ms. gerton also is in several senior-level executive positions in the department of defense. a veteran herself, ms. gerton is a west point graduate and served in a variety of staff and leadership positions during her distinguished 20-year career with the u.s. army. our next panelist, susan kelly, is the direct ever of the transition to veterans program in the d. of defense. d. kelly leads the office -- dr. kelly leads the office in charge of implementing the program to meet the needs of post-9/11 service members as they separate from active duty and enter civilian life. dr. kelly also serves with the steering group efforts for dod and the coordination with five different federal agencies. she has a long and distinguished career in various off thes of the department of defense and holding her doctorate in marriage and family from st. louis university. debi durham is director of the iowa economic development authority and oversees economic development programs for the state including veterans-related initiatives such as home base iowa. before leading iowa's economic development

ms. gerton is a west point graduate and serves in a variety of staff and leadership positions in a distinguished 20 year career with the u.s. army. >> our next panelist susan kelly is the director for the transition to employment office in the department of defense. she leads the office in charge of implementing the resign transition program to meet the needs of post 9/11 service members as they separate from active duty and enter civilian life. she also serves as the cochair for the leading transition assistant efforts in the dod in the cord nation with five different federal agencies. she has a long and distinguished career in the department of defense and holds her doctor in marriage and family from st. louis university. she oversees economic programs for state including initiatives such as home base iowa. before that she served as president of the sue land chamber of commerce. next to her is jeff harris. she has served as my policy director since january of 2009. prior to joining my office he was a member of missouri house of representatives from 2003 to p the coolests, also wins name contes