REF Northern Virginia
Leaders Powered by Collective Intelligence
REF is a Global organization of Peer Advisory Boards for Top-Tier Business Leaders.
Members access the Collective Intelligence of their Peers in an environment of trust and confidentiality, locally and globally.
We propel Collective Intelligence through a personal, professional, and business development approach.
REF, formerly "Renaissance Executive Forums" is a global organization that brings together peer advisory boards for top-tier business executives.
Forum Groups are the core of the different REFs memberships.
Members access the Collective Intelligence of their Peers in an environment of Trust and Confidentiality.
Founded in the USA 30 years ago.
Peer advisory board comprised of 12 to 15 CEOs, Presidents, Owners (depending on membership type)
Non-competing industries
Meet one morning a month
Facilitated by a certified REF Forum Leader
Safe space for discussion and debate
Culture of transparency, trust and confidentiality
In their Forum Groups, Members present their biggest challenges and exchange constructive, actionable advice from a diversity of perspectives. This gives them the clarity they need to find transcendent solutions and achieve their personal, professional and business goals.
Regular monthly Forum meeting structure:
Educational Component: Update doses with Experts on topics of interest for Business Leaders.
Round Table: Exchange dynamics of personal and business best practices.
Case: A member presents their biggest challenge, and other members of the group share what they would do in their shoes.
Special annual Forums:
Escape: One-day group retreat focused on personal development.
Offsite: Group trip featuring workshop on strategies for personal and professional success.
All Members Meeting: Annual meeting with other local or regional Groups.
Access to REF's app: Network & Digital Community
Expert Insights: Webinars with Experts about major shifts and trends.
Industry & Interest Networks: International Forum Groups, exchange of best practices and opportunities.
Events: Global, Regional & Local Network.
Unique Experiences: Curated trips, leisure & retreats.
Improved decision-making
Accelerated personal, professional and business growth
Global network of Business Leaders
Meaningful relationships
At REF, Members tap into the wisdom that emerges from the Collective Intelligence of leaders with exceptional backgrounds.
REF provides a unique space where members gain clarity to make their most important and challenging business, professional and personal decisions.
Selective trust-based Forum Groups made up of top-tier business leaders (by invitation only).
Forum Groups led by Forum leaders with business experience.
Case method.
Holistic approach: Personal, professional, and business growth.
Continuous education through leading professionals.
Introspection, reflection, and planning.
We believe evolved and connected leaders are a positive force in the world.
Meet our Team in REF Northern Virginia
I’m an ICF (International Coach Federation) credentialed Leadership and Executive Coach (PCC level), Instructor and Facilitator, and Program Manager with over 25 years of practical business, managerial, and leadership experience in Fortune 500 companies, such as IBM and Siemens. As a Forum Leader, I support executives through providing an opportunity to share challenges and best practices while leveraging the collective experience and expertise of the group for the purpose of self-development, growing the business and getting results.
I help executives in tech and STEM be great leaders. The outcome: increased bottom-line results, deeper customer relationships, stronger leadership bench-strength, and a culture of creativity and innovation. As a scientist in my 'previous life', with a PhD in physics, several patents in the field of OLEDs, and expertise in autonomous driving and speech recognition I can connect well with analytical leaders, especially scientists, engineers and technology professionals. I am able to help them and their teams change behavior and close performance gaps. When I'm not at work, you can find me section hiking the Appalachian Trail or sailing the Chesapeake Bay.
After spending fifteen years as an M&A Investment Banking professional working with successful business owners and their teams, Kathi became a certified executive coach and formed Golden Leadership Coaching. She is a trusted advisor to senior leadership where she assists and develops executives into the effective leaders they desire to be. She specializes in providing executive and leadership coaching and consulting services to entrepreneurs and senior executives and their leadership teams in finance, technology, analytical/engineering, Non-Profit and Government Contracting. As a REF Forum Leader, Kathi adds the power of peer insights and perspectives to the equation as she helps leaders navigate change and get to the next level.
I lead a community of REF in Northern Virginia (NOVA). Our team of Forum Leaders helps progressive executives learn together in a confidential and trusted community. We provide Forum members continuous access to the collective intelligence of their peers, so they can make better decisions, scale their businesses, and grow as leaders.
Our Purpose
Is to accelerate the personal, professional, and business evolution of our Members, because we believe evolved and connected leaders are a positive force in the world.
CEO, Owner, President, or equivalent.
SMB: $5M-$30M in revenue.
Corporate: $30M-$300M in revenue.
Large Corporations: More than $300M in revenue.
C-Suite and upper management.
Corporate: $30M-$300M in revenue.
Large Corporations: More than $300M in revenue.
REF's Impact
-
“I love REF’s more time and money-efficient half-day model compared to a full-day model. The meeting format is also very flexible and focused on member needs”
-
“REF is committed to providing peer forum experiences for CFOs to tap into each other’s collective intelligence, in navigating the era of Artificial Intelligence.”