ICF New Jersey Coach Connect - June 2025

A Heartfelt Thank You!

International Coaching Week 2025 was an exceptional experience, capturing the shared mission to inspire, transform, and thrive through coaching. Special gratitude to the collaboration of chapter programming, member engagement, and community group leaders for making ICW25 a week of standout moments and networking. Thanks to all participating members for your enthusiasm and contribution.

Here's to continuing this meaningful journey together! – Kelli

Member Spotlight

Member Engagement is 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 Walter Slade, Co-Leader of the Executive and Leadership Community Group.

Announcements

Summer is officially here and the hard work of the Request-for-Proposal (RFP) Pod of Tynisha Coleman, Patricia A. Lee, and Beth Renga has blossomed which we deeply appreciate.

We have created a transparent and inclusive process for members to apply to present at our Chapter events. Membership in ICF New Jersey will have its privileges, and we are excited to share soon. More details to follow.

Mindy Gewirtz, ICF New Jersey Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging / I.D.E.A.S.

In recognition of Pride Month, we are looking forward to learning and sharing with you at this month’s ICF New Jersey IDEAS Community Group conversation “Embracing our LGBTQ+ Community: Celebrating Pride Month 2025,” on Monday, June 23rd at 12 pm, where we will discover the importance and approaches of supporting our LGBTQ+ community, including both our clients and coaching colleagues.

Together we will:

Explore our own knowledge, perceptions, and bias regarding the LGBTQ+ Community.
Highlight how inclusive coaching language and diversity awareness enhances coaching effectiveness.
Provide some practical insights that align with the ICF Core Competencies and ICF Ethical Standards to ensure professional application.

The conversation will be held by Patricia A. Lee and Linda Leonard.

IDEAS Matter

The DEIB/IDEAS Committee’s mission is to embed the values, behaviors, and activities associated with DEIB/IDEAS into the culture of the ICF New Jersey Charter Chapter. It is part of our strategic plan that drives our transformation. IDEAS/DEIB Committee and Community Group members explore the next column of IDEAS with the letter D, which stands for Diversity.

We continue to explore the relevance to coaching clients, fostering engagement, and how we can embed the values and behavior anchors into our chapter’s culture to create spaces where every member feels seen, heard, respected and diversity of every kind is welcomed. Reflect on how these behaviors and ones that you identify show up in your coaching practice, your conversations, and your leadership.

Explore these common behaviors for the letter D for Diversity:

Curiosity over Assumption
Approach each client interaction with open, non-judgmental curiosity instead of defaulting to cultural, religious, or professional assumptions.
Active Listening with Empathy
Listen to understand - not to respond. Create space for clients to express themselves fully without fear of judgment or correction.
Transparency and Boundaries
Share relevant personal context when it supports trust-building, while maintaining clear, respectful professional boundaries.

We invite you to become part of the transformation! What else would you add to “Bringing IDEAS to Life” for the letter ‘D’?

Your DEIB/IDEAS Advisory Committee:

Tynisha Coleman
Malina Poshtova Delamere
Louis Fioccola
Patricia “Patti” Lee
Linda Leonard
Walter Slade
Dorisse Shakir-Ullah
Ellen Wagner

*Save the Date: We hope to see you at our DEIB/IDEAS Community Group meeting on Monday, June 23rd from 12-1 pm ET.

Check out more IDEAS resources on our website: IDEAS Matter.

ICF DEIB Initiatives: Member Resource Groups

Member Resource Groups (MRGs) benefit ICF members by providing a space for underrepresented members and allies to share, develop, and network. Members who participate gain access to resources, workshops, and other activities with like-minded professionals.

The following MRGs are available to join:

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color): This group cultivates a space for persons of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to share their experiences on a global level, as well as their experiences in the coaching community. This group is not exclusively for those who identify as BIPOC. It is open to who are all who are interested in racial equity in coaching.

Persons with Disabilities: This MRG provides support and resources for those in the coaching community who have experiences with disabilities, whether as a coach, client, or ally. This includes physical, cognitive, sensory, psychological, developmental, and acquired disabilities, as well as chronic health conditions.

Young Professionals (40 and under): The Young Professionals group focuses on building and developing the next generation of coaching leaders and is open to anyone who is interested in learning how generational diversity can help advance the coaching profession.

International Military Veterans: This MRG provides a supportive community for veterans from any background. This group is open to all who are interested in supporting veterans and the advancement of the coaching profession.

Introducing Kaleidoscope! This group seeks to foster an inclusive and supportive community for the diverse spectrum of identities and experiences related to sexuality and gender. This MRG will focus on building connections and promoting equity within the coaching profession and is open to all who are committed to understanding and supporting this group.

You can join as many groups as you like. Participation takes place within ICF Engage so login to your account to sign up. Once logged in, click on Communities > DEIB Communities. Scroll down the page and you will see all of the MRGs.

https://engage.coachingfederation.org/home

Credentialing Corner

The purpose of ICF New Jersey Credentialing is to provide our members with knowledge and resources to support their individual credentialing journey.

Over the past month, I had the opportunity to connect with ICF New Jersey Charter Chapter members at the May Connect & Grow session as well as through email. Some of the questions asked were:

How can I get coaching hours needed to apply to take the ACC exam?
What is the value of an ICF credential? Should I go for it?
What resources are available to prepare for the credentialing exam?

While these questions were answered individually, there are likely many others who have similar questions. I am pleased to let you know that the following are under development:

A dedicated Credentialing page on the ICF New Jersey website, accessible to our members only, that will house resources for ICF test preparation, options available to gain coaching hours, short cuts for common transactions with ICF Global related to credentialing. You will be advised when it is published.
A webinar to be held June 25, 2025, that will focus on the value of an ICF credential. It will cover the initial credential, as well as elevating a credential. For more details and to register, click here.

As a reminder, if you are interested in joining a cohort study group focused on the ACC exam and ICF Credentialing exam, please email [email protected], indicating which exam you’re preparing for (ACC or ICF credentialing exam).

I hope to chat with as many of you as possible at the Summer Social for Coaches on June 12. Feel free to email me at [email protected] with any questions or suggestions.

Joyce Heckman

Director of Credentialing

From Curiosity to Confidence: Leadership and Empowerment Begin in the Classroom

I recently had the honor of speaking at our middle school’s career day alongside the incredible and inspiring Ms. Maria Soccor, film actor and director. Middle school is a pivotal phase—a time when kids begin to explore identity, independence, and navigate the pressures of fitting in. The insights these students shared were remarkably thoughtful and mature.

As the first speaker, I opened with simple ice-breakers:

Favorite food

Favorite band or singer

A hobby or activity you love

Hands shot up.

Voices grew louder.

Walls came down.

Laughter, teasing, and connection filled the room.

Then we dug deeper:

What problems do you want to solve?

Hunger. Climate change. Inequality. Health. Animal rescue. Violence. Cultural expression through food, art, and performance.

What difference do you want to make?

“To create a kinder, safer world where everyone can be themselves and be included.”

How do you want to show up?

“With kindness, respect, honesty, helpfulness, and love.”

Takeaway: When we lead with curiosity and connection, we create psychological safety—and open the door for authentic self-expression in service of something greater.