Military branch

Air Force, Navy

Years of service and rank

10 years, E-5

Awards and decorations

Joint Service Commendation Medal, Sailor of the Quarter, and a combat medal for serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom

How have your experiences and service affected your life?

I owe everything to the military for giving me a second chance to realize my potential. As a child, I was raised in a challenging home environment, and though I was gifted academically from an early age, my home life eventually drove me away from school and toward a path of self-destruction and the wrong crowd. Because of this, I did not go to college after high school — something I considered an incredible failure. Thankfully, at 19 years old, I realized I wanted a different path for myself.

Through my childhood, my grandfather was my mentor, best friend, and hero. He served in the Navy during the Korean War, and I had several cousins at the time who were young Naval officers. These things led me to explore enlisting in the Navy. I scored very well on the entrance exams and was told I could become an intelligence analyst (Cryptologic Technician) with a top-secret security clearance, so I enlisted. After serving four incredible years, I decided to leave active duty to address my regret of not going to a four-year university after high school, and ultimately was accepted into the UO.

While there, I enlisted in the Air Force Reserves for another six years and spent my time between Eugene and the Portland Air National Guard Base where I served as an Air Crew Life Support Technician. I eventually went on to get an MBA from George Fox University as well. So, in short, I credit the military for the gift of a reclaimed life, which I am blessed to have today as a successful employee communications leader, wife, and mother of two little girls.

Were you involved with UO Army ROTC, the Student Veterans Center, Veterans and Family Student Association, or any other organizations on campus during your time as a UO student? If so, please describe your experience.

I was involved with the Student Veterans Center and the Multicultural Center.

What is your current career? How did your experiences as a veteran impact your career?

I switched from PR to internal/employee communications about 15 years ago and have had a successful career in the field. I credit the military for my strong work ethic, discipline, character, and ability to both lead and work as part of a team. My colleagues are usually surprised and intrigued to learn I was a sailor and an airman, especially as a woman, and it always makes for a great icebreaker when I meet someone new.