“Hooray! Our ‘Second Annual Accredited Coach Training Program Panel & Discussion’ meeting was a success! Please take a moment with me to acknowledge our Board members for all they are doing to have made this happen.

At the last Chapter meeting we experienced the outstanding work that each of your Board members offer to you. Weren’t the room ambience, setup, food, laughter, panel, lively discussions, one-on-one access, and subject matter exciting? As I watched the evening unfold, I noticed how professional and seamless the evening was for me.

Lydia Welton, Program Director, was welcoming to our guests and informative in her guidance through the evening. She ensured that our program panelists were cared for and informed about what would take place during the meeting and she did move everyone along at an appropriate and enlivening pace that evening, didn’t she?

Anita Goldin, Logistics Director, kept the flow of our guests and participants running smoothly during a fun filled and packed evening and wasn’t the setting wonderfully decorated and warm? The participants were directed with a flow of ease and I loved those beautiful flowers contributing to bringing more life into an already lively setting.

Diane Pearce, Membership Director, besides being always available at the registration table at our meetings, offered our newest members and those who are looking at joining us a well-informed and fun New Member Orientation. She also had available the colorful and informative packets that several people have used to become participants of the ICF-OC Chapter (I think we have had 5 new members since the August meeting.) Did you receive those colorful little reminder postcards in the mail last month? Diane and Nahid were able to put them together and get them out to many recipients in the OC area.

Elaine Provencher, PR/Marketing Director, and Beth Griffith, Publications Director, were on hand both in their first official new capacities and were absorbing as much as they could to begin to ‘dig in’ to their newly chosen roles on the Board. Both have been working with me to create their new positions behind the scenes and I’m thrilled at how they are ‘plus’ing’ (“adding to; taking a great idea and making it better”) our organization! Hold on to your hats because you are going to see some wonderful ideas emerge in both arenas.

Nahid Casazza, our President Elect, has been a godsend to me. Who Nahid has been for our Chapter has been someone who has consistently added to the camaraderie, education and voice of possibility for our Chapter participants. Nahid has literally brought the BCE (that’s Business and Coaching Excellence) Program into being one of the most valuable hours our coaches can profit from in both the possibility of business and coaching excellence; just how the program was first conceived. You ought to be thrilled at the prospect of how she will grow our Chapter next year. I am! Not that I want to end my office too soon as I am having a wonderful time with each and every one of you; however, I can’t wait to see where we go next year and additionally, I can’t wait to see who will step into the hugely fulfilling role of President Elect. [Speak to either one of us if you are in the least interested!]

On our Executive Board, Sandy Scheppmann, our Secretary, has recently been right on top of gathering valuable information from each of the meeting attendees with an evaluation form she has brought to our attention. Good job in reaching into how our participants think we need improvement and bringing that information to our Boards’ attention, Sandy! It is what is needed and wanted to make sure we are right on track for being the organization of choice for OC professional coaches. At our monthly meetings, Sandy also has available our CCEUs (continuing coach education units) certificates for our ICF certification training hours (one each for the BCE and the headliner hours). * Make sure you get the CCEU certificates from Sandy at the end of each meeting as they cannot be given out after the fact. *

Glenn Stevenson, our Treasurer, has been meticulous in his capture of the financial welfare of our organization and is always on hand to bring the voice of reason and assurance to us in our monthly meetings that our Chapter is healthy and growing. He has shared recently that we can now expand into areas to help boost exposure of our coaches to the outside world. That’s GREAT news, Glenn, thanks for the reassurance we can continue to work towards our participants’ business and coaching benefit! And thanks so much for your impeccable ability to bring clarity to a potentially confronting subject, finances!

If you will, think of our Vision:

We are the organization where coaches improve their coaching skills.

We are a vibrant and welcoming culture.

We market coaching and create awareness of the benefits of coaching.

It seems we are right on target and for that, I thank YOU, our participants for granting us, your Board, permission to ‘show up’ in the world of possibility for the ICF-OC Chapter.

Big hugs to you!
Patricia Hirsch, MCC, MBA, RN
2006 President, ICF-OC Chapter