What Now? A Retirement Panel Discussion
Invent your future!
Many in today's workforce find themselves unexpectedly retired - or about to retire - and lacking a clear idea of their options or a plan for their new normal. Join us for a panel discussion, moderated by Encore Learning, to gain ideas and inspiration on how to use your skills and experience to create a meaningful second act, whether you want to follow your passions, expand your professional experiences or serve your community.
Panelists:
- Moderated by: Tom Adams, Past President of Encore Learning
- Lisa Fikes, President and CEO of Leadership Center of Arlington
- Sheila Murphy, Founder and Partner of Flex Professionals
- Tara Palacios, Manager, Arlington County BizLaunch
The panel discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A. Light refreshments will be served.
REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED. By registering you will receive event updates.
For more information, contact LibraryPrograms@arlingtonva.us
- Date:
- Monday, March 23, 2026
- Time:
- 6:30pm - 7:30pm
- Location:
- Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium
- Library:
- Central Library
- Audience:
- Events for Adults Good for Adults Age 55+
- Categories:
- Business, Law & Money Civics & Government Community Resources Student, College & Career Workforce Support
- Calendar:
- Arlington Public Library
About our Panelists:
Thomas C. Adams spent over 40 years in the U.S. Government, with most of it at the State Department managing foreign assistance. He currently consults on foreign affairs and is engaged in teaching and training. He has taught courses at Encore Learning, as well as training at both the Foreign Service Institute and the USAID Training Center. He has also served as a class aide and Board Member of Encore Learning. During his career, he held two positions in the Senior Executive Service, as the Special Coordinator for Haiti responsible for U.S. efforts to rebuild that country after the devastating January 2010 earthquake, and earlier as Coordinator of Assistance to Europe and Eurasia, responsible for U.S. assistance to the 29 countries that emerged from communism after the end of the Cold War.
Lisa Fikes cares deeply about building connections that empower individuals and communities to thrive. As President and CEO of the Leadership Center of Arlington, Lisa has created a unique vision where authentic leadership development and civic engagement work hand-in-hand. Through her leadership of both the Leadership Center of Arlington and Volunteer Arlington, she has demonstrated how public-private partnerships can drive social impact and that collaboration between sectors is not just valuable, it is essential for lasting success. Lisa values transformative leadership development that comes from high-quality training, exposure to community and national leaders, and established, trusted relationships.
Sheila Murphy is a Co-Founder of FlexProfessionals, a staffing firm that specializes in part-time, full-time flexible, and project-based work arrangements. Featured on The Today Show, Sheila is a career re-entry expert, work flexibility advocate, and seasoned speaker/trainer on a variety of job search and career development topics.
Tara Palacios is the Director of BizLaunch, Arlington’s Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance Network in Arlington County, Virginia. Ms. Palacios founded the BizLaunch program in 2002 to help diverse entrepreneurs to successfully launch, grow and expand their businesses in the County. Since its inception the program has outreached to over 75,000 business owners through sponsored workshops, seminars, and one-on-one counseling sessions. Ms. Palacios has over 30 years of experience in Marketing and Business Development at a variety of for-profit firms: a health maintenance organization, an IT software developer, a financial institution, and a uranium enricher before joining Arlington County in 2001.