Welcome Message From Our President, Valeska Martins |
| Dear ICF South Florida Community, |
February arrives as a month of intentional foundation-building, and I'm filled with profound excitement about what our leadership team has been cultivating behind the scenes. While our January calendar may have appeared quieter than usual, this peaceful exterior concealed something extraordinary—a leadership team deeply invested in thoughtful reflection, strategic alignment, and purposeful planning for your success.
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Throughout January, your Board of Directors embarked on a journey of meaningful introspection. We examined what flourished in 2025, what could evolve, and most importantly, how we can elevate our service to you in ways that truly matter. This wasn't simply administrative planning—it was a dedicated commitment to excellence, driven by our unwavering belief that you deserve nothing less than the best our chapter can offer. |
| On January 23rd, our leadership gathered for an intensive full-day in-person Strategic Retreat. We began by setting our intentions for the day: alignment, clarity, direction, calm, understanding, transparency, progress, and collaboration. What unfolded was nothing short of magical—hours of passionate dialogue, innovative thinking, and collaborative vision-building that will shape every initiative, every program, and every opportunity we create for you this year. |
| Each department – Programming, Outreach, Strategic Alliances, Membership, Communications, Wellbeing, and Finance - crafted comprehensive strategic plans that reflect both ambition and practicality. These aren't abstract goals on paper; they're concrete pathways designed to enhance your professional development, expand your networking opportunities, strengthen your business-building capabilities, and deepen your connection to our coaching community. |
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| What emerged from this retreat is a unified vision: to create unprecedented value for our 540+ global members while maintaining the warmth, inclusivity, and excellence that define our chapter. Our plans reflect your diverse needs—whether you're seeking advanced learning opportunities, building your coaching practice, exploring strategic partnerships, or simply finding your tribe within our community.
This period of intentional planning exemplifies what I believe makes leadership meaningful. True leadership isn't about constant visible activity; it's about taking the time to think deeply, plan wisely, and ensure that every action we take serves our growth and success. Our January dedication to strategic thinking positions us to deliver an amazing 2026.
|  | As we move through February, you'll begin experiencing the fruits of this collaborative planning. Our programs will reflect fresh thinking, our events will offer enhanced value, and our initiatives will demonstrate the careful consideration your leadership team invested in creating them.
I'm profoundly grateful to every Board member who dedicated their time, wisdom, and heart to this strategic planning process. Your commitment to excellence makes our chapter extraordinary.
Welcome to a year built on solid foundations, thoughtful strategy, and unwavering dedication to your success! |
Warmly,
Valeska Martins
President, ICF South Florida Chapter |
| Meet our Committee of the Month |
| The Outreach Committee builds strong connections with values-aligned individuals and organizations to amplify awareness of coaching's transformative power throughout our communities. We deliver this mission through exciting and fulfilling volunteering experiences that enable our members' growth as coaches, professionals, and individuals, while collectively creating impact with our partners and the people they serve. |
During 2025, we had over 40 dedicated volunteers who played different key roles leading projects, being part of the teams and supporting the initiatives, offering coaching and training hours, helping us deliver successful projects with 500+ hours of coaching in total. Our team is currently integrated by Gaston Betoled, as VP of Outreach, our current project leaders and members (Olena Fedorchenko, Hayley Fretwell, and Virginia Lujan for WEvolution), Shakti Radhakishun and Sarah Staley for United Way Miami, George Rathman, Olena Fedorchenko, Sarah Staley, Anne Solomons, Shakit Radhakishun, Zsofia Juhasz, Aleksandra Heinrichs for the HR+Coaching initiaive trainings and group coaches, on top of the many other volunteers who actively participated in 2 or more projects (Nurdes Gomez, George Rathman, Aleksandra Heinrichs, Valerie Freilich, Marcia Teixeira, Rosario Lago, Rosario Kaune, Katya Talavera, Kymberly O'Brien, Marisa Di Biasio, Zsofia Juhasz, Vimari Roman), and other 30+ volunteers who offered a significant amount of coaching hours!
