Victoria Dabrowski Schmidt 10th Annual Career Symposium Connects Women at All Life Stages and Ages

The symposium is designed to bring women across professions, whether beginning or advancing a career, exploring new professions, or considering retirement.

The Associate Alumnae of Douglass College (AADC) invites you to ELEVATE: Taking it to the Next Level, with the theme for the 10th anniversary Victoria Dabrowski Schmidt Career Symposium, hosted at the Douglass Student Center on the Douglass Residential College Campus at Rutgers on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. The symposium is FREE to Douglass alumnae, friends who are financial supporters of the AADC, and to Douglass Residential College students. Non-alumnae may attend for a nominal cost. Registration is required online, click here.

The symposium is designed to bring women across professions, whether beginning or advancing a career, exploring new professions, or considering retirement. This in-person dynamic day of connection will feature presentations, workshops and speakers with actionable strategies for personal and professional growth.

“We celebrate our spectacular volunteers, presenters and participants — who have all been key to the tremendous growth and success of our career symposium, now at its milestone 10th anniversary,” said Associate Alumnae President Lisa Dorio Ruch ’89, an attorney.

The symposium features 19 powerful presenters exploring the theme of taking it to the next level, with a keynote “Rising Together – Professionally, Personally, Spiritually” by Linda Swenton Naselli ‘81, the retired CEO of Reliance Vitamin. Dynamic speakers will share signature workshops and panels to educate, empower and engage attendees. There will also be opportunities to network throughout the day.

Timely workshop topics include career mobility, volunteer leadership, wealth building, retirement planning, branding, and entrepreneurship. Attendees will gain insights into publishing, wellness, navigating life transitions and so much more. Participants will also have an opportunity to purchase a new professional headshot taken at the event by Tamara Fleming Photography (space is limited, headshots are for purchase).

We are grateful to the late Victoria Dabrowski Schmidt ’42 who established an endowment for this highly successful symposium. Welcome remarks will be delivered by Associate Alumnae Executive Director Eileen M. Cotter and Fabiola Paul ‘08, Chair of the Symposium Planning Committee.

Symposium Keynote, Panel, Sessions and Speakers Line Up

Speakers will address a range of career development and advancement issues facing today’s women as they move forward in all aspects of their lives:

Keynote Address: Rising Together – Professionally, Personally, Spiritually (Linda Swenton Naselli ‘81, Retired CEO of Reliance Vitamin)
Enhance Skills, Enrich Your Resume, Elevate Relationships with the 5 Keys of Volunteer Leadership Beyond Limits (Executive Director Eileen Cotter, and Director of Alumnae Relations Lorrie Delaney ‘18, Lizethe Martinez ‘13, Anne Marie Russo, Beata Souders)
Pathways to Elevation: Building Career Mobility with Intention and Strategy (Rosslin Mensah ’18, MPA)
Money, Power & Purpose: Elevating and Redefining Your Role in Wealth Building (Ka’Neda Bullock)
You are the Brand: LinkedIn Isn’t Enough (Kara S. Beaufort, Esq. ’09)
Healing Circle for Women Navigating Retirement and Life Transition (Katherine Taylor Clark ’84)
The Whole You: Wellness Strategies for Success Panel (Elizabeth Mitchell, Shantice Wright, Zaira Gonzalez, Jennie Vila ’07)
The Pivot Point: Turning Passion into Profession Panel (Fabiola Paul ’08, Janki Bhatt ’08, Mary Kavalam RN, EdD ’93, Tonisha Taylor, Kaila Boulware ’15)
3 Simple Tips to Understand Your Personal Style (Tracey Evelyn Reed)
More Than Networking: Build the Connections That Move You Forward (Erica Bell)
So, you want to publish your book! (Jeannee Sacken ’75)

About the Symposium
Major funding for the tenth annual Victoria Dabrowski Schmidt ’42 Workplace & Professional Development Symposium was provided by the late Victoria Dabrowski Schmidt, Class of 1942. The AADC Symposium Planning Committee is led by Chair Fabiola Paul ‘09 and Director of AADC Alumnae Relations Lorrie Delaney ‘18, and committee volunteers. Learn more about year-round Associate Alumnae programming and events: www.douglassalumnae.org.

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