Our Team
Bridging life’s transitional gaps for veterans, service members, and military families.
Our Team
OJRV was founded in 2007 as the Crane Learning and Employment Center for Veterans with Disabilities, with a focus on helping veterans find employment at Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division in Southwest Indiana. As the organization grew to serve veterans in Central Indiana, the group changed its name to the Career Learning and Employment Center for Veterans (CLEC). CLEC is a 501(c)(3) organization. In 2012, the organization opened the program to all veterans and moved its headquarters to Indianapolis. In 2013, CLEC adopted the d/b/a Operation: Job Ready Veterans to more clearly communicate its mission.
In 2017, OJRV began a deliberate expansion into Midwestern states and opened its first office outside of Indiana in Chicago, Illinois. Today, OJRV maintains a strong presence in many Midwestern states, ever focused on its mission to bridge life’s transitional gaps for veterans, service members, and their families, no matter where they choose to call home. To realize our mission, OJRV works diligently to build sustainable programs and job readiness resources that positively impact one person, one business, and one community at a time.
Dr. Eugene
Anderson Jr.
Executive
Director
(317) 677-5273
GAnderson@jobreadyvets.org
Heather
Christianson
Office
Manager
(317) 586-3579
HChristianson@jobreadyvets.org
Alicia
Crochiere
Employment Transition
Manager – Illinois
(224) 352-0131
ACrochiere@jobreadyvets.org
Kim
Dart
Regional Director,
Central Operations
(317) 927-5329
KDart@jobreadyvets.org
Mike
Espinda
Regional Director,
Western Operations
(317) 760-6154
MEspinda@jobreadyvets.org
Joshua
Hernandez
Employment Transition
Manager – Kentucky
(502) 469-1120
JHernandez@jobreadyvets.org
Jordan
Hopkins
Employment Transition
Manager – Ohio
(614) 400-8996
JHopkins@jobreadyvets.org
Johnnie
Jones
Employment Transition
Manager – Missouri
(314) 530-3339
JJones@jobreadyvets.org
Kristal Norwood-
Watts, MPA
Employment Transition
Manager – Illinois
(312) 300-2477
KWatts@jobreadyvets.org
Nejuan
Patterson
Employment Transition
Manager – Virginia
(314) 988-2388
NPatterson@jobreadyvets.org
Arnym
Pedraza
Employment Transition
Manager – Indiana
(260) 408-9565
APedraza@jobreadyvets.org
James
Rogers
Regional Director,
Eastern Operations
(502) 595-8143
JRogers@jobreadyvets.org
Danny
Seely
Employment Transition
Manager – Tennessee
(931) 272-8130
DSeely@jobreadyvets.org
Michael
Spayde
Employment Transition
Manager – Michigan
(517) 948-0268
MSpayde@jobreadyvets.org
Corie
Stevens
Employment Transition
Manager – Missouri
(816) 323-8770
CStevens@jobreadyvets.org
John
Zeigler
Client Services &
Reporting Analyst
(317) 517-0385
JZeigler@jobreadyvets.org
Our Board of Directors
Shawna
Lake
Founder
Deep End Talent
Strategies
Board Chairman
Danny Portee,
MBA, HCS
CEO/President
Professional Management
Enterprises Inc.
Board Vice Chair
Dorothy Simpson-
Taylor, PhD
Compassion
Consulting &
Coaching
Board Secretary
Roger
Peterman
Colonel
U.S. Army
(Ret.)
Board Treasurer
Judge
David Certo
Marion County
Probate
Court
Board Member
Dr. Christie Lodics,
MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Richard L. Roudebush
VA Medical
Center
Board Member
Phillip
Burton
Lieutenant, Court Operations
& Security, Marion County
Sheriff’s Office
Board Member
Adam
Bufka
Director, Center for Career Advancement
for the School of Health Sciences,
Purdue Global
Board Member
Our Volunteers
Lindsey
Banter
Misty
Blackburn
Miguel
Chavez
Maddie
Farris
Landry
Foley
Barbara
Kent
Alex
Klosterman
Patrick
Mobley
John
Spanogle
Tom
Reust
Deborah
Walker
Carl
Ware
