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EWG educates
members and contributes to the community
2003 events
meaningful to members Safety was a recurring
theme for Executive Women in Government’s fall events. Linda Schuessler,
Deputy Director for Air Traffic at the Federal Aviation Administration, spoke
to members in October at a luncheon at Finemondo. Nancy Harvey Steorts,
author of Living Safely in a Dangerous
World, spoke to EWG members at the Army-Navy Club in November. In December, President
2004 holds much
promise for EWG EWG has exciting events
scheduled through winter and spring. Register online or by calling the EWG
office at 301-725-3500. Mark your
calendars now! Thursday, January
15 Join EWG members at an
informal small group lunch with members in leadership positions to exchange
views and build relationships. We are inviting leaders from various agencies
but would like to know what agencies you are particularly interested in as we
finalize our list. Contact EWG President Marylouise Uhlig or 202-564-0545
with your interests as early as possible. EPA is providing drinks
and dessert at no charge. Bring a
brown bag lunch or stop by the EPA cafeteria on your way. Space is limited so
please register by January 12. For additional information, contact Elaine Lyon-Johnson or
202-564-0547. Cost: Members - Free Friday,
February 6 Hear how the first White
House effort to recruit women for high-level government jobs was created from the woman who created the program,
former Time:
Join us for a full day event
where we’ll explore and build on our heritage.
Speakers from the political, government and business sectors will offer
insight, advice and resources for women to excel professionally and
personally. For more information on
the event, watch our website or contact EWG via email or call 301-725-3500. Invited speakers
include: Location: US Chamber of Commerce,
Saturday, April 24 Hear the masterful talents of Location: Embassy of Thinking about making the leap?
Advice about leaving government Editor’s note: One of the beauties of belonging to EWG is
learning from other members. In this
article, I talk to two members who made the move out of government, and visit
with an expert on the transition process.
- Pam Carter Carlotta
Cooke Joyner, PhD, established CCJ Consulting Services two years ago. A former senior executive with the General
Accounting Office, she conducted research to evaluate GAO programs. Carlotta said she made the decision to
start her own business because a situation in her life provided an
opportunity for her to think about life away from the government. She had been off work for four months to
care for her mother when GAO offered voluntary early retirement. “I
decided on a consulting business because that’s what I liked most about my
job at GAO,” Carlotta explained. “I
enjoy helping people clarify what they want to know. Also, I wanted to do something
different. I’d been in academia, I’d
been in the government bureaucracy; but I’d never started my own business.” Carlotta
said the timing was fortuitous in another way. A professional association, the American
Evaluation Association, was just offering a course titled Do You Want to be an Independent
Consultant. “My advice to anyone
thinking of starting their own business is seek out professional groups who
can help you determine the reality of it,” Carlotta said. “And network!” Networking
for Carlotta has included working with nonprofits in her local community in
coastal Networking
played a key role in the transition for Linda Massaro,
past president of EWG. A senior
executive with the National Science Foundation who until recently had been on
a special assignment to the Linda’s
story of leaving government is one of patience. She was offered a job that didn’t seem like the right match. “A year passed and then I heard from a guy
who was at one of the meetings where I interviewed for the job I didn’t
take,” Linda said. “He called and said
he had something I might be interested in.” “I got
everything I asked for – salary, paid parking, more than two weeks of
vacation,” Linda said, “but I insisted on getting it in writing. I wouldn’t tell anybody until I got it in
writing.” Time passed after Linda’s
ultimatum and she had about given up on them.
“Then, I got a call asking ‘When can you start?’.” Networking,
said Linda, is even more important in the private sector than in
government. “Now if we’re looking for
people in my office, we go around asking, ‘Who do you know?’.” Vilma Colón
is president of Transition Matters, Inc.
She offers five main points of advice to EWG members considering a
transition out of government – whether it’s moving to a corporation, a
nonprofit, starting your own business, or simply retiring. (Vilma is a
former government employee who took an early retirement from General Services
Administration. She now contracts with
government agencies and private enterprise, utilizing the expertise she
developed from setting up a transition center for OPM.)
“Ask yourself, ‘What is it I want for me?’.”
“Most people get scared here. But your government retirement paycheck
without Medicare and other deductions is going to be bigger than you might
think. If you’re starting another
career, figure out how much you’d have to make on top of your retirement
check to live at your current standard.”
“If you want to be doing something completely different,
now is the time to prepare yourself.
One of my friends always wanted to be an interior designer so she took
a course.”
“If you have a spouse or children, make sure they’re ‘on
board’.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t change it, but it really does
help to write it down.” Vilma recommends three authors to EWG members preparing for
transition:
Vilma offers some additional guidance to women weighing owning
their own business against a position in the corporate world. “Make sure you know your values when you
explore life goals. If you’re going corporate, you need to know about billable
hours. It all comes down to making
money. If you’re
going to start your own business, the transition takes more planning. Explore a class in how to start a small
business. I took a class at George
Mason, at their entrepreneurial center.
It covers everything.” Carlotta
Cooke Joyner and Linda Massaro both say they are
happy with the decisions they’ve made. Carlotta emphasized she’s answering my
questions as she looks upon her private vista of the Outer Banks. Linda is excited about learning new things
in her work at CSC. Asked if she would
do anything differently, Linda replied:
“I would have left [government] sooner. And I never thought I’d say that.” For
more information on transitions, contact: Vilma Colón,
President www.transitionmatters.com An exhibit you
shouldn’t miss
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Name |
Agency |
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Arlene Austin |
Department of Homeland Security |
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Diane Beal |
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Sandy Evalenko |
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Marjorie Gildenhorn |
Dept of Treasury |
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Kathryn Mahaffey |
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Linda Schuessler |
Federal Aviation Administration |
