Rona Jobe Advances Economic Justice for Military Spouses Amidst DEI Rollbacks

Arlington, Va. – February 3, 2025 – As Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives face political and corporate pushback, Founder and CEO of LVL-Up Strategies Rona Jobe is fighting to ensure economic justice for one of the nation’s most overlooked communities—military spouses. With a staggering 22% unemployment rate, these individuals face systemic barriers to employment, exacerbated by frequent relocations and hiring biases. Jobe is leading the charge to create meaningful, flexible job opportunities that empower military families and drive equitable workforce policies.

Jobe’s advocacy took center stage at MSEP ENGAGE 2025, an annual convening of business leaders and Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) members in Crystal City, Virginia. During her panel, “How Small Businesses Can Create Big Impact on MilSpouse Employment,” Jobe outlined key strategies for successfully recruiting, training, and onboarding military spouses into remote roles.

“Economic equity for military spouses isn’t just a workforce issue—it’s a social justice issue,” Jobe stated. “We cannot claim to support military families while failing to provide meaningful employment opportunities for spouses. The key to change is flexible, skills-based work. LVL-Up is comprised of military and foreign service spouses, so we know it is possible. Now we are helping organizations do the same.”

With DEI policies increasingly under fire, Jobe is taking action by helping businesses adopt remote-first employment models that prioritize inclusivity and accessibility. She shared with her audience at MSEP ENGAGE 2025 that small businesses must rethink hiring structures to embrace a more diverse and adaptable workforce.

“Our current systems weren’t designed with military families in mind. That needs to change,” Jobe continued. “By equipping businesses with the tools to effectively hire and support remote military spouse employees, we’re ensuring that inclusion isn’t just a talking point—it’s a reality.”

Jobe’s passion for growth and achievement is rooted in her personal and professional journey. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, she moved to Washington, DC, where she spent 15 years improving policies, programs, and businesses across industries including healthcare, defense, education, technology, social media, and non-profits. Her extensive experience in project management, strategic communications, and operational change led her to consult with hundreds of small business owners, helping some scale from $1 million to $8 million in revenue within four years.

Founding LVL-Up Strategies was deeply personal for Jobe. As part of a Foreign Service family, frequent moves due to her husband’s deployments made it clear that military and foreign service spouses needed better options for progressive, continuous employment. She founded LVL-Up Strategies in 2020, an SBA (8)a woman- and minority-owned consulting firm that provides management consulting, human resources, and strategic communications strategic planning and staff augmentation to companies, nonprofits, and government agencies. The business is fully remote and staffed by military and foreign service spouses who faced the same career dilemma that Rona did, proving that flexible employment can result in business success and serve the social good.

In addition to being an entrepreneur and advocate, Jobe has served on multiple community boards focused on education, technology, and small business. She holds a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University and has been recognized by the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide for her innovation in business services. LVL-Up is a member of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) and participates annually in the Hiring Our Heroes program through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

We invite major media outlets to feature Rona Jobe’s groundbreaking work in reshaping workforce equity for military families. She is available for interviews, and we can provide firsthand accounts from military spouses whose lives have been changed by her initiatives. Contact us at media@lvlupstrategies.com to schedule an exclusive segment on this vital issue.

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About LVL-Up Strategies‍

Founded in 2020, LVL-Up Strategies is an SBA (8)a, minority, woman-owned small business based out of Arlington, Virginia. Specializing in helping small businesses grow to their potential, LVL-Up offers its clients strategic advisory, operations design and implementation, marketing plans and execution, and business development guidance. LVL-Up’s staff consists of military and foreign service spouses who are offered an opportunity to build sustainable careers while serving their country around the world. LVL-Up Strategies takes its staff and clients to their next levels by showing them the how, giving them the who, and supporting their why.

About Spouse Education and Career Opportunities

The U.S. Department of Defense established the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program to provide education and career assistance to military spouses worldwide, offering free comprehensive resources and tools designed to help spouses meet their career and education goals. Resources include free career coaching services, the My Career Advancement Account scholarship for eligible spouses, and the Military Spouse Transition Program, or MySTeP.

About Military Spouse Employment Partnership

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is a Department of Defense (DoD) led initiative that connects military spouses with hundreds of partner employers who have committed to recruit, hire, promote and retain military spouses.