Dear ICF Long Island Members:

Over the past several months your board of directors have been engaged in a set of discussions regarding the strategic direction for our ICF Long Island Chapter.

Past and current chapter leadership have faced the persistent challenge to engage the chapter membership with a Long Island identity grounded in timely and compelling events and content. There has been a steady decline in membership engagement that pre-dates this COVID era we find ourselves in. Our Long Island Chapter is small by most definitions. It’s not surprising therefore, that we struggle to reach a quorum for all events, in-person and virtual.

Each new year brings the opportunity to take stock of where we’ve been and create a vision for the future. Approaching 2022 is no different. The chapter board mapped out a series of contingencies for managing the chapter’s affairs for the new year. One of these contingencies was evaluating the dissolution of the Long Island Chapter. The history and dynamics of our chapter led the board to the unanimous decision to dissolve the Long Island chapter and create a new identity for our region under the banner of ICF New York City.

While it is natural to have mixed feelings about this change, there are many synergies to be gained with this transaction. We can capitalize on the size and scale of the New York City Chapter taking advantage of a range of services. Their members have taken active roles in committees which address content, community outreach, member engagement, marketing, and they have strengthened relationships with other institutions that help shape the coaching landscape. They have converted their professional development to virtual opportunities, built out membership engagement initiatives, and added more networking opportunities through Town Halls and regional Coach Cafes.

There is no additional cost to you, our Long Island members, by affiliating with ICF New York City. All you need to do, if you choose, is designate ICF New York City as your local chapter affiliation on the ICF Global website. We’ve included instructions to accomplish this task. Your local ICF chapter affiliation will NOT be moved over automatically for 2022. You are invited to join the NYC Chapter in their virtual new member welcome meeting on January 25^th by registering at https://icfnycchapter.org/event-4568323. If you haven't switched your chapter designation by then, you can email president@icfnycchapter.org to register for this meeting.

We thank you very much for your cooperation and understanding in this process. Thank you for your continued support and partnership these past years. We look forward to the future and continuing our engagement with you as ICF New York City chapter colleagues and friends.

Sincerely,

Trillium Fox, ACC
President, ICF-LI

Frequently asked questions:

This change will naturally raise some questions, and we have attempted to address some of the most anticipated questions. We will be available to address any other questions or concerns you may have and to support you through the change process.

• What do I have to do? You are encouraged to maintain an affiliation with a chapter that best meets your needs. Below these FAQ’s you will find instructions for changing your chapter affiliation to the new chapter of your choice. Regardless of which chapter you choose, make sure to subscribe to their mailing list to stay informed on programming and events.
• What is happening to ICF-LI? ICF-LI will no longer be a separate chapter and will be dissolved.   
• What if I just joined a Coaching Circle? Thanks for joining the Coaching Circle. It will continue at whatever cadence you and your peers decide; your chapter affiliation has no impact on completing the Coaching Circle. 
• New York City is my closest option. What if I don’t live near the city? Even when it is safe to return to in-person programming and events, ICF-NYC is committing to always offering a hybrid option for learning. Stay tuned for additional information on local, in-person coach cafes on Long Island.
• Will there be additional fees? You should check with the chapter you intend to designate. ICF-NYC does not charge a chapter member fee. Members pay a small fee for events, just as you did as a member of the Long Island chapter.
• How can I get involved with my new chapter? Similar to Long Island, there are many volunteer opportunities as a member of any chapter! ICF-NYC has a number of active Committees for you to participate in, and after six months on a committee you are eligible to run for a Board role if you are interested.

Designating your new chapter :

1.      Log-on to the ICF Global site.
2.      Click on your name in the upper right corner to bring up your profile.
3.      The right side of your profile page lists “My Account Links.”
4.      Scroll down and click “My Chapter Affiliation.”
5.      You will see your ICF Long Island chapter, your role and the date you joined the chapter.
6.      Click on the button labeled “Change My Chapter.”
7.      Based on your address on record, the database will offer you choices of the chapter’s closest to you geographically. If those suggestions don’t meet your needs, enter your geographic preference in the space labeled “Search for a Chapter.”
8.      Confirm your choice by clicking the “Submit Change” button.