May has been a busy month for IACP! Many of our activities had a special focus on equity and inclusion, the result of years of groundwork laid by our Equity & Inclusion Committee, Board, and staff. We kicked off the month with a Community IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) Gathering focused on the specific issues of equity and inclusion in Asian communities, and set at a time that was accessible to our members in Asia.

We also launched our first Online Introductory Training that was specifically focused on training new professionals in Asia and Australasia. Led by a team of Australian trainers, I believe this may be the most geographically diverse introductory training IACP has ever hosted, with trainees from several Australian states, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, the U.S., India, and Hong Kong!

Next, we released our first special issue of the Collaborative Review focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in the Collaborative community, a project that has been in the works for nearly a year. And finally, just as this newsletter comes out on May 27, we will be offering our free May webinar, a panel discussion featuring several of the authors from this special issue.

All of these events and releases built on each other, and on our ongoing efforts to further our awareness and dialogues about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in Collaborative Practice for both families and colleagues. But the conversation doesn’t end here. IACP is committed to addressing this topic at every level as we all work together to transform dispute resolution and build peace around the globe.

One place you can count on this conversation continuing, in a rich and lively way, is at our annual Forum. Registration will be opening soon, and I know many of you are waiting eagerly to hear how we will be managing this year’s event given the ongoing challenges of COVID. See the video link below for answers to those questions, mark your calendars for one of the most special events of the year, and keep an eye on your inbox for more news about registration. Whether online or in-person, I hope to see you there!

Looking to the future,

Anne Tamar-Mattis

Every spring, our members wait eagerly for news about the Forum, our signature event. This year more than most, there have been many questions about how we will hold our community’s annual gathering.

We believe as a community of Collaborative professionals, we are STRONGER TOGETHER. Therefore, IACP staff and board have worked hard to consider how we can best convene together for professional development and community building, given the different realities faced by our members internationally. We are happy to announce that for those who can come in person, we will join together in San Diego this October at Forum, and for our community members who would like to participate from home, we are happy to announce our virtual program, Beacon When We’re Apart.

We are very proud of what we have planned. Please watch this exciting video message from our President and our Executive Director about our plans for Forum. Stay updated via email and social media to learn more about our early bird pricing, safety guidelines, hotel booking, in-person registration, and virtual registration coming soon!

The Annual Networking and Educational Forum is the largest and most preeminent gathering of Collaborative Professionals from around the world.

The 2021 Forum in San Diego promises to be another incredible opportunity for networking, education, and sharing of best practices. After a wildly successful virtual Forum last year, and a year of membership growth, our participants are eager to see each other in person again. Supporting partners and IACP members will not want to miss out on the sponsorships and events associated with this tremendous conference.

While it is hard to predict now what October will bring, IACP is planning for an in-person Forum, and we would like to get a sense of who may be there. Please help by participating in our poll!

Join our May webinar happening TODAY at 9:00am PDT to speak with the authors from our newly released special Equity and Inclusion Issue of The Collaborative Review. This facilitated discussion will address concepts of access, diversity, anti-racism, and representation in Collaborative Practice, and will identify the gaps, challenges, and best practices for upholding diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

In the discussion our international panel of authors will expand on their articles from the recent edition of The Collaborative Review, deepen IACP's dialogue about equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and provide suggestions for actions to expand the reach of Collaborative Practice to Collaborative professionals and their clients.
 
What: May Webinar: Equity & Inclusion - Let's Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable 

Date: TODAY Wednesday, May 26th, 2021

Time: 9:00 - 10:00 AM PDT - Check your time here

Presenters:

• Rahul Aggarwal
• Rena Chen
• Roman Kern
• Zara Suleman

Note: This session will not be recorded. 

Register now to deepen your dialogue on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Collaborative Practice!

How do you handle differences that may arise in professional ethics? To learn more, join IACP's Standards & Ethics Committee members as they speak on Integrating Professional Standards and Ethics, Working together for “Our” Client, with Italian and Portuguese translation offered. 

Our panel discussion will explore differences that may arise in professional ethics relative to their roles. In addition, they will cover how to provide safety to “our” clients through the Collaborative process, while considering ethical differences. They invite questions for submission prior to the webinar to allow for an engaging conversation.

