Name:  Alex Oates

Where were you born and raised?
Grand Rapids, Michigan

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give a younger you?
Life is going to turn out better than you could have ever imagined. Enjoy the ride, and know through the highs and lows, it’s going to be so good.

Your Personal Why?
My husband and our two daughters are the core of my personal why. Raising good humans, doing my best to be a strong female role model and pillar of strength for my family, while making a positive impact in the world, gives me true purpose and is the foundation for all that I do.

How does your Why drive you to be a part of the THF Ecosystem?
As the spouse of a SOF veteran having gone through the transition process before learning about The Honor Foundation, I can without a doubt say that THF is making a positive impact in this community, strengthening the SOF member as well as laying a solid foundation for civilian life, translating to positive effects on the whole family unit. Every SOF veteran, and their family, deserves to have access to the tools THF provides, and I am honored to support this goal.

Military Connection or Why do you respect Special Operators?
My husband transitioned out of the military in 2020 as a Green Beret, and I’ve been lucky enough to be by his side from the very beginning days of his military career at West Point, throughout his transition into the civilian world as a military veteran. Being his wife has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

Favorite THF Value, and why?
Fierce Empathy
“Empathy is about standing in someone else’s shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes.” — Daniel Pink

This past year I took the Clifton Strengths Assessment and Empathy was listed as my #2 strength. I am an empath by nature, and have a strong desire to make meaningful connections with others in order to develop authentic relationships. I truly believe in order to connect with others it is important to make an attempt to see the world from their eyes, and I so I have great respect for any organization that recognizes this as one of their core values as well.

Area/Industry of expertise:  Travel, Event Planning, Hospitality Contract Negotiation

Contact Alex directly at alex@honor.org.