Yashira Rodriguez

Yashira Rodriguez is an eight-year veteran of the United States Army Reserve. She embodies a profound dedication to service, driven by her upbringing in a military household, where her mother's enduring commitment served as a guiding light.

Throughout her tenure in the Reserve, Ms. Rodriguez balanced her military responsibilities with her pursuit of higher education, ultimately earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After nearly a decade in the healthcare industry, she embarked on a career transition into the civic and non-profit sector, taking over the Veterans Connect program at Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Today, her focus is on assisting transitioning military service members as they relocate to the Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes region. A significant portion of her time is devoted to connecting with soldiers stationed at Fort Drum and other service members across the Nation, all eager to call Upstate New York their new home.

Her passion lies in advocating for and raising awareness for the remarkable talents that veterans possess to regional employers. Ms. Rodriguez treasures her in-person recruitment efforts at military installations, where she establishes meaningful connections with those embarking on civilian life while nurturing strong relationships with installation staff and local community partners. Her mission is centered around ensuring successful transitions into civilian careers and providing veterans with a dependable point of contact to navigate life post-service.

Ms. Rodriguez’ commitment extends beyond her professional role; she serves on the Board of Directors at the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester, New York and actively participates in the Help Base Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes Workforce Investment Board’s Veterans Committees. Her involvement in local organizations with shared missions has been pivotal in understanding the resources, events, and services available to our veteran community  members.

Recently, Ms. Rodriguez was honored to be appointed to The Mission Continues Women Veterans Leadership Program, standing alongside 74 female veterans from diverse service branches and from 21 states across the Nation. Her selection into Cohort 6 is an incredible honor and she looks forward to joining the Rochester - TMC Platoon in community service projects.