About Me
A continuous story of purpose, possibility, and what comes next.
I know what it's like to lose your sense of relevance. I've also discovered that a lifetime of experience doesn't lose its value when a career ends. And I'm still learning how God wants me to put mine to work. This is my story—so far.
It's a story of a career I loved, a retirement that was harder than I expected, and a continuing journey of discovering new possibilities. It's also a story of faith, of learning to see my experiences in a different light, and of finding new ways to remain relevant and make a difference in this next chapter.
1. When the life I knew changed
A Career That Defined Me
For more than 30 years, I worked in government and public affairs, much of it in the electric utility and hydropower industry. I loved my work. It was challenging, rewarding, and gave me opportunities to make a difference. I had a professional identity, a network of colleagues, a full calendar, and a sense that what I did mattered.
Then, in June 2017, I retired. Of course, it was right after graduating Cum Laude with a BA in Energy and Sustainability Policy from Penn State at the young age of 62. (And, yes, I walked the stage in State College with all the other graduates.)
I thought I was ready. After all, I'd spent years planning projects, developing strategies, and navigating complicated issues. Surely I could figure out retirement! And, yes, my financial plan was in place.
What I hadn't anticipated was how much of my identity and sense of relevance were tied to my career. Almost overnight, the meetings, deadlines, professional relationships, and daily structure disappeared. And without them, I found myself wondering who I was and where I fit.
I knew I wasn't finished contributing. I still had a lifetime of skills, talents, and experience. But for the first time in decades, I didn't have a plan for what came next.
And that was far more unsettling than I ever imagined.
2. Exploring possibilities
Finding My Next Chapter
Once I realized that retirement wasn't quite the carefree adventure I'd imagined, I began asking myself some difficult questions. Who was I without my career? What did I really want from this next season of life? And how could I put everything I'd learned and experienced over the years to work in a meaningful way?
I started doing what I'd always done professionally—researching, reflecting, asking questions, and developing a plan. Only this time, the project was me.
Along the way, I discovered that I wasn't alone. Many accomplished women struggle with the transition from a career that gave them identity, structure, and a sense of relevance to a life where those things are no longer automatically provided.
That realization inspired me to write Your Next Chapter. Dream It. Design It. Live It. and eventually create Retirement Reimagined, where I could share what I'd learned and help other women approach their own transitions with greater confidence and intention.
But perhaps my most important discovery was this: Retirement didn't erase the woman I'd spent a lifetime becoming. My skills, talents, experiences, and passions were still there. I simply needed to discover new ways to use them.
And as it turns out, that was only the beginning.
3. Living a life that keeps unfolding
Still Learning. Still Creating. Still Discovering.
Somewhere along the way, I realized something important: finding my next chapter didn't mean I had to settle on just one.
For a long time, I'd thought about retirement in much the same way I'd approached my career—identify a goal, develop a plan, and work toward it. And while having a plan certainly helped, I began to understand that life doesn't have to fit neatly into a single role or destination.
Today, I'm an author, a mentor, and a budding colored-pencil artist. I'm a lifelong learner who enjoys everything from classical piano and French to dog agility and discovering new creative pursuits. Some of these interests have been with me for decades. Others have surprised me along the way.
And that's part of the fun!
I've come to appreciate that the skills, talents, experiences, and passions we've accumulated over a lifetime don't have to serve just one purpose. They can take us in directions we never anticipated, introduce us to new people, and open doors we didn't even know existed.
I don't believe we have to keep reinventing ourselves. Sometimes we simply need to give ourselves permission to explore more of who we already are.
My next chapter is still unfolding. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
4. Sharing what I've been given
New Ways To Make A Difference
As I've continued exploring this next chapter, my faith has become an increasingly important part of how I think about my life and what comes next.
I believe God has given each of us a unique combination of gifts, talents, experiences, relationships, and opportunities. And I don't believe those gifts come with an expiration date.
For years, I used mine in the professional world. Today, I'm learning to recognize how those same strengths can serve a different purpose. Sometimes that means mentoring another woman as she navigates a major life transition. Sometimes it's sharing something I've learned through my writing, encouraging someone who needs a little confidence, or simply being willing to offer my time and experience where they might make a difference. It may be helping animals and their humans through animal aromatherapy. It may be bringing a beloved pet to life through my colored pencil drawings.
I've also come to appreciate that our legacy isn't something we leave behind someday. It's something we're living right now, through the people we influence, the encouragement we offer, and the choices we make.
I'm particularly drawn to the opportunity to encourage other women to recognize the value of everything they've experienced and consider how God might be calling them to use it in this season of life. Not because I have the answers for them, but because I believe those answers are worth exploring.
I'm still asking God what He wants me to do with what He's placed in my hands. And I'm learning that remaining open to His direction may be just as important as having a carefully developed plan.
My story isn't finished. Neither is yours.
And I believe we both have more to share.
Bonus! Because there's more to life than careers, retirement, and figuring out what comes next!
A Few Fun (and Somewhat Quirky) Facts About Me
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I love, love, love hot, spicy food. The hotter, the better!
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I make an amazing (and quite tasty!) West Indian roti. It's one of the few things I cook, since I'm fortunate enough to live with an incredible chef.
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My Bouviers have a terrible groomer who really should be fired. Oh, wait. That's me!
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I've never started a lawnmower. Not once. And I have absolutely no intention of changing that.
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I once owned a Honda CB-1 400cc motorcycle. That adventure ended when I realized I wasn't a cat with nine lives.
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I lived in Barbados in 1980 and survived Hurricane Allen. Now that was an experience!
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My playlist is all over the map: Bob Marley, Jimmy Buffett, Santana, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Linda Ronstadt, Etta James, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Jackson Browne, Van Morrison, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and No Shoes Radio. And that's just the beginning!
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I'm an avid Penn State football fan. I also have a plate and three screws in my right foot, courtesy of a January 2006 incident involving a little too much enthusiastic cheering in my living room. Feel free to ask!
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I've rubbed shoulders with Matthew McConaughey. Well, sort of. My book was #10 in the same Amazon category at the same time his was #1. Close enough, right?