LEARN

"After taking four months after my retirement to move from California to Illinois, I dusted off my skill set and prepared to start my fellowship. While I employed a methodical approach and certainly called on my Intel skills and tools to take in a tremendous amount of information, what struck me (and surprised me) most along the way, was how much I was mesmerized by the Camp Kesem stories—the gratitude and hope of the families, the courage and resilience of the campers, the energy and compassion of the counselors

So if you are considering an Encore Career, be prepared to be surprised, and be prepared to be amazed."

Liane Anderson, 2012 Encore Fellow at Camp Kesem, Winnetka, IL

Bill Johnson implemented a new supplies ordering and inventory management process that resulted in annual savings of over $92,000 and the collection of $300,000 in pharmacy claims for a community health care center.

"It's really renewed my self-confidence. After you've been retired for a while, you wonder if you still have what it takes to make things happen. But we've gotten a lot done, and I'm really enjoying it."

Bill Johnson, 2011 Encore Fellow at Ravenswood Family Health Center, East Palo Alto

"My fellowship is to provide HR services for my education non profit: implement/refresh the performance management system, update the compensation structures and job architecture, provide a management development curriculum, implement a talent management process, develop a staffing strategy, coach managers, and provide a 'human capital' perspective to their long range planning process.

We have negotiated an ongoing relationship! I'll continue to provide HR services until such time as the organization grows large enough to require a full time person. I will go into the office 2 - 3 days a week and will also have plenty of flexibility to take time off.

It is heaven."

Kim Wisckol, 2010 Encore Fellow at Partners in School Innovation, San Francisco

John Arnold devised cash-management procedures for a large community-based consortium of clinics, as part of the Encore Fellows in California Community Clinics program.

“I didn’t want to be a consultant who delivers another report that just gets filed on a shelf,” he said. “And I didn’t want to stuff envelopes at a nonprofit, either... I tell my peers there are ways to make a good transition from your primary career and still make a difference.”

John Arnold, 2011 Encore Fellow at La Clínica de La Raza, Oakland, CA

"My work host, the Eagle Academy Foundation, empowers at-risk inner city young men by providing quality education resources and community-based initiatives. While I went in expecting a period of observation and learning, I found myself immediately immersed in all aspects of the organization. Within the first week, I had not only drafted materials for a board meeting, I participated in that same meeting. I think it helps that the foundation’s mission resonates with me and I feel both proud and fortunate to be a part of it."

Susan Waters, 2011 Encore Fellow at Eagle Academy Foundation, New York City

"I think the program is very well conceived and administered. I have greatly enjoyed meeting and exploring the needs in our society with other Encore Fellows. The Encore Fellows Model is not a typical consulting model. It encompasses the following elements: knowledge of directly applicable theory and practice, analysis, recommendation, responsibility for implementation and responsibility for on going sustainability."

Pat Guerra, 2011 Encore Fellow at Second Harvest Food Bank, San Jose

"I came into the process knowing that I wanted to be part of something bigger, but was unsure how my 25 years of Wall Street experience could best be translated and matched to an organization. Becoming part of the Encore Fellows program has been an extremely satisfying and enlightening journey for me. During my 12 year career at Goldman Sachs, I was very lucky to learn from some of the best and brightest people; working with people during my Encore Fellowship has brought back that same feeling."

Michael Weitzner, 2011 Encore Fellow at Enterprise Community Partners, New York

The primary focus of an Encore Fellowship is to complete a high-impact project in a social-purpose organization, such as a nonprofit, a foundation, a school district or a hybrid social venture. The nature of the project depends on the need of the organization and on the experience, skills and interest of the fellow.

Encore Fellows bring a wide variety of highly transferable skills that can have a huge impact on the organizations that host them. Here are some typical fellow functional assignments:

Business Development

Lynda Zakrzewski is the Business Development Specialist at Community Environment Center, the largest not-for-profit energy conservation organization in New York State. Lynda is developing new business models and ventures for CEC.


Engineering/technical

Pat Guerra was the Operations/Production Manager at Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara in 2011. Pat's role was to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the SHFB operations and distribution network to provide fresh produce.


Financial Management

Connie Osborne was the CFO at 1stAct Silicon Valley. Connie was responsible for implementing robust accounting, financial and information systems during 2011.


Human Resources

Roger Lewis is the Human Resource Consultant at Gardner Family Health Network in San Jose. Roger is recommending and implementing improvements in their HR systems and providing management training to improve employee oversight and competitiveness.

Marketing and Communications

Dennis Powell is the Marketing and Communications Manager at Ashoka's US Program, working on all aspects of marketing, communications, brand management, and PR. Dennis is based in Washington DC.

Operations/performance management

Kunio Hasebe was the Chief Experience Advisor at West County Health Centers, where he helped design systems to create a patient-centered customer experience at their clinics, and transform care through the use of technology and data driven decisions.


Project Management

Cheryl Edmonds is the Volunteer Services Fellow at Metropolitan Family Service in Portland. Cheryl leads a program to enhance volunteer development opportunities, working specifically with local businesses to promote volunteerism among people aged 55+.

Strategy and Planning

George Dies is the Strategic Planning Fellow at the Marine Science Institute, securing a permanent site for MSI and revising their strategic plan.

Meet more of the Fellows