The 2009 Encore Fellows

The Encore Fellows pilot project – part of Civic Ventures’ Encore Careers campaign – paired 10 former corporate employees with nonprofits in California's Silicon Valley in 2009. Listen to what the fellows say about their experiences. (And click here to get the perspectives of the pilot’s sponsors and nonprofit hosts.)

Scott Allen

Scott Allen focused his extensive executive experience and expertise in small business management and marketing in publishing at MacAdam CAGE Publishing and in the financial sector to create a business plan for an encore careers job-matching system in California. He is currently finishing up his fellowship at Aspiranet, a statewide network of family, adoption, foster care, after-school and education programs in California.

Here’s Allen talking about his fellowship experience

John Armstrong

John Armstrong, a financial analyst and marketing specialist who worked at a private financial consulting firm, the Hewlett Packard Company and in the Peace Corps, put his expertise to work on the communications strategy and its implementation at Environmental Volunteers, a nonprofit that works with trained volunteers to deliver environmental education throughout Silicon Valley. Armstrong is now the Collaborations Project Manager at Environmental Volunteers, heading up “Science by Nature.”

Here’s Armstrong talking about his fellowship experience

Nigel Ball

Nigel Ball served in various senior marketing roles for 24 years at Hewlett Packard, leaving in 2008 as a Vice President. In his fellowship, he applied his marketing expertise and strategic partnership skills to help expand Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT), a teacher support organization that provides low-cost materials, tools and strategies to enhance hands-on math, science and art education in California’s San Mateo County. The organization hired Ball as its Marketing Director during his Fellowship.

Here’s Ball talking about his fellowship experience

Gina Cassinelli

Gina Cassinelli leveraged her 20-plus years' marketing experience at Hewlett Packard, including her role as Vice President of Enterprise Solutions Partners, to raise awareness with the public and key partners about the entrepreneurial work at Citizen Schools, a national nonprofit that partners with middle schools to enhance learning for low-income children. Cassinelli is serving as interim Executive Director for the last three months of her Fellowship.

Here’s Cassinelli talking about her fellowship experience

Leslye Louie and Lyle Hurst

Leslye Louie and Lyle Hurst were both Vice Presidents and General Managers at Hewlett Packard, with a combined 50 years’ experience in marketing, sales, finance, operations and business development. They worked together at Partners in School Innovation, a nonprofit that works with low-performing urban public elementary schools to achieve educational equity through school-based reform. Their job share fellowship increased the group’s impact through performance management and marketing. Louie also served as interim Executive Director during a transition in the organization’s leadership. Louie and Hurst continue to work at Partners while leading the national expansion of the Encore Fellowships Network.

Here’s Louie talking about her fellowship experience
Here’s Hurst talking about his fellowship experience

Luanne Meyer

Luanne Meyer brought more than two decades of experience and expertise as a director managing primary market research projects and teams, including work in the biotech and health care industries, to her fellowship. She provided marketing expertise and strategic program planning assistance while helping to build new partnerships at Youth Community Service, a community education partnership that builds civic engagement and positive youth development for middle and high school students.

Here’s Meyer talking about her fellowship experience

James Otieno

James Otieno, originally from Kenya, has 23 years of experience working in Silicon Valley, including Vice President in human resources at Hewlett Packard. He spearheaded improving human resources systems and management, while helping with strategic planning, at the Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF), which partners with the private sector and education community to improve public education. Now Otieno is a Vice President in new business ventures at SVEF.

Here’s Otieno talking about his fellowship experience

Bill Pace

Bill Pace has 25 years’ experience as a senior executive providing strategic management consulting services, including roles as CEO and President at Kurt Salmon Associates. Pace worked to develop a business plan to expand the Encore.org web site for Civic Ventures, a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose. Pace also spent half of his fellowship working as part of a team with Scott Allen, another Encore Fellow, at Aspiranet.

Here’s Pace talking about his fellowship experience

Louise Smith

Louise Smith has a doctorate in social psychology and more than 20 years of experience in marketing, business and systems development in senior roles in the technology sector, including work at Apple and BEA Systems. She helped the Community School of Music and Arts develop a comprehensive marketing and outreach plan. Smith continues to be active in community work in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Here’s Smith talking about her fellowship experience