Our Why

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Founded in 2025, Veterans Empowerment Fund’s (VEF) mission is to empower veterans by providing guidance, resources, and advocacy to ensure they receive the VA benefits they have earned.

We envision a country where every veteran receives support once they leave service that allows them and their families to live with independence, dignity, and well-being. 

I have been married to a Marine Corps veteran for 25 years. After a 12-year hiatus to raise our two sons, I returned to the legal field with renewed passion and dedication. I currently work as Knowledge Management Counsel for a global labor and employment law firm. Before my current role, I held positions as Senior Counsel for a national litigation firm and Of Counsel, specializing in litigation support for a national product liability litigation firm. 

I hold both a law degree and a master's degree in French literature from the University of Kansas. 

In my free time, I enjoy reading and knitting. I am also deeply committed to the community, volunteering as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate and an Education Advocate for children in the foster care system.

QUOTE HERE ABOUT VEF:

I graduated from Creighton University with a BSBA in Finance, focusing on financial analysis. After college, I began working in Real Estate Private Equity, focusing on affordable multifamily housing, and am responsible for deal sourcing, underwriting, market research, and asset management. 

I have extensive experience working with different multifamily loan facilities, including HUD 223(f), Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Private Placement Bonds, and short-term bridge loans. I have been responsible for underwriting over $4.3 billion dollars with of multifamily projects, which has led to the acquisition of over $103 million in total property value over the last three years. I was also responsible for leading the $60 million refinancing of a four-property stabilized assets portfolio, along with facilitating the loan process and closing of four HUD loans totaling over $97 million. 

Additionally, I did an internship with a local Omaha charity, Partnership for Kids, working in their accounting department, and was responsible for cash management, bank reconciliations, and recording donation and expense items.

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I'm a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served at Wurtsmith Air Force Base as a B-52 Aircraft Commander and Wright Patterson Air Force Base as an NT-39A Instructor, Research Pilot, and Senior Acquisition Manager. I deployed for Iraqi Freedom in 2007 as an Air Operations Officer in charge of the air travel and air protection of the top 7 Iraqi leaders. I did not fly during this deployment but was part of the big board execution of the entire war.

I have a bachelor's in chemistry, an MBA and received my law degree. 

Read a description of my history and work to expose toxic chemicals in the miliary: 

Craig Minor (Lt Col ret.), a decorated B-52 bomber pilot, never imagined the nightmare awaiting him at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. In 1989, his son Mitchell was born with severe disabilities: cerebral palsy, microcephaly, seizures, and quadriplegia. Doctors gave no clear answers, and for 30 years, Mitchell endured unimaginable suffering before tragically passing away in 2020.

Craig uncovered the truth: the base he'd been stationed at when his son was conceived was contaminated with PFAS chemicals—the forever chemicals from firefighting foam—linked to cancer, birth defects, and immune disorders. Craig, a chemist and lawyer, pieced together the horrifying link between PFAS exposure during his wife’s pregnancy and his son’s devastating condition.

Craig’s fight has reached a national audience, shedding light on the hidden dangers’ veterans and their families face. His story is featured in the documentary No Defense, which exposes the devastating consequences of PFAS contamination, and in two PBS NewsHour segments that aired in 2025 that uncover how military mishandling of these toxins has poisoned countless families. PBS NewsHour Segment 1 | PBS NewsHour Segment 2

QUOTE HERE ABOUT VEF: