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, located 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. Headquartered in Indiana, OJRV has branch offices in thirteen states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Virginia. Additionally, through virtual one-on-one services, we are able to serve and help place clients into improved employment nationwide.
Gene
Anderson
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
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
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
Indianapolis
Veterans
Court
Board Member
Dr. Christie Lodics,
MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Richard L. Roudebush
VA Medical
Center
Board Member
Phillip
Burton
Commander,
Metropolitan Police
Department
Board Member
Barbara
Kent
Director of
Military Experience
at Purdue Global
Board Member
Our Volunteers
Lindsey
Banter
Misty
Blackburn
Miguel
Chavez
Maddie
Farris
Landry
Foley
Alex
Klosterman
Patrick
Mobley
Tom
Reust
John
Spanogle
Deborah
Walker
Carl
Ware
