board of directors

President - Geneva Cooper
The President leads the Board of Directors, ensuring compliance with bylaws and ICF global, and focusing the board on its vision for the organization. President serves as the chapter's spokesperson and back-stops where needed. Responsible for designing and running the monthly board meetings.

As a corporate professional for nearly 25 years, the richest part of my career has been finding, developing, and utilizing my strengths as a coach, along with the breadth of my skillset to support others in their careers. My skills have allowed me to amplify my voice as a leader and champion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry, which I love.

As I have had the privilege of leading the ICFNE Chapter’s Team and Group Coaching Community of Practice, I am looking for even greater ways to contribute to the chapter and the coaching industry. As it is important for me to lead by example, being in the role of President- Elect will allow me to develop additional skills, while simultaneously driving my commitment to my personal coaching practice. I believe my years of experience as a mom and corporate professional will be of great service to the chapter, adding new perspective and multiplying the chapter’s impact.

Ways to connect with Geneva:

Email Geneva at president@ICFNE.org.

Past-President - Richard Brown
The Past-President ensures continuity from one year to the next, offering institutional knowledge, historical context, and mentoring to the president and board when needed.

Richard Brown coaches driven leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs who care about impact. As a non-directively focused coach, Richard is sharpened by working with a broad range of clients and client objectives. Some of his favorite arenas include organizational health and efficacy, women in leadership, environmental tech and advocacy, health professionals, and first responders. 

Richard brings a combination of high IQ and EQ, an instinct for untangling complexities, and a creative multifaceted approach; all enhanced by a 35+ year study of behavioral science, neuroscience, and meditative traditions.

Richard is credentialled as a PCC with the ICF and is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach through Co-Active Training Institute. 

Ways to connect with Richard

Email Richard at past-president@ICFNE.org.

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President-Elect - Catherine Finger
The President-Elect sits on the board to prepare to lead as president the following year, allowing time to learn from the current president and understand how the board functions. Historically, the president-elect implements the Ignite Initiative.

I have experienced firsthand the strength, professionalism, and generosity of our ICF NE members. As we honor our first 30 years, I sense we are at a meaningful intersection—celebrating all we have built while thoughtfully stepping into what is next. This is an opportunity to deepen engagement across all five states, broaden participation, and ensure that coaches at every credential level and career stage feel welcomed, supported, challenged, and connected. Our diversity of experience is one of our greatest assets, and I believe we can continue creating and exploring structures that invite more voices into conversation, engagement, service and leadership.

I am energized by conversations I’ve enjoyed around our region about how we might expand access, collaboration, and professional development. Ideas I welcome exploring together include increasing in-person gatherings across our region; strengthening partnerships with colleges and universities; expanding pro-bono coaching initiatives to serve nonprofit organizations; creating more visible and flexible pathways for members to contribute as presenters, volunteers, or committee leaders; and deepening relationships with neighboring ICF chapters. As we continue to build upon our wonderful annual conference, we might also explore additional in-person learning opportunities—and perhaps one day consider broader regional collaboration along the East Coast. 

My professional background spans more than three decades in education, including roles as a high school teacher, coach, building leader, and superintendent in the Chicago suburbs. Throughout my career, I served in numerous board leadership positions, guiding strategic planning, instructional excellence, fiscal oversight, and community engagement efforts. I worked as a mentor and supervisor at state and national levels and supervised doctoral candidates through two universities—experiences that strengthened my commitment to ethical leadership, developmental growth, and collaborative governance.

Within the coaching profession, I previously served two terms on the ICF Wisconsin board, and I facilitated an ICF Business of Coaching Special Interest Group for three years. That experience deepened my respect for chapter operations, strengthened my commitment to service, fiduciary responsibility, and member-centered decision-making. Today, my coaching practice centers on executive leaders, mentor coaching, and coaching supervision. Additionally, I serve as a coach educator, mentor, supervisor and assessor for two internationally recognized coaching schools.

Ways to connect with Catherine:
Email Catherine at president-elect@ICFNE.org.

Secretary - Sheila Murray
Responsible for the chapter's record-keeping and our filing and standing with the State of Massachusetts. Management of board meeting minutes and organization of our file storage infrastructure, as well as responding to and relaying general inquiries.

Sheila is passionate about empowering individuals and groups to become more resourced, resilient, and effective in their lives. As an ICF Professional Certified Coach, Yoga Instructor, Reiki practitioner, and wellness retreat leader, she integrates a variety of healing modalities to help people transform on a body, mind, and soul level. Sheila deeply believes that prioritizing mental health and well-being not only enriches individual lives, but also creates a powerful ripple effect—positively influencing families, workplaces, and entire communities.

