Nancy Peterson is the Network's godmother. Starting in 2011, she saw the potential of connecting organizations and individuals to build the encore movement, and championed that work within Encore.org, launching a volunteer-led network. With Bechtel Foundation, she developed the Innovation Fellows program, investing in experienced leaders to support encore work in new sectors and around the country. Nancy led a 2015 White House Conference on Aging network-wide collaboration, highlighting the value of the "longevity dividend." More recently, Nancy led the Network's global growth and its transition to a stand-alone group.