Service Academy Sorority Podcast

USCGA - 2004 - Overcoming Adversity to Become an Engineer

This episode features Olivia Cream, a 2004 graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear about Olivia’s endless drive to succeed and the highs and lows of her journey towards becoming an engineer with the Coast Guard. From her experience as an immigrant family from Jamaica, to the many ups and downs she faced during her time at the Academy, Olivia makes it clear that if you want something badly enough, it’s important to stick with it, find your support network, and work hard. As a heads up, this episode mentions sexual assault and also goes into details about some of Olivia’s experiences with racism. Enjoy the show!

USMA - 2010 - From Army Engineer to YouTube Influencer

This episode features Ashley Keller, a 2010 graduate from the U.S. Military Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear about Ashley’s desire and commitment to serve, as well as a few difficult decisions she had to make to stay true to herself, including giving up the opportunity to pursue a path towards the Olympics. You’ll also learn why Ashley eventually decided to leave the military and how she evolved from being an Army engineer to a mother with a super successful YouTube channel. Enjoy the show!

USMA - 1985 - A Hypnotherapist Bringing Positive Vibes to the Military

This episode features Ginni Guiton, a 1985 graduate from the U.S. Military Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear about Ginni’s last minute decision to apply to the Academy, about how she always had a backup plan just in case it didn’t work out - yet ended up having a 20-year career in the military, some of the struggles she had as a woman attending an Academy, and how her constant desire to change and grow ultimately has her working in HR while also developing her own side hustle as a hypnotherapist. Ginni’s mindset about attending an Academy is one we haven’t heard on the show yet, and I think you’ll find it fascinating to hear. Enjoy the show!

USNA - 2002 - Pivoting Into A Career In Cannabis

This episode features Cheriene Griffith, a 2002 graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear about Cheriene’s struggles making the transition from a small town in California to Academy life on the East Coast; what it was like to become the first female Anchor Woman at the Academy; why she decided to end her career as a Surface Warfare Officer after only 3 years of service; and how she ultimately found her way onto a new career path in the emerging cannabis industry. Cheriene’s story is the perfect example of the magic that can happen when you choose to be open minded and willing to pivot when life seems out of alignment. Enjoy the show!

USMA - 2016 - Coming Out Strong in the Army

This episode features Katie Holder, a 2016 graduate from the U.S. Military Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear about Katie’s experience growing up in a household with two parents that went to West Point; the unique ways in which the Academy pushed Katie to develop and accept her own identity; what it was like being gay at the Academy only one year after “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed; and how she’s managed her Army career with her wife who’s also an Academy graduate with her own career in the Coast Guard. If you listened to past episodes, you may notice that Katie has the same last name as one of our past guests - Ann Holder; this is because Ann is actually Katie’s mom and a class of 1989 graduate from West Point. If you haven’t listened to that episode, I definitely encourage you to do so - you’ll quickly see that these two women are extremely humble and it’s fun to see how their experiences compare. I’ll be sure to link to that episode in the show notes. Enjoy the show!

USMMA - 2004 - A Merchant Mariner in the Coast Guard

This episode features Laura Springer, a 2004 graduate from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear how Laura’s time at the Academy helped her hone in on her intuition and trust her feelings; how a key moment during 9/11 completely altered the trajectory of her career; why she’s not 100% sure Kings Point would be a good fit for her daughters; and how she’s built a successful career in the Coast Guard while also being married to a classmate and raising a family. I encourage you to listen to the interview in its entirety as the conversation gets super interesting towards the end of the interview when Laura reflects upon whether or not she’d make the same decision to attend an Academy if she could do it all over again. Enjoy the show!

USMA - 1989 - An Entrepreneurial Life Built On An Army Foundation

This episode features Ann Holder, a 1989 graduate from the U.S. Military Academy. In this episode, you’ll learn how a comment that was made to Ann at a young age sent her on a mission to attend a federal service academy; what it was like to be a woman at West Point in the ‘80’s; how Ann navigated the many challenges she faced at the Academy, some of which made her question whether or not she wanted to continue on; and how ultimately - while she’s grateful to have graduated from West Point - her decision to leave the military allowed her to tap into her entrepreneurial spirit while also building a family. Enjoy the show!

USCGA - 1996 - A Complicated Experience in the Coast Guard

This episode features Tracy Mehr-Muska, a 1996 graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear how the Academy really challenged Tracy’s identity in a variety of ways; how several complicated situations ultimately resulted in her having to pivot her career out of the Coast Guard far earlier than she had initially planned; and how she eventually was able to translate the lessons she learned into meaningful work as a pastor with a special focus on working with people nearing the end of life. Enjoy the show!

USAFA - 2011 - Learning to Love, Laugh, and Explore in the Military

This episode features Kali Kingsley, a 2011 graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy. In this episode, you’ll hear how a challenging first year at the Academy really pushed Kali to question her desire to stay in the military, and how her experiences with women - both in leadership roles and as classmates - sent her on a personal mission to create something better for the women she serves with. This is a powerful episode that demonstrates the importance of fostering bonds with our Service Academy sisters. Enjoy the show!

USNA - 2010 - Law Enforcement by Day, Fantasy Writing by Night

This episode features Jocelyn Fox, a 2010 graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy. In this episode, you'll hear how Jocelyn has always managed to balance her creative passion for writing with a desire to be hands on, whether it be with athletics, her pursuits at the Academy or in the military, or during her current career in Federal Law Enforcement. From being one of the founders of the field hockey team to writing 11 fantasy novels, this is a fun episode with a lot of twists and turns that really help to highlight how we all can develop different sides of our personality simultaneously. Enjoy the show!