Samantha Gunther

Managing Partner

Service Member's Branch - Army

Service Member's Status - Currently Serving - 15 years

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

Navigating the unique demands of a military lifestyle, my career spans nearly two decades of leadership across federal legislation, defense industry, and scaling small business growth. My foundation in Washington, D.C. began in the U.S. Senate as a Staff Assistant and Legislative Correspondent for Senator James M. Inhofe. PCS'ing to Colorado, I transitioned to municipal government with the City of Colorado Springs, I coordinated closely with top military officials and served as an Honorary Commander to Schriever Air Force Base and completed my masters from the University of Colorado. Later I joined the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC to champion defense priorities across space, cyber, and missile defense. My legislative expertise deepened upon returning to the Senate as a Regional Director for Senator Cory Gardner, before making history as the first military spouse to work for the U.S. Senate overseas, managing VIP casework as a Constituent Liaison when my husband received orders for Germany. Today, I leverage this deep background in congressional and military affairs to help scale small dual-use defense start-ups focused on national security innovation and intelligence, all in the name of global democracy.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Samantha and I am from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, I am a driven professional, married to my high school sweetheart, and a mother to three active boys. I thrive on the rewarding challenge of maintaining a strong career while managing a busy home life. My downtime is spent embracing the coastal lifestyle, boating, fitness, and beach days, and most importantly supporting my sons from the sidelines in all their activities.

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

As Managing Partner at ASCENT, I leverage Capitol Hill experience, both in DC and in the state, and have worked for the City of Colorado Springs, and the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. I help bridge the gap between dual use technology innovators and federal defense priorities. My days are filled with strategy sessions, the endless zooms calls, phone calls, and emails, all virtually from where I live. I manage the day to day operations of the business and help with congressional engagement. I help execute high level fly-ins "Hill Days" and targeted briefings to our partners so they can get in front of the right decision makers. It is a fast paced balancing act that demands quick attention, strategic thought, and deep understanding of the political landscape.

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

When we were stationed in Germany, I was given the opportunity to work remotely as a caseworker. While it was a completely different line of work than I was used to. I am incredibly thankful for the experience and the chance to develop new skills. Honestly, it became one of my absolute favorite roles. Beyond the wonderful people I worked with, the ability to directly help constituents deeply resonates with me. As military spouses we are used to having a serving heart and service is something I am proud to be a part of.

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

The greatest challenge in military spouse life is often the internal battle with accomplishment and the temptation to compare our timelines to others. Because of the sheer volume of life and unpredictable circumstances we navigate, our journeys are entirely incomparable. Leaning into humility and kindness is what ultimately allows me to thrive and support those around us.

What role did mentors and sponsors play in your journey?

Mentors and sponsors continue to play a crucial role in my life. In fact, I ended up having the same boss for two different jobs...we followed each other, completely by coincidence, but he saw the value in hiring a military spouse and wanted to invest in my growth. I remain incredibly grateful for him to this day. He taught me to be direct, to the point, and to proactively answer every question a leader might have before a meeting or sending an email. I still vividly remember my interview with him, I'm pretty sure my sense of humor helped seal the deal! From him and other mentors, I learned to work incredibly hard but always have fun while doing it and to not take life too seriously. His guidance has stuck with me throughout my entire career. Additionally, my family operates a family office, and I am deeply humbled by the network of people there who pour into me, mentoring and shaping me every day, often without even realizing it.

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

My career path differs completely from what I originally imagined. I always envisioned myself going into an office every day in heels and pearls, not to quote Trisha Yearwood, but trying to "make it in her daddy's world." Ha!! Instead, here I am working from home, definitely not in heels and pearls, but doing incredibly meaningful work in the defense and technology sectors. At the same time, I'm holding down "Household 6" while my husband serves our country.

Is it hard? Yes. Does an office job sound nice every now and then? Absolutely! But I am incredibly thankful that this path allows me to have more time with my kids instead of losing hours commuting and being in an office. Balancing a career from home while navigating military life can be a juggling act, but just like I tell my boys, be proud, strive to do everything to the best of your ability, and remember that we are serving our country as a family, too and that might be one of the most important jobs!

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

I love the military lifestyle, and instead of focusing on the challenges as a negative, I approach it with a "we'll figure it out!" mentality. Sometimes this might drive my husband nuts! But I maintain professional relationships and stay focused on my career goals and am logical about it. While there is definitely a lot of strategy behind balancing both, our family's service to the military is always the priority, and I am incredibly proud of that. I understand that the deployments and long trainings required to maintain military readiness are hard, but I truly get it and stand fully behind it.

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

Resources I have found helpful for my career are developing real professional connections and listening to others experiences and stories and learning from them. I value advice and experience! Also, it takes a level of putting yourself out there and maybe being a little nervous on trying something new to build your professional network, but jump in and meet new people.

Final word: what are your top tips for other military spouses about navigating a career within the military lifestyle?

If I could give a new military spouse one piece of advice, it's to not take yourself too seriously. View this life as an adventure. It is definitely a juggling act, and there will be valleys and mountain tops, but that's just life! While it might not be what you originally imagined when you first started out, you can build a meaningful career. Bring your sense of humor, lean on mentors who pour into you, and be sure to give that support back to those around you. Above all, remember that your spouse is serving a cause greater than most and your entire family is serving alongside them. Be incredibly proud of that service and the unique path you're building!

Listen to an interview with Samantha to hear more about her story.

Tell Us YOUR Story

Meet Spouses from Previous Weeks:

"The stories, experiences, and perspectives shared in these Military Spouse Highlights are provided by the individual contributors and reflect their personal views. While the National Military Spouse Network (NMSN) is honored to share and celebrate these voices, the content does not necessarily represent the views or endorsements of NMSN."