Department of VA, Biden Harris Administration
Woman of the Year
Zaneta Adams, JD served as Director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from June 2019 to December 2022. She was the first woman veteran in Michigan to be appointed to a governor’s cabinet and the first cabinet member from Muskegon. Zaneta is humbled to have recently been appointed by the Biden-Harris administration to the role of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Intergovernmental Affairs for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Zaneta served eight years in the Army and was medically discharged with honor. She practiced law in Muskegon and assisted many veterans nationwide with VA appeals. Zaneta also serves on many nonprofit boards and was recently an appointed member of the VA’s Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention Workgroup.
In 2021, Zaneta was named a Women Veteran Trailblazer by the VA’s Center for Women Veterans. She recently told her story for a VA’s Million Veteran Program documentary, which was submitted for a regional Emmy. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Columbia College and a juris doctorate from Western Michigan Cooley Law School, where she teaches veterans’ law.
Zaneta says, “There was a point in my life where I wanted to end my journey because I felt as though I was a burden on my family because of my disability. The fact that I made it through those moments to finish college, graduate law school, pass the bar, start a non-profit organization, and be selected by the Governor to run veteran affairs, is truly humbling. I never imagined I would find purpose in this way, yet because of my struggles, I was able to accomplish this. And by the grace of God, I am not done yet.”
Zaneta Adams, JD
- Details
- Category: Brilliance Awards Finalists 2023
From this issue
Kathleen B. Vogelsang, CFA, is a true believer in remembering where you come from. A first-generation college graduate and non-traditional student, she earned her MBA and CFA designation while raising three children and working full-time. “I started out from very humble beginnings, nothing came easy,” Vogelsang said. “I was the first one in my family to go to college and paid my own way through, starting with community college. I don't ever want to lose sight of who I am; I'm still just humble little me—no matter how many awards I get. [What matters] is who I am … someone who’s trying to do the right thing and be a good person.”
Shelley Irwin is the Host and Producer for The Shelley Irwin Show, a newsmagazine talk-show on the local NPR WGVU affiliate Monday through Friday. She also hosts several public affairs TV programs and is award-winning in her profession and beyond. Irwin also gives generously of her time, volunteering with various community organizations. In addition, she’s represented the U.S. in Long Distance Triathlon and Duathlon World Championships. Irwin is the fourth recipient of the West Michigan Woman Legacy of Brilliance Award, an honor created as part of the annual Brilliance Awards, which recognizes a woman who for years has given of herself, personally and professionally, to better the lives of those around her. We caught up with Irwin to get her perspective on her work and what advice she has for others.
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