam that will take effect November 10, 2026.
What's Changing
- The updated exam will include:
- 44 situational judgment questions (coaching scenarios)
- 36 knowledge-based multiple-choice questions
- Candidates will have 150 minutes to complete the exam, with one optional 10-minute break.
- The exam has been updated to reflect the latest ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics.
- The overall difficulty level and expected pass rate will remain comparable to the current exam.
What Isn't Changing
The exam will continue to assess the same four competency domains:
- Foundation
- Co-Creating the Relationship
- Communicating Effectively
- Cultivating Learning and Growth
During the transition period, eligible candidates may choose either exam. ICF will provide candidates with information on how to request the new exam if they prefer to wait.
ICF will also release additional preparation resources, including a free tutorial on the new exam format, before the November launch. As always, the best preparation is a solid understanding of the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics, along with practice applying them in coaching conversations.
ICF Global Post: https://coachingfederation.
Questions? Send an email to [email protected]
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