Dena Allen-Few is a combat veteran of the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom campaigns, and the coordinator of Veteran and Military Student Services at The Bob Parsons Veterans Center at The University of Baltimore. She proudly serves as the chair of the Maryland College Collaboration for Student Veterans Commission, a state commission that supports and advocates for student veterans and their needs.  In her position at the Bob Parsons Veterans Center, Allen-Few is tasked with coordinating activities and services that support veterans and active military students to enroll, achieve success and move to complete their degrees at UB. She works alongside colleagues from a variety of student-facing offices, as well as the Office of Administration and Finance and the academic leadership, to guide students who receive veteran or military educational benefits; and cultivate community relationships to enhance veteran and military student career and job prospects. Her work with veterans and military-affiliated students earned her the prestigious 2023 Veteran Champions of the Year in Higher Education award by G.I. Beginning in 2018, while Allen-Few was still a student at Towson University, she served as the lead school certifying official and program management specialist at the Towson University Military and Veterans Center. Through her work, the Military and Veterans Center became a diverse and engaged community on campus. She processed thousands of enrollment certifications through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and assisted student-veterans navigate the challenging transition from military to college. After serving as the vice-chair of the Maryland College Collaboration for Student Veterans Commission for two years, Allen-Few was elected to the chair position in January 2022. Under her tenure, she has transitioned the commission from an informal meeting to addressing policy within state institutions of higher education and the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. Her efforts in this commission have recently earned her an appointment to the newly established Maryland Veteran & Military Families Commission, which ensures that the state of Maryland provides for its veterans, their families, and caregivers. Allen-Few earned her associate degree in business management from Baltimore City Community College in 2017. She then earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources from Towson University in 2019. Her master’s degree in public administration from the University of Baltimore was conferred in December 2023. While pursuing her master’s degree, Allen-Few was selected to become a Focus Forward Fellow in the 2023 cohort through the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University. She was subsequently selected as a finalist for the 2024 cohort of the Presidential Management Fellows Program.

Tawanay is a retired Army veteran and a successful entrepreneur who leads SB Management & Marketing, LLC, T’s Coffee & Brews, and Geranium Women’s Ministries. She is passionate about supporting small businesses and has implemented effective strategies that foster growth and collaboration in the south metro Atlanta areas. Tawanay is an advisory member for McDonough Mainstreet and is active in many local and national non-profit organizations. Tawanay is currently enrolled in Grand Canyon University majoring in marketing & advertising. She enjoys traveling with her husband & kids and was in the 2022 cohort for MFRI’s Focus Forward Fellowship.

Katie Burke recently completed her graduate certificate in marketing analytics and is now pursuing her master’s degree in marketing analytics and insights, both from Penn State World Campus. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s in communication rhetoric from the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, she earned a blue belt in innovation engineering through Eureka! Ranch and Pennsylvania College of Technology. Katie is a veteran of the Army National Guard having served from 2011-2020 as a small arms repairer. She was appointed to the public affairs team during her deployment to Poland in 2019 which sparked her interest in analytics.  

She currently works in veteran services at Pennsylvania College of Technology where she serves on several committees and community coalitions, and is the advisor to the Student Veteran Organization. She’s found purpose in advocating for student veterans and mentoring them to reach personal and academic goals. Katie lives in North Central Pennsylvania with her husband, Josh, two-year-old son, Beckham, and three dogs, Max, LuLu, and Raven. She loves spending time with her family, playing cards, CrossFit training, and traveling.

Jasmine Davis characterizes dedication, leadership, and service. With nine years of distinguished service in the United States Marine Corps, including overseas deployments in Japan and the Mediterranean, Jasmine has refined her skills in team management, problem-solving, and effective communication. Currently pursuing a bachelor of science in business administration at the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Cameron School of Business, Jasmine exemplifies her commitment to community service through extensive volunteer work. Recognized with the Outstanding American Veteran Volunteer award from Onslow County, Jasmine has dedicated more than 500 hours to organizations such as the Disabled American Veterans and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, earning her the prestigious Gold Level President’s Volunteer Service Award. Selected as a 2023 Focus Forward Fellow, Jasmine’s exceptional service has been acknowledged at both local and national levels. Apart from her dedication to service, Jasmine is passionate about fitness and empowering others to achieve their health goals. As an instructor for Xtreme Hip Hop Step, Xtreme Burn, and MixxedFit, she inspires and motivates individuals through dynamic fitness and dance routines. Jasmine’s aspirations extend to the financial realm, where she aims to become a Certified Financial Planner. With a focus on advocating for military members, Jasmine plans to educate and guide them on financial management, savings strategies, and retirement planning. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Jasmine finds joy in spending quality time with her husband, Victor, and their two cherished dogs, Cosmo and Wanda.

Alicia Fuller is a 15-year Air Force veteran. She was stationed in McConnell Air Force Base, Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, and finally Davis Monthan Air Force Base. She completed deployments to Qatar and Djibouti before separating in May 2022. She is now a full-time student at Arizona State University pursuing a degree in social work. Her end goal is to be a psychiatric social worker for Veterans Affairs because of the many losses that she personally knew in my Air Force career. The most recent one is why she shifted to school and leaving the military so she can help veterans in need. In her spare time she raises two kids, jumps out of planes, and serves as chairwoman of a non-profit called Tucson Veterans Serving Veterans. Her passion is helping people on a deeper level and enjoying life day to day.