PRESIDENT:

Marianna Henry, ACC (Utah)

president@icfhighcountry.org

Marianna Henry, ACC, is a bilingual, first-generation Polish-American, originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She moved to Utah in 2008 for her partner's career opportunity and has since built a significant career in coaching and higher education. She spent 14 years in student-facing staff and faculty positions at Utah Valley University and currently serves as a Higher Education Trainer for JST Coaching & Training.

As a Professional ADHD Coach and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Marianna founded MH Success Coaching in 2020, offering strengths-based ADHD support to teens and adults across the United States. With a passion for partnering with ADHD and AuDHD clients, she brings extensive experience and personal insight into neurodiversity. Marianna is well-versed in neurodivergence, co-occurring conditions, and executive function challenges and strategies, and is always learning, growing, and educating others in this space.

Marianna holds a Master of Professional Studies in Social Entrepreneurship, with a focus on sociology and nonprofit and civic leadership. Her passion for service has driven her to take on various roles, including the ICF High Country Chapter Presidency. She co-leads the Neurodiversity Impact Team within the statewide Bolder Way Forward initiative, a vehicle of change for Utah women and girls. Marianna also recently founded the Utah ADHD Collective, an organization of like-minded and trained providers dedicated to offering comprehensive ADHD support.

PRESIDENT-ELECT:

Nichole Walters, SHRM-SCP (Utah)

presidentelect@icfhighcountry.org

Nichole Walters is a seasoned human resources professional with over 16 years of experience, specializing in organization and leadership development. As a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Nichole has honed her skills in talent management and development, currently working as a Director of Global Talent and Development. Her extensive experience spans across the mining and manufacturing industries, where she has successfully led initiatives that foster employee growth and enhance organizational efficiency. She is passionate about helping individuals identify their unique paths to success and setting achievable goals to drive positive outcomes.

Outside of her professional achievements, Nichole holds a bachelor’s degree and has earned multiple certifications in facilitation, coaching, and training design. She is dedicated to continuous learning and staying current with industry best practices. In her personal life, Nichole enjoys quality time with her family and her two dogs. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast in the summer months, spending her free time camping and fishing, activities that provide her with balance and inspiration to bring her best to her professional endeavors.

SECRETARY:

Lizzie Slater (Utah)

secretary@icfhighcountry.org

Lizzie's career as a U.S. Diplomat spanned an impressive 42 years, during which she immersed herself in diverse cultures across 17 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Her journey culminated in a pivotal role as the Dean of the School for Applied Information Technology at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia, coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This period tested her leadership as she spearheaded the institute's transition to online training worldwide, a challenge that proved both demanding and fulfilling.

Following her retirement, Lizzie took a brief respite before embarking on a new path as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), completing her certification in March 2023 through the Co-Active Training Institute. Transitioning seamlessly into her coaching practice, she specializes in leadership and life coaching, drawing on her extensive experience to assist former colleagues from the Department of State in navigating multicultural environments and leading diverse teams. Her coaching philosophy is encapsulated in her tagline: "I am the compass that helps people discover their best selves."

Outside of her professional endeavors, Lizzie continues to explore the world with her adventurous husband and son, eagerly anticipating their upcoming journey to their seventh continent in 2025. Her dedication to personal growth and global exploration underscores her lifelong commitment to learning and experiencing the richness of different cultures around the globe. You can connect with Lizzie on LinkedIn.

TREASURER:

Valerie Davis, EMBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP (Idaho)

treasurer@icfhighcountry.org 

Valerie Davis has over 30 years of executive, leadership, and human resources experience in varied industries, including: financial, retail, and consulting services. Her specialty is strategic planning and leadership coaching with expertise in culture, engagement, and talent and strength development. Valerie has a reputation as an enthusiastic leader who encourages and inspires others to stimulate both personal and group excellence.

Valerie is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing from the University of Idaho and her Executive MBA from Boise State University.

Valerie has been an active HRATV member for nearly 25 years and has spent the last seven years serving on the HRATV Board. Last year, Valerie launched her coaching and consulting practice, Creative Connections where she enjoys creatively connecting people to their purpose, passion, and each other. In 2019, she also became a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF) and ICF High Country.

