International Academy of Collaborative Professionals

IACP Committees

The IACP currently has twelve committees and many more subcommittees to assist with the operation of the organization. All of our committees offer opportunities for member involvement. We believe it to be important that our members are informed and in touch. We hope that by familiarizing members with the work of the organization, members may consider contributing to the IACP vision by either volunteering to serve on a committee or by providing information or input to Committee members. We will provide committee news and updates periodically in the �Collaborative Connection.�

If you have an interest in serving on any of these committees, please click here to download the Committee Interest Form. While some Committee assignments are made during the year most committee memberships are determined at the annual Board Retreat in January of each year. Members are asked to serve for one year with the possibility of renewal on an annual basis. Many Committees meet on a regular basis (e.g., monthly); however, meetings are typically determined by the Committee chair, and may be scheduled as needed.

Our Executive Director, Talia Katz, works closely with each Committee, developing vision and goals and implementing action plans.

1. CIVIL/COMMERCIAL PRACTICE

Co-Chairs:

Rita Pollak , Boston , MA (legal)
Michael Zeytoonian, Wellesley Hills , MA (legal)

Members:

Sherrie Abney, TX (legal)
William Andrews, CA (legal)
Marilyn Endriss, WA (legal)
Jeanne Fahey, CA (legal)
Brad Hunter, SK (legal)
Stacey Langenbahn, TX (legal)
Susan Miller, MA (financial)
Vicki James, TX (mental health)
Lynn Russell, GA (legal)
Peter Sandmann, CA (legal)
Gaylene Stingl, WI (financial)

The committee on the Civil Practice of Collaborative Law is forming relationships with professionals who are bringing the collaborative process to civil areas of practice, such as probate and estate planning, medical error, employment conflicts, business and small business disputes. Members of this committee are exploring options and trying to identify the mutual benefits from fully integrating the areas of practice, including making this an interdisciplinary area of practice by training coaches and financial specialists to work in the civil arena.

One obvious benefit which IACP offers members is a comprehensive marketing plan which is currently dedicated to family law practice. We are modifying the existing materials to make them appropriate for non-family law use by creating a new and distinct marketing approach appropriate for the civil community.

2. COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION

The Communications Committee manages communications to and from the organization, the public, IACP members, and Collaborative professionals generally. There are two branches:

2A. Collaborative Review

Co-Chairs:

Jennifer Jackson, CA (legal)
Jennifer Tull, TX (legal)

Members:

Gay Cox, TX (legal)
Judith Johnson, MN (legal)
Arlene Kostant, CA (legal)
Mary Lund, CA (mental health)
Larry Maxwell, TX (legal)
Robert Harvie, AB (legal)
Robert Matlock, TX (legal)
Susan Miller, MA (financial)
Margaret Opatovsky, ON (legal)
Anu Osborne, MB (legal)
Ron Ousky, MN (legal)
Lynda Robbins, MA (legal)
Sandra Rosenbloom, IL (legal)
Honey Sheff, TX (mental health)
Tracy Stewart, TX (financial)
Pauline Tesler, CA (legal)
Jackie Thomson, CA (financial)
Stu Webb, MN (legal)

The Collaborative Review is the IACP's official publication. It is published three times yearly: Spring, Summer and Winter. The Review features scholarly and thought-provoking articles on �hot� topics, discussions about collaborative protocols, practice tips, book reviews, regular columns and commentary. The Review has been newly restructured to include desk editors who will be responsible for procuring articles in their assigned areas of interest. Our goal is to produce a well-balanced publication that will be useful to all of our practitioners, whatever their professions. We are also looking to produce a special issue of the Review as part of our new member package which will include articles about IACP history, board members, committees and the like. In 2005, we changed our �look� to coordinate with the new �look� for Collaborative Practice, and in 2007, hope to be publishing quarterly.

2B. Website

Co-Chairs:

Jennifer Jackson , CA (legal)
Jennifer Broussard, TX (legal)
Margaret Anderson, CA (legal)

Members:

Gunnar Gitlin, IL (legal)
Yvonne Homeyer, MO (legal)
Linda Martin, IL (financial)
Malcolm McCollam, OK (legal)
Gretchen Walther, NM (legal)

The character and composition of the website committee has been evolving since our new website was launched in October 2004. The site is the most accessible link between the IACP board/committees and collaborative practitioners and the public. Therefore, we are constantly working on improving the overall usefulness of the site. We have added our newsletter feature, a photo gallery, and many other new features. As the committee recruits more members, we will have volunteers in charge of keeping track of new articles (written or published in newspapers), new books and new links to be added to the website. Our committee will also be looking into website policies, such as what kinds of articles and links are appropriate to �publish� on the site, how navigation around the site best serves the public and professionals, and general content/copy.