Date: Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021

Time: 8:00 - 9:00 AM PDT, rebroadcast at 6:00 - 7:00 PM PDT. To view your time zone, Click Here

Translation: Italian and Portuguese translation will be offered at the 8:00 - 9:00 AM PDT viewing of this webinar. To view your time zone, Click Here

Presented by IACP Faculty Trainers:  

• Melissa Sulkowski, Standards and Ethics Committee Chair
• Marta Alfonso
• Ellene Lammers
• Jeff Wasserman

Fees: 

• Free to Active IACP members
• Friends of IACP can use code mk5bsezds for complimentary access to the webinar

Preparing for This Interactive Webinar:

⇒ Submit your Standards and Ethics questions to the panel in advance here

⇒ Please utilize the handbook as a reference: IACP Standards and Ethics Handbook

⇒ Please review 2021 June Standards and Ethics Webinar Fact Pattern here

⇒ Zoom now offers Closed Captioning capabilities, click here for more information on this feature

Want to learn how to handle differences that may arise in professional ethics?

Did you miss Pre-Forum Institute: Radically Rethinking Collaboration with Nancy Cameron and Victoria Smith at Forum? After this popular PFI sold out twice at the 2020 Forum, demand was so high that these amazing trainers have agreed to produce a concentrated seminar, now at a more accessible length and price, starting NEXT WEEK.

Dates & Times: Check your time zone by clicking here.

• Wed. June 2nd, 2021, 10:00am-1:00pm PDT
• Thurs. June 3rd, 2021, 10:00am-1:00pm PDT
• Thurs. June 10th, 2021, 10:00am-11:30am PDT

Focused Training Format:

• We realize your time is precious, and as such, the format of this seminar has been adapted to three days of intensive training. 

Decrease in Cost:

IACP has reduced the cost of this seminar.

• Cost is now $595 and is only open to active IACP members
  

Think you can attend our high demand seminar based off these changes?

Are you looking for a way to connect with Practice Group leaders in your region on a consistent basis? Want to connect with leaders from across the globe? Join the Practice Group Development Committee's Quarterly Meetup on June 16, 2021 at 11:00am EDT/8:00am PDT.

If you would like to submit questions or topics to discuss during the meeting, submit your form by June 13th.

For more information about the Practice Group Development Committee, please reach out to the Practice Group Development Committee Chairs.

For more information about IACP Practice Groups, please contact Membership Coordinator, Dolores Puppione at Dolores@collaborativepractice.com. 

The IACP Board is proud to announce our incoming new Board Members and Executive Committee for the 2021-22 board year. We are so grateful to have such insightful and committed leaders offer their service. Terms will begin at the end of October, 2021.

New Board Members:

• Erinn Hannigan
• Amy Skogerson
• Tricia Peters

Incoming Executive Committee:

• President - Lori Gephart
• Past President - Anne Lucas
• Incoming President - Brian Galbraith
• Treasurer - Robert J. Merlin
• Secretary - Julia McAninch
• Ad Hoc Member - Kevin Scudder

As IACP President and Mental Health Professional Anne Lucas states, “There are battles you constantly face “BUT” staying positive while you tackle them will send the message, you are unbreakable!”

You won’t want to miss interview with Anne Lucas as they discuss the 5 Things You Need to Know to Survive and Thrive During and After A Divorce! 

Thinking of upskilling? The Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals (AACP) is delighted to announce that an 8-part session series, the 2021 Road to Resolution Conference will be held from April – November 2021.

AACP RTR will be live-streamed online to offer a safe, secure and flexible experience for our attendees to access from home, work or abroad.

FACP invites ALL Collaborative Professionals to attend their conference in Tampa from June 3-5, 2021, “Expanding Access to Collaborative – Meeting The Needs of Today’s Clients.”

This conference will focus on: meeting the needs of clients from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, incomes, ages, and LGBTQ+ identification; Collaborative Process for divorce and for unmarried parents, relocation, modification, and pre and post-nuptial agreements; and embracing technology to fill the gaps that the traditional court system cannot handle.