The Vision Behind Beyond the Uniform Consulting

Teresa founded Beyond the Uniform Consulting, LLC to bridge the gap between Veterans and the systems designed to serve them. Her goal is to simplify complex VA processes, educate Veterans, their families, about their rights and deliver personalized support that leads to successful outcomes. Through Beyond the Uniform Consulting, LLC, Teresa continues her lifelong devotion to service — helping Veterans achieve clarity, confidence, and peace of mind as they claim the benefits they’ve earned.

A Life Devoted to Service

Teresa is a proud U.S. Navy and Air Force Reserves Veteran and seasoned Federal Program Analyst with more than 15 years of combined military, clinical and Veterans Affairs experience. Her journey of service began in 1998 aboard the USS Boxer (LHD-4), where she served as one of the few women stationed aboard ships at that time. She later joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a Medical Technician with the 944th Medical Detachment Squadron at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona, providing preventive-health care and readiness evaluations for more than 5,000 service members.

During her reserve military service, Teresa concurrently served as a civilian federal employee with the U.S. Air Force 56th Aerospace Medical Detachment Squadron (AMDS) as an Emergency Medical Technician providing flight-line emergency response for fighter pilots and later transitioned to a Unit Program Coordinator with the 56th Security Forces Squadron working as a liaison for the squadron Commander before joining the Department of Veterans Affairs – Veterans Benefits Administration, where her leadership and expertise have since impacted countless Veterans nationwide and abroad.

A Family of Service

Beginning with her grandfather, several of her uncles, her father, her brother (and sister-in-law), her husband (an active-duty U.S. Army professional with over 15 years of service), and her oldest daughter, it is clear and evident that service runs deep in Teresa’s family. Two of her four younger daughters also proudly wear the uniform today.

This generational commitment gives Teresa a personal understanding of the challenges and transitions that come with military life — and fuels her mission to help others move “Beyond the Uniform” when the mission changes but the need for purpose remains.

VBA Expertise

Teresa’s attention to detail, empathy, and precision have driven measurable results — including a 15 percent reduction in rework and accuracy consistently above 95 percent.

Over the past decade, Teresa has held multiple critical adjudicative and analytical roles within the VBA, including:

• Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR):

  Interpreting Title 38 U.S.C. & the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD), conducting informal hearings and issuing legally sound rating decisions within the VA.

• Veterans Service Representative (VSR):

  Managing claims development, reviewing evidence, and ensuring full regulatory compliance within the VA.

• Legal Administrative Specialist (LAS – National Call Center):

  Delivering accurate policy guidance to Veterans and dependents with a 98 percent first-contact resolution rate within the VA.

Education & Credentials

Teresa holds an Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management and a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration, both from Columbia Southern University. Her extensive professional training includes: Cyber Awareness, Records Management, Emergency Management, Suicide Prevention, Sexual Assault Response and continuous VA benefits adjudication coursework.