Heatherlynn Akins is excited to join the Powerhouse team as a quality assurance specialist and technical writer.

Heatherlynn studied for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Dallas in Irving, TX. She couldn’t decide what to study, so chose concentrations in both English and German literature. During her master’s program she married an Air Force pilot and left the world of academia to follow him around the world. While doing so, she taught English to Japanese students, tutored many a student, taught creative writing, edited and wrote for several newsletters, worked as the Program Director for a martial arts studio, and managed to raise two boys to (thus far) teenage-hood. In other words, she was the typical military spouse.

After 25+ years of service, her husband retired two years ago and the family moved to Colorado. While she adores her adopted resort town, she is eager to get back to her first love, the written word. Her love affair with such began many moons ago when she gummed her first cardboard book and she is still most often found with a book in her hand, or spouting off useless trivia she’s learned from reading.

Checkout the article here:

Dear New CEO Self

Randi Cairns joins the Powerhouse Planning team as our content creator.

Randi Cairns is a consultant, nonprofit professional, and freelance writer. She is the Founder/CEO of On Call Mama, a business known for its unique ability to combine what’s best about business (efficiency and effectiveness, the good stewardship of resources, and getting your message out in a way that resonates with your intended audience) with what’s best about Mama (the one who’s always got your best interests at heart). Randi prides herself on her ability to help others shine in their personal and professional lives.

Randi has a Masters in Human Services with a specialty in Not-for-Profit Management. She has served vulnerable populations in numerous capacities for over twenty-five years. She’s been recognized by Babble.com as a “mom changing the world” and by Harlequin More Than Words as a “real-life heroine who is improving her community.” She’s the proud recipient of the National Infantry Association’s Shield of Sparta – Heroine of Infantry award and The Chapel of Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Award.

Randi is one of the coauthors of “Stories Around The Table” and a frequent blogger in the military spouse space. She has written for NextGen MilSpouse, Spouse Buzz, Homefront United Network, and the Military Family Advisory Network. She’s also the part sassy/part inspirational voice of Throwing Pots & Pans – coming one day to a bookstore near you.

Nicole Keeny joins the Powerhouse Planning team as a quality assurance rock star.

Nicole graduated from Grove City College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in English as well as certification in Secondary Education. She has spent the past eight years teaching English language arts to middle school students both in North Carolina and Virginia. In addition, she shares her love for reading and writing by privately tutoring students after school.

She may not be a military spouse, but Nicole has befriended and loved many military families as she grew up in Northern Virginia, where she now lives with her husband, Jeff, and their beautiful son. When she became a mother in 2016, Nicole began looking outside the classroom for opportunities to share her passion for language, starting at home with her son and now working with the Powerhouse Planning community. She enjoys spending time reading, writing, drinking coffee, and loving on her sweet family.

Nicole can also be found discussing the use of the Oxford comma with anyone who cares to listen.

Jennifer Kirkpatrick joins the Powerhouse Planning team as an executive assistant.

Jennifer graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in liberal arts, with focus on business management, communications, and psychology. She went on to earn an associate’s in computer network management. She has professional experience in the hospitality industry, city government, and education, and has been honored with training and professionalism awards.

She has been happily serving as a military spouse for 13 years and lives with her husband, Mitch, and their two beautiful children in Merritt Island, Florida. When they began moving around every two years, Jennifer dedicated her life to growing where she was planted, teaching her children to do the same, and becoming active and volunteering in her children’s schools and within their community. She has a passion for supporting others and helping them thrive, and is excited to fulfill this role within Powerhouse Planning.

Jessica Yost joins the Powerhouse Planning team as an analyst.

Jessica is a public relations consultant who specializes in streamlined messaging and building client-customer relationships. Her professional background spans the hospitality, technology, and beauty industries, as well as not-for-profit organizations. Jessica earned a B.S. in psychology from Towson University and a master’s in strategic public relations from The George Washington University.

As a military spouse of nine years, Jessica has served in various leadership positions within military family organizations. She is currently an active member of The Milspo Project and In Gear Career, and is the creator and administrator of the Navy JAG Spouses and Partners Facebook page.

In her spare time, Jessica is a makeup artist and enjoys teaching others how to put their best faces forward. She is also an avid baker, dancer, and runner who currently lives in Norfolk, Virginia, with her wonderful husband, Adam, and their two beagles, Clark and Kent (they’re on Instagram: @TheSuperBeagles).

Bianca Strzalkowski joins the Powerhouse Planning team as a technical writer.

She has experience in writing, editing, and social media management. A proud Marine Corps wife of 14 years, she was named the 2011 Military Spouse of the Year for her advocacy within the military community. As a mother of three, Bianca has spent her time volunteering with various organizations, such as the National Military Family Association and the Marine Corps’ Family Readiness program. Because of her volunteerism, the 35^th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James Amos, awarded her with a Certificate of Commendation.

Prior to her freelance writing career, Bianca was the Deputy Director of Membership for Blue Star Families and former Managing Editor of The Onslow Times. She is media trained and has appeared in interviews for television, radio, and print to include Fox News, CNN, and Oprah.

Currently, Bianca resides in Jacksonville, NC where her husband is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River. She is a member of the Military Reporters & Editors Association.

Interested in working for Gromelski & Associates, Inc.? They have two full-time positions open (in Manassas, VA) and we are screening applicants for Software Engineer – Web Services and Java Software Engineer. Email [email protected] with your resume and we hope to see you on their team in the very near future!

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Learn more about Gromelski & Associates, Inc. here: www.e-gai.com

Our president was featured on Milspo Monday.

We’re thrilled to announce we have a new addition to our career transition team! Allow us to introduce Laura Khandjian. Laura has a bachelor of business administration with a focus on strategic management from the University of Toronto and a master’s in Human Resources and Employment Relations from Penn State University. Laura has experience in project management, training, human resources analysis, standardizing organizational protocols and procedures and financial analysis. When not working, Laura enjoys playing basketball, rock climbing, and is always up for an adventure!