Her Story
About Martha
Martha Monahan is a retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer, national consultant, and community advocate whose career has been defined by leadership, mentorship, and service to others. Originally from Rochester, New York, she enlisted in the Navy at 21 and served honorably for 24 years from 1985 to 2009, building extensive experience as a leader, instructor, trainer, mentor, and sexual assault victim advocate. Throughout her military career, she became known for supporting and guiding fellow service members, particularly junior-ranking women, helping them navigate both personal and professional challenges with empathy and resilience. After retiring from the Navy, Martha continued her commitment to service by becoming deeply involved with WoVeN (Women Veterans Network), a national peer-support organization that connects and empowers women veterans across the country. She first joined WoVeN as a group participant in 2019 before advancing into leadership roles as a peer leader, national trainer, and eventually a national consultant and outreach coordinator. In her current role, she facilitates online support groups, trains peer leaders and trainers, develops programming centered on hope, transition, empowerment, empathy and connection. She assists women Veterans build meaningful relationships ,support systems and ensures each one knows what resources are available to her and the each woman Veteran knows she matters. Her people-first approach and authentic leadership style have made her a trusted mentor within the veteran community. In addition to her work with WoVeN, Martha is also a real estate investor based in Virginia Beach, where she approaches her business with the same honesty, integrity, and compassion that have guided her throughout her life. She earned an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in Social Sciences from Tidewater Community College after retiring from the military, graduating summa cum laude while balancing school and professional responsibilities. Passionate about lifelong learning and personal growth, she continues to invest in professional development through leadership programs and coaching events. Whether she is mentoring veterans, training leaders, or helping clients through real estate, Martha remains dedicated to building authentic connections and creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered. She loves to cook, vegetable garden and go to concerts.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Martha
01What do you attribute your success to?
When I share my story, people are aghast. It wasn’t a walk in the park, it was more like a night in a creepy forest. But I will tell you that my life story got me where I am today. I could have stayed bitter, or I could have gotten better, and I chose to use my experiences to help others. I am working on an online course called ;” Pathway to Peace” A guide for women over 30 who have lost someone to suicide. Unfortunately, I have lost a lot of people in my family to suicide, as well as some of my Navy Shipmates throughout my career. I know the right way to deal with grief and loss. I also know the wrong ways. FYI, peanut M&Ms beer and cheeseburgers not for recommended grief therapy, okay? Today I don’t drink and while still overweight, I am no longer obese.. My last drink of alcohol was August 3rd, 1992. I love the life I have today. Even when my husband and I argue,( and we all know he's wrong), or I get a flat tire or have to take one of my cats to the veterinarian, or lose a friend or family member, I still love my life, and I wake up with an attitude of gratitude. When I was drinking, I would wake up, or rather, come to, hungover & grumble ;”Good God, it's morning”. Today I'm sober and have been for a while, and I say, good morning, God. I have to be grateful for what I have. Tony Robbins says life doesn't happen to me, it happens for me. And so it's not about me. It's about what I can do to help others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be authentic. I can smell BS a mile away. If I'm getting that cheesy smile, and get the worn out responses like; “
Oh, I know where you're coming from,” or “everything happens for a reason”, I wonder about their genuineness. But if I hear somebody say;
“I can't even imagine what that's like, or “ I have been where you are, and if someone to talk to, I'm here, and here's my number, that's real. But the overused thoughts and prayers, and the people who try to solve my problems for me are not helpful. I'm not a problem solver. I can talk with you and I might say, I have tried this or that, or here’s a resource I found. So maybe I am just a guide to help someone find her own solution. I would say to all women embarking on any endeavor: be authentic, meet your deadlines, ask for help if you need help and meet people where they are, not where you judge they should be.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Opportunities would be to reach out to more women vets, especially women over 30, through an online courses.I would talk to them about what I've learned being a woman veteran ,using and embracing my “veterancy” to move ahead. My life experience itself is fodder for not just my online course ;” Pathway to Peace,” for women who have lost someone to suicide, but coaching and mentoring opportunities are huge opportunities for me. I mentored women in the Navy, I mentored men in the Navy too, but primarily, women junior in rank to me in the Navy, and I mentor women in my nonprofit, so mentoring and coaching would not be a stretch for me at all. That is a definite opportunity . As far as real estate investing, do your due diligence, trust your gut & don’t go into too much debt. My challenges are primarily my neurological condition, which causes fatigue and can sometimes cause cognitive issues. You know, I can decide to show up, you know, put my big girl pants on and show up, or I can give in and lay on the couch and watch stupid stuff on TV. I prefer to put my big girl pants on.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty, integrity, empathy, humor, and authenticity are the values most important to me. I believe in being genuine and real with people, because women can smell BS a mile away. I'm not about superficial compassion and caring or solving people's problems for them. I'm a solution finder who shares what I've tried and learned. True connection comes from showing up authentically, meeting people where they are, adhering to your deadlines, and asking for help when you need it. As Tony Robbins says, life doesn't happen to me, it happens for me. So it's not about me, it's about what I can do to help others.
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