What makes you a Difference Maker?

I am an Active Duty Navy Spouse and mother of 4 currently achieving my BS in Biology and BA in Biology in Spring 2021. I started my own company in 2015 out of my own kitchen which scaled to 7-figures within its first year (Healthy Momma). Went on to hire over 100 military spouses with flexible employment and donate over 10K meals to homeless veterans. I have helped support Amazon to launch the Amazon Military storefront for Veteran and Military Spouse owned products. I have been invited to the White House twice by Second Lady Karen Pence on behalf of my national advocacy efforts for Military Spouse Entrepreneurship. I am currently working with the Center for American Entrepreneurship for Policy Change to lower berries for Military Spouse Entrepreneurship. My current company is a global technology-based education platform that has nearly 2K members, teaching military spouses all over the globe how to start scale and sustain their own businesses. Myself and my cofounder custom-built all of the curriculum and education and have partnered with the SBA, Google, Linkedin, Amazon, Global Entrepreneur Network and more. I am a national public speaker for various outlets and organizations such as VBOC, SCORE, SBA, SBDC, WBC, Blue Star Families, Bunker Labs, Various Universities, Media Outlets, etc. I have created a Publication with Stars and Stripes exclusively for Military Spouses called the Military Spouse Entrepreneur Guide which is published and distributed on bases globally as the only publication exclusively for spouses learning how to start and build their own businesses (Printed in 100K copies per edition and distributed on bases throughout Europe, Asia, and North America). I was featured on the cover of Military Spouse Magazine in May of 2020 and have also been featured in Inc, Entrepreneur, and Forbes for my work in the Military Spouse Entrepreneur space.

Tell us about your leadership experience.

With national advocacy in the military space, I have been invited to the White House twice and sat on several advocacy and advisory boards for military spouse and veteran hiring and transition initiatives. I also work with the Center for American Entrepreneurship to propose new legislation to reduce the barriers for military spouse employment. Personally, I have hired and employed over 100 military spouses and contributed over half a million dollars of revenue in payroll earnings to military families through my companies. I have also helped nearly 2K military spouses launch their own companies globally through my latest digital edtech organization, AMSE-The Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs.

What is your dream career or goal?

I hope to continue to expand my company AMSE-The Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs as the nations leading organization for military spouses to learn how to become small business owners. I also will continue to advocate on a global scale to change policy and that effects lowering the barrier to entrepreneurship as well as making access to capital easier. I also am applying to Syracuse University J.D. Program for the Fall as my husband retires from the military and my family moves into retirement from the military life.

What is your most defining moment?

My most defining moment was being awarded my distinguished researcher award. I was a mother of four, my husband was deployed and I had taken on a nearly 20 credit hour course load. My plate was full, but I was still able to achieve my goals with the help and support of some amazing mentors and professors who believed in me and supported me in my journey.