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Our vision is a future where every veteran transitions with purpose and opportunity

Enabling veterans to continue living a life of significance after service

FourBlock addresses a national challenge with a systems-level solution. We connect employers, industries, and communities with a generation of high-potential veteran talent. At the same time, we support veterans through the personal journey of transition, helping them rediscover purpose, confidence, and a sense of community as they move into civilian life. FourBlock’s mission is to support military veterans in building meaningful careers.
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Recognized Excellence in Veteran Support
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Our Mission

Founded in 2009 by Marine veteran Mike Abrams, FourBlock began as a grassroots effort to help veterans successfully transition to meaningful civilian careers.

Today, it’s a national nonprofit serving more than 15,000 transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses through its Career Readiness Programs, employer partnerships, and alumni network of over 7000 graduates. FourBlock’s impact extends beyond employment, creating more than $500 million in economic value through increased wages and career advancement in the military-connected community. What started as a single cohort in New York has evolved into a nationwide movement, helping veterans and spouses build purpose-driven civilian careers.

Meet our Leadership Team
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Our Vision

We work for a future where every veteran and military spouse transitions from service with clarity, confidence, secure in their economic stability, connected to a supportive community, and positioned for sustained career growth. In this future, military service is not a barrier to prosperity, but a foundation for leadership across industries, strengthening families, employers, and communities nationwide. FourBlock’s work is grounded in the belief that economic stability is a cornerstone of thriving communities and that access to meaningful careers is essential to long-term success. Our values guide how we serve veterans and partners alike.

See our Impact in Action
Transparency & Accountability

Impact You Can Trust. Results You Can See.

A nonprofit and social impact enterprise delivering meaningful career outcomes for veterans. 

FourBlock pairs data with humanity—combining rigorous measurement with a deeply human commitment to helping veterans translate their service into meaningful careers and long-term economic mobility. 

 

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Impact Genome Verified Program Effectiveness. FourBlock’s programs have been independently evaluated and rated 97% effective by Impact Genome, confirming measurable employment outcomes and long-term economic mobility for veterans and military spouses.

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of Funding directly funds Programs for Impact. The majority of FourBlock’s funding goes directly to program delivery, supporting career readiness instruction, coaching, employer engagement, and alumni support for veterans and military spouses.

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FourBlock has been recognized as one of The NonProfit Times' Best Nonprofits to Work for for 5 years in a row, reflecting our strong impact and a shared mission-driven culture.

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Foundation Board of Directors

FourBlock’s Board of Directors provides strategic guidance and governance, ensuring the organization continues to grow responsibly and deliver measurable impact.

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General Charles Krulak

1st Commandant, USMC (ret.), Honorary Chairman, Honorary Chairman

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Michael Abrams

Founder, Chairman Emeritus

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Darren Sumter

Chair

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Tony Verduci

Vice Chair

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Kevin Gallagher

Treasurer

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Richard Stehl

Secretary

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Chris Pink

Director

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Jo Ann Ross

Director

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Chris Thompson

Director

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Peter Sinensky

Director

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Bill Murray

Director

Meet Our Leadership Team

Leadership That Drives Results

Experienced Leadership. Mission-Driven Team.

FourBlock is led by a team of veterans, nonprofit leaders, and workforce innovators committed to expanding economic mobility for the military community.

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Mike Abrams

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, USMC

Mike Abrams founded FourBlock to close the civilian–military divide and ensure veterans translate their service into meaningful careers. A combat veteran and former corporate executive, Mike built FourBlock from a classroom-based pilot into a nationally recognized career transition ecosystem serving veterans and military spouses across the country. Under his leadership, FourBlock has developed an employer-embedded model grounded inrelationships, accountability, and measurable outcomes. Mike continues to guide the organization’s strategic vision, advancing a scalable platform that connects service to purpose, and purpose to long-term economic mobility.

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Karin Childress-Wiley

Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, Military Spouse

Karin Childress-Wiley leads FourBlock’s national growth strategy, revenue diversification, marketing, communications, and innovation initiatives. She oversees corporate partnerships, foundation strategy, earned revenue models, and digital transformation efforts that position FourBlock as a scalable, humanity + data-driven platform for veteran career mobility. Her leadership integrates ecosystem-building across employers, universities, and community partners, advancing a unified strategy that transforms transition into long-term economic mobility and sustained workforce impact.