On January 30th, our committee will run the first monthly meeting of 2026, where we will share what new initiatives are in the pipeline and what roles our volunteers could play. |
| What’s Ahead for the Committee |
| We're launching an exciting new phase in 2026, including revamping our Leadership + Coaching (aka Step Into Coaching) initiative with a pod-based approach, exploring new Coaching for Social Impact opportunities, running a new iteration of HR + Coaching, leveraging on the International Coaching Week (ICW 2026) to continue growing our reach, strengthening our volunteer care systems, in collaboration with the Membership and Programming Committees, to create even more fulfilling experiences and support resources for our amazing contributor community, and expanding our partnerships with the key players of the community, working hand-in-hand with the Strategic Alliances committee. These are some of the projects in the pipeline and there's always room for more ideas and suggestions from our members and volunteers! |
| Huge gratitude to our 40+ volunteer coaches who collectively delivered over 500 hours of transformational coaching in 2025! Special recognition to our project leaders Katya Talavera, Olena Fedorchenko, Hayley Fretwell, Virginia Lujan, and Shakti Radhakishun for their exceptional leadership of WEvolution and United Way Miami, and the volunteers who supported each and every one of our initiatives. Their passion, commitment, and dedication exemplify the spirit of service that makes our chapter thrive. Thank you for using your coaching superpowers to create lasting impact in our communities! |
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Meet our Dedicated Outreach Committee Member
Olena Fedorchenko
WEvolution Project Co-Leader
Olena started as a volunteer supporting the implementation of the International Coaching Week in 2024, and then got involved with the WEvolution initiative in 2025, and as a co-leader for 2026, on top of her willingness and support for other initiatives too. | | | I nominate her for her deep commitment to service, gratitude, and respectful presence within our community. She joined the chapter during a difficult time, after receiving strong support from ICF South Florida, and chose to give back by actively volunteering and contributing wherever help was needed. From co-organizing ICF Week to volunteering at Ignite and becoming part of the WEvolution team, she consistently brings care, reliability, and a genuine desire to support others’ growth.
Olena is the kind of volunteer who says "yes!" first and then calmly figures out how to make it happen - coffee in hand and a smile on her face. She loves being part of a team, happily working behind the scenes, and celebrating even the smallest wins like big ones. For her, volunteering isn’t a checkbox - it’s a heartfelt way to give back. She truly believes that kindness, presence, and a good sense of humour can change a lot… especially when people come together to support one another. | | Meet our Dedicated Outreach Committee Member
Hayley Fretwell
WEvolution Project Co-Leader
Hayley joined the chapter in Feb 2024, following an introduction by Katya Talavera who she met during a course with WBECS in 2020/2021. They remained in touch and Katya invited her to volunteer as a coach. That's when Hayley joined and coached two clients during the WE Project 2024.
Following the program completion in July 2024, she then joined Shakti and Katya in the Project Team for WEvolution. | | | She helped wrap up the program and they worked on running a Webinar for the program coaches in September. Later that year, Olena joined Katya and I in the WE project team in 2025. According to her, she has learned so much in her time with the project team and the Outreach Committee about collaboration and partnership. In addition to being on the project, Hayley also volunteered as a coach for WE2025 and other initiatives such as Coast to Coast. She has also registered to participate as a coach again in this year’s program. ICF South Florida is her first venture into volunteering as a coach, outside of the peer/barter coaching. In addition, she has also volunteered for several years at meal packing events organised by Zambrero, which is a food company in Australia, where she currently lives.
We are nominating Hayley for her steady and continuos support and engagement primarily with the WEvolution program, but always willing to support in other ways when possible for her. One of the most admirable things about Hayley is that she currently lives in Australia, with a 16 hours time zone difference with South Florida, and it feels like she right at the tip of our hands, even though connecting with the teams mean super early or super late hours! And she's always there with her big smile and willing to do more and more!
Hayley enjoys volunteering to be of service to others, while having the opportunity to develop her skills and network. She is grateful to have found such a supportive community, who are so generous with their time and knowledge.
FUN FACTS!
- Somehow, she has developed a habit of saying ‘smashing!’ always delivered in a dramatically British accent — and it’s become a bit of a trademark. Also the fact that people keep insisting she is ‘too nice’, which she has decided is one of her favourite superpowers
- She can’t resist a stationery aisle—pretty notebooks are her weakness. |
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We’re excited to kick off 2026 with strong momentum and meaningful partnerships designed to elevate the coaching profession across South Florida.
