Supporting Veterans in Identifying Valuable Skills and Navigating Challenges in the Workplace and Hiring

6:00pm to 8:00pm ET

LIVE WEBINAR

Facilitator: Aynisa Leonardo, LCAT, ATR-BC

FREE FOR ALL ATTENDEES

This workshop is approved for 2.0 continuing education credit hours for licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed psychologists

Please ensure that you register and/or join on Zoom with the name you would like to appear on your certificate.

Workshop Description
This panel provides an extension of information from the most recent NASW conference. The panelists and facilitator will provide tools to support vets seeking employment, and discuss accessing and navigating jobs and career transitions. Statistics show that 50% of suicide related feelings originate from lack of resources, not mental health. The employment field for veterans is a vital and necessary area for support. Veterans have skills and attributes that are transferrable and valuable to the civilian workforce, as well as employers and companies. Military personnel are often cross-trained in multiple skills and have experience in varied tasks and responsibilities. 

Learning Objectives

After the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1.    Discuss the importance of hiring veterans in the workforce.
2.    Identify key benefits and attributes veterans offer within the workplace. 
3.    Describe key facts and statistics related to the importance of hiring veterans. 
4.    Explain challenges that may present veterans in a workplace setting, as well as suggestions for navigating such challenges. 
5.    List specific resources and tools that are helpful in connecting veterans with the civilian workforce.

This workshop is approved for 2.0 continuing education credit hours.

NASW-NYS is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (Provider ID #0014), licensed mental health counselors (Provider ID #MHC-0053), licensed marriage and family therapists (Provider ID #MFT-0037) and licensed psychologists (Provider ID #PSY-0088).

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Presenter:

Aynisa Leonardo, LCAT, ATR-BC, is a Licensed Clinical Art Therapist (LCAT, ATR-BC), who has been in the field of mental health services for 16+ years. She is the VP of Clinical Outreach at Water Gap Wellness. Her prior experience includes working in inpatient, outpatient, and non-profit settings with clients experiencing posttraumatic stress, addiction, family conflict, and other mental health challenges. She has concentrated on advanced program development and clinical education, locally and nationally. She continues to provide evidence-based and interactive style presentations to hospitals, non-profits, and corporate agencies, in an effort to raise awareness of current trends and improve competency within the healthcare community.

Matthew Lostaglia, pronounced “Lost-all-yuh,” served for 12 years in the U.S. Army, excelling in roles such as Stinger missile team chief, intelligence analyst, and jump master in the 82nd Airborne Division. He also served as a protective services criminal analyst, safeguarding the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Army, and Chief of Staff of the Army. Through over a decade of leading tactical and strategic teams, Matthew honed his ability to enhance organizational performance, morale, and cohesion. His work in facilitating resilience workshops has further deepened his expertise in building strong, adaptable teams. Leveraging these experiences, Matthew has founded multiple businesses and has advised hundreds of business leaders, guiding them in pursuing their entrepreneurial goals with purpose and strategy. Currently, Matthew is furthering his expertise by studying industrial and organizational psychology at Clemson University, all while raising three incredible children.

Karen Kraft founded Blue Ship, LLC, with business partner Walt Conti, the Academy Award-nominated founder of Edge Innovations. Together, they are pioneering an innovative global project on sharks at the crossroads of immersive storytelling, technology, and conservation. As a former Discovery Channel executive and documentarian turned entrepreneur, Karen leads her producing and consulting firm, developing content for television, film, and other platforms. Karen is also a founding board member and chair of two nonprofits: Veterans in Media & Entertainment, which supports U.S. military veterans transitioning into entertainment careers, and Operation Snow Leopard, which leads humanitarian missions in conflict zones. She is a former U.S. Army Officer and Producers Guild of America member.

Lily H. Li is an independent consultant specializing in résumés, LinkedIn profiles and professional biographies for executives, C-suite leaders, veterans and military families. With a background in editorial work at leading publications such as The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal and Newsday, she conducts detailed and insightful training sessions and tutorials. Her career includes research and recruitment roles at AIG as well as retained executive search firms Spencer Stuart and Korn Ferry. The Barnard College alumna has spoken before diverse groups such as the National Guard Bureau, NYC SHRM and the Asian MBA Leadership Conference. Praised as a “force multiplier” by a retired Alaska Army National Guard commander, Lily offers pro bono résumé and LinkedIn workshops to student veterans, having presented at Fordham University, John Jay College, Lehman College and SUNY Old Westbury. She is committed to assisting service members in transitioning to private-sector employment, ensuring their career-networking content is as competitive as that of their civilian peers.

Betty Diaz is the VP of Marketing and Director of Programs & Operations for the Paramount Veterans Network. With over 20 years of media experience, including a robust background in market research, Betty has expanded the Paramount Veterans Network’s programs by 350% in 2021. She established the first-ever Veterans Network Ambassador roles, enlisting notable Paramount talent to elevate the group’s mission and significantly grow its social media presence. Before her current role, Betty served as Research Director for CBS Affiliate Relations and held key positions at NBCUniversal, where she was recognized for her strategic insights and leadership in reviving the UNIDOS NY/NJ hub. A passionate advocate for veterans and community service, Betty is also the founder of the Celebr8YOU movement and Vice Chair of the Omega Phi Beta Foundation. She holds an M.S. in Media Management from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School and a B.A. in Communications from SUNY Oswego, where she was honored with the 2021 Community Service Award. Recently named a 2024 Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program Scholar, Betty resides in New York with her nine-year-old son.

Dylan Damboise is a Marine Corps Veteran and former 0651 Cyber Network Operator. After his service, his engagement with the Dwyer Project showed him firsthand the transformational power of veteran peer support. Dylan is a member of the National Association of Social Workers New York State Chapter’s Veterans Mental Health Training Initiative (NASW-NYS VMHTI) Committee. He studied at Fordham University before leaving school to work as a paralegal at Fusco, Brandenstein and Rada, a law firm focusing on helping veterans secure their benefits. The paralegal experience at FBR helped Dylan envision what his future might look like. The mentorship he received at the firm led him to leave his job and rematriculate to Fordham with the goal of becoming an attorney like his mentors. Dylan was approved for Voc Rehab (an employment program) to pursue completing his undergraduate. He is currently working on a non-profit that would make nexus letters accessible to the most in-need and at-risk veterans. Dylan has lived experience in the struggle with PTSD, transition, and employment, and hopes to help other vets who are going through similar experiences. He lives on Long Island with his wife and cat, and enjoys table top role playing games in his free time.