Here at Army Wife Network, we’re proud to say we’re completely powered by a team of dedicated, talented volunteers. They tackle every task, from social media to the blog, from graphic design to podcast audio editing, from web building to script writing, from podcast interviews to hosting Army Wife Talk Radio. Our AWN Command Team volunteers are the core of the organization, putting in many hours each week to provide quality content and connection. Learn more about the individuals behind the screen below!
ARMY WIFE NETWORK COMMAND TEAM
Sharita Knobloch, EdD
Executive Director
Dr. Sharita Knobloch has been married to her beloved infantryman husband Brandon for over 11 years. The joys and challenges of this milspouse life ignited her faith on a deep level, so she answered the call to ministry in July 2011. Sharita holds a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University in Animal Science & Industry (Communications Option, Leadership Minor), a master’s degree in Christian Leadership from Liberty University, and a Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling: Pastoral Counseling, also from Liberty University.
Sharita is a Tiny Human mama of two kiddos, a 9-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. She is also a smallish dog owner, aspiring runner, writer, speaker, and spiritual leadership coach. Sharita has been volunteering with AWN for more than 7 years, since February 2014, when she published her very first blog post. Since then, she has served on the Command Team as Blog Editor (Nov. 2015-March 2016), Executive Officer, and Deputy Commander (March 2016-Sept. 2019), and in October 2019, transitioned into the role as AWN Owner and Commander. She is overjoyed to serve milspouses and their families in this capacity. In 2020, she was named Armed Forces Insurance Fort Bliss Military Spouse of the Year. She has recently returned to the working world and is currently working as a Dissertation Chair in the Department of Community Care & Counseling at Liberty University.
Sharita gets really excited about office supplies and journal shopping. She is a certified auctioneer, wore duct tape to senior prom (for a scholarship contest #DontJudge), loves napping, fitness, reading for fun, and cheering others on as they strive to reach their goals. Sharita overuses hashtags on a regular basis with #NoShame and frequently uses #America! as a verb.
Jolene McNutt,
Deputy Director
Jolene is a writer, editor, and graphic designer. She co-owns a business with her retired teacher dad creating hands-on resources for elementary and middle school teachers. Jolene has been married to her extroverted husband, Phil, for more than 11 years. Phil recently jumped ship as an AGR soldier in the Wisconsin Army National Guard and re-enlisted in the Big Army with 17 years of active-duty service. Jolene and Phil have an elementary-aged son, Finn, who loves legos, math, and reading.
Jolene enjoys traveling, reading, and making allergy-friendly recipes for Finn. Despite her introverted nature, Jolene loves hosting friends and family. You can find her volunteering or playing with a pup or two during her spare time. Find her on Instagram @jolenemichelle1.
Sarah Robichaud,
Director of Administration
Sarah is a Maryland native who married her husband, Andrew, in 2012. Since then, she has had the opportunity to live in Georgia (twice), Germany, Texas, Virginia, and now Michigan. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Salisbury University and a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from Liberty University.
The majority of Sarah’s time is spent rocking the stay-at-home-mom life with her two amazing children, Emily (7) and Logan (5). She also has two small dogs and an out-of-control vegetable garden. During her free time, you can probably find Sarah out for a jog or playing at the beach.
Kathleen Palmer,
Director of Content
Kathleen is an educator and project seeker from Texas. In her 25 years as an Army wife, Kathleen has taught and coached in six different states and Germany. Kathleen has a big heart for both Army families and soldiers having served as a Soldier for Life counselor in both Germany and Korea. Her favorite part of Army life is her acquired community of battle buddies!
Kathleen loves words (both speaking and writing them) and has contributed to AWN, NMFA, The Fort Hood Sentinel, The Army Spouse Handbook, Inside Abu Ghraib, Memoirs of Two US Military Intelligence Officers, and The Army War College at Carlisle. Her favorite writing piece about being an Army wife is “The Lady in the Grey Suit” which was published in 2015 in Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors (Vol.3). You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, or on her website, Life Is Messy, Love Big. Just like Kathleen, the site is a WORK in Progress!
Chloe Sardinas,
Deputy Director of Content
Chloe is a Florida native who loves all things that come with beach life! She married her husband in 2018 and has had the opportunity to live at Eglin AFB, Fort Walton Beach, FL; Fort Carson, Colorado, and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. She attended the University of Florida (GO GATORS) and received a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, and a Master’s degree in Health Education and Behavior, and because two degrees weren’t enough, she also received an MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology. She loves exploring with her husband and 2-year-old daughter (Avery). She’s currently a SAHM who can be found working out or walking to the playgrounds around Fort Leavenworth! Her weekends are filled with family adventures to all the local events.
Emma Tighe,
News 6 Correspondent
Emma Tighe is an army spouse and homeschool mama of five kiddos. She currently calls Fort Leavenworth, KS “home.” Emma loves to write, make people laugh, and play anything that even remotely resembles a musical instrument. She is so excited to spread information and positivity as the new team 6 news gal!
