Who We Are
Annabelle Reitman, Ed. D.
Annabelle is a career management strategist with over 30 years experience in career coaching/counseling, specializing both in resume development, targeting clients’ individualized professional stories, and short-term coaching for clients in transition. She is an established writer and author for career and talent management web-based/print publications. Annabelle is a frequent presenter at professional meetings and conferences.
My Story
My career journey has been more focused on one field of study in that I have been in the career counseling/coaching profession since my mid-twenties. In one sense the profession found me. I started out intending to work in college student services specializing in student activities. The first job I applied for, however, was as Assistant Director of Placement at Queens College, CUNY. Not too long thereafter I resigned to do my full-time doctoral program residency in Higher Education (including a practicum in career counseling). Upon completion (of the program), I received a call from a colleague who was leaving the Placement Directorship at LIU’s Brooklyn Center and asked if I was interested in the position. This is how I found myself back in career counseling and from then until today I have never left the field, having experienced various roles and arenas of career development/management.
For someone who counsels/coaches people about taking control of their career path, mine, to a degree, has been somewhat happenstance. One reason is I have often taken up the opportunities offered me though with some anxiety about being successful. I retired from my position with UDC when unexpectedly a buyout was offered and I decided to become an independent. When asked to co-author a book on careers for trainers, I said “yes” with much trepidation. Thus I feel life always offers a challenge if one is willing to explore the unknown.
Nancy Abramson
Nancy Abramson is a career and life transition coach, workshop facilitator, and specialist in baby boomer life issues. She has worked for 14 years with professionals and managers to identify career and life goals. Nancy develops and leads workshops on retirement issues, decision-making, career transition, and sharpening job search skills. She works with people on transition planning after careers of 20-30 years; helps acclimate employees to workplace changes, and assists employees with retirement planning. Nancy earned a M.Ed. in Counseling from George Washington University and is a graduate of Coach University. She is a member of the International Coach Federation and served on the Board of Directors of the Washington, DC Chapter of ACP International (Association of Career Professionals International). She has been recognized for her contributions to the career development field and her coaching practice was included in a Washingtonian feature in 2001 on Best Places to Work.
My Story
At age 30 I reevaluated my career in the education field and looked for work that met my goals of financial independence and retirement savings. Reassessing my interests and skill strengths, I entered the human resources field where I spent many years as a human resources manager and director. Subsequently, I decided my career path was neither satisfying nor consistent with my personal set of values. I launched a life-long dream of working as a career counselor and then changed to career and life transition coaching in order to help others attain career success and happiness in their lives. Taking advantage of my education, I first volunteered as a job coach to help the homeless and then worked as a career counselor in government agencies. At the same time, I returned to school to gain a formal education in coaching, and now have a private practice in which I coach individuals and develop and facilitate career and life transition workshops.
Cheryl Beversdorf, M.A.
For almost 25 years, Cheryl served in executive positions in the leadership, administration and operations of national not for profit, social and human service organizations and companies representing veterans, health professionals, clinical and public health services, long term care facilities, community education and public relations issues. She has a public communications background and has developed public affairs and communications programs for consumer, employee and conference attendee audiences.
My Story
My career and educational pursuits have followed a number of different paths. As a registered nurse, I served in civilian hospitals and during the Vietnam War as an Army nurse in Japan and later at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC. When my tour of duty ended, I enrolled in the Johns Hopkins University’s Public Health Graduate Degree Program. Thus, I was able to work on health policy issues in the offices of a state governor and U.S. Senator, and to run several health-related professional associations in the Washington, D.C. and Chicago areas. I also led an organization representing community-based centers that serve and house homeless veterans. As a contractor at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, I helped develop assistance programs for homeless veterans and those in crisis.
My basic interest in communications led to a second graduate degree in public communications from American University and the creation of a health education company, HealthonStage, specializing in dramatic health promotion/disease prevention presentations. Additionally, as a member of a senior health team at a global public relations company I developed public affairs and communications programs for health association, corporate and pharmaceutical clients. More recently, I have used my communications and veteran background and non-profit association experience to provide consulting services to D.C. area organizations and companies.