Partners in Careers Executive Director Sharon Pesut will retire from her role at the end of December.
Pesut, 65, announced Dec. 14 that she will retire from the Vancouver nonprofit she has led for 11 years. The organization focuses on breaking down barriers to employment by tackling generational poverty and racial inequities.
Christine Zabel, Partners in Careers’ current associate executive director, will assume the role of executive director at the start of the new year, a transition that Pesut said has been long in the making.
“To some, a job is just a placeholder in life, but we’ve found here at Partners in Careers that a job is so much more than that,” Pesut said. “It changes, fundamentally, who people are as a person, and it helps people envision a future that they never thought they deserved.”
Starting with the organization in 2011 as operations manager before being promoted to executive director in 2013, Pesut has expanded youth and veteran programs, built community partnerships and ensured financial stability by diversifying the organization’s funding, which operates on a $2.2 million annual budget.
“It’s tremendously rewarding when you can come into an organization where everyone has the goal of helping someone else. Nothing is better than that,” Pesut said. “It is like handing off a piece of my life.”
Zabel, who has been with the organization for 15 years, started off at Partners in Careers as a case manager, but quickly realized she excelled at building client relationships and mentoring staff.
Five years ago, Partners in Careers promoted Zabel to associate executive director as part of a succession plan, knowing Pesut had plans to retire.
“I really enjoyed the client piece and the programming piece. That mentorship was my next step,” Zabel said. “I am grateful, I am blessed, and I am so excited that I get to lead an organization that I believe in.”
13-year journey
Pesut, who is originally from Indiana, has lived in Vancouver for 22 years. She has 30 years of experience in the nonprofit industry and was also a teacher in Florida during the early 2000s.
Partners in Careers primarily serves low-income parents, refugees, immigrants, homeless veterans, families recovering from domestic violence and young people who want to start a successful career after high school.
Its programs provide employment readiness classes, job training services, work experience and individualized assistance.
In 2023, the nonprofit served 1,943 people, as well as connecting about 1,200 clients to such resources as mental health services, veteran benefits and substance abuse counseling.
That year, 470 people secured employment through Partners in Careers. For many, it was their first job.
Zabel said the nonprofit tailors its programs to address the needs of different groups, recognizing that job seekers come from different backgrounds and all walks of life.
“We always meet them where they’re at. It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Zabel said. “For some clients, we will hold their hand, and we won’t release their hand until we know they’re able to walk that path by themselves.”
Pesut’s vision
Pesut’s time at Partners in Careers didn’t come without challenges, she said. Like many nonprofits, securing funding and operating during the pandemic presented challenges.
But part of Pesut’s vision for the organization was ensuring that its clients can transform their lives and see meaningful change, which is part of what kept her going in spite of those challenges.
“The vision that I’ve had for 13 years is really being that employment partner who can help fill in the gaps,” Pesut said. “How do we give the most empathetic, impactful work and show up for the clients?”
Pesut said one of her proudest accomplishments is when she is out in the community and runs into someone who has gone through one of Partner in Careers’ programs.
“Every day I learn something new. I’ve learned that people are good, inherently,” Pesut said. “I’m excited when clients are out there living their best lives and say, ‘This is because of Partners in Careers.’ ”
A new vision
Since Pesut was promoted to executive director, her vision for organization has evolved. Now, she is excited for that vision to carry on through Zabel’s leadership.
Zabel said one of her goals is to carry on all of the work Pesut has done, such as securing multiple sources of funding. Zabel said she doesn’t want Partners in Careers to lose sight of its mission.
“Christine was here when I got here, and we quickly identified her as someone who was eager to learn. She is one of the biggest advocates for clients,” Pesut said. “She taught me that this is the path that this organization needs to be on. We work as a team.”
Once she’s retired, Pesut said she is looking forward to traveling, spending time with her three daughters and her 18-month-old granddaughter.
She plans to stay connected to the Clark County community and be a resource for Partners in Careers.
“I’ve known Sharon personally and professionally since before she came to PIC. From the moment she was hired as the operations manager in 2011, it was clear she was having a positive impact on creating and refining systems and policies,” said Sharif Burdzik, chairman of the Partners in Careers’ board. “Once she became the executive director in August 2013, Sharon worked hard to build relationships, strengthen the finances, and expand programming to have a positive impact on more people in the communities PIC serves.”
Partners in Careers will continue its work with hundreds of families and individuals in Clark County to help them become successful and economically stable, Pesut said.
“I’m very proud of where this organization is. I’m very proud of the impact our clients are seeing. I’m very proud of Christine and her leadership,” Pesut said. “I’ve learned that you’re never too old to learn and that people are good.”
