Joanna DeMott is on a mission to help service members, veterans, and military spouses start, maintain, and enhance their careers.
Throughout her career, Joanna moved all over the world – Germany to Japan, East coast to West – through many different career paths. While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Joanna completed her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Master of Human Relations degree. Joanna was gainfully employed, unemployed, and underemployed. She worked and volunteered with many different agencies in a variety of different fields while raising 3 boys and navigating multiple deployments. Joanna worked in many career fields to include, Government Contracting, Family Readiness, and Education.
In 2019, Joanna’s husband of 21 years retired from the Marine Corps. Joanna and her family are now navigating retirement while she works full-time as the Military Liaison and Program Coordinator for UNCW, a job she truly loves. This position allows Joanna to use her experience to educate about the unique capabilities of military affiliated community members while growing and maintaining her relationship with organizations who desire to support them. Just this year, she trained over 400 staff and faculty members from 80 different institutions. She and her co-host Melanie Nelson interview military community supporters on their podcast Veteran Friendly. Recently, she was nominated for the Governor’s Award for Excellence, the highest award available to a State employee, for her work supporting the military community and military affiliated students.
Joanna’s goal is to share her experience as a military spouse, student, mother, and professional to assist those currently serving, veterans, military children, and military spouses in navigating the many resources available to help them complete their education, find gainful employment, increase career readiness, and create the network they need to succeed.
Military affiliation: Military Spouse (Marine Corps)
What is your current company and role: University of North Carolina Wilmington Military Liaison & Program Coordinator
What has been the most challenging aspect of your career search? So many. The overwhelming amount of resources, the limited local job market, underemployment, a 7 year paid work gap and being in an entirely new area as my husband transitioned from service.
What advice would you give your fellow Military Spouses? Start growing your network now. Go to every event you can. Find a mentor in your field or desired field. If something interests you, learn more!
Joanna also partners on the “Veteran Friendly” Podcast, which can be viewed here.
“I had a hard time removing the word “just” from my vocabulary and I my desire is for every military spouse to do the same. You are not JUST a military spouse. You are so much more. We are so much more.”