Our Leadership
Every founder of The HeartSpace Collective once made a deliberate choice: to attend the U.S. Army Airborne School. It wasn’t a requirement; it was a voluntary leap (literally!), one that demanded trust, preparation, and the belief in something greater than themselves. That same ethos fuels The HeartSpace Collective today.
They have each earned their parachutist badge. But more importantly, they have earned the wisdom that comes from navigating challenges not only in combat zones, but also in the quiet spaces that follow life after the military. The HeartSpace Collective is built by these women for women like them: military and veteran women who carry immense weight others don’t see, and who deserve a place to set it down, reconnect, and rise.
Whether you’re joining a retreat or supporting the mission, this is where transformation begins, not alone and uncertain, but with clarity, care, and community.
Jennie Choi
Co-Founder
Army Veteran. Strategist. Advocate for Women in Service and Beyond.
Jennie co-founded The HeartSpace Collective to create a space where women veterans feel seen, valued, and supported through their journeys. Her leadership is shaped by service but driven by empathy for those whose stories deserve to be heard and whose strengths are often unspoken.
Jennie Choi is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, a former U.S. Army Logistics officer, and an Iraq War veteran, whose leadership experience spans combat operations, military supply chain management, and training development. She earned the U.S. Army Parachutist Badge and is a former athlete on the U.S. National Team Handball Team and the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). Jennie served as a global ambassador for women’s sports, connecting with women across cultures through shared experiences.
With a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School and membership in numerous corporate women’s groups, she brings a powerful blend of operational precision and organizational insight to everything she leads. Her experience also includes global project management and corporate strategy with two Fortune 500 companies, as well as nonprofit governance roles as President and Treasurer of the Central Texas West Point Society and Board Member and Audit Committee Chair for USA Team Handball.
At The HeartSpace Collective, Jennie brings the warmth of someone who believes in the importance of generational bonds and the clarity of mission-focused leadership. She envisions a nurturing community where women veterans are empowered and championed to thrive.
Audrey Iriberri
Co-Founder
Army Veteran. Global Connector. Champion of Women in Every Phase of Life.
Audrey co-founded The HeartSpace Collective to create a space where women veterans are seen, loved, and supported, and have access to a variety of resources that are relevant to their military context. Her leadership style prioritizes authenticity and agency, ensuring that every individual’s story is valued and honored.
A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Audrey served as a Transportation and later a Civil Affairs officer with combat deployments to Iraq and the Philippines. Her assignments included leading a U.S. Army Logistics Training Advisory Team (LTAT), training Iraqi soldiers in vehicle maintenance, and serving in diplomatic and civil affairs roles with Special Operations Command in the Philippines. She earned the U.S. Army Parachutist and Pathfinder badges, continuing a legacy of service begun by her grandfather during World War II.
Her post-military journey reflects both intellectual range and leadership depth. Audrey earned a Master of Science in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School. She is a certified coach through the International Coaching Federation and is certified as both a birth and postpartum doula. These certifications reflect her dedication to supporting women during significant life transitions. Professionally, Audrey has held leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, including General Electric and Amazon. She most recently served in the U.S. Federal Government as a Senior Product Manager and Chief of Human Resources Management.
At The HeartSpace Collective, Audrey brings a deeply informed perspective, incorporating that of a mother and partner, to bring global insight and fierce compassion in leading programming that meets women where they are and lifts them to where they want to go.
Monique Jesionowski
Co-Founder
Army Nurse. Innovative Clinical Leader. Paying it Forward to Women Who Serve.
Monique co-founded The HeartSpace Collective to build the space she once sought – a place where women veterans could show up authentically. Her leadership reflects years of quiet care: mentoring junior soldiers, listening without judgment, and supporting those who carry burdens often unseen. She believes recovery begins with community, and no woman veteran should face her journey alone.
Lieutenant Colonel Jesionowski brings over 20 years of military experience to her leadership at The HeartSpace Collective. She currently oversees seven global nursing courses around the world for the U.S. Army. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Widener University and both a Master’s and Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Virginia. She holds numerous clinical certifications and board credentials in emergency nursing, as both an adult-gerontology acute care Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Practitioner.
Monique is an Iraq War Veteran and has earned the U.S. Army Parachutist Badge, Basic Army Instructor Badge, and the U.S. Air Force Flight Nurse Badge. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she led over 70 nurses in a Level II Emergency Department while guiding hospital accreditation efforts – demonstrating grace under pressure. In 2019, she received the Nursing Education Award from the Texas State Emergency Nurses Association for her significant contributions in training nurses, EMS professionals, patients, and families.
At The HeartSpace Collective, Monique blends clinical insight and systems thinking to design spaces where women veterans can rest, reflect, and rebuild. As a wife and mother of two, she leads with compassion and a deep understanding of sacrifice – ensuring every veteran voice is heard and every space feels like home.
Cherise Lao
Co-Founder
Army Officer. Operational Leader. Champion for Women Warriors.
Cherise co-founded The HeartSpace Collective to create a space of belonging for women veterans, recognizing the quiet struggles often overlooked during and after their service. Blending operational clarity with empathetic insight, she approaches the military to civilian transition as a personal journey – ensuring these women feel seen, supported, and never alone.
Lieutenant Colonel Lao serves with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, bringing over two decades of military experience to her leadership at The HeartSpace Collective. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Master’s in Environmental Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, Cherise is a U.S. Army Senior Parachutist and Jumpmaster qualified and earned the U.S. Army Air Assault and Combat Action Badges. A seasoned combat veteran, she has planned and executed operations with the elite 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq and deployed to Afghanistan with U.S. Army Special Forces, where she was a member of the U.S. Army Cultural Support Team (CST), created to overcome the obstacles associated with male soldiers’ interactions with local women which hindered intelligence gathering and relationship-building in conservative regions. Cherise’s journey also includes shaping Army policies on gender integration at the U.S. Army’s Ranger School and guiding small teams through missions where precision and trust were essential.
At The HeartSpace Collective, Cherise’s roles as a Soldier, wife, and mother define her commitment, where strength is met with compassion and every woman warrior is given space to be both brave and whole. She brings intentional leadership and a commitment to ensuring no woman warrior is ever left behind.