Sheila lives in Portsmouth, NH with her husband and two silly rescue dogs. She is always looking for the next adventure - a long run, a sunrise ocean dip, going to the climbing gym, and building She Flows Collective 


Ways to connect with Sheila:

Email Sheila at secretary@ICFNE.org.

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Treasurer - Katie Conway
Holds fiduciary responsibility on behalf of the board and chapter. Responsibilities include managing the budget, reimbursing board members’ expenses and managing the approval and release of funds. The treasurer is supported by a professional accountant.

Katie Conway is an executive coach and leadership strategist with decades of experience helping leaders grow with purpose and achieve results. As founder of Fearless Success Partners, she blends strategic insight with deep presence, guiding clients to navigate complexity, lead with clarity, and make bold decisions without compromising their values. Her background includes senior roles in human resources and accounting, with a focus on organizational strategy, resource management, and business growth in both startups and global firms. She holds an ACC credential from the International Coaching Federation and CPC, ELI-MP certifications from iPEC Coaching.

Ways to connect with Katie: 

Email Katie at treasurer@ICFNE.org.

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VP of Membership - Amber Drebaum
Serves as the main point of contact for members. Responsibilities include onboarding new members and addressing member questions, along with membership categories, member benefits, and the health of member engagement.

My name is Amber Drebaum (DREE-bahm), and I am an ACC-credentialed coach with a deep belief that community is what makes professional growth sustainable. For me, membership is not only about access to benefits. It is about helping people feel oriented, supported, and genuinely at home in how they engage.

I came to coaching through a multifaceted career in program operations, adult education, and community support work. Across every role, one theme has remained consistent: I am a connector. My work has centered on building clear systems and experiences that help people understand where they belong and how to participate, transforming uncertainty into clarity and unfamiliarity into confidence.

Within ICF New England, I see a chapter rich with opportunity. At the same time, many members join unsure where to begin, how to navigate membership categories, or which opportunities align with their stage of practice. When pathways are clear, engagement becomes more accessible and participation more sustainable.

I am a coach who supports women exploring purpose and meaningful change, as well as a tai chi instructor and podcast host. These roles have deepened my understanding of how people engage when they feel welcomed, oriented, and respected in their individual journeys, and that perspective shapes everything about how I approach community building.

As Vice President of Membership, my focus would be on strengthening the member journey from first contact through renewal. Practically, this means clear onboarding pathways, improved visibility of benefits, and consistent communication that supports understanding and engagement. I also envision the membership role as a bridge, working closely with Education, Volunteer, and Communications leaders so members can move fluidly between learning, service, and connection.

I am interested in supporting engagement through simple, human indicators: Are new members finding their footing? Are people returning? Where do members feel uncertain or unseen? These questions, more than metrics alone, can help identify where outreach or clarity can make a real difference.

Above all, I want every member to feel that ICF New England is a community they can navigate with confidence. Through board service, my goal is a membership experience that is welcoming, accessible, and worthy of the chapter's commitment to professional excellence. 

Ways to connect with Amber

Email Amber at membership@ICFNE.org.

VP of DEIB - Naeemah Elias
Advocates for a diverse, inclusive, and equitable coaching community. Leads the DEI committee and is consulted on the integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the chapter activities.

My name is Naeemah Elias, and I am a leadership strategist, executive coach, and founder of Elias Presence Ventures. My work sits at the intersection of leadership, communication, and belonging, helping people step into their voice, expand their influence, and show up more fully in the rooms they inhabit.

My path into this work has been anything but linear. I spent 13 years at State Street, growing from Executive Assistant to Managing Director, building talent programs and leadership pathways that continue to shape careers today. Along the way, I was often the only, the first, or the outsider in the room. Those experiences didn’t just shape my resilience, they shaped my perspective and my commitment to creating spaces where more people can thrive and feel a true sense of belonging.

That perspective is also deeply personal. As a Black, female, neurodivergent parent of three children finding their way in the world, including studying and living internationally, I think a lot about what it means to prepare people to navigate spaces that were not necessarily designed with them in mind. That lens shows up in how I coach, how I lead, and how I think about community.

Today, as a TEDx speaker and coach, I partner with organizations and individuals to turn intention into action. I care deeply about helping leaders understand that inclusion isn’t a side project, it’s part of how we lead, how we communicate, and how we build environments where people can do their best work.

I am really grateful for the foundation that Thea, Erica, and the ICFNE DEIB Committee have already built. There is meaningful work happening here. If elected as VP of DEIB, my goal is to continue that work, support what is already in motion, and help create even more opportunities for connection, visibility, and shared learning across our community.

