Vanguard Veteran recognized its 2025 Civilian Veteran Champion award recipients at the Women Who Lead Summit on May 7.
This Summit united women’s leaders to empower, develop, and create powerful, supportive communities. Career Connectors CEO and founder Jessica Pierce was the keynote speaker, and Tempe’s Vice Mayor Doreen Garlid provided the opening greeting.
The 2025 Civilian Veteran Champion Award Recipients were Patty Demers, Christine Gannon, Linda Luman and Sherri Smith.
Demers, Owner of Seared Living, was honored for over 30 years of dedication to creating meaningful community support for veterans, such as establishing a veteran art initiative, building connections to essential resources and ensuring veterans’ stories were told.
Gannon, Founder and CEO of Brightworks Consulting, was recognized for her leadership of the Phoenix Veterans Economic Communities Initiative, which garnered national recognition for its impact on veteran economic opportunities. She forged key partnerships with business, education and community leaders.
Luman, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Achieve, was celebrated for decades of work creating impactful recruiting and advancement programs for women veterans at Achieve and United Rentals.
Sherri Smith, Director-Elect for the Society of Human Resource Management Arizona State Council, was acknowledged for significantly enhancing veteran career opportunities in Arizona by educating employers and removing obstacles to veteran hiring.
Vanguard Veteran transforms organizations into Veteran Champions through expert consulting on veteran hiring and retention strategies, according to the organization.
The following poem was submitted in dedication of the event:
“Rise for Her”
She fought with strength, she fought with will,
She faced the storms that time can’t still.
Two million women stood to defend—
They gave their all, and would not bend.Yet home is where the battles grew,
Invisible scars, and struggles too.
One in four with wounds unseen,
Dreams deferred, lost in between.Too many sleep beneath the sky,
Too many still are asking why.
Their service fades, their voices thin,
And still the fight continues in.But hear this truth — their story’s ours.
Their hope depends on civilian powers.
They need our hands, they need our voice,
They need our action, they need our choice.Not just thanks, but standing near,
Not just words, but making clear:
“You are not forgotten here.”Learn how to lift, to lead, to rise—
“Beyond ‘Thank You For Your Service’” opens your eyes.
When we stand strong, when we believe,
We build the future they fought to achieve.Rise for her — become her bridge.
From silent wounds to hope’s bright ridge.
Her dreams deserve our strongest stand—
Her future lies within our hands.
