Hi everyone,



Warm greetings to all of you around the world! Outside my office, it’s a crisp 4°F (-15°C), while many of you in the Southern Hemisphere are enjoying the warmth of summer. I’m reminded how beautifully diverse our global community is: united by purpose, even when our seasons, languages, and landscapes differ.

This time of year invites reflection, and in a world that sometimes feels heavy, I’ve been thinking about the quiet, steady power we hold as Collaborative Professionals. We are uniquely positioned to offer hope, dignity, and constructive paths forward, every time we show up with clarity, compassion, and courage. What we do matters. It’s work that heals.

And we have a powerful opportunity to come together again at this year’s Educational and Networking Forum, held October 29–November 1, 2026 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Our theme says it all:

Collaborative Rising: Elevate Practice, Deepen Connections + Ignite Change.

I hope you’ll consider submitting a proposal for a PFI or Workshop. Your experiences, ideas, and insights are exactly what our global community needs. The submission deadline is March 1 and I’d love to see your voice represented on this year’s program.

As part of my Presidential year, I’ve been highlighting our Ten Pillars of Collaborative Practice each month. Last month, I focused on Interdisciplinary Teamwork. This month, we move to our eighth Pillar: Persistence.

Each of the Ten Pillars is a value statement, not listed in order of importance. The last six describe values we live through our community. Here’s the full statement: 

In line with the IACP mission, we are committed to creating a community that shows perseverance and commitment to finding solutions, even in challenging and complex situations.

I am, admittedly, a Collaborative absolutist. I believe Collaborative Practice can resolve any conflict, provided that the participants and professionals commit to the process. Trust, perseverance, and creativity are essential. When we lean into impasse, when we consult with one another, when we hold space for complexity, this is when real resolution happens.

So let’s begin this new year grounded in our shared strength. When we commit to the work—and to each other—we model something the world desperately needs: that resolution is possible.

Next month, I’ll continue with the ninth Pillar: Confidentiality.