Valerie and her husband enjoy spending time outdoors, watching sports, and living life as an adventure. They have two adult sons, a daughter-in-law, a rambunctious puppy, and they recently welcomed their first granddaughter to the family.

MEMBERSHIP CO-CHAIRS:

Kathryn Cecil, M.Ed, ACC (Utah) 

membership@icfhighcountry.org

Kathryn Cecil is an ICF Certified Coach, Certified Executive Coach (CEC) and ADHD coach. She is dedicated to working with individuals and teams to create authentic and safe environments.

Kathryn has a M.Ed. in Curriculum Design and Development and has a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate from Cornell University. She has many years of experience leading cross-functional teams. She speaks at conferences and leads retreats. She brings a breadth of experience, having worked with diverse government agencies, healthcare institutions, global manufacturers, software companies, call centers, financial institutions, and small businesses.

She is a bonus mom to three neurodiverse children that are now transitioning into adulthood, a caretaker to her elderly parents with dementia, a former high school teacher and corporate leader. All these experiences have informed her pragmatic, authentic, and compassionate approach to coaching, training, and facilitation.

Dr. Melissa Steach, PhD, ACC

membership@icfhighcountry.org

Dr. Melissa Steach, PhD is an award winning artist and bestselling author who became an industrial-organizational psychologist, culture change consultant, and leadership coach  in order to make work, work well. Melissa holds accreditations in CBT for coaching, neuro-leadership, positive psychology interventions, and ergonomics. She is also a WELL AP and Fitwel Ambassador. 

Dr. Steach’s expertise in implicit cognition and bias led to her research on training hiring managers to effectively use AI-tools and platforms, which has been presented at SIOP and ODAM. Her LinkedIn Learning course, Compassionate Leadership has more than 27,000 paid learners to date.

Melissa activates her formal art training, psychology research background, business strategy experience, and hard-won life lessons to lead individuals and organizations through culture change from the inside-out. 

PROGRAMS CHAIR: 

Kerri Sutey, ACC (Montana)

programs@icfhighcountry.org

Kerri Sutey is a global leadership and organizational coach and facilitator, renowned for her innovative and results-driven approach. As the founder of Sutey Coaching & Consulting, she empowers clients to lead boldly, grow intentionally, and thrive with excellence. Trained in CliftonStrengths and Agile team and enterprise coaching, Kerri combines her deep personal growth insights with extensive industry experience to provide transformative, strengths-based coaching and consulting services. Her professional journey includes impactful collaborations with industry giants such as Google, Southwest Airlines, IBM, ExxonMobil, and Booz Allen Hamilton, where she has driven significant organizational change and leadership development. Kerri is also an ICF-Associate Certified Coach, recognized for her dedication to ethical and effective coaching practices.

In her role as Special Events Chair, Kerri brings exceptional skills and vibrant energy to create engaging and impactful events that foster growth and connection among ICF High Country members. Beyond her professional achievements, Kerri is an avid world traveler who enjoys exploring new cultures, trying new foods, and meeting new people, infusing her global experiences into her coaching and event planning. For more information about Kerri Sutey and her work, visit Sutey Coaching & Consulting or connect with her on LinkedIn.

MARKETING CO-CHAIRS:

Janese Carstens (Montana)

marketing@icfhighcountry.org

With a heart for supporting people to be their best, Janese Carstens is a graduate of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) in 2015.

Janese combines her coaching skills, change management experience, and adult education background into every interaction she has with the community or with clients. She excels at being an integrator and helping drive programs or projects over the finish line; as she keeps the processes on task, on budget, and on time.

Even though her extended family has lived in Billings for most of her life and she grew up as a farmer’s daughter in North Dakota, she has had the opportunity to live in multiple US coastal cities, Asia and Australia. And just like a boomerang, she keeps being drawn back to Billings. She has worked in adult education within multiple industries – healthcare, higher education, nonprofits, and international communications. After graduating from iPEC and moving back to Montana, she searched for an ICF chapter and in 2015, there wasn't a chapter to join. She is thrilled to be joining the ICF High Country Chapter board and be part of the resource she wished was available to her many years ago.

