Barbara McLaughlin

I’m retired, on Medicare, planned my health insurance, helped my husband navigate Social Security and apply for Medicare and a health plan. I am my husband’s caregiver as well. I know transitioning into these programs are daunting and overwhelming. I understand this stage of our lives. I also understand, once you get through the muck and mire of enrolling in Medicare, health insurance, prescription plans, it is worth the effort, it makes for a better life.”

 

Experience

Barb started working during her high school years as a part-time bookkeeper in a small business, recording Accounts Payable and Receivable in hard-bound, large ledger books and speedily crunching on an old adding machine. Upon high school graduation and fully financially responsible for herself, Barb applied and was hired to the University System of Maryland for an Account Clerk position. This role propelled Barb head-first into the world of computers when the University started its first conversion from manual hard-copy records to computerization. Barb says the changeover to computer records was absolutely crazy chaotic those first few years. Barb found computer technology interesting, challenging and led her to an Information Technology career. During her near 39 years career, she enrolled in university classes to enhance her career path into positions Data Processor, Computer Operator and Supervisor, Computer Programmer and Analyst, Manager of the Laptop Loan Program and eventually Manager of the technology classrooms located on the main campus, satellite campuses and the university’s technology classrooms on military bases in DC, Maryland and Virginia. The University System for Barb was a wonderful environment providing an opportunity to meet and work with impressive, accomplished and diverse students, educators and colleagues.

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Hobbies

Barb’s outside of work interests has varied over the years but mostly spending time with her large family (8 siblings and their families) in demolition derbies, camping, hiking, spending time on the Severn River, catching and eating crabs, trips, and a stained-glass hobby. When she finally retired from the University, she joined a Dragonboat club where her husband and their 20-something twins had been paddling for over 5 years. Barb immensely enjoyed dragon boating and the camaraderie of being squeezed on a 40-foot canoe-like boat, widest only 40 inches at its center and filled stem to stern with 10 pairs of paddlers paddling in perfect synchronization! She noticed too this small Club was struggling in a number of areas and decided maybe she should help. Barb was elected to the Club’s Board of Directors and elected Secretary. She supported the Club not only in Secretary duties but also in building Club structure, advocate for paddlers, a competitor, various events, Club boats and equipment, security and more. After Barb’s 6 years in the Club, 5 years on the Board, she eventually left due to family obligations.