Lindsey Rauch
Content Curator
Lindsey is a madly in love army wife to her husband Matt, proud mother to her 6-month-old son Malachi, dog momma to her blonde husky-collie mix, and a business owner. Lindsey’s passion is families and marriages. She has her M.S in Family Marriage Therapy and M.S in Mental Health and Wellness for Family and Marriage Dynamics from Grand Canyon University. Her Bachelor’s degree in Communications has prepared her for her speaking engagements with churches and army wives, sharing inspiration and tips on how to thrive in marriages and the military. She actively serves on posts in various capacities and is currently the Fort Bliss PWOC Retreat Coordinator. She loves facilitating opportunities for women to meet and get connected. Lindsey is a speaker, blogger, mentor, and motivator.
Lindsey’s husband joined the military after five years of being married as a civilian family, so she has a heart and passion for new military spouses who feel completely lost or foreign to military life. Additionally, she has a heart for military families with sick children, as she has struggled through the isolation of being at a foreign post in a new city and trying to find support and the best health care for her child. She is now known as the Military NICU Momma. She is humbled and ecstatic to reach military wives across the globe, providing them with resources, friendship, and a listening ear to point them to healthy, thriving lives.
In her free time, you can find her sipping on a good cup of tea, reading a book, being active, exploring the great outdoors, fishing, writing, traveling the globe, or finding the best local spots. She also is a major foodie and is always on the hunt at each duty station to find the next best food joint! (although nothing can ever take the place in her Southern-Californian heart that In-N-Out holds)
Chrissy Gibbs,
Director of Development
Chrissy married her husband in 2010 and jumped right into her milspouse role. She knew that life would be more adventurous and sometimes more difficult, but it would always be worth it. She had previously received her teaching degrees from Niagara University in Special Education and spent a few years teaching, but once she began having children, she chose to put those talents to work in her own home. Chrissy is a mother to four energetic boys and one husky pup (also a male), so you could say she’s the queen of the castle! Chrissy and her family are currently living in Fort Leavenworth but will have another PCS on the horizon.
KateLynn Heavilon,
Donations Deliverables Coordinator
Angelia McMichael,
Donation Recruitment Specialist
Kayla Geblein,
Director of Social Media
Kayla currently lives with her husband in Fort Benning, Georgia. She is a dog mom to her two pups, Ralph and Georgia. Kayla graduated from Niagara University with a Bachelor’s in Social Studies Education and Special Education, then attained her master’s in Literacy Education. She has taught in Georgia and at her previous duty station, Fort Bliss. Originally from Buffalo, New York, Kayla and her husband are avid Buffalo Bills fans and try to attend as many games as they can! After living in Texas, she found a new love for barbecue and has since become quite good at smoking her own meats. Kayla enjoys reading and doing puzzles, but when her husband is around, they enjoy movies and an occasional video game. Volunteering has been a part of her life as far back as she can remember, and she is very excited to start with AWN!
Abbey Barrett,
Deputy Director of Social Media
Abbey Barrett is a fairly new military wife, but has had her fill of the trials that are not included in the job description. She has been married to the love of her life for two years and is a fur mama to a giant scheming kitty and an angel of a rescue dog. Upon becoming a military spouse, she immediately felt a burden for the new spouses that have no idea what to do when their world is flipped upside down with orders to go somewhere they didn’t know was on a map.
Abbey has personally felt the frustration as well as the excitement that comes with this life. She hopes that by learning from and sharing her own experiences with the military spouse life, she can help others to just keep moving forward and have a positive outlook for the sake of their family and for the sake of their own sanity. Abbey is a self-proclaimed old lady as she enjoys crocheting, crafting, reading, sipping tea, and doing puzzles. She also enjoys being outdoors, trying new restaurants, and attending church events with her husband.
Jade Newton,
Director of Podcast Production
Jade was born and raised in the great, garden state, of New Jersey. The Garden State had many things to offer Jade, including when she meet her fellow New Jersey husband one Veterans Day weekend in 2014 while he was home on leave.
Jade studied at Rutgers University obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in Exercise Science and Sport Management. She has always opened her heart allowing new career opportunities that she could never imagine. Her career has definitely taken a path over the years, but always has been welcomed with new initiatives, amazing journeys, and when in doubt the best mentoring by some lovely ladies in her life. In the past, Jade has worked in many industries including sports athletics, management, restaurants, social media, and as a certified barre fitness instructor. Recently, Jade accepted a position in the financial department of a local trauma hospital, where she is excited to explore new possibilities and open brand new doors with no hesitation.
She believes that through support, pivoting, and encouragement, you can shine and accomplish all your individual goals through each PCS! (YES, YOU CAN!!!) Jade and her husband are currently stationed in South Florida, where they are again enjoying the beach, summer year-round, cortaditos, and being back on the east coast closer to family. In Jade’s spare time, she enjoys connecting with her family and friends, taking fitness classes, attending/watching sporting events, taking pictures of her cat, enjoying a good Italian meal, meditating, and learning something new.
