Navigating the Non-Financial Considerations of Retiring: The What, When, and How

Career Level: Basic-, intermediate-, and advanced-level career services, university relations and recruiting, and business affiliate professionals
Competency: Staff development and supervision
Fee: FREE (member); $89 (nonmember);

Summary
With retirement increasingly on the minds of many in our profession, two of our colleagues (a pre-retiree and a recent retiree) will share their insights on planning for retirement. They will focus on non-financial questions and considerations, such as how to prepare for a graceful departure; where do you want to be and who do want to be with in retirement; how to find meaning, purpose and engaging activities; do you work in retirement and if so what.

Following this program, you will be able to:
- Understand non-financial considerations of retirement;
- Envision your retirement lifestyle; and
- Discover ways to find purpose and engagement in a new phase of life.
Presenters

Patricia Carretta, AVP for University Life (Retired), George Mason U., Patricia Carretta
Retired 2014 after 35 years at George Mason University. She has held leadership roles in professional associations at the national, regional and state level since 1982, including serving as President of VACE and MAPA (EACE); the NACE Board of Directors from 1998-2000; and various NACE committees. She is currently a Co-Lead of the NACE Retiree and Pre-Retiree Affinity Group.

Vanessa Strauss, Senior Advisor, Human Resources, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Vanessa Alexander Strauss is a senior advisor in human resources, Division of Administration (DOA), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In her position as senior advisor, she is responsible for performing a wide-range of managerial and technical assignments relating to the design, development, and implementation of human resource management policies and programs. She currently oversees FDIC Summer Scholar Student Internship Program, FDIC’s Special Assistant Program, and a host of other corporate-wide programs and activities. Strauss routinely serves as a resource in the development of employee and managerial training and leadership programs in support of the goals of the FDIC. Her philosophy is “everyone can make a difference.” Strauss has served NACE committees for over 20 years and in leadership roles at the national and regional levels. In addition to serving as co-chair of the NACE task force that revised the Professional Standards for Early Talent Recruiting & University Relations, Strauss served on the NACE Board of Directors (2001-07), including as president-elect, president, and past-president.

Denise Dwight Smith, Retired AVP, Alumni & Career Services, Univ. Rich, Retired Emeritus
Denise Dwight Smith retired March 2024 after 47 years in profession, including at Bucknell, Gettysburg, ICI, Ohio State U., University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Old Dominion, and U of Richmond. She has along history of presenting and serving in leadership roles, including board member, president, committee chair for NACE, EACE (formerly MAPA), NSEE, and CAS.