If you’ve ever looked at an event calendar for RiverWoods Exeter, you know there’s never a dull moment across the three campuses. But before the music starts, the speaker arrives, or residents gather for an afternoon program, there’s someone quietly helping to make it all happen behind the scenes.
At the heart of much of the programming and events at RiverWoods Exeter is Liz Smith Ford, Program and Events Coordinator, whose 22-year journey at RiverWoods has shaped her unique approach to community life.
After graduating from UNH and feeling burned out from a retail career, she decided to consider working in the community. “I saw an ad in the paper for a job fair at RiverWoods and decided to check it out.”
The career fair proved to be a turning point for Liz. In July of 2004, she accepted a position working at the Woods front desk, just a few months before the Ridge campus opened.
From there, her role evolved. “The residents at the Ridge wanted different things, and their activities committee was growing,” she explains. Liz later became the Administrative Assistant for Resident Services, supporting administration, resident committees, events, and programming. Over time, that role expanded into Event and Programming Coordinator, and the department itself eventually transitioned from Resident Services to what is now known as Community Life.
RiverWoods Exeter expanded again when the Boulders opened in 2010, bringing new opportunities and new personalities into the mix.
With more than six hundred residents across the three campuses, programming at RiverWoods is anything but one-size-fits-all. Liz works closely with resident committees to shape the calendar, making sure events reflect the community’s wide range of interests. “I can’t take full credit for the ideas,” she says. “Residents often bring suggestions to their committees, vote on what interests them, and then I help coordinate the logistics—finding speakers, scheduling events, and making it all happen.” Liz also contributes to the process by bringing additional ideas that help enhance and round out the calendar.
Right now, one of her favorite projects is planning programming around the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. “Because we’re in Exeter, there’s so much history here,” Liz says. “This area played such an important role in the Revolutionary War. Bringing in speakers, music, and programs that reflect that history is exciting.”
For Liz, the goal of every program is simple. “If there’s one resident who comes out of their apartment because of something we planned that makes it worth it.”
But sometimes, an idea grows into something the entire community looks forward to.
One of Liz’s signature events is the RiverWoods Exeter Holiday Fair, which she created to bring local Exeter businesses and artisans into the community so residents could shop locally without leaving campus. “It started because there was a resident who loved a particular store in town but couldn’t easily get there anymore,” Liz recalls. “I started thinking: how do we bring Exeter to them?”
Today, the annual fair fills the campus with dozens of local vendors from Exeter and the surrounding area. The event draws residents and staff from across the three campuses and gives them the chance to support local businesses and artisans. “It’s really special,” Liz says. “Residents love it, and the businesses love coming here.”
Her inspiration often comes from the residents themselves, but also from her upbringing. Liz’s parents, both teachers, exposed her to a wide range of experiences growing up, from sports to dance to opera. As educators, they instilled in her a love of lifelong learning and curiosity that continues to shape her interests in the humanities and history today. “Challenging your brain to learn something new every day is part of wellness,” she says.
Working at RiverWoods has also given Liz a front-row seat to the way curiosity and growth continue at every stage of life. “I watch residents discover new passions all the time—arts, music, history,” she says. “It reminds me that learning never really stops.”
And if the ever-full event calendar at RiverWoods Exeter is any indication, Liz will keep finding new ways to bring that sentiment to life.
About Humans of RiverWoods
Humans of RiverWoods is an ongoing storytelling series that celebrates the vibrant, diverse, and inspiring individuals who make up our RiverWoods communities. Through candid interviews and personal snapshots, we share the everyday moments, meaningful experiences, and unique journeys of our residents and team members.
Learn more about RiverWoods’ career opportunities here: https://riverwoodsnh.org/our-story/careers/