NextGroup LLC, headquartered in the Chicago suburbs, and EvolveMe, headquartered in the New York metro area, are pleased to announce their partnership to provide expanded career relaunch/reinvention programming and access to professional placement services specifically for experienced professional women who are pivoting or returning to the workplace.
Both EvolveMe and NextGroup have grown significant networks of professional women who are looking to create their next career chapter. EvolveMe Co-founders Judy Schoenberg and Linda Lautenberg offer virtual cohort-based career reinvention programming and community to women across the country who are relaunching or pivoting careers and looking to shape their next career chapter intentionally and authentically alongside other like-minded women. NextGroup has built a talent network of 1,500 professional women and relationships with employers in both the nonprofit and business sectors who want and need their talent.
“We have found a true sister organization and partner with Judy, Linda and Evolveme,” said NextGroup co-founder Melanie Wright. “Our shared commitment to empowering women to forge their professional path at whatever age or stage, but especially in midlife, is at the core of what we each do.”
“Now, NextGroup can expand our career readiness services with Evolveme’s expertise and we can provide a broader, deeper network of talent to employers to Evolveme’s growing network as well,” added NextGroup co-founder Candance Chow. “ It’s the epitome of a win, win, win - for our organizations, for women and for employers committed to a more diverse workplace.”
“With curated tools, community and support from women moving in the same direction as you -- women build the confidence to make a change”, said EvolveMe Co-founder Linda Lautenberg. “The next step is sourcing the roles. We found true partners in NextGroup, whose mission is to help women get placed in roles that are a good match for their next chapters!”
“We're excited to be partnering with Next Group as we launch the next cohort of EvolveMe’s signature group training program, the Reinvention Collective, this October,” shared EvolveMe Co-founder Judy Schoenberg. “Women in our training cohorts are incredibly accomplished, credentialed, and experienced. We can’t wait for them to connect with Next Group’s deep network! It truly is a win-win-win for women in midlife!”
At EvolveMe, we makes reinventing your career in midlife fun, rewarding, and doable! Women in midlife returning to the workforce or pivoting careers gGet the structure and tools theyyou need to focus on themselvesyourself and invest in their your future. With EvolveMe’s DARE method for career reinvention, women You’ll go through the must-do steps needed for successful career change -- saving themyou time spent wondering “where do I go from here?”.
And with accountability and support from EvolveMe’s curated groups of like-minded women, our clients you’ll clarify your direction, boost your confidence, and connect the dots to understand how their your skills and experience are transferable to new opportunities that align with who they are now.
NextGroup
Reimagining what’s next for your career. Delivering what’s next for your organization.
At Next Group, we empower women re-entering the workforce or pivoting their careers to reimagine their professional lives. For employers, we provide access to valuable talent with precision and speed. From short-term projects, to interim staffing and growth execution, our team of project managers/initiative leaders and skilled professionals steps in to make an impact from day one. If you would like to join the NextGoup talent network or learn more about our search and placement services, go to
www.nextgroupus.com/join-us
NextGroup and EvolveMe Leadership Bios
Candance Chow, NextGroup Co-Founder and Managing Director
Candance Chow is dedicated to enabling and empowering women to be fully valued both in and out of the paid workforce. She started her career in Washington, DC advocating for gender equity and the advancement of women in the workplace, serving as Deputy Executive Director of Business and Professional Women/USA. After moving to Evanston and earning her M.B.A, Candance owned InSight Consulting Group, a management consulting firm that partnered with companies and nonprofits to develop growth, innovation and operational strategy. As an Evanston community leader, Candance sits on several nonprofit boards, including the Evanston/Skokie District 65 School Board, recently ran as a Democrat for IL State House of Representatives, and most importantly, serves the needs of her three teenage daughters. Candance holds a B.A. from American University and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Melanie Wright, NextGroup Co-Founder and Managing Director
Melanie Wright started her career as a systems analyst at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis before coming back to Evanston to pursue her M.B.A. Melanie interned at Microsoft between her first and second years of graduate school, and post-graduation entered the world of management consulting at Diamond Technology Partners. Melanie has a passion for coaching and career development and has served in both admissions and career-coaching roles at Kellogg. Melanie was instrumental in rolling out career development programming to the first MSMS Russell Fellows class and served as a career coach before taking on the role of Director for the MSMS program at Kellogg. She is also deeply tied to the community, currently serving on the Board of Trustees at Chiaravalle Montessori School and as Vice President for the Evanston Dance Ensemble. Melanie holds a B.S. from Indiana University and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Judy Schoenberg, Ed.M., Co-founder of EvolveMe, is a career strategist and leadership expert for women in midlife career transition who are exploring a return to the workforce after a break or pivoting careers.
Through the DARE© method of career reinvention she developed with her co-founder, Judy helps cohorts of highly credentialed and experienced women gain clarity in career direction and the confidence to show their value and pursue new opportunities. Her clients land new roles, start businesses and secure project based work (even during the pandemic!). Judy’s clients describe the virtual group programs she leads with EvolveMe as “life-changing” and “the best professional investment in themselves they’ve ever made”. The EvolveMe community is several thousand women strong -- it’s a midlife career reinvention movement!
A graduate of Harvard University and former national executive for Girl Scouts of the USA, Judy has been featured in Forbes.com, CNN.com, Reuter’s World at Work, The Washington Post, at White House events and in Fairygodboss.com and the Ellevate Network. She’s been a guest on podcasts like Life After Corporate, Hello Career Guru, Time of Your Life, Warriors at Work, Smashing the Plateau, and Next Career & Life. Judy lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, two sons and a feisty rescue dog.
Linda Lautenberg is a return to work expert, women’s career advancement strategist and champion for all midlife career changers.
Linda is Co-founder of EvolveMe, an organization specializing in career reinvention and community building for women in midlife career transition. Along with her co-founder, she developed EvolveMe’s proprietary DARE© Method of Career Reinvention to help cohorts of high achieving women attain clarity, gain confidence, and launch the best chapter of their professional life. The women Linda works with describe the EvolveMe experience as “the best professional decision they’ve ever made” and say that Linda is “the mentor they wished they’d had earlier in their career.”
A Harvard Business School graduate and a Chartered Financial Analyst, Linda has been featured in Forbes.com, CNN.com, Reuter’s World at Work, Ellevate Network and Fairygodboss.com. She’s been a guest on podcasts like Life After Corporate, Hello Career Guru, Time of Your Life, iRelaunch, Warriors at Work, Smashing the Plateau, and Next Career & Life. Prior to her own professional reinvention, she led a highly successful career in real estate finance and securitization.
Linda lives near the Jersey shore with her husband, 1-3 kids (depending on college schedules) and way too many pets.