VVOSA stands for the VAW/VRC Officers’ Spouses’ Association which consists of an Executive Board (President, Vice President Merit Scholarships, Vice President of Fundraising, Treasurer, Secretary, and West Coast Representative) and our Board of Directors, the CO/XO spouses from each operational VAW and VRC squadron and three at large members.
Julie Swanson, a native of Scituate, Massachusetts, joined VVOSA as Secretary in 2016 and became President in 2017. She has previously served as secretary and advisor for various Officer Spouse groups in the VAW community. In addition to volunteering in the VAW/VRC community, Julie also volunteers with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, is an active member of the PTA and serves on the board of directors of the Mallory Country Club. She has been a proud Navy Spouse for 16 years and resides with her husband, an E-2 Pilot who is currently the OIC of the LSO School. She and her husband have three daughters.
Arlene Ventimiglia, a Massachusetts native, joined VVOSA’s Board of Directors as the VP of Fundraising in 2016. She has previously served as president, vice president, and advisor for various officer spouse and family readiness groups across the fleet. In addition to her volunteerism, Arlene is currently utlizing her Master’s of Education degree as an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston. She and her husband, E-2 pilot and PXO of USS Ronald Reagan, have two sons. They reside in Charleston, S.C.
Kara Browning, a native of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, joined VVOSA as the Vice President Merit Scholarship in 2016. She has previously participated in various squadron spouse’s clubs and enjoys the close friendships she has made within the aviation community. In her professional career, she worked in Washington, DC in the political fundraising arena. Upon relocating to Norfolk, VA she transitioned to non-profit fundraising. Currently she is a Director with Beautycounter. She has been a proud Navy spouse for 10 years and resides with her husband, an E-2 NFO who is currently stationed at the Pentagon, on the Joint Staff. She and her husband have two young daughters.
Laurel Sonntag was born in Asheville NC. Her husband is in VAW 116 and she is the president of the OSC at 116. Professionally, she is a Pediatric nurse and owns a photography business on the side. They have 3 kiddos and are currently stationed in Point Mugu, CA.
Jennifer Coleman, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, joined VVOSA as the secretary in 2018. She has previously served as secretary, treasurer, and advisor for various officer spouse groups in the VAW community. In her professional career, she has worked in the mortgage industry for the past 17 years. She has been a proud Navy spouse for 18 years and currently resides with her husband, an E-2 NFO and VAW Commanding Officer, and son in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Lisa Howell was born and raised outside of Boston Massachusetts. She received a B.S. in Business Administration from Merrimack College. She has previously worked for Putnam Investments, Bank of America, and the American Cancer Society. She is presently a teacher. She has served as President, Vice President, and Treasurer for the Officer Spouses Groups of VAW-113, 120, 126, and 121.
She is married to an E-2 pilot. They have two children and reside in Chesapeake, Virginia.
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Combined Federal Campaign #35747
Tax I.D. Number 54-1673670
The VAW / VRC Memorial Scholarship Fund is a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
