The Executive Search Firm for Veteran Leadership

Tim Hsia is a distinguished honor graduate of West Point and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the US Army. Tim deployed twice to Iraq: he served as an infantry platoon leader in combat with 1-24 Infantry, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Mosul, Iraq. As an executive officer with 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment (3/2 SCR) he helped the unit move from Ft. Lewis, WA to Vilseck, Germany. He then served as a logistics officer for 3/2 SCR during its fourteen month deployment in support of the surge in Iraq and earned a Bronze Star.

Tim transitioned from active duty in 2010 and graduated from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and Stanford Law School in 2014. While at Stanford he taught ROTC to cadets at Stanford and Santa Clara University.

Tim is the Co-Founder and Board Member of The Military Veteran, an Executive Search Firm focused on veteran placements.

Tim is the founder and Managing Partner of Context Ventures, a venture fund that invests in military veteran founders and also in consumer startups. Tim’s startup investments prior to Context Ventures include Workflow (acquired by Apple), Morning Brew (acquired by Business Insider), The Hustle (acquired by HubSpot), Thredup (IPO), Proterra (SPAC), Bright Cellars, FabFitFun, Verb Energy, Lime (scooter), and Secureframe.

Tim is a board member at Service to School  and the Marine’s Memorial Foundation (Marine Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco). He is also a Pat Tillman Foundation Scholar.Tim is a published writer in the Infantry Magazine, Small Wars Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times (two op-eds and first military writer for the New York Times At War blog).

Tim is based in San Francisco. He enjoys running, reading, and spending time with his sons.

Brendan Aronson is a co-founder and board member of The Military Veteran. He currently invests in national security as founding Managing Partner of Valhalla Group. Brendan attended the US Naval Academy for his undergraduate degree and served for six years as an infantry officer in the US Marine Corps. As a Marine, he completed deployments to Asia and Iraq. He worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, and completed an MBA from The Wharton School of Business in 2020. He is a serial entrepreneur who has helped thousands of veterans transition out of the military into higher education and meaningful careers.

Jim Lose served as a Marine Corps Intelligence Officer for eight years, completing deployments across the Middle East, the Balkans, and the Asia-Pacific region. He was recalled for an additional year of active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom.

For over two decades, Jim has been a dedicated leader in the military placement industry, guiding nearly 3,000 veterans into successful civilian careers. His deep understanding of the career aspirations and challenges faced by veterans, combined with his commitment to building strong relationships with corporate clients sets him apart. Whether working with Fortune 500 companies or PE/VC-backed firms, Jim employs a consultative, white-glove approach to make meaningful connections and drive successful outcomes.

When he’s not at work, Jim loves nothing more than charging through the powdery mountains of the Western US with his wife and three daughters. He also loves baking craft pizzas on Friday nights and daily morning walks by the Potomac River with his bullmastiff and near constant companion, Ruby.

T’fani Hixon is the Director, Executive Search at The Military Veteran, where she leads senior-level searches connecting exceptional veteran leaders with PE and VC-backed companies nationwide. She brings more than 15 years of executive search experience, having advised both Fortune 500 organizations and high-growth startups on building high-impact leadership and go-to-market teams. Before joining TMV, T’fani honed her craft at Korn Ferry, partnering with C-suite stakeholders to identify, assess, and place world-class talent in mission-critical roles. Her work is defined by a rigorous search process, a consultative approach with clients, and a deep commitment to long-term leadership success. A proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, T’fani combines domain expertise with empathy and a genuine passion for serving the veteran community. At TMV, she is focused on expanding leadership opportunities for veteran executives and advancing our mission to place values-driven, mission-focused leaders into director-level and above roles across the country.

Christina Womack serves as Chief of Staff at The Military Veteran, where she drives operations and marketing to keep everything running smoothly amid fast-paced demands. She joined TMV as Executive Assistant in June 2024, quickly advanced to Operations Manager from April 2025 to January 2026, and now leads with distinction in her current role. Before TMV, she worked in sales and marketing at Emerge Capital Management, an investment distribution firm, and volunteered her advisory support for the Soldier & Family Readiness Group in Italy. A graduate of State University of New York College at Buffalo, she shines in operations, sales, marketing, and customer care. As a devoted mom of three, she keeps life balanced with daily walks, spin classes, family travel adventures, and trying out new foods whenever she can.

Doug Poldrugo has been serving the Nation for 30+ years, as a Marine Corps Non Commissioned Officer, Small Business Founder/CEO/BD Leader/Recruiter. Doug was formerly the Founder of Talentscale/Kinetic Technical Services, Inc, which deployed over 4,000 Veterans supporting mission critical aircraft/engineering/logistics programs for the DoW Aerospace & Defense Communities. Doug’s career has been dedicated to Veteran-Centric Talent Acquisition for Aerospace & Defense, DoD Capture, Recruitment & Business Development.

Doug was formerly a United State Marine Corps Non-Commissioned Officer and Platoon Sergeant with Charlie Company, 1st Tank Battalion and a 4^th generation United States Marine.

Prior to founding his first Small Businesses Talentscale, Inc and Kinetic Technical Services, he had 12 years of Private sector experience in Talent Acquisition with privately held staffing firm, Aerotek. He served as a Recruiter, Business Development Leader and Director of Branch Operations (DBO) in San Diego, CA.

Doug is the father of 3 sons Tim, Joshua and Brett. He has been married to his wife of 33 years Pam and currently resides in the FL Panhandle. He is an avid reader, golfer and manic Los Angeles Dodgers fan.

Nick Lodestro is a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and board member with a proven record of building and scaling high-performance organizations. He co-founded and led one of the fastest-growing veterinary service platforms in the United States, creating a culture centered on respect, accountability, and excellence.

A decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps, Nick earned the Purple Heart and awards for valor. He brings a disciplined, strategic, and people-focused approach to everything he takes on. His leadership style is grounded in integrity, teamwork, and a commitment to helping others reach their potential.

Nick currently serves as a Board Advisor and Performance Coach for The Military Veteran, where he helps leaders grow, perform at their best, and navigate meaningful career transitions. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children.