Where did you serve and what did you do?

I served in the United States Army as a Sergeant and medical laboratory specialist from 2006 to 2014. I was stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and Fort Carson, Colorado. I deployed to Iraq from 2010 to 2011, where I worked in a combat support hospital performing critical laboratory testing to support injured service members. In addition to my lab duties, I trained medics on whole blood drive procedures to help ensure a reliable supply of life-saving blood in a high-pressure, deployed environment.

How are you Still Serving?

I continue to serve as the Director of Veterans and First Responders at Heart of a Warrior Farm, where I help create and lead equine-assisted programs that support healing, connection, and community for veterans and first responders. I also serve as the Vice President of the Ohio Farmer Veteran Coalition, working to support veteran farmers through education, advocacy, and peer-to-peer connection across the state.

Why do you do it?

I do it because I believe deeply in taking care of those who have served and continue to serve our communities. I’ve seen firsthand how connection, purpose, and working alongside animals and the land can be powerful tools for healing. Serving veterans and first responders allows me to give back to a community that shaped who I am, and to help create spaces where people feel understood, supported, and not alone in their next chapter.