Purpose Prize

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Christine Millen

The Transition Network
Purpose Prize Fellow 2006

Building a community of women taking control of their lives

After high-profile careers in international consulting and government, Christine Millen, 63, and Charlotte Frank, 70, weren’t ready to retire. Instead they founded The Transition Network (TTN) in New York City in 2000 to be a resource for women transitioning out of careers or family-based work, a place where they could plan their next phase. The Transition Network developed programs to encourage risk taking and networking, to help women redirect their skills to help in their communities, and to change societal perceptions of older women. Primarily serving the New York City area, The Transition Network is expanding into Washington DC, Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Members have mentored disadvantaged women in job training, equipped a library at a school for disabled children, and helped seniors navigate the Medicare drug program. In Spring 2008 TTN will publish a practical guide to help women transition from full-time work into retirement – “But What Will I Do All Day? and Other Questions from Women on the Verge of the New Retirement,” will be published by Springboard Press. Over the next five years, TTN plans to build partnerships with African American, Asian, and Latino women’s organizations, and to develop mentoring programs between older members in their 70s and 80s with younger members just approaching retirement.