I belong to and volunteer with several associations, but the I.C.E. community is my association home. For more than 20 years, it has been the foundation of my certification knowledge. 

Going to the I.C.E. Exchange is always one of the highlights of my year. The collaboration, learning and networking that takes place during the meeting is second to none. Whether you are sitting in a session, connecting with exhibitors or having casual conversations in the hallways, you always leave the Exchanged energized. You can expect to walk away with several new ideas to implement or big picture opportunities to transform your certification program.   

Participating in I.C.E. activities throughout the year, especially the Exchange, has also served as a key component of the professional development plans for my team. In addition, having multiple colleagues at the Exchange allows us to divide and conquer when there are multiple concurrent sessions which will benefit our certification programs. The knowledge obtained has also helped multiple team members obtain their credential specialist certificate, CAE and ICE-CCP certifications.  

Participating in the I.C.E. Exchange these past few years has taken on greater importance for me personally and professionally. Like you, the pandemic caused countless personal and professional challenges and hardships. These challenges affected us personally, our certification programs, applicants/certificants and other stakeholders simultaneously. 

During these times of unprecedented challenges, the I.C.E. community was there to share their experiences, brainstorm solutions and/or just lend a sympathetic ear. While credentialing is typically considered to be a lag indicator, I was proud to be a part of the I.C.E. community, made up of some of the sharpest accreditors, credentialing program leaders, vendors and more. We were proactive in identifying long-term solutions at a time when many sectors of the country were taking a way and see approach to future operations. 

Now, our opportunity is to continue the conversation at the I.C.E. Exchange, Oct. 17-20 in Savannah, Georgia. Our keynote, Shawn Kanungo, will start us off with an energizing session about the opportunities presented by disruption — I’m certain that will resonate with more than a few of us. He’ll share lessons about navigating uncertainty, making bold decisions and building a culture of innovation.

Other sessions will cover a wide array of topics, from debating the future of testing, to putting diversity, equity and inclusion principles into practice, how to attract outstanding subject matter experts, digital accessibility and much more. With a robust schedule featuring experts on some of the most pressing topics in our profession, I’m confident there will be something for everyone. I hope to see you there.

Interested in learning more about the I.C.E. Exchange? Hear from attendees in the video below.