It's mid-December, and I am still thankful.

Humbled does not begin to express how I feel after my recent trip to Cupertino, CA, in early November. I have been an employee of Apple since 2014 and have worked remotely 100% of the time. This used to make me an outlier in general before the pandemic. People would ask me how I managed meetings or connected with others at work. I will admit that you have to work harder to make those connections and to be impactful, but it is possible to do it. This fall, I had the work trip of my life and left Apple Park feeling valued and that my efforts over the years representing Veterans in our workspace were vindicated. #apple #cupertino #veterans #veteransday

Before working at Apple, I gravitated toward roles that let me serve in my community. On my 14th birthday, the first day I was eligible to sign up, I was at my local volunteer fire department looking to become a Jr. Fire Fighter. I have vivid memories of waking up in the middle of the night to the sounds of the pager or working at the gas station and hearing the fire whistle blowing and looking to my boss for the nod letting me know I could sprint down Main Street to try and catch that first due engine out of the station. These early experiences were pivotal in developing my sense of responsibility and understanding that enjoying what you do is important. #volunteering #firefighter #newjersey

I was never a stellar student - and while I matured and later completed my MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology I knew I was not ready for college right out of High School. I joined the Marine Corps and went to Parris Island after graduating early from North Hunterdon High School (NJ) in 2003. I am proud of my time in Marine Corps and the values I took away from my service.

Fast-forward to 2014 - I was nearing the end of my six-year struggle to complete my BA from UNH Online after transferring from Raritan Valley Community College and relocating to New Hampshire. After bouncing from random job to job - doing well but not really enjoying myself, including working as a part-time Police Officer for a rural department, I stumbled upon a part-time position with Apple as an AHA AppleCare Advisor. #AppleCare. I was fortunate to join the company during a period of exceptional growth and quickly moved from a part-time role to full-time and then into management.

During these early years with Apple, I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to coach my direct reports and help them become top performers and move on to new and more challenging roles. I also felt a disconnect, and I missed the esprit de corps that comes with volunteering. It wasn't until 2018 that I became aware of Apple's Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) efforts and our Diversity Network Associations (DNAs).

I decided to jump in - full stop! There wasn't a chapter for Veterans@Apple in the AHA space in AppleCare; everything was based on what Apple campus you worked at. This was a challenge for me, considering I was living in Northern New Hampshire, 36 miles from the nearest Mcdonald's, so forget about proximity to campus. Another DNA, Black@Apple, was piloting an expansion to the remote worker space in AHA, and I followed their lead to help form the second AHA DNA chapter at Apple.

Jump forward again to early 2020, and I am ready to make my first trip to Cupertino for a conference; you can guess what derailed that event. The pandemic forced everyone home and allowed the multiple Veterans@Apple chapters to come together for virtual events. This presented the chance to our DNA to come together and restructure nationally. In early 2022 I volunteered to be the first National Co-Chair for Veterans@Apple.

Over this past year, we've held many volunteer and community events across the country and partnered with several non-profit organizations including Carry The Load and Wreaths Across America . Veterans and Allies across Apple have volunteered thousands of hours to give back to our communities. Veterans@Apple have gathered to meet each other and celebrate Veteran adjacent events. We also came together during the more difficult times to support each other while dealing with the events related to the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the invasion of Ukraine and to discuss the worsening crisis of suicide in our community. #stopsoldiersuicide #afghanistan #ukraine

This fall, with campuses opening up to a new hybrid world, I was offered the opportunity to visit Apple Park to represent Veterans@Apple in a presentation for a cohort of troops transitioning from activity duty military to the civilian sector with The Honor Foundation . It was an absolute honor and privilege to represent the Veterans of Apple to this group. I read over their resumes before speaking with them and was awed by their accomplishments in service of the United States military and its special forces echelons.

I had the opportunity to be present for the dedication of a new memorial at the Cupertino Veterans Memorial. I was again honored to represent Veterans@Apple as the MC for a Veterans Day breakfast at the old headquarters in Infinite Loop. A few moments before walking out on stage at the Town Hall, the tech casually mentioned that this was where Steve Jobs introduced the #ipod. No pressure!

After a long week of traveling, I caught the red-eye back to New Hampshire and arrived home just in time to take my son to his full day of dance practice for The Nutcracker. I was tired and groggy for a few days, but I couldn't keep returning to how fortunate I was. For some reason, my generation of Veterans hasn't gravitated toward the VFWs, or American Legions like our predecessor did. We try to blend into the workforce and community at large, but I felt something this year and on this trip. The people I met, the connections I made, and the thanks I received for representing the Veterans of Apple will be something I will never forget.