A combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, Gretchen Evans served with distinction in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 2006, ending her service as a command sergeant major. In 2006, Command Sergeant Major Evans sustained combat injuries that resulted in a traumatic brain injury and deafness. As part of her transition to civilian life, Gretchen Evans became involved with the nonprofit No Barriers Warriors, which invites veterans with disabilities to participate in challenging outdoor experiences as a way to regain confidence and independence.

In her role with No Barriers, Ms. Evans led a group to the summit of a 14,000 foot Colorado mountain and joined founder Erik Weihenmayer in leading a youth expedition to Nepal. In addition to her work in support of veterans, Gretchen Evans is the author of the book Leading from the Front. She has also appeared on such television programs as the Megyn Kelly Show and CBS’s Courage in Sports.

Ms. Evans completed undergraduate coursework at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and later received a sociology degree summa cum laude at Saginaw Valley State University, where she was named 2016 Veteran Alumni of the Year.