ICF New Jersey Coach Connect - August 2025 
Purposeful Pause
Hi ICF New Jersey Members,
We have been taking a “purposeful pause” for July and August and I hope that you had time to pause and enjoy a summer break.
Come September, the remaining months of 2025 will be packed with opportunities to engage, learn and volunteer!
Every opportunity I’ve had in coaching connects back to this community. Here’s a few ways to get involved with ICF New Jersey:
Attend our in-person or virtual Coffee with Coaches to build connections and share experiences.
Join one of our five Community Groups, which explore various areas of interest, including business acceleration, executive coaching, applying neuroscience to coaching, life and career, and DEIB/IDEAS.
Help shape our next community group by sharing your focus interest.
Attend Upcoming Events to foster relationships and enhance your professional and personal development. Our Chapter Programs team does an incredible job offering events approved for core and resource development credits.
Join a Committee, be a “fly on the wall,” or dive in. There’s a place for everyone!
Share your ideas and feedback on what you want to see in ICF New Jersey. Your input shapes our transformation.
I look forward to seeing you at our next Town Hall on September 11. Oh, by the way, have you registered for Coachesgiving, our signature annual event? If not, join us November 12 at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Bridgewater, NJ. The event will be packed with great food, great community, and fun!
Warmly,
Kelli Kombat
President, ICF New Jersey
Meet the 2025 NJBIZ Leading Women in Business
Congratulations to ICF New Jersey members Dana Lynn Bernstein and Mindy Gewitz, the 2025 NJBIZ Leading Women in Business honorees! The NJBIZ program recognizes professionals across industries who have made a substantial impact on business in the State of New Jersey. Dana and Mindy were honored on August 19th at The Palace at Somerset Park.
IDEAS Matter
We may be on a “purposeful pause” from our DEIB/IDEAS meetings in July and August; however, the Request for Proposal (RFP), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) audit and Education Pods are diligently moving ahead with their work.
I am excited to share with you a sneak peek into an exciting opportunity that will open for all ICF New Jersey Chapter members. First, we express our gratitude and appreciation for the hard work of the RFP Pod that made this opportunity possible.
The RFP Pod was comprised of Tynisha Coleman, Chair, and Patricia “Patti” Lee from the DEIB/IDEAS Committee, along with Beth Renga from the Chapter Programs Committee. A special shout out to Carmela O’Flaherty, Co-Director of Chapter Programs and Lisa Chenofsky Singer, Co-Director of Member Engagement for their contributions during this process.
The RFP Pod officially completed their eight-month assignment to:
- Develop an inclusionary and equitable process so every member of the ICF New Jersey Chapter has an opportunity to apply to present for ICF programs.
- The RFP members created an application, an application process, and a rubric for choosing speakers that is equitable and inclusive.
- All documents and the process had the benefit of input and alignment with the Chapter Programs and DEIB/IDEAS Committees, to include the ICF New Jersey Board.
- The RFP Pod officially turned over the baton on August 5 to the Chapter Programs Committee RFP Reps Kathleen Ochab and Laura Thoresen, who began to:
- Ensure members are aware of and engaged in the opportunity to be a presenter.
- Collect, sort, and choose speakers based on set criteria.
- Digitize the entire process courtesy of Antonia McCullough, so it is simple for coaches to complete the application process.
This program will roll out in phases beginning in September with application requests for 2026 speakers and is scheduled to go full swing after January 2026.
Our ISO pod is comprised of President Kelli Kombat and Mindy Gewirtz. The ISO survey, our DEIB/IDEAS audit of organizational policies, is complete. Recommendations were presented by Kelli to the Executive Committee of the Board. We socialized the recommendations with the DEIB/IDEAS Committee and the DEIB/IDEAS Community Group for further feedback. At the September meeting, the DEIB/IDEAS Committee has a list of priorities that they can choose to tackle over time.
We recognize the hard work and fortitude it took for the RFP Pod to reach this milestone. Kudos for making a change that will have a great impact on the culture of ICF New Jersey regarding engagement and belonging.
Rise Up,
Your Voice Matters,
You Matter.
Dr. Mindy L. Gewirtz, MCC
Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging / I.D.E.A.S.
[email protected]
Bringing IDEAS to Life: Practical Approaches in Coaching
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, and respected, and diversity of every kind is welcomed. It is our hope and intention that you are experiencing Accessibility Come Alive throughout the ICF New Jersey Chapter. It is also our hope and intention that you are practicing Accessibility in all your spheres of influence.
Explore these common behaviors for the letter A for Accessibility:
Make sure all resources, programs, and events are accessible to every member. This includes providing accommodations for members with disabilities and offering virtual participation options.
Create an environment where every member feels welcome and valued, and where they can express their opinions freely. Celebrate diversity and encourage others to do the same.
Ensure that all members have the opportunity to participate in meetings and decision-making processes. Provide a comfortable platform for members to contribute, including giving credit to individuals for their ideas.
We invite you to become part of the transformation! What else would you add to “Bringing IDEAS to Life” for the letter A?
Your DEIB/IDEAS Advisory Committee:
Malina Poshtova Delamere
Patricia “Patti” Lee
Linda Leonard
Walter Slade
Ellen Wagner
Dorisse Shakir-Ullah
To view, login is required.Credentialing Corner
FOMO on a 5-Star Event? We've Got You Covered!
Credentialing sponsored a chat with Daniel Olexa, MCC, entitled Level Up Your Practice: ICF Credentialing for Growth and Credibility. It was a robust discussion with lots of nuggets to take away.
Want to see what you missed? You can purchase the webinar recording at the link below.
https://icf-nj.org/Webinar_Recordings_Purchase#LevelUp
Have a question on credentialing? Please contact Joyce Heckman, Director of Credentialing at [email protected].
Announcements
SPEAKING OPPORTUNITY ALERT! Are you a coaching expert who is also a public speaker? We want to hear from you!
The ICF New Jersey Chapter Programs Committee is planning a series of exciting, informative, and helpful webinars in 2026 that aim to deepen coaches' knowledge and spark growth in the following areas:
Coaching Across Cultures and Languages Technology and Coaching Mental and Emotional Wellbeing
If you are an expert in these areas and want to share your knowledge with a curious and engaged audience of coaches, reach out and let us know.
Apply here: https://forms.gle/
– Chapter Programs Committee
Webinar Recordings Now Available!
Recordings from our 2025 Business Development Series, as well as free videos and prior years' webinars are now available on our updated webinar recordings page. Check it out today - there is a lot of valuable information available. Click here: Webinar Recordings
❤️The Summer Kindness Challenge Is On!
The ripple effect of kindness across New Jersey and beyond continues. Are you in? It’s simple:
Click here for a PDF TAG! YOU’RE IT! card for convenience to document the RAK.
Don’t Miss Out on ICF Engage
DYK ICF Engage is an exclusive platform for ICF members only, with benefits to include:
- Directory of all ICF members and chapters from around the globe. Set up your personal profile to foster relationships with growth-minded professionals.
- Ask questions and get real-time insights from coaches.
- Join Special Interests and Member Resource Group communities.
- Find Global events to attend for continued learning and engagement.
- Access resources in the ICF Global and ICF NJ Libraries.
- Explore the ICF Community Job Board.
- Explore global volunteer opportunities.
Use this link - https://engage.
Sign in with your login and password used for the ICF Global site.
Discover ICF Engage - Virtual Guided Tour for ICF Members: https://youtu.be/3IafHdLnL8Q
