Our Staff
Jennifer Ross
Jennifer Ross served in the United States Air Force as an Intelligence Specialist and retired in 2023. She spent the majority of her career providing strategic guidance and support to Department of Defense leadership in various roles around the globe. Since retirement, Jennifer has dedicated her time to support veteran organizations and nonprofits including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), American Corporate Partners (ACP), and serves as the Vice President of Strategy for The New York Brigade, a student veteran-focused nonprofit. Jennifer has a Bachelor’s degree in Intelligence Studies from American Public University, a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from UMass Global, and is currently enrolled at Cornell University, S.C. Johnson School of Business pursuing her MBA.
Patience Johnson
Academic Counselor
Patience Johnson is an educator and passionate advocate for veteran education. A proud Navy veteran, she served as an Avionics 2nd Class Petty Officer before earning a bachelor’s in business from National University, an MBA, and completing a PhD in Organizational Leadership at Columbia Int’l University. She taught middle school math for several years through Teach for America before transitioning into serving adult learners in numerous industries. She is continuing her research in higher education at Delaware State University focusing on transforming admissions policies and creating supportive spaces for marginalized veteran populations. Patience is excited to help veterans in the metropolitan area achieve their academic and personal goals through the Veterans Upward Bound program.
Alexandra Blake
Alexandra Blake, MPH has a passion for helping people. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in French with a Minor in Statistics from the University of Vermont, and her Master’s of Public Health from Eastern Virginia Medical School and Old Dominion University. With a background in research and Public Health, Alexandra understands the importance of connecting people with the resources they need, something she had hands-on experience with while working as a COVID-19 Case Investigator for The Virginia Department of Health. As a Military BRAT, helping Veterans is a very personal cause for Alexandra. She is excited to help Veterans in the area get connected with each other and their next steps in life.
Aaron Patin
My name is Aaron Patin and I am a 6 year US Army veteran. I served on a variety of assignments during my time in service including deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, and staff assignments on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I was born in Baton Rouge LA and was raised in between there and New Orleans for the majority of my life. I have now made Washington D.C. my home while I finish completing my undergraduate degree at the Catholic University of America where I have honed my passion for a variety of subjects including Anthropology, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. As a student veteran at CUA I also work part-time as a VA worker within CUA’s Office of Military and Veteran Student Services, where I aid and assist veteran and military affiliated students/prospective students in accessing their benefits and counseling them on veteran related issues. I enjoy a variety of hobbies including sailing, hiking and exercising. I also have acquired a strong penchant for traveling and have been to over 22 countries including places like Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan which I loved especially for their culture and extensive history. Fun Fact: I have walked in the central tomb chamber of the Great Pyramid of Giza (Khufu’s Pyramid).