I am especially interested in creating spaces where members can engage across differences, elevating a wider range of voices, and offering practical tools that help coaches navigate identity, power, and perspective in their work.

At its best, ICF New England is not just a professional organization, it is a community. I would be honored to support and contribute to that community as it continues to grow, and to help more of our members make their presence felt in the rooms that matter most.

Ways to connect with Naeemah: 

Email Naeemah at  deib@ICFNE.org.

Co-VP of Education and Professional Development - Alicia Rule
Co-VP role to manage and execute chapter continuing education programs, along with a committee of volunteers. Responsibilities include choosing speakers in accordance with chapter priorities and DEI mission, oversee the CEU approval from the ICF for educational events, coordinate and recruit volunteers.

Alicia Rule is a leadership and team development coach who decodes hidden patterns keeping organizations trapped in superficial change. With 15+ years spanning crisis response, federal transformation, and international development, she builds collaborative ecosystems where authentic dialogue surfaces root causes and accelerates decision velocity.

Alicia earned her Education Specialist degree in Human & Organizational Learning from The George Washington University and holds the Associate Certified Coach credential with the International Coaching Federation. She is currently pursuing her Individual Team Coaching Award (ITCA) credential, expected 2026.

Ways to connect with Alicia:

Email Alicia at education@ICFNE.org.

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Co-VP of Education and Professional Development - Sudakshina Bhattacharya
Co-VP role to manage and execute chapter continuing education programs, along with a committee of volunteers. Responsibilities include choosing speakers in accordance with chapter priorities and DEI mission, oversee the CEU approval from the ICF for educational events, coordinate and recruit volunteers.

I'm Sudakshina Bhattacharya — an ICF-credentialed Executive & Leadership Coach, Business Strategist, and founder of OwlTree Consulting, a coaching and strategy consulting practice based on the South Shore of Massachusetts. I'm running for Co-VP of Education because I believe deeply in the power of learning communities — and I'd love to help shape the educational experiences that make this chapter so valuable to its members.

A bit about my background:

With roots in India and over 15 years of experience spanning leadership, consulting, entrepreneurship, and coaching, I bring a global perspective grounded in local commitment. I founded and scaled a digital consulting firm with a 25+ member team, and served as a Senior Consultant with Curate Partners, a consulting services and talent solutions firm in Boston, advising enterprise clients on strategy and transformation. Under OwlTree Consulting, my coaching practice operates through the Integral Success Coaching umbrella — built on the philosophy that all aspects of personal and professional life are deeply interconnected, and that true success in business, leadership, or any profession cannot be separated from the personal. This integrated approach shapes everything I do with my clients.

I hold an ICF-ACC credential, have completed ICF Level 2 education on the PCC pathway, and am currently pursuing my Advanced Certified Team Coach (ACTC) credential through Erickson Coaching International. My academic and professional credentials include a Master's in Computer Science, Certificates of Specialization in Business Strategy & Entrepreneurship from Harvard Business School, Pre-MBA (CORe) credential from HBS earned with High Honours, Maxwell Leadership Certified DISC Consultant certification, ICF-accredited Life & Business Coach Certifications, and a Certified NLP Practitioner credential.

Why Education — and why this role:

Education has been a thread through every chapter of my career. With a proven track record of volunteer leadership across organizations like BNI, JCI, and Rotary — where my roles have spanned from education coordinator and chapter trainer to VP and regional ambassador — I understand what it takes to build and sustain programmes that genuinely serve a community. As an active participant in ICF New England's events and a dedicated follower of the chapter newsletter, I've experienced firsthand the value our educational offerings bring. I want to contribute to making them even stronger.

What I hope to bring to the board:

As Co-VP of Education, I would focus on curating timely, relevant topics that reflect the evolving needs of our members — from advanced coaching competencies and team coaching to the responsible use of AI in our practice. My comfort with digital tools and AI enables me to help streamline planning, strengthen systems, and explore new formats that make learning more accessible. Equally important to me is meaningful communication — with the education committee, with collaborators, and with the broader chapter community — to ensure our programs are shaped by member input and aligned with what matters most to you.

I also bring a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives. My coaching spans generations, cultures, and geographies — from first-generation founders to seasoned executives, serving clients in both India and the United States. This lived experience informs how I think about creating inclusive, resonant learning experiences for all.

Ways to connect with Sudakshina:

Email Sudakshina at education@ICFNE.org.

VP of Marketing & Communications - Jenn Cloutier
Manages chapter's communications calendar and creation of monthly member newsletter. Partners with Board members on all communication needs, and manages chapter website and social media strategy. Oversees the chapter’s marketing and public relations strategy.