3. FUNDRAISING

Chair:

Ron Ousky, MN (legall)

Members:

Margaret Opatovsky, ON (legal)
Ross Foote, LA (legal)
Eileen Thomas, GA (legal)

The task of the Fundraising committee is to think about and plan for the financial sustainability of the IACP in the short-term, mid-term and long-term; more specifically, organizational financial planning. Depending on the various program goals, we try to determine what financial resources will be needed to meet those priorities and identify appropriate sources of revenue, making recommendations to the Board for implementation.

4. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Co-Chairs:

James Pirrie, England (legal)
Elise Schopper-Brigel, Austria (legal)

The International Organizational Development committee was created to: Raise the profile of collaborative practice where there are currently no collaborative practitioners (�the New Jurisdictions�) so as to offer practitioners the opportunity of assisting their clients with it.

Support the development of CP in the new communities (�the Developing Jurisdictions�) by:

a) Sharing information so as to provide an audit of the current situations;

b) Identifying i) vehicles/ bodies/ opportunities by which the message can be got out there; and ii) common themes, challenges and needs

c) Sharing solutions, materials and ideas for development (Training?)

In both communities create ways of also communicating the relevance of the model to their judiciary and government where relevant (e.g., court and legal aid services), aiming to increase acceptance and support for the model through the positive international experience that we can report.

Raise awareness of the work done by IACP and its opportunities for positive development, given, for example

a) The work it does in relation to Public Relations and Marketing, Practice Group Development, Professional Development, Research, Standards, Civil Practice; and/ or further matters that we might raise with it

b) Its publications, conference, website and funding for public education, which may assist in building a global community and improving skills and best practice

5. INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC EDUCATION

Co-Chairs:

Bob Bordett, GA (financial)
Lynda Robbins, MA (legal)

Members:

Hal Bartholomew, CA (legal)
Kim Davidson, CA (legal)
Jacinta Gallant, PEI (legal)
Brad Hunter, SK (legal)
Marion Korn, ON (legal)
Katherine Miller, NY (legal)
Ron Ousky, MN (legal)
Michelle Sullivan, CA (legal)
Peggy Thompson , CA (mental health)
Amy Jensen Wolff, MN (financial)

The mission of the International Public Education Committee (IPEC) is �to create an international public education strategy that complements and builds upon regional and local efforts to expand the use of the collaborative process� and its vision is that �the collaborative process is universally understood, adopted and readily accessible worldwide�.

Working with a widely respected consultant and an internationally known public relations firm, the committee is further building on its campaign to publicize the collaborative practice identity by expanding on the branding and informational material previously developed. The new phase of the campaign will include advertising and outreach to targeted markets. Our goals are to continue our efforts to get the message out to the public about what we do and to support local groups and individual IACP members in building their practices.

6. MEMBERSIHP

Co-Chairs:

Norma Trusch, TX (legal)
Harry Tindall, TX (legal)

Members:

Beth Danehy, NY (legal)
Brad Hunter, SK (legal)
Larry Maxwell, TX (legal)
Rosemarie McElhaney, CA (legal)
Gaylene Stingl, WI (financial)

The charge of the Membership Committee is to increase the overall membership of IACP for the following dual purposes:

Expand the Collaborative Practice model through outreach, education and networking; and

Increase the capacity of the organization to promote the Collaborative Practice

The committee was given the task of developing strategies that would achieve these purposes. The following areas have been targeted for this year:

Develop information for members and potential members regarding the various IACP committees and identify effective ways for that information to be disseminated to the membership;

Identify approaches to publicizing the benefits of IACP membership and develop strategies for implementing those approaches; and,

Identify methodologies for members to communicate effectively with the organization and its Board.