Megan Clayburn,
Deputy Director of Podcast Production
Megan began her milspouse journey when she married Andre, her best friend from college, and boarded a plane to South Korea the day after their wedding. Even though being far from friends and family was sometimes isolating and difficult, Osan Air Base was a fantastic place to adjust to milspouse life. Between hiking all over Korea, traveling to neighboring countries, eating local cuisine, and connecting with new friends, Megan and Andre found their stride as a military couple.
Five duty stations and two children later, Megan has recently become a National Guard milspouse, as Andre has begun medical school in Ohio. In this season, Megan is chasing around Myles (1) and Autumn (6) and volunteering with RAICES/teaching ESL when time allows. She loves hiking with her family, meeting up with other mom friends to wrangle kids together, reading books, listening to podcasts, learning new things, and playing ultimate frisbee. One day she hopes to dedicate more time to developing her ESL teaching career. For now, she is continuing to work towards balancing life at home and goals outside the home in this season of transition to National Guard life.
Brittney O’Keefe,
Audio Engineer
A native to Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicago region, Brittney is a graphic designer and illustrator. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Fine Arts and currently works as a prop maker, set builder, and scenic painter for theaters within the Chicagoland area. She is newlywed to her best friend-turned-husband and just beginning her adventure as a military spouse.
When she isn’t designing or making new things, Brittney can often be found getting her hands dirty in garden plots, working out at the gym, or co-hosting with her husband on their podcast about retro video games. Brittney is an advocate for sustainable, clean gardening and has volunteered with the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms network in the past.
Annie Pearce,
Director of Marketing
Before moving to Germany, Annie owned her own event-planning business – Attended. Her passion for events has led her to volunteer for non-profit organizations, including the AMA Triangle and Innovate Raleigh. Annie has served in multiple roles for large events including Event Director for Fail Fest Raleigh, Trade Show Manager for High Five Conference, and has managed multiple events for an economic development organization. Annie holds a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication from Ithaca College.
Cheyenne Shelnutt
Deputy Director of Marketing
Cheyenne has been married to her husband, Griffin for a little over a year and they have a daughter and two dogs. Cheyenne’s passions include teaching, spending time with family, and helping others. She is a natural-born runner and has a love for doing hair and all things creative.
Cheyenne and her family are originally from North Texas and are currently stationed in Colorado. Her husband’s commissioning into the Army just a few short months after welcoming their daughter produced its own challenges as she navigated two new journeys all at once. Because of this, Cheyenne felt called to serve the military community and help others navigate this journey. She is excited to join the AWN and empower other military spouses!
Amanda Bicknese,
Director of Empowerment
Amanda officially became a military spouse in 2014. She is a mom to two tiny humans, William and Mikayla, and two fur babies. Amanda is from Florida, where she and her husband, Mick, met in high school and began dating during their freshmen year of college. She holds a Bachelor’s in English Literature from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s in Teaching Elementary Education from North Carolina State University. Amanda has served in education for a decade, but she is currently working as a freelance book editor and a virtual Chief Executive Assistant while staying home with her little ones.
In her spare time, Amanda enjoys writing, reading, hiking, traveling, trying out new restaurants, and exploring new places and activities around her. Amanda is very happy to be a part of such an amazing and supportive community and hopes she can provide encouragement and empowerment anywhere she goes.
Amie Fisher,
Deputy Director of Empowerment
Full-time Army Wife and mother of three, Amie Fisher is a certified Life Coach and Retreat Speaker. Amie has led SFRGs, served on various leadership teams, spoken at Army Strong Bond Retreats, and mentored other military wives through 23 months of combat deployments. She led her family through 12 PCS moves in 16 years of active duty service. She is also a proud Military “Coastie” Mom.
Amie has served alongside her husband of 25 years Ron in premier Army organizations like the 10th Mountain Division, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Recognized by the National Infantry Museum and the Fort Benning Infantry Community, Amie is a recipient of the Shield of Sparta. She is also a contributor to the book From Reveille to Retreat, a handbook for the Army Chaplain’s spouse. Amie consistently seeks opportunities to encourage other military families challenging them to make the most of the shared military adventure.
When Amie is not homeschooling, coaching clients, or speaking, she enjoys spending time with her family at the beach, crafting, reading, traveling, and cooking. She loves making new and enduring friendships around the world and helping these friends connect with one another for the betterment of the home mission.
I’m wondering if you could do a Show on Roller Derby in the Military community. As a Military Spouse of 19 years and having grown up in the Military community, I know how important it is to find a group of women you relate with. Besides finding someone to cut my hair, finding a group of friends is equally as hard, I found Roller Derby at USAG Camp Humphreys, Republic of South Korea. I found out that there are Roller Derby teams at many installations. Roller Derby has given me an instant group of friends and a fantastic workout. -Wreck It Wanda
Wanda… reach out to me at dowdkp04@gmail.com. Would love to learn more about your community