Our Mission & Origin
“I did all the right things. But when I looked in the mirror, I had no idea who was staring back at me.”
When I left the Active Army, I lost my identity. The military had provided my values, my community, and my purpose for years. When it came time to transition, I did exactly what I was supposed to do: I met with headhunters, went to every matching program I could find, and landed my dream job.
But despite doing ‘all the right things,’ I felt completely invisible and untethered.
I realized there was no formal ‘bootcamp’ to onramp women into this new civilian world. The existing ecosystem was incredible at finding us jobs, but no one was helping us rediscover our identity. So, we built the base camp we desperately needed. Command Purpose was born to help women retrace their steps, rediscover who they are, and command their purpose.
– Erringer Helbling, Co-Founder & U.S. Army Veteran
A National Loss
Without support, women veterans become one of the most under-utilized leadership resources in America. They possess unique resilience, strategic vision, and dedication after millions of dollars worth of training from the U.S. Military. When they lose their identity in the transition to civilian life, their loss is a loss for all of us. Command Purpose ensures their leadership is not lost, but unleashed.
The Leaders Behind the Mission
Since our founding, our incredible all-volunteer coalition has dedicated over 7,000 hours to building this base camp.
Founding Board
Nancy Berardinelli-Krantz
Chief Legal Officer, Grainger | Veteran
Bringing extensive corporate governance, legal strategy, and a deeply personal understanding of the veteran experience to help scale our mission sustainably.
Karen Gibson
Retired Lieutenant General, U.S. Army
Offering expertise in national-level leadership, security, and strategic operations, ensuring our programs operate at the highest institutional standards.
Megan Jaffer
Co-Founder, Iron Butterfly Media
Leveraging expertise in media, community building, and strategic partnerships to expand the reach and cultural impact of the Command Purpose network.
Erringer Helbling
Co-Founder, Command Purpose | Veteran
A West Point graduate and U.S. Army Engineer Officer
Cadie Hopkins
Co-Founder, Command Purpose
As a Co-Founder, Cadie was instrumental in the early genesis of Command Purpose, leveraging her expertise in storytelling and strategic communications to help launch our initial mission.
Letitia "Tish" Long
Former Director of NGA
A trailblazer in national security and the intelligence community, providing deep institutional guidance, mentorship, and strategic vision.
Samuel "Bo" Mahaney
Retired Major General, U.S. Air Force
Decades of military leadership and strategic execution, ensuring our flagship programs hit the absolute highest standards of excellence and impact.
Monica Pal
Executive Board Member, How Women Lead
A powerful advocate for advancing women in executive spaces, bringing crucial expertise in leadership development, corporate partnerships, and strategic growth.
Heather Wells
Retired Sergeant Major, U.S. Army
Bringing decades of senior enlisted leadership, mentorship, and an authentic understanding of the operational forces to ensure our programs resonate at every level.
Rupal Patel
CEO, Global Leadership Lab
An expert in global leadership development, providing cutting-edge frameworks to help our cohorts align their unique strengths with their post-military purpose.
Executive Leadership
Leigh DeBord
Executive Director | Veteran
A U.S. Army veteran and West Point graduate, Leigh brings extensive expertise in logistics and large-scale operations to her role as Executive Director
Ryann DeChirico
Chief Operating Officer
Ryann is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) who leverages her deep expertise in complex project execution to drive the foundation’s operations
Our Dedicated Staff
Julia Brennan
Account & Financial Specialist
Leveraging her degree in Finance and professional experience overseeing financial operations for non-profits
Sinclair Johnson-Knight
Senior Marketing Associate
With a background in Public Relations and a passion for creative writing, Sinclair elevates the foundation’s digital presence and crafts compelling narratives that bring our community’s stories to life
Mikaela Makowski
Director Of Events | Veteran
An Army veteran and former logistics officer with over a decade of military service, Mikaela brings elite operational and personnel management expertise to executing our transformative events.
Alexa Rosenberger
Account & Financial Specialist
A Penn State graduate with a degree in Finance, Alexa brings sharp analytical skills and professional underwriting experience to support the foundation’s financial and strategic planning
Scarlet Ysasi
Events Associate | Veteran
An Army veteran with experience in the Special Operations community and international arts management, Scarlet bridges analytical insight with cross-cultural communication to produce and coordinate seamless events