Two major events are on the horizon: The Summit for Wellbeing and The Business Show Miami, and ICF South Florida will be proudly present at both. These events represent more than just visibility; they are platforms to connect, collaborate, and serve. Through speaking opportunities, volunteer engagement, and strategic sponsorships, we’re positioning coaching where it belongs, at the heart of personal, organizational, and community transformation.
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We invite our members to get involved, show up in the community, and help us grow this beautiful ecosystem of leadership and impact.
Let’s rise together through coaching! |
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| ICF South Florida would like to give a warm welcome to our newest members this month! |
Alyssa Bantle
Cheryl Gowdie
Eric Zinczenko |
| A January Reset for 2026
In the Wellbeing Department, we start each year by returning to the essentials of sustainable leadership: getting centered, grounded, and oriented—so we can lead with clarity, energy, and intention.
This tradition began when we noticed something many of us experience (and it’s completely normal): we plan to reflect, journal, and set direction for the year… and then the pace picks up. Sometimes we make time for it. Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we begin—and life interrupts.
So, as we move through late January, we’re inviting you to take a short, supportive pause to reconnect with what matters most—and strengthen your follow-through for 2026.
|  | A 3-minute reflection (Past · Present · Future)
PAST — Harvest the gems
- What has this past year been a gift to you?
- What accomplishment brought you genuine satisfaction?
- What did you learn about yourself?
PRESENT — Get grounded
- What (or who) has been a source of comfort or support recently?
- What do you need to let go of to feel more clear, calm, and empowered?
FUTURE — Get oriented
- What is one word that symbolizes what you want to focus on in 2026?
- What do you want to cultivate (even 5% more of it)?
- What is one step you can take today—or this week—to begin?
If it helps, write just a few lines. Or share one insight with a colleague. Small reflections, done consistently, create meaningful shifts over time.
From the Wellbeing Department, we’re wishing you a focused, grounded year—one shaped by intention, support, and steady progress on what matters most.
Katherina Capra
Wellbeing Director |
| The Outreach Committee is kicking off 2026 strong with incredible momentum and exciting opportunities for our members to make a difference through coaching and impact the communities we serve. |
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Some of our currently active initiatives include:
- WEvolution Power Coaching (7th Edition) is underway and we're actively recruiting volunteer coaches to support this transformative women's empowerment program. If you want to learn more you can reach to Olena Fedorchenko, Hayley Fretwell or Virginia Lujan at icfsfoutreachcommittee@gmail.com
- United Way Miami (2nd Edition) currently in the last planning steps before launching our 2nd cohort soon— and we are brewing more ways to partner with United Way Miami so stay tuned for volunteer opportunities! If you want to learn more you can reach to Shakti Radhakishun at icfsfoutreachcommittee@gmail.com
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Coming Soon:
- Coast-to-Coast Pro Bono Coaching returns with three (3) pro-bono coaching sessions as part of the International Coaching Week 2026 (ICW 2026) activities. We will be recruiting coaches in February and clients in March to launch the program from April 1st through May 17th.
- Leadership + Coaching (aka Step Into Coaching) – we are revamping this initiative using an innovative pod-based collaboration approach.
- HR + Coaching – bringing coaching insights to human resources professionals. We are completing the first iteration of this pilot and we will be gathering insights and learning to launch a new cohort in 2026.
- Outreach Promotion Task Force – help us amplify coaching's impact in South Florida and beyond as we want to expand our partners contact database! We're looking to build bridges with non-profit organizations, business, chambers of commerce, professional associations, co-working spaces, and more.. If meeting new people and building networks is your thing, this is the team for you to join!
And other initiatives are also in the making!
Whether you have a few hours to give or want to dive deeper into a project, there's a place for you on the Outreach team. Every contribution matters, and volunteering is a wonderful way to grow your coaching practice while giving back to our communities.