DEIB CHAIR

Emily Argyle, ACC (Utah)

deib@icfhighcountry.org

Emily Argyle is a Utah-based ICF Associate Certified Coach and Gallup Certified Strength Coach focused on supporting clients and parents with diverse needs in the school to career transition. She earned a post-master’s degree from Brooklyn College (CUNY) in Educational Psychology and holds additional certifications in Gallup Strengths Coaching, ADHD Coaching, Meyers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory. Emily founded Heart Vision Coaching, LLC, in 2018. 

All of Emily’s work is underscored by a dedication to client advocacy, inclusion, and equity in environments and curriculums. She currently sits on the executive board and chairs the DEI Committee for the Coaching in Higher Education Consortium (CHEC). Emily has honed their expertise in guiding individuals to academic, personal, and professional success and works to foster an environment of growth, support, and empowerment for all people! Off duty, Emily is probably in the garden or trying new recipes.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATION CHAIR

Shamie Emerson, ACC (Utah)

volunteercoord@icfhighcountry.org

Shamie brings experience and a passion for personal and professional growth to her role as Volunteer Coordinator for the ICF High Country chapter. She is an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and has undergone specialized training in Adolescent Coaching through the Youth Coaching Institute, LLC, holds a Business & Life Coaching certificate from the Professional Education program at the University of Utah, and recently completed certification in Coaching Neurodiverse Learners from JST Coaching & Training.

In her coaching practice, Shamie is dedicated to helping people of all ages who struggle with ADHD overcome challenges and achieve their goals. Her strong listening, communication, empathy, and problem-solving skills have proven invaluable in building strong, trusting relationships with her clients. 

In her personal life, Shamie enjoys connecting with nature, spending time with her family, and continually seeking opportunities for personal growth and development. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.

AT-LARGE CHAIR

Usha Balakrishnan, ACC (Iowa)

directoratlarge@icfhighcountry.org

Usha Balakrishnan is the founder and principal consultant of Clarity-Bridge Consulting, a US-based Organizational Consulting company specializing in change management. Currently based in Des Moines, Iowa, Usha is a trained Psychologist from Mumbai, India, and holds a master’s degree in Psychology from Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. She is also an International Coaching Federation ACC certified coach. 

With her experience as a Strategic Culture Partner for a US-based transit company and as a board president for a non-profit organization in the San Francisco area, Usha has developed a strong passion for creating the right culture to achieve positive outcomes. With over a decade of experience in organizational culture, change management, and continuous improvement, she is committed to empowering leaders to navigate change effectively and create a lasting impact on critical results.

Usha has been a trusted advisor and consultant to C-Suite executives, coaching leaders on mindset, deep listening, confidence, and leadership capabilities crucial for success in culture, strategy, compelling conversations, and performance management. Her passion lies in fostering transformative journeys for organizations, leveraging the collective power of teams, and driving high-performing work cultures to ensure the overall success of companies. Usha’s expertise and dedication make her an invaluable asset in helping leaders and organizations thrive in today’s dynamic, ever-changing environment.

PAST PRESIDENT

Jennifer Dougherty, ED.D, ACC, CPTM (Nevada)

pastpresident@icfhighcountry.org

As an iPEC Certified Professional Coach (CPC), Energy Leadership Index – Master Practitioner (ELI-MP), and COR.E Leadership Dynamics Specialist, I am passionate about helping leaders at multiple levels and organizations be the best versions of themselves. I have experience as an internal coach, administrator, leadership and professional development trainer, and researcher. I hold a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University. Also, she has a Master of Arts in Counseling and Educational Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Nevada, Reno.

My strengths are learning, deliberation, responsibility, relating to others, and intellect. I believe that the primary purpose of life is to learn and develop (on all levels). For me, each person has a path, which is expressed uniquely. I believe that people can change and grow in various degrees, and they must want to change for themselves.

ANNUAL INFORMATION RETURNS

As a 501(c)(6) Tax Exempt organization with annual gross receipts normally less than $50,000.00 we file IRS Form 990-N (e-postcard) after the completion of each fiscal year (June 1 through May 31st). Our most recent 990-N report is available here: 2018 990-N e-Postcard Filing Confirmation

Our financial status is reported to the ICF High Country Board at its regular meetings, and annual updates provided at the May Members meeting. To inquire about ICF High Country Financial and Information Returns, email our Treasurer.