The Community Impact Partners Team leverages the expertise and experience of local retirees to address significant regional issues. The Community Impact Partner program re-engages retirees interested in sharing their unique skills to improve the lives of San Diego County residents.
In the Meet our Community Impact Partners blog series, we’re interviewing each of our team members so you can learn more about the individuals – both professionally and personally – who are retired professionals with proven leadership and knowledge related to health and human services, health equity, or services that positively impact children and families.
In today’s first post of the series, we’re introducing Marty Adelman, Program Lead of the Community Impact Partners Program.
What is your favorite part about working at SDF?
Seeing the transformative work being done here, whether hearing about it on the news or in our staff and team meetings. It’s very moving.
Why come out of retirement?
I came out of retirement because I realized I had accumulated a fair amount of wisdom, knowledge and experience over my career and thought sharing it might be of benefit to some people and organizations.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by working with a group of bright 30-, 40- and 50- somethings who have the desire and skills to make the world a better place.
How did you get started working in your field?
After working for a few years in fields that depended on making money by taking advantage of people, I wanted to do something that would make me feel good about what I was doing and allow me to sleep at night.
How did you first learn about SDF?
As a long-time San Diego County resident, I knew of SDF by reputation but never imagined I might someday work here.
How do you make time for work/life balance?
That’s easy because my position is only 20 hours per week, by design.
What social impact area matters to you the most?
The one word that guides me from somewhere deep inside is equity. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about health, education, money or opportunity. Access to those things should be equitable.
What are you most looking forward to in your current position?
I feel blessed to have a position that can feed my soul.
When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you pass the time?
Listening to good music.
What’s your favorite spot in your neighborhood?
My backyard. I joked with a friend that if I had a billion dollars, I would still be doing just what we were doing, hanging in the pool, in the backyard, with a friend and telling tall tales.
