René Lashley Jarrett, CEO Northern Virginia Professional Administrative Network and Professional Administrative Virtual Executive Solutions
Throughout René Jarrett’s adult life, she has performed administrative functions. Her first job as an administrative assistant was at the Southern New England Telephone Company (SNET), Bridgeport, CT. As the Connecticut company was transitioning, René took advantage of a buyout. Around the same time, she met Morris Jarrett, who would soon be her husband.
The couple relocated to Northern Virginia, where René received a temp-to-perm position at KPMG. Soon after, she became a financial assistant. Later she transferred to the Audit team as an administrative professional. In addition, she was a member of the Executive Assistant Employee Process Council for Administrative Professionals–a national group of change agents to help KPMG admin remain competitive with other Big Four and leading companies.
René supported a controller, several senior managers, and approximately eight lead partners during her engagement. She was also the Office Lead for the McLean, Virginia division of the KPMG Family for Literacy (KFFL) program. Her duties for KFFL are her most gratifying memories. She worked with First Book and KFFL Partner Spouses, KFFL national leaders, and volunteer employees to help provide over 10,000 books to students in schools on the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. She also helped organize and participated in fund-raisers to support the program. Two weeks before the Covid 19 pandemic, René retired from KPMG–a Big Four Accounting firm.
Now, in addition to finding ways for administrative professionals to keep up with necessary skills, René is a member of the Professional Association of Resumé Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC). She loves to craft her new talent by writing résumés for approximately 25 high school and college student interns associated with the Walter E. Luckett Foundation. Despite René’s active lifestyle, her peace comes from being a lead singer in her church’s Praise Team.
