Meet Verenice Castillo

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Verenice Castillo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Verenice , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My life has been full of changes and challenges. From the time I came to the USA at 16 years from Mexico to the time I married a military member.

I was 16 years old when my parents decided to come to the USA. It was my first time having to leave everything behind; my family, my friends, my school… my life, to come start all over again in a country where I let out of place, I did not know the language and had no friends. This is my first experience of having ti leave it all behind to have a new beginning.

8 years later, I married my husband who was in the US military. Without knowing, once again I was going to find myself leaving everything behind to start a new life multiple times the next 22 years.

My first move as a military spouse was the hardest. I though I was the only military spouse that was feeling out of place, having to leave everything behind again (family, friends, work, etc) not knowing the military “language”, having bigger responsibilities and many sacrifices to make. It was during those tough years that I realized that I was not the only one feeling that way, that my peers were suffering in isolation, too. This is when I decided to do something about. I started to mentor and support my fellow military spouses. I created a safe community where military spouses had a safe place to seek support, resources and a place to call home. At this moment, I understood clearly that my purpose in life was to educate, empower and support others. It was because of my sacrifices and the changes I had to make that provided the passion, commitment and desire I have to serve others. I became the support system I wish I had when I went through those journeys.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am the Founder and CEO at Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN). MSAN is a nonprofit that focuses on providing military spouses the education, empowerment and support they need in order to succeed in their journey as a military spouse. What many do not know is that being a military spouse comes with many challenges and sacrifices. Every time we move to a new military installation (this can be every 1, 2, or 3 years) we have to start all over again. From looking for a new place to live, new jobs, new school for our kids, new dentists, to everything else in between.

This lifestyle can be very isolating. This is why MSAN was created, to provide military spouses the support they need and deserve. As I mentioned before, my mission became to be the mentor I wish I had. One of MSAN’s programs is provide military spouses a safe place community where they can receive peer-to-peer mentorship and support 24/7. Fellow military spouses that volunteered as mentors are professionally trained Mental Health Allies that are ready to guide a spouse, link them to a resource and support them during a crisis.

Military spouses are known for becoming the change they want to see. Many are fierce advocates with a full mission to improve our support system and create a better and stronger lifestyle. This is why MSAN created the Military Spouse Leadership Development Program (MSLDP) in partnership with the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI) at Harvard University, This program is focused on training 100 military spouses a year to learn all about Meta-Leadership, Leadership in Crisis, Conflict Resolution, Communication and so much more. Right now, we are on our 4th year of MSLDP. We are creating an army of advocates and supporters that are changing the lives of their fellow military spouses and their communities.

My personal and professional focus is my community and making sure that my fellow military spouses have the opportunities they need to grow and succeed.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

This is a great question because most of us believe that age or experiences bring wisdom. And although this is true, our early experiences bring many opportunities to learn qualities and grow our skills.

Looking back, I would say that the three qualities, skills and areas of knowledge are to be persistent, turn challenges into opportunities for you or those around you, and the most important one… find your mission and make it a reality!

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

I have been focusing on becoming a better leader for a little while. As the Founder and CEO of a nonprofit organization, it is my duty to continue to grow as a leader in a personal and professional capacity.

The areas that I have grown the most are identify who I am as a leader, Meta-Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Communication and Leadership in Crisis. I have always identified myself as a servant leader but there are many skills that need to be developed in between. For example, I never considered the perspective that I am a leader of my life, I am a leader at home and my family and I am a leader in my community. So, in oder to be a balanced leader, I had to lear about who I am as a leader and why I am a leader.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

UR Vision Photography (Verenice Castillo’s picture).

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