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We are issuing an urgent alert regarding recent sophisticated phishing attempts targeting our organization's members. We have received reports of scammers impersonating members of our board via email, asking recipients to make purchases on behalf of the group with the promise of reimbursement.

As I reflect on the past year, I am more committed than ever to the value of coaching. We offer people a safe, trusted, and non-judgmental space to process their thoughts and simply be who they really are—a space that is often hard to find.

When you go on vacation, do you prefer to plan out every detail or do you like to wing it? Recently my husband Dave and I had the opportunity to travel to the Pacific Northwest for an anniversary trip. We've learned we really love to wing it beyond getting our accommodations set up. We call it "summer breezin'" -- just seeing where the wind takes us and going with the flow.

I'm a procrastinator.

I'm also a perfectionist.

These can be closely tied together and I'm highly aware of how my desire to do well causes me to procrastinate.

It can seem weird if it's not your tendency.

Fall is my favorite time of year! I love the cooler days, the changing leaves, and the shift in rhythm.

While summer is wonderful for pausing and slowing down, the back-to-school season and fall always feel like a reset button. I'm ready to buckle down again, though I admit it requires taking deep breaths, staying centered on what's important, and avoiding getting caught up in the urgent.

Admittedly, I can often have too much on my plate.
I love to help others and love to say yes in order to help. It can get me in trouble and very often comes at the expense of me. The past few months, I've had to do some of my own inner work around why I'm saying yes, why I'm pulled into helping, and why it's hard for me to say no. I've recognized how painful and difficult this work has been and how necessary it's been for me. I've had to make some hard decisions to stop doing things I really enjoy and I've had to say no more. It's painful to even write it.

This summer, ICF Iowa is excited to connect with you through some fantastic events!

We're hosting in-person socials this month in both Eastern and Central Iowa. We hope you'll join us for these informal gatherings to connect with other coaches. In August, we'll follow up with a virtual networking event.

As a relatively new coach, I initially hesitated to join ICF Iowa. I mistakenly believed that I needed to have my coaching fully established before becoming a member. Looking back, I now realize I missed a significant opportunity for learning and growth by not engaging with this community sooner. I waited until I had earned my ACC credential, unaware of the invaluable support and development that comes from connecting with fellow coaches. This delay was definitely a missed opportunity in my personal and professional journey.

I wanted to share a little about our recent ICF Iowa Board planning retreat, which took place just over a week ago. It was a significant occasion, as it was the first time many of us on the board had the opportunity to meet in person. While our monthly Zoom meetings are valuable, being together in person allowed for a different level of collaboration and connection. We spent the day sharing our perspectives on coaching and brainstorming ways we can better serve each of you, our valued members. It was a truly special and productive time.

Having connected with many coaches in our community recently, I've noticed recurring theme. Life is moving incredibly fast. Amidst our busy work guiding and caring for clients, it's so easy to put ourselves on the backburner.

As coaches, we often give so much of ourselves to others that it can be challenging to receive support in return. As I reflect on my fourth year of running my own business, I've realized that this work can be isolating. While I genuinely love pouring energy into my clients, I often find myself without opportunities to receive that same level of support.

One recurring theme throughout my time on the ICF Iowa board has been the desire to foster a stronger sense of community and connection among our coaches statewide. As coaches, we understand the value of community and excel at supporting others, yet we often struggle to create that same space for ourselves.

January is packed with all sorts of marketing messages on resetting your goals, habits, and wholly becoming a new person.

Last Thursday, ICF Credentials and Standards announced some important updates to the credential application and renewal processes. These updates are also outlined in today's ICF Chapter Leader Update Email.

A decade ago, I was sitting in an icy conference room in Pasadena, California, alongside a cohort of eager, bright coach trainees. We were there to learn the tools, techniques, and coaching moves that would help our clients.

You can imagine how surprised I was when our coach trainer’s first question was, “Where are you?”

Instantly, the question caught me off guard. I was there, physically, but my mind was somewhere else. I was daydreaming about what they might serve for lunch that day. I was anxious about the e-mails burning a hole in my inbox. I felt confused, maybe even a little annoyed.

I had no idea that this simple question would change the trajectory of my coaching journey forever.

I have never been more optimistic about the future of the coaching profession than I am right now.

I say this despite the never-ending barrage of change, disruption, technological advances, and fear-inducing headlines warning that artificial intelligence could wipe out entire industries.

Fortunately for us as coaches, millions of years of human evolution will not be so easily replaced. We are social creatures who crave belonging and connection. We seek to better understand ourselves and others. We long to create meaning in our lives.

As we look to 2026, the ICF Iowa Board would like to share an update on key 2025 accomplishments and our outlook for the year ahead. At the core of our ICF Iowa Chapter is our thriving membership base. We warmly welcome all new members who joined us in 2025, as well as those who renewed their membership. We also congratulate everyone who earned a professional credential this year. Our chapter remains committed to professional development, reflected in both the number of credentials earned and the quantity and quality of our educational program offerings.

