Cherie retired from Vanderbilt University as
director of recruitment & staffing. She spent 12 years as a human resources
consultant conducting workshops on recruiting, training/development, and
diversity. In addition to being president of AROHE, she chairs the University of Minnesota Retirees Association
Travel Committee and the AROHE Travel Institute. Cherie integrates her
experience in training and H.R. into ideas for new programs for AROHE
organizations as their members plan for retirement.
Eric Hockert, President-Elect
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Eric is past-president of the University of Minnesota Retirees Association and former chair of the Retirees Volunteer Center. His career includes 3M, vice-president R&D for a small company, academic center industrial liaison, Boston Scientific and academic technology commercialization. His education includes Iowa State and the University of Illinois (Ph.D. chemical engineering). Eric serves on the AROHE Research and Education Committee. His experiences in industry and academia and several years working with volunteers and other retirees will be an asset to AROHE.
Ann Rethlefsen, Secretary
Winona State University, Winona, MN
Ann is an emerita professor in the College of Education at Winona State University (WSU). She has served as co-chair of the WSU Retiree Center Board since 2020. She serves on the board of the Learning Club, which provides diverse hour-long programs for those over age 50. She seeks to encourage active participation in travel and educational opportunities in AROHE and locally.
Kim Barnes, Treasurer
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
Kim is director of stewardship at the University of
Mississippi Foundation. In 2020, she retired from Ole Miss where she
enjoyed a 25-year career serving the university in a myriad of positions,
including director of operations, executive coordinator to the chancellor,
senior administrative secretary and senior collection assistant. Her goals are
for all former employees and faculty to have a voice on the retiree board and
to remain actively engaged in campus events.
Roger Baldwin, Immediate Past-President
Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI
Roger is professor emeritus of higher, adult, and lifelong education at Michigan State University (MSU). Much of his research focused on academic career development, including the challenges and opportunities of retirement. He is a past president of the MSU Retirees Association. After a term as AROHE’s president, Roger continues to serve the association as immediate part-president. Roger enthusiastically supports AROHE’s mission to enlarge society’s vision of the retirement years and increase pathways for continued engagement, service, and fulfillment in the post-retirement phase of life.
Directors-at-large
Beryle I. Baker
Georgia State University - Perimeter College, Decatur, GA
Beryle, professor emerita at Georgia State University (GSU- Perimeter), received her doctorate at Auburn University. Her career highlights include creating the Office of Disability Services and an endowed teacher education scholarship. Baker was president of the Georgia Association of Teacher Educators (GATE), vice-president of the university’s retiree association, and a Fulbright Fellow. She served on AROHE’s Changemakers and Conference Planning committees. As AROHE reimagines retirement, she will address strategic membership and foundation development.
Charles DeSantis
Georgetown University, Washington DC
Charles is associate vice president for benefits and wellness and chief benefits officer for Georgetown University. He is committed to supporting the personal, professional, and financial well-being of the university community and to serving children and refugees worldwide. He has published two books: SMART, BEAUTIFUL AND IMPORTANT: Teaching art to AIDS-affected orphans in Africa’s largest slum and Lucas & Lilly Go to Kindergarten. Charles values AROHE's mission to make more belonging happen in retirement.
Tom Hart
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Tom retired from Florida State University in 2005 and is a professor emeritus of the College of Information and the editor of the Association of Retired Faculty Journal. He has served for several years on the AROHE Innovation Awards Committee. At the AROHE Conference at Emory University in Atlanta he presented a session on the FSU ARF Journal to a standing room only audience. The FSU ARF Journal and Website received the 2021 AROHE Innovation Award. Tom serves on the AROHE Membership Committee.
Marty Howard
Boston University, Boston, MA
Marty retired from Boston University after serving as treasurer/ CFO for 14 years. He also has more than two decades of teaching experience as an adjunct faculty member in the subject areas of accounting and finance. Marty seeks to contribute to the continued positioning of AROHE as a leading resource for higher education employees and retirees in reimagining their later years as a period of renewed purpose, creativity, and contribution.
Kaye Jeter
Central State University, Wilberforce, OH
Kaye is the retired dean and director of the Institute of Urban Education and former dean of education at Central State University-Dayton campus. She is a former Tennessee general counsel in education. She is a graduate of Central State University, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, and Marquette University Law School. Kaye serves on the AROHE membership committee. She and past board member Caroline Kane direct the AROHE Voices of HBCU Retired Professionals project.
Amy Layton
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Amy is a New Jersey native who has lived in New York since 2008. She has worked at Cornell University for the past 16 years and is currently the Program Coordinator for the Work/Life Department in Human Resources working with Cornell retirees. An amateur photographer, you can find her exploring the wilds of Central NY with her four dogs, snapping wildlife photos and if need be, a human or two.
Barbara McDade Gordon
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Barbara is professor emerita in geography and African studies at the University of Florida. She served as president of the Retired Faculty of the University of Florida (RFUF) which celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2024. Barbara received a B.A. from Texas Southern University, M.S.C.R.P. and Ph.D. from University of Texas-Austin. She is committed to the mission of AROHE which reflects the mission of RFUF: to provide opportunities for retirees to stay engaged in their communities and continue contributing to the university environment.
Carol Pope
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA
Carol retired in 2013 from Kennesaw State University. After retirement, she served as liaison to the KSU Retirees Association and volunteers with the Georgia Association of Higher Education Retiree Organizations (GA-HERO). She holds an M.A. in professional writing. She served on the planning committee for the 2021 AROHE virtual conference. Carol is committed to serving AROHE and promoting the organization’s activities and benefits to retiree groups.
Dolores "Dee" Stegelin
Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Dee is a professor emerita from Clemson University in early childhood education. She has mentored hundreds of pre-service and graduate students over several decades. She is particularly interested in AROHE’S travel partnership with Road Scholar, and she has extensive experience with a study abroad program in Italy where she provided learning opportunities for students through host families, schools, and cultural activities. She looks forward to supporting all efforts of AROHE.
Cary Sweeney
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cary is director of the University of California, Berkeley Retirement Center. She holds a Master's of Gerontology from Virginia Commonwealth University and has 20+ years of experience in developing and managing programs in geriatrics and gerontology aimed at improving the well-being of older adults. Cary chairs the AROHE Research and Education Committee. She is interested in maximizing the value of AROHE to its members and believes that colleges and universities are enriched by engaging retirees in campus life.
Valerie Sutton, Executive Director
Harvard University, Boston, MA
Valerie held professional positions at the University of Maryland, The Wharton School of Business, Temple University, and Harvard University before retiring from Harvard in 2024. She brings a wealth of information about university life. She is an experienced board member with a variety of associations and is currently an alumni association board member with her alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has expertise in strategy, project management, program development, adult development, and technology.
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