Consulting

My work experience, skills and knowledge may be of benefit to your organization, particularly if your are seeking:

  • A thoughtful, well-informed, and engaging speaker on subjects ranging from creativity and aging to lifelong learning to trends in retirement lifestyles.

  • An individual who can connect abstract ideas and philosophical theories to issues of everyday life.

  • The ability to communicate insight based on 30 years of experience working directly with midlife and older adults.

  • Innovative leadership in designing workshops for clients (old and new) of financial service companies.

Professional Presentations, Consulting, and Workshop Leadership, 2006 to date:

"The Leadership Role of Lifelong Learning Institutes," keynote speech, Founder's Day, OLLI at Clemson University, Clemson, SC, September 8, 2016.

“How to Kick Start A Creative Retirement,” keynote speech, University of Minnesota Duluth, September 5, 2014.

“The Many Faces of Aging,” keynoter and panel facilitator, Charlotte/Mecklenburg Council on Aging conference, June 3, 2013

“Embracing Contraries: Spirituality as a Lifelong Development,” invitational symposium on Aging and Spirituality, Windsor Great Park, Berkshire, England; sponsored by Bath University and the Diocese of Guildford, May 1-3, 2012.

“Making Wise and Creative Lifestyle Choice Concerning Retirement,” daylong workshop for current clients of Woodward Financial Services, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, October 15, 2010.

“Paths to Creative Retirement,”  conducted at the NC Center for Creative Retirement, UNC Asheville, twice yearly for the past six years and one day versions done elsewhere. Co-lead facilitator and designer. Most recent involvement, September 3-6, 2010.

Three-day highly-interactive, intensive workshop guiding participants through a nine-point planning process as they consider their next steps concerning whether, when, how and why to retire or remain in the workforce.

“Lifelong Learning and Community Leadership Programs Attuned to The New Retirement,” University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, January 26, 2010. And consulting for Future Milwaukee Leadership Program, January 27, 2010.

Helping Milwaukee educational and community leaders to better link the new retirement lifestyles of town residents to current and future programs and to community issues.

“Five Ways to Stay Creative in Life’s Second Half,” educational programs for American Heritage Communities — Princeton Windrows, Princeton, NJ, and Green Hills, Reading, PA, April and May, 2009.

A humorous, yet substantive, audience-interactive presentation on how to bring more creativity and vitality in mid and later life. Used as part of a marketing series.

“New Paradigms for Old: Trends and Developments in Later Life Learning in North America,” Keynote Address: Reaffirming Teaching and Learning in Later Life Conference, Lancaster University, UK., April 2, 2009.

Helping international audiences of adult educators understand recent developments in the lifelong learning field in North America.

“Philosophies of Aging and Lifelong Learning,” Hongkung University, Taichung, Taiwan, November 3, 2008.

Lecture for undergraduates at this Taiwanese university on current theories of aging and how they correlate with recent developments in educational programs for older learners.

“Pathways in Life’s Second Half,” keynote, International Conference on Workplace Learning in an Aging Society, National Chung Cheng University, Chai-yi, Taiwan, October 30, 2008.

Lecture for mainly Asian adult education and workforce experts on the importance of learning in later life.

“The Five Patrons You Will Meet In Retirement,” Lifelong Access Libraries Leadership Institute, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, July 30, 2008.

Understanding the information needs of todays midlife and older adult.

“Leadership Programs and the Future of Aging,” Johnson City Senior Center, Johnson City, TN, April 11, 2008.

How to organize, design, publicize and implement a community leadership program for older adults.

“Five Ways to Stuff A Pillow: Creativity in Later Life,” keynote, Continuing Care Retirement Community Residents of North Carolina, regional conference, Asheville, NC, April 9, 2008.

“The Stages of Retirement: from Imagining Your Possibilities to Implementing Your Plan,” one-day workshop, Smithsonian Associates Program, Washington, D.C., April 5, 2008.

“Engaging Adults through Innovative Programming,” Keynote, 2008 Winter Forum on Aging, SCOPE and the Community Foundation of Sarasota, FL, February 22, 2008.

“How We Market the NC Center for Creative Retirement,” The 2007 National Positive Aging Conference, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL, December 8, 2007.

“NC Center for Creative Retirement as A Self-Directed Learning Model,” International Forum on Promotion and Practice of Elder Education, sponsored by Ministry of Education and National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan, Oct. 20-21, 2007.

“Creative Retirement: Sounds good but what are the facts?” guest lecture, Judson at University Circle, Cleveland, OH., September 29, 2007.

“Lifelong Learning As An Entrepreneurial Venture,” and “Positive Aging: Hype of Hope?” half-day seminars, Autumn Series on Aging, American Society on Aging, Philadelphia, PA, September 17, 2007.

“Lifelong Learning and the Arrival of the Boomer Generation: some Paradoxes,” Consumer Health World Conference, Chicago, IL, September 18, 2007.

“Trends and Paradigms in Lifelong Learning in North America,” plenary speech, “Legacy of Learning: Sharing Global Experiences of Learning in Later Life,” University of Strrathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, May 11, 2007.

“The New Retirement and the Culture of Health Care,” CME Program for Free Clinic Medical Professionals sponsored by TAP-IN and NC Association of Free Clinics, Greensboro, NC. April 18, 2007.

“My Talking Frog: Wisdom Through Humor,” Keynote, Aging Creatively, Choices After Fifty Conference, Smith College, Northampton, MA, April 14, 2007.

“Leadership Programs for Communities in Transition,” panel presentation, American Society on Aging annual conference, Chicago, Ill, March 9, 2007

“Shifting Paradigms of Aging and Retirement,” Helen Bader Foundation, Milwaukee, WI, March 7, 2007

“Sarah’s Laugh: Humor, Aging, Creativity and Wisdom,” University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI, March 6, 2007

“Visions for Aging: Gerontopia or an Ageless Society,” University of Miami, Institute on Aging, Coral Gables, FL, November 10, 2006.

“Mars and Venus: How Couples View Retirement,” National Active Retirement Association, annual conference, Hilton Head, SC, November 8, 2006

“Engaging Senior Leadership for Communities in Transition,” International Leadership Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, Nov. 2, 2006.

“The New Retirement and the Neo-Elderly: Caught in a Paradigm Shift,” LIMRAInternational Annual Conference, New York, N.Y., October 31, 2006

“Boomer Retiree Migrants to Western North Carolina: Boon or Burden to Our Communities?” NC Conference on Aging, Research Triangle Park, October 26, 2006.

“Visions for Aging: Gerontopia or an Ageless Society,” Tobias Lecture, Institute on Aging, 18th Annual Colloquium, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, October 18, 2006.

“How Matrimonial Lawyers Prepare for Retirement,” daylong workshop, Matrimonial Lawyer Group, Walden Conference Center, Aurora, OH, October 13, 2006

“Lifelong Learning in the Present Age of Aging,” Lifelong Access Libraries Institute, Sponsored by Americans for Libraries Council, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, August 1, 2006

“Investing in Lifelong Learning: Is there a Conflict between Virtue and Profit?” Symposium, American Society on Aging/National Council on the Aging Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA, March 18, 2006.

“Crafting an Autobiography as a Philosophical Act: The Case of J. S. Mill,” UNCA Philosophy Department Colloquium Series, Asheville, NC, February 28, 2006.