You may be aware that several ICF chapters were recently impacted by phishing attempts. In these attempts, the criminals spoofed email addresses to make it look like the emails to members were coming from chapter leaders. Please keep in mind that our chapter leadership will never ask you to make a purchase on our behalf.

ICF Iowa will be at the upcoming ICF Midwest Coaches Conference 2024, and we would love nothing more than to see all our members there. This is a unique opportunity for our community to come together, share experiences, and learn from each other in an inspiring and energizing environment.

Dané is an endlessly curious people-lover and growth-seeker. She is also an experienced facilitator, content creator, and development coach specializing in leadership and interpersonal skills, as well as in innovation and design thinking. She has worked with companies of all sizes in a variety of industries including hospitality, healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, internet gaming, and software development.

Brittany is the owner of BT Coaching and Consulting. She has been coaching individuals and leaders for over 3 years and is an iPEC grad and obtained her ACC in Fall of 2023.

February 2024 New Member Spotlight

January 2024 New Member Spotlight

December is here, and wow, the year has flown by! Reflecting on the past 12 months, it has been an incredible honor to serve as the President of our Iowa ICF Chapter. Working with our talented and committed Board and getting to know more of our chapter members at in-person events, chapter meetings, and the 2024 Flow Boldly Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, in September has been a highlight.

It’s hard to believe we are already into the 11th month of 2024. I look forward to seeing each of you at our upcoming November State of the Chapter Meeting, where we will reflect on 2024!

Happy Fall to each of you! Attending the Flow Boldly Conference in Cincinnati was incredible. Meeting with other like-minded coaches and colleagues in person filled my joy cup. Key takeaways included the fulfillment of networking with coaches from the Midwest region, abundant energy, and learning within every conversation. The breakouts and main stage sessions were full of new ideas to utilize in my practice. Attending all MCDC Conferences is a must for my coaching skills, networking, and business growth.

September is my favorite month for many reasons. First, fall brings changing leaves and the beauty to enjoy while out and about. Second, fall means hotdishes are acceptable meals to prepare in our home. Bring on Tater Tot Hotdish!

I look forward to attending the upcoming Flow Boldly conference in Cincinnati at the end of this month. I will share key takeaways in the October newsletter and Chapter Meeting. Our upcoming Chapter Meeting is on Tuesday, September 10th. The topic is “The Artistry of Coaching – Striking the Delicate Balance between Form and Flow,” hosted by Elias Scultori and Amy Ruppert Donovan.

As we move into August – I’m thinking of the State Fair… oh I love cheese curds, back to school prep and passing the midpoint of 2024.

As the sun graces us with its warmth, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate the fantastic year our ICF Iowa Charter Chapter has been having. Seriously, you all rock!

Summer is only three weeks away, and as I reflect on our fantastic year thus far, I want to extend a huge thank you to our entire board. They have worked diligently to ensure successful programming, engaging social events, and collaboration with Global ICF to maintain our Charter Chapter status. In 2023, our chapter was nominated and recognized for the Chapter Recognition Award!

As we spring into May, we have several local and global opportunities for ICF Iowa members to engage in International Coaching Week, May 13-19, 2024. Check out the email sent April 30, which contains links to global and local events. A big thank you to Priscilla Boyle, Programs Director, for all her efforts on this initiative. Our own Dick Hannasch and Christine Clark will host a Coaching Demo on May 14. Thank you for stepping up and offering this demo for our members! Please remember to register in advance on our website, www.icfiowa.org.

As we start to jump into Q2 of 2024, I wanted to take time to thank you all as members of our great Iowa ICF Charter Chapter. Our chapter is thriving, and we’ve seen increased participation at our Chapter Meetings – thank you.

Spring is my favorite time of year… seeing the flowers starting to pop up and the buds on our Magnolia tree are sure signs of Spring.

Welcome to February – how is January already over?! As I reflect back on January, it was a great month focused on planning for 2024 and forward movement for our ICF Chapter and in business.

Happy New Years to each of you, I’m still reflecting on how fast 2023 went and know 2024 will move as quickly.

It was wonderful to see many of you at our December Central Iowa holiday party on Dec. 12th at Revel Hotel – thank you for everyone joining us to celebrate and spend time together.

November 2023 New Member Spotlight

October 2023 New Member Spotlight

Hey Midwest coaches, ICF Cleveland is inviting you to our November meeting featuring Marcia Reynolds! She'll be presenting on The “Aha” Moment: Coaching for Breakthroughs in Thinking on Friday, November 10, 2023 from 8am-10am and Midwest ICF Members can register for just $10.

September 2023 New Member Spotlight

September 2023 New Member Spotlight

July 2023 New Member Spotlight

Come join us for some in-person networking with your fellow ICF Iowa members. During our March social events, we will provide appetizers and facilitate some great coaching conversations.

In November, we engaged in our Fall 2023 Planning retreat. One of the questions we asked each Board member was to list three words that would describe you.

December 2023 President's Message

November 2023 President's Message

October 2023 President's Message

September 2023 President's Message

August 2023 President's Message

July 2023 President's Message

June 2023 President's Message

May 2023 President's Message

April 2023 President's Message

March 2023 President's Message

February 2023 President's Message

January 2023 President's Message