CWF President's Message:

As we begin a new year of Coastal Women’s Forum, I am excited and honored to serve as President and to introduce our theme for 2026–2027: “Write Your Next Chapter.”

Whether in our careers, our families, our communities, or our own personal lives, we are all continually growing, changing, and figuring out what comes next. My hope is that this year at CWF will give us opportunities to learn from one another, make new connections, and perhaps find a little inspiration for whatever our own next chapters may hold.

This year, CWF is writing a new chapter of its own. We will meet in two new spaces: daytime meetings at Ghent’s Event Center and evening meetings at Firefly Café. We are also launching a new website and membership platform that will make it easier to manage memberships, access our member directory, register for meetings, and stay connected throughout the year.  Our Board has been hard at work planning the year ahead, and we are excited about what’s in store. We have arranged an engaging, varied lineup of speakers, including members of our CWF community and guests from across the area, who will share their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives.  In addition to our regular meetings, we’re planning a variety of fun “Pop-Up” events throughout the year—from coffee and walks to game nights, creative outings, and other opportunities to connect in a more casual setting.

Of course, the next chapter of CWF will not be written by the Board alone. It will be shaped by all of us, by the members who come to meetings, share their ideas and experiences, welcome new faces, and invite other women to discover what CWF has to offer. I hope this will be a year when we reconnect with longtime members, get to know newer members, and introduce CWF to women in our community who might find a place here.

In keeping with our theme, I am also proud to announce that CWF will support the Craven Literacy Councilas our charitable organization this year. The Council’s work is a wonderful reminder of the power of reading, writing, and education to open doors and help people change the course of their own stories.

 I look forward to writing CWF’s next chapter with all of you.

Katie Coyle
President