Brief Biographical Sketch:

Genevieve Chase is a decorated United States Army Reserve Senior Enlisted Soldier, intelligence professional, and veterans advocate. Over her 22-year career as a counterintelligence agent, Chase completed multiple overseas tours, including two deployments to Afghanistan, earning the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Joint Service Commendation Medal. Wounded in a suicide bombing during her first deployment, Chase’s experiences inspired her to dedicate herself to veterans' advocacy.

In 2009, she founded American Women Veterans, a pioneering organization whose mission was to raise awareness of women in military service. She championed healthcare for women veterans, advanced appropriations for the VA healthcare budget, and supported the abolishment of the combat exclusion policy while serving as a “straight ally” advocating for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell for her fellow LGBTQ servicemembers. Chase has testified twice before Congress and is a sought-after speaker on her experiences as a woman in Afghanistan in the early years of war, resilience, veterans’ issues, and the challenges of reintegration after military service.

Chase’s achievements include induction into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame, recognition as a Points of Light honoree, and selection as a L’Oréal Paris Woman of Worth, Tillman Scholar, and Yale Law School Launchpad Scholar. She is a junior in Berkeley College and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Yale through the Eli Whitney Students Program, with aspirations of attending law school to continue her work in public service. A passionate advocate, Chase also volunteers as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) in Connecticut, supporting vulnerable children navigating the judicial system.

Past Classes