Jan Scott

Jan Scott thought she had a pretty good plan for what to do with her early retirement. After years working for corporations as an IT Director and Manager, she hoped to start her own small computer consulting business, which would give her plenty of time to volunteer.

Scott was particularly interested in helping new Americans who arrive here looking for a better life. As a resident of the Bay Area, she knew first-hand the important role they can play in communities.

But as Scott's new business began to take off, she found increasing satisfaction in her volunteer work.

It all clicked one day while she was reading an article about Upwardly Global. By teaching critical resume writing and interviewing skills while also providing connections to mentors, advisors and a network of employers, Upwardly Global is helping to increase economic opportunities for immigrant professionals and to promote their inclusion in the working world. It was exactly what Scott was looking for.

"As I thought about what I had enjoyed about my career, I realized that it was mentoring others - especially women," said Scott. "With just a little help, these women could achieve great things."

She began to volunteer with Upwardly Global, and in a short time was hooked. After several years as a volunteer, the organization offered her a part-time role as a volunteer coordinator and she accepted.

"My consulting business was successful, but I was ready for a change," she said. "Working for a nonprofit whose mission I really care about has enabled me to redefine my retirement, put to good use my twenty years of management experience, and work with great people for a great cause."

Today, Scott depends heavily on VolunteerMatch to recruit its volunteer mentors and trainers. "We are so heavily dependent upon these volunteers that we simply can't run our programs without them," she said. "VolunteerMatch serves such a wide audience, I have no trouble recruiting experienced volunteers from all industry sectors and professions."