7. PRACTICE GROUP LEADERSHIP

Co-Chairs:

Sherri Goren Slovin, OH (legal)
Nancy Cameron, BC (legal)
Malcolm McCollam, OK(legal)

Members:

Joe D�Ambrosio, KY (legal)
Eve Poling, GA (mental health)
Elizabeth Reingold, NY (legal)
Victoria Smith, ON (legal)

This committee has been created to:

Help new groups structure and develop a sound foundation

Help existing groups move to the next level of practice

Provide a clearinghouse of information for new and existing groups

Provide mentoring for organizational leadership

Provide a framework that takes into account differences in individual community needs

Find out what's happening in the collaborative practice world: collaborative groups/statistics

Increase IACP membership involvement

Support best practices, disseminate standards and practices

8. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Co-Chairs:

Suzanne Brunsting, NY (legal)
Diane Diel, WI (legal)

Members:

Vicki Carpel-Miller, AZ (mental health)
Susan Gamache, BC (mental health)
Sheila Gutterman, CO (legal)
Christina Littlefield, CA (legal)
Gerald Monk, CA (mental health)
Jeanne Schroeder, WI (legal)
Linda Solomon, TX (mental health)

Purpose of the Professional Development Committee Find ways to support practitioners� and trainers� efforts

Identify the �Big Picture� � What do practitioners need and how can the IACP help them?

Build on work of former Trainers� Advisory Council - continuing its efforts to support opportunities for trainers to share and improve their skills and to expand the pool of trainers who meet IACP�s standards

The following projects have been targeted:

Develop a Trainers� Resource Directory and have that information available to the membership and to the public on the IACP web site;

Prepare drop-in modules for half day and one day ongoing learning opportunities for members; and,

Investigate the development of video support for ongoing learning experiences.

9. PROGRAMS/EVENTS

9A. 2006 Forum

Co-Chairs:

Mark Hill, CA (financial)
Frank Nageotte, CA (legal)

Members:

Lauren Alexander, GA (legal)
Bob Bordett, GA (financial)
Vicki Carpel-Miller, AZ (mental health)
Margaret Opatovsky, ON (legal)

The Forum Committee plans and implements the annual Networking and Educational Forum for Collaborative Professionals in the fall, this year October 13-15, 2006 in San Diego, California. Learn more about the Forum on this website!

10. RESEARCH

Co-Chairs:

Gay Cox, TX (legal)
Linda Wray, MN (legal)

Members:

Lauren Alexander, GA (legal)
Arthur Bodin, CA (mental health)
Robert Harvie, AB (legal)
Darrell Hischke, WI (mental health)
Christine Lissard, LA (mental health)
James Pirrie, England (legal)
Dick Price, TX (legal)
Jackie Ramler, ON (financial)
Honey Sheff, TX (mental health)

Purposes of the Research Committee:

The committee will be aided by consultants Peggy Thompson and Rodney Nurse from California.

11. STANDARDS

Co-Chairs:

Nancy Cameron, BC (legal)
George Richardson, CA (legal)

Members:

Maria Alba-Fisch, NY (mental health)
Robert Colby, BC (mental health)
Cathy Daigle, CA (financial)
Diane Diel, WI (legal)
Jane Tremblay, ON (financial)
David Weinberg, CA (legal)

The objective of the Standards Committee is to maintain a forum for growth and revision of IACP Standards and Principles. The Standards Committee is responsible for: reviewing the IACP standards documents;

drafting any proposed changes to the standards documents for consideration by the IACP board;

responding to member questions about the IACP Principles of Collaborative Practice, the IACP Minimum Standards for Collaborative Practitioners, the IACP Ethical Standards for Collaborative Practitioners, the IACP Minimum Standards for a Collaborative Basic Training, and the IACP Minimum Standards for Collaborative Trainers; and

further exploring the development of best practices guidelines.

Comments and questions are welcome and should be sent to Paula Jackson, the IACP administrator, for forwarding to the Standards Committee.

12. TASK FORCE ON DIVERSITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVITY

Chair:

Marion Korn, ON (legal)

Members:

Mariette Geldenhuys, NY (legal)
Neeraj Goel, ON (legal)
Kim Surratt, NV (legal)
Judge Mary Triggiano, WI (legal)
J. Kim Wright, NC (legal)

The Task Force will make recommendations to the IACP to seize the opportunities our great diversity offers in the service of the IACP�s vision, mission and values. The Task Force will examine diversity not only with regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture, nationality, immigration status, language, age, religion and disability, but also socio-economic status, as we recognize a crucial need to make the collaborative process accessible to low-income clients.