Dr. Lisette Bonano

I attribute everything to God and staying focused on the Word of God. Without the Word of God, there was no way that I could have done it - I probably would have died of stress. Life is stressful, and right now having to do all this, people are always worried about me, but I tell them you've just got to balance and stay focused on the Word of God, and His peace will get you through everything. I've learned to hear from God clearly, and I follow His leading even when it's uncomfortable or I don't understand it at first. When I was a single parent in the military, balancing my kids, my duties, and my calling from God, I learned that I can't neglect any of those areas - I just learned to balance everything. I also believe my children were a gift to me from God, and that sense of purpose and responsibility shaped everything I did. Being a mom first, and learning to multitask and stay mission-oriented, prepared me for everything I'm doing today.

The most valuable career advice I received in the military was understanding the importance of higher education for advancement. I was encouraged to pursue graduate-level studies, which helped open doors for leadership opportunities and professional growth.

I want young women to know that you can do anything through Christ who strengthens you. That's what I've always told my children and the women in my family. God has given us all gifts, and we must use them - we must use them to help people, not for ourselves. I came from a culture where women were to be silenced, where we were supposed to learn how to be a great wife, a domesticated person. I broke all the rules when I was little - I wasn't doing that. When I came into the military at the time that I did, men were still not okay with women coming in. I remember my first duty station, I was in a brigade full of men - there were only two women out of the entire brigade, just one other female and myself. To get through that and get through everything in the military, and grow into that, it matured me and strengthened me in areas that I didn't think I would ever be bold enough to do. It prepared me for what I'm doing today with politics. No matter what backgrounds you come from, you can do it. Don't let anyone silence you or tell you that you can't.

One of the biggest challenges is the ongoing issue of human trafficking and the broader threats facing children and vulnerable populations. In politics, there is also the personal and emotional demand of public service. However, there are significant opportunities in modern outreach, including social media engagement, phone banking, and faith-based humanitarian partnerships that allow for broader impact.

The most important value to me is helping people - that's my main thing. I just love helping people. I'm not about titles, even though I've got too many titles. I do everything to be an influence to young women and to fight for the future of all children. As a war veteran who saw what I saw in Afghanistan and Iraq, I see what's happening here on our own soil, and there's no way I can sit at home and just play grandma and not fight for their future. I believe children are a blessing, a gift, and the enemy is after our children. Every time I see a child getting abused or anything like that, it really irks me. I'm passionate about human trafficking prevention and pro-life causes. I also believe in staying true to God's calling, even when it's uncomfortable. I've learned that you can't do things for yourself - you have to use your gifts to help people. And I believe in doing things legally and within our laws, because I was a military investigator and I stick with the law.