Kaelin Peterson

Lead Evaluator, Faculty

Service Member's Branch - Marine Corps

Service Member's Status - Currently Serving - 25 years

What has been your military spouse career/entrepreneur journey so far?

I married my spouse in 2017. I was lucky to be in a remote position which allowed me to take my career with me while allowing for lateral moves and even promotions along the way.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Kaelin, a nerd at heart, I love learning which is likely how I ended up working in higher education. I have been a military spouse for six years, and in that relatively short time have lived in three states and Japan. I love spending time exploring new places and discovering new things.

Tell us about a "typical" day in your professional life.

There are few 'typical' days in my professional life. I work to support faculty by creating and delivering training, providing 1-1 feedback, and responding to assistance requests. I frequently work on special projects including defining metrics and course and assessment development.

If you've been stationed overseas, how did this affect your career and or business?

Moving overseas made multiple aspects of my position challenging at the time. I was able to move to another more manageable role given the time difference and promoted from that position.

What has been your biggest military spouse career struggle and how did you overcome it?

My biggest career struggle has been not being able to apply for certain opportunities due to time commitments or geography. I have been able to adapt to this challenge by earning more education and seeking mentors and advocates within my workplace to help me identify and work toward next steps that align with my skills and goals.

What role did mentors and sponsors play in your journey?

Mentors and sponsors have allowed me to transition into lateral positions easily and helped prepare me to take next steps when they become available.

How does your career path differ from what you imagined for yourself?

I am in a completely different department than I had been before marrying my spouse; however, my moves were a combination of adjusting to being a military spouse and figuring out what I really wanted to do within my organization. My organization changes frequently, and the direction I was headed prior to marriage does not exist anymore. So, my path was going to be different regardless.

How did military life (PCSing, deployments, trainings, etc) factor into your career decisions?

I made the decision not to apply for a certain position due to PCSing. I have remained with my organization because I could take the job with me, and I think I would have likely applied outside of it had PCSes not been a factor.

Have you ever had to geo-bach due to your career/entrepreneurship?

What resources have you found to be useful in your career/entrepreneur journey?

Mentors and advocates within my organization and mentors and advocates in the spouse community who supported my growth and development in spouse organizations.