Gary Guzman

Gary Guzman

Chief Engagement Officer, USAF veteran

Gary Guzman leads FourBlock’s national community engagement strategy, stewarding alumni chapters, volunteer leadership, and the organization’s continuous cycle of service. He activates local ecosystems through alumni, employers and partners across markets — strengthening belonging, mentorship, and long-term professional connections beyond the first job connection. His leadership ensures FourBlock is not simply a transition program, but a lifelong professional community where veterans return, serve, and lift one another forward through the cycle of service.

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EJ O Brien

Chief Programs & Impact Officer, USAF veteran

EJ O'Brien leads national program operations, delivery, and performance measurement across FourBlock’s Career Transition & Readiness Programs. He ensures program fidelity, employer alignment, and measurable employment outcomes across in-person, virtual, on-base, and on-campus models. Overseeing impact evaluation, data integrity, and continuous improvement, EJ strengthens FourBlock’s ability to translate engagement into verified job placement and longitudinal tracking, salary mobility, and long-term career growth, reinforcing the organization’s reputation for results-driven impact.

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Vic Lance

Chief of Staff, USMC veteran

Vic Lance oversees enterprise execution, operational alignment, and cross-functional strategy implementation. He translates strategic vision into disciplined national delivery, ensuring program quality, performance measurement, and organizational scalability. His leadership reinforces internal coordination and performance rigor across FourBlock’s expanding national footprint.

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Andre Aponte

Chief Technology Officer, USAF veteran

Andre Aponte leads FourBlock’s technology and digital innovation strategy, building the AI-enabled tools, data systems, and digital infrastructure that power the modern transition experience. He architects platforms that connect veterans to coaches, employers, and community networks in real time, transforming access into measurable outcomes and ensuring technology strengthens, rather than replaces, human connection.

The Team Delivering Impact

Programs Team

Expert Practitioners. Veteran-Focused Programming.

FourBlock’s Programs Team brings the mission to life—designing and delivering the career readiness experiences that support veterans and military spouses as they transition into meaningful civilian careers. From instructors and program leaders to employer engagement and community partnerships, this team ensures that every cohort, event, and connection reflects FourBlock’s commitment to excellence, preparation, and long-term career mobility.

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Ashley Owens

Vice President of Program Operations, Military Spouse

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Ellis Craig

Vice President of Programs, Northeast, USMC veteran

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Olivia Martinez-Stewart

Vice President of Programs, West & Southwest, Military Spouse

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Monica McNeal

Seattle Program Manager, Gold Star Mother

Building the Ecosystem

Partnerships Team

Industry Partnerships. Employer Pathways. National Impact.

FourBlock’s Partnerships Team works at the intersection of industry, employers, and workforce strategy—building the relationships that power our programs and expand opportunity for veterans and military spouses. Through strategic industry partnerships and corporate engagement, this team connects employers with the talent, leadership, and mission-driven mindset that veterans bring to the workforce, while ensuring our programs remain aligned with real hiring needs across sectors.

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Chuck Bunch

Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, US Army veteran

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Gena Pirtle

Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Military Spouse & Mother

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Michele Williams

Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, Military Ally

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Gemma Filliben

Vice President of Corporate, Military Mother

The Team Behind the Mission

Communications & Operations Team

 Communications. Operations. Finance. People. 

FourBlock’s Communications and Business Operations team ensures the organization runs with clarity, efficiency, and purpose. From brand storytelling and strategic communications to finance, human resources, and operational management, this team provides the infrastructure that supports our programs, partnerships, and national growth. Together, they help translate vision into execution—ensuring the mission is communicated clearly, the organization operates responsibly, and our people and partners are supported every step of the way.

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Carla Coons

Assistant Vice President of Business Operations, Military Ally

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Lisa Wernick

Director of Communications, Military Ally

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Barbara Evanchik

Vice President, People Operations Military Ally

Open Reporting. Responsible Stewardship.

Transparency is fundamental to how FourBlock operates as a nonprofit and social impact enterprise. We are committed to sharing clear information about our finances, governance, and program outcomes so our community can see how resources are invested and impact is delivered. Below you’ll find our annual reports, financial statements, and donor policies—shared as part of our ongoing commitment to accountability and responsible stewardship. 

Invest in Veteran Futures

When you invest in FourBlock, you help veterans build meaningful careers, stronger families, and a more secure future, generating ripple effects that strengthen communities across the country.

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