Dr. Teresa Gonzalez has broken new ground as a beacon of hope and possibility within her family. She became the first to graduate from college, serve in the military, and achieve a doctorate, standing as a shining example of academic and personal triumph. In parallel with her academic accomplishments, Major Teresa Gonzalez, Ph.D., joined the Army Reserves in September 2001. She served for eight years as a non-commissioned officer, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant. Through the direct commission program, she became a logistics officer in 2010 and now holds the rank of Major. Building on her diverse experiences, Dr. Gonzalez has established a robust civilian career. She has served as a program manager at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) since 2015. Before joining USCIS, she spent a decade in human resources roles within the Army’s Military Technician program. Currently, she is an active-duty soldier, holding leadership positions in logistics.