It’s the mid-1990s. I've just left art school, and life feels unmoored.

Then two women walk into my life and change everything.

The first is a dean I've never met. She studies my file, looks up, and asks simply: “What happened to you?” For the first time in a long time, I feel seen, heard, and valued. That question cracked something open in me that I hadn't known was closed.

The second is Sandy, a technical writer at a tech startup. I watch, awestruck, as she navigates her world with quiet confidence and skill. She takes me under her wing and invites me to a communications conference in Florida. I walk into that room, look around at the storytellers filling every seat, and something clicks. I found my people. I re-enrolled in school and changed my major to Communications.

Stories are the fastest way to build trust between two or more people. Story is what moves us. It is what brought me to communications to marketing, and ultimately, to coaching.

You could say I came to coaching the long way, through 20 years of leading inside a Fortune 100 company, where I discovered the most powerful lever in any transformation wasn't strategy or process. It was people knowing they were seen, supported, and capable of more than they believed. That conviction is what brought me here.

I'm Jenn Cloutier, founder of Jenn Cloutier International and SVP of Executive Coaching at MDL Executive Network. I hold my ACC with ICF, my CPC and ELI-MP through iPEC, and am working toward PCC. My practice specializes in one belief: you’re the most powerful person you’ll ever know and the culture you carry into a room becomes the culture people experience.

Before launching my practice, I spent over two decades at MassMutual as an Executive Officer across marketing, communications, operations, and transformation. I led more than $300 million in enterprise initiatives, developed over 200 leaders, and built programs that gave me deep fluency in brand strategy, audience engagement, and communications that move people.

I've been an active ICF New England member since 2023, and last year stepped in as Sponsorships Lead for the 2026 Annual Conference Planning Committee. It’s reinforced my belief this community is extraordinary, and it deserves marketing that reflects that.

Ways to connect with Jenn:

Email Jenn at marketing@ICFNE.org.

VP of Volunteer Community - Nirva Mentor, ACC
Seeks and organizes volunteers for various projects and opportunities that board members might need or that the organization might have to offer. Coordinates the Massachusetts Conference for Women involvement in which ICF New England has been privileged to participate.

Nirva Mentor is an ICF-certified career coach , recruiter, and entrepreneur with a passion for helping others navigate career transitions while protecting their mental wellness. She holds a BA in Developmental Psychology and an MBA, and began her career in outpatient counseling before transitioning into recruitment, where she has spent the past 10 years across various industries. Nirva is the founder of NM Career Coaching, where she supports individuals through professional pivots, and Mobile Serves by Nirvs, a mobile bartending business that brings creativity and celebration to special events.

During her free time, Nirva enjoys being outdoors-especially at the beach, traveling, exploring new restaurants in the city and spending quality time with her goldendoodle, Benji. She is committed to helping people pursue ambitious careers without sacrificing their personal well-being.

Ways to connect with Nirva:

Email Nirva at volunteer@ICFNE.org.

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VP of Sponsorship - Peter Anderson
Manages and promotes ICF New England's sponsor partnership offerings, representing the chapter to organizations interested in getting their brands in front of members. Coordinates with Communications & Marketing and various other board roles to execute sponsor partnership agreements, which include placing sponsor assets, graphics, links, articles, and other information in our communication channels.

After more than two decades of professional and leadership success in higher education and global education, Peter had burned out his candle on both ends. A family move back to the NorthEast in 2019 gave him a push to reimagine life as an executive coach and consultant. Peter specializes in working with high knowledge professionals who need to learn to lead people too. For organizations and teams, he offers human-centered learning & development programs (emotional intelligence, sense-making, organizational mindfulness), group coaching, and facilitated dialogue (trained in inter-group, nonviolent communication, and convergent facilitation methods). His leadership and executive coaching is focused on EI, mindfulness, and wise-minded leadership. He's a certified executive coach through the global Center for Executive Coaching, holds the PCC credential, is a certified Genos International EI practitioner, a U.N. Habitat certified facilitator, and collaborates as a SME in emotional intelligence with the Institute for Organizational Science and Mindfulness, for which he is a Facilitator and Teacher.

Peter is rooted in Burlington, Vermont but works nationally. He has helped raise three amazing humans to free-range adulthood. He loves TTRPGs, board games, pickleball, and kayaking on Lake Champlain. When he's not doing any of these things or hanging out with his spouse or pets, he's probably making playlists for the HIIT cycle classes he teaches. He LOVES to meet new people - please send him a note to connect!

Ways to connect with Peter:

Email Peter at sponsorship@ICFNE.org.

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