Meet the Team

May is Military Appreciation Month, and as a defense contractor, MIKEL is proud to support the
Navy’s mission and all the men and women who serve. This month, we will spotlight just a few
of our active-duty and retired military employees, starting with Catarina “Cat” Cruz, an active
member of the Navy Reserves.

“I did not know what I wanted to do with my life after high school, but I knew I wanted more,” she
said. “The slogan at the time when I joined the Navy was ‘Let the Journey Begin.’ It’s been an
almost 20-year journey with no regrets.”

Since joining MIKEL in 2017, Cat has held three different roles, rising from Engineering
Technician to Media Specialist and most recently Assistant Facilities Security Officer. She
enjoys supporting national defense in a new way, while continuing her service and
simultaneously juggling the demands of motherhood.

“Civilian work structure can be a difficult adjustment, but it doesn’t have to be. Take advantage
of all your veteran benefits and get yourself established with a local veteran group. You are not
alone” she said.

Thank you for your service, Cat. Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Military Appreciation Month!

Our second MIKEL Military Appreciation Month profile is Matt Chasin, a Black Hawk helicopter pilot who
continues to serve his country in the National Guard, while working as a management analyst for our
company.

“I decided to serve in the military because I wanted to do something with my life that I knew I
would be proud of,” he said. “I knew that if I loved what I did and the people I served with, then I
could make it a long-lasting and enjoyable career. And as corny as it sounds, I wanted to give
back and serve my country and community.”

And at MIKEL, Matt is glad to have a team that supports him in return.

“I love that I can share many of my military experiences with fellow MIKEL co-workers and
veterans, no matter which branch they served in,” he said. “We’ll always have that connection to
our military service, and I believe it builds a strong foundation of trust right off the bat. And since
I still serve in the National Guard, it has been invaluable to have such strong support from
MIKEL whenever I’m activated or called to orders.”

Thank you for your continued service, Matt!

As Military Appreciation Month continues, today we feature cybersecurity analyst Kyle St.
Germain. Kyle is a lifelong learner, both at MIKEL and in his role as Senior Fire Control NICO in
the Rhode Island Army National Guard.

“I love the constant opportunity for technical and professional growth. Projects are always
popping up that allow me to utilize the skills I already have or develop new ones that will help me not only accomplish the task at hand but give me more tools to handle new tasks in the
future,” he said.

As the subject matter expert in his battalion, Kyle enjoys sharing his learnings and guiding
others who come after him. He develops the training and certification program for all the fire
direction centers, and encourages young veterans to pursue every tool, training, and opportunity
that comes their way.

“The military has a plethora of courses and ways to obtain education and certifications that can
help you on the outside,” he said, adding that the military’s approach to leadership development
has likewise served him well in his career. “Learning how to build a team, teach others, and both
give and take criticism are essential skills you can market to an employer apart from whatever
technical skills you bring to the table.”

#mikel #militaryappreciationmonth #nationalguard #mikelhasthebestemployees #veterans
#military #thankyou

We close out MIKEL’s Military Appreciation Month series with Kristie Thatcher, a 19-year
veteran of the Navy Reserves who has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and was most recently
deployed to Djibouti. Those experiences serve her well in role as Configuration Management
Specialist at MIKEL.

“My military experience helps me at MIKEL because I use the knowledge, discipline, and
leadership I’ve learned over the years to do the best job I can and to hopefully teach others their
job and role on the team,” she said.

And that sense of teamwork and camaraderie is a huge reason the married mother of five
enjoys her work.

“What I love most about MIKEL is the teamwork, the diversity, and everyone working together
for a great cause. I also love their understanding and flexibility with their employees who serve,”
she said.

Thank you to Kristie, Kyle, Matt, and Cat for letting us share your stories this month, and to all
the incredible veterans and active-duty service members who make the MIKEL team strong!

#mikel #militaryappreciationmonth #navyreserves #mikelhasthebestemployees #veterans
#military #thankyou