Gloria D. Dent, PhD, is a decorated U.S. Army veteran who served as a logistics and acquisition specialist in combat and operational deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Somalia, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia, retiring in 2010 after 26 years of active duty.

Following her military service, Dent and her husband co-founded a Maryland community-based nonprofit organization that focuses on empowering veterans, young adults, and people with disabilities by leveraging education and community resources. She is also the founder and CEO of a fulfillment operations company in the state. On the national level, Dent served as the first director for veterans’ employment and initiatives for the U.S. Ability One Commission, an independent federal agency and the single largest employer of people who are blind or severely disabled.