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| Ready to get involved? Contact VP Gaston Betoled at outreach@icfsouthflorida.org to learn more about how you can be part of our 2026 impact story! |
| Book Corner by Bari Schanerman |
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Strong Ground
Brené Brown
This book looks at the challenges of today along with the experiences from the Dare to Lead courage-building work that has been done with leaders over the last six years. The book also looks at new research done during the past six years, combined with previous research and work done by other thinkers and teachers and the need to connect work with meaning and impact.
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Taking what others have done before and building on that work, as well as connecting the information in different ways can be helpful with some of the uncertainty and speed at which things are changing. And, with the exit of the baby-boomers and some Gen X leaders and the entrance of Gen Z to the mix, plus the widespread integration of AI, the need to address human wisdom and connection is greater than ever, along with the need to inspect and update or rebuild the infrastructure of the business.
Through the years of working with leaders, and integrating what has been learned, this book connects many ideas together and shines a light on many ideas to be examined to discern what really matters.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts about this book and would love any recommendations that you have on books that have made an impact in your leadership or business. Bari@yourmeetingplace.com |
| The ROI of Coaching: Why It’s Worth the Investment
Coaching is on an upward trajectory — not by chance, but because it consistently sparks meaningful growth in people and organizations. Those who are active in the coaching community see every day how powerful its ripple effects can be. Still, across organizations, decision-makers are weighing budgets and questioning whether coaching will deliver a measurable return. Let’s take a closer look at why the answer is increasingly “yes.” Learn more . . . | | | | Catch up on what you have missed!
Now is the perfect time to experience the transformative insights and expert advice from Master Coaches and speakers from our past events. Dive into highlights of these powerful sessions and discover why ICF South Florida is the key to unlocking your true potential!
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Coaching Super-Vision (Group Cohort) with MCC Paulette Rao
A confidential, reflective space for coaches to deepen their practice through guided dialogue, ethical exploration, and collaborative learning—led by MCC Paulette Rao. Coaching Super-Vision supports your professional growth by examining real client work, boundaries, and the intersection of personal and professional dynamics.
✔ Earn 6 ICF CCE units toward credential renewal
👥 Small group experience (max 6)
⏳ Only 4 spots left — register now to secure your place
Member Investment: $240 (ICFSFL members only)
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Final Call for Volunteer Coaches
ICF South Florida and WEvolution are launching the 7th Annual WE & ICFSFL Power Coaching Program—and this is your last chance to join as a volunteer coach. Support women leaders and entrepreneurs while strengthening your coaching skills and confidence through real client engagements.
Why Volunteer
- Create meaningful impact for women in leadership and life transitions
- Refine your coaching presence with real-world practice
- Accumulate paid coaching hours while giving back
Program Details
- When: Mid-March – June 2026
- Format: 6 one-to-one coaching sessions per coachee
Eligibility
- ICFSFL members
- Graduates of ICF-accredited programs or ACC/PCC/MCC credential holders
⏰ Coach sign-up closes February 15, 2026 — enroll now.
👉 Sign up here!
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MasterClass by Master Coaches
with Dr. Zeina Ghossoub El-Aswad, MCC
The Human Coach: Wellbeing, Emotional Agility, and Presence in the Age of AI
Feb 4, 2026, 8:30 AM
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The ICF South Florida Barter Coaching PRACTICE Lab
Be part of our 3rd Friday Barter Coaching sessions with Fernando Celis, MCC — where practice, learning, and new perspectives on competency development come together.
📅 Friday, February 20 | 8:30 AM
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4 MasterClass by Master Coaches with Dr. Zeina Ghossoub El-Aswad, PhD, MCC, ACTC
11 ICFSFL WE Power Coaching Program: Stop Starting Over: The 3 steps to make a lasting change
18 Group Super-Vision Opportunity with MCC Paulette Rao
20 The ICF South Florida Barter Coaching PRACTICE Lab
| Thank You to Our Partners and Sponsors
| Advertising and Partnership Opportunities
Want to share your story? Become a partner and share your unique program or service in all ICF South Florida's media outlets, including, email, Facebook, and Instagram. | Jobs Opportunities
Members – we now have a page on our website with jobs/work opportunities for you. When you log in to our website, you can find the link with posted opportunities.
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