Mrs. Char Dunlap will be retiring at the end of the year, officially on the day of graduation, and Mrs. Joey Rickards will be taking her spot as Executive Assistant to the President. 

“My husband, John, and I will be leaving for Arizona on February 12,” she said.

While in Arizona, she will be working remotely on a part-time basis. 

“I have many details to wrap up while passing the torch over to Mrs. Joey Rickards. I want to be as available to her as possible as she transitions into her new position,” said Dunlap. 

One of the many responsibilities she holds is planning the President’s Dinner in early May. 

“It’s important to me that this event, held at a new venue this year, be well planned and successful,” she added. 

Dunlap is happy that the transition will be smooth for her retirement and for Mrs. Rickards to change positions. 

“It couldn’t have worked out better,” she said. 

As of right now, Mrs. Rickards doesn’t have a set start date for her new position since they are “kind of at a standstill.” 

“But in the coming weeks, I will work part-time in both positions until my replacement is hired,” said Rickards. 

She will miss working with her friends in the Main Office and getting to know the students, but she is also excited for the personal growth change brings. 

“I’m going to miss the stillness of the early mornings and watching it come alive as students and staff arrive,” she added.

Mrs. Dunlap is looking forward to keeping her own schedule. 

“I want to spend more time seeing the out-of-town kids and grandkids, spending time in the gardens I care for, such as the NDA prayer garden, my church’s memory garden and my perennial gardens,” said Dunlap. 

She also wants to get her photos organized, purge, purge, purge her house and travel. 

“When I get all that out of my system, I may look for a part-time job either here or in Arizona,” she added.

At NDA, Dunlap will miss the relationships she has built over the years with the faculty and staff, as well as the many contributors with whom she communicated regularly. 

“Mrs. Dunlap has been here so long, experienced so many changes, and is an archivist of the school. She is leaving some big shoes to fill! I hope to continue the level of work she did,” said Rickards.

Upon her retirement Mrs. Dunlap  will have completed 31 years at NDA, all at the same position she now holds.

“The changes for me have been the different presidents (7) and interim presidents (2) that I have worked for.  Each change in leadership was like starting a new job each time,” she explained.