From Service to Success: Leveraging Military Experience for Career Advancement

John Lees

Director, Talent Acquisition

RedLattice

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-lees-550625104/

John Lees is an accomplished and versatile leader with over 30 years of distinguished service in the United States Navy. Retiring in 2015 as a Command Master Chief, he has extensive experience leading transformational initiatives, ranging from technology modernization to organizational performance and growth strategies. Throughout his career, John specialized in business optimization, strategy development, talent management, organizational process improvement, and leadership development.

John currently serves as the Director of Talent Acquisition at REDLattice, a cutting-edge cyber company specializing in offensive cyber operations and advanced mission support for national defense. In this role, John is responsible for leading all hiring efforts, ensuring the recruitment of top-tier talent across multiple programs. He builds strategic partnerships with veteran organizations, diversity groups, military resources, and academic institutions to attract highly qualified candidates for REDLattice's innovative projects.

After retiring from the Navy, John transitioned into talent acquisition, focusing on supporting veterans and building partnerships with veteran organizations, military resources, diversity organizations, and academic institutions to attract top talent. He holds a Bachelor of Science in

Business Management from SUNY Empire State University. John currently resides in Suffolk, Virginia, with his wife Angela, continuing to make an impact by leveraging his leadership experience in both military and civilian roles.

Lisa Rosser

CEO

The Value of a Veteran

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisarosser/

Lisa's work through The Value Of a Veteran combines her 22 years of direct military experience (Active and Reserve) with 16 years of human resources, diversity program development and change management experience.The Value Of a Veteran is a for-profit woman/veteran/minority owned small business with the mission of changing employer mindset about veteran talent and designing recruiting practices that result in more veterans applying and getting hired into roles that are compatible with their true skills and experience.

Lisa wrote the first guide on developing military recruiting programs in 2007 called "The Value of a Veteran(TM): The Guide for Human Resource Professionals to Regarding, Recruiting, and Retaining Military Veterans ". Download a free copy at https://TheValueOfaVeteran.com

In 2013 she produced the first annual Veteran Recruiting Conference (#VetRec) for corporate & government veteran recruiting program managers to gather and share "best in practice" veteran recruiting/retention program information. 

Julius D. "JD" Spain, Sr.

Senior Consultant

LMI

Julius D. “J.D.” Spain, Sr. is a senior consultant at LMI who specializes in change management, policy analysis, and culture. He has been with LMI for four years and currently works alongside multiple teams, including talent management and acquisition, as well as the applied research and academic programs. In addition, he manages LMI’s Hiring Our Heroes program with the American Chamber of Commerce and serves as a liaison to seven employee resource groups.

J.D. represents LMI on George Mason University President’s Innovation Council, which is comprised of Mason advocates and industry, community, and government leaders essential to the Arlington Innovation Initiative’s success. The committee provides leadership, vision, and guidance on placemaking, programming, partners, and more. He is a graduate of GMU’s five-month Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer program and recently served as moderator for GMU’s Access to Research and Inclusive Excellence National Conference 2024, held March 18–19, 2024. He participated in a thought-provoking panel titled, “Industry and Government Leaders: Modernize Your Practices to Maximize Your Impact,” where industry leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities that exist for companies when navigating the ever-evolving inclusive landscape to meet diverse stakeholder expectations to achieve organizational missions and goals.

J.D.’s 30 years of leadership spans military, Capitol Hill Senate Fellowship, federal, diplomatic, and non-profit organizations. He is a combat veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps for more than 26 years before retiring in December 2016. He is notably remembered for deploying in the first wave of American troops to Operation Iraqi Freedom -1, Task Force Tarawa, in 2001. Upon retirement, he received one of the nation’s highest military honors, the Legion of Merit, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performing outstanding services and achievements to the United States of America. J.D. previously served as a federal investigator, Arlington County government commissioner appointed to the civil service commissioner, and NAACP Arlington Branch president, where he had over 1000 members under his leadership.

J.D. considers himself a dynamic change agent and visionary thought leader who is adaptable and motivated by the need for progress in communities and business. With an unwavering commitment to innovation, J.D. is dedicated to driving positive change at a pace that matches the urgency of the times.