WVAC Members

Annie Emprima-Martin served from Feb 2008 to Feb 2017 in the Nevada Army National Guard. At the time of her deployment in 2016, she served as finance operations for the 17th Sustainment Brigade. Her duties during the deployment included conducting audits on U.S. and foreign currency throughout the battlefield, and traveled to cities in Jordan, Iraq and Qatar during the deployment.

She brings to the advisory committee her local event planning experience and veteran community involvement starting with her time spent as the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program non-commissioned officer (NCO) and Employment Coordinator for the Nevada Army National Guard to owning her own career progression company, Veteran Ready. She also served as a Department of Defense contractor, building up and branding the Hero2Hired program for Nevada to more than 1,000 veterans, as well as serving as the first Veteran Coordinator for Vegas PBS. She understands the direct correlation between suicide and purpose.

Annie currently owns One Emprima, a coaching and training company for spiritual growth and healing, with clients all over the world. She is a speaker, trainer, and coach. She holds a doctorate degree in metaphysics, masters background in positive psychology, bachelor’s degree in business administration. She studies and researches the impact of energy in the form of emotions on mind, body, business, and life through the lens of positive psychology, neuroscience, religious and spiritual belief systems, and cultural. Mindset and wellbeing are a top priority for her.

Ms. Emprima-Martin is an angel investor, supporting Nevada based businesses through AngelNV, and also writes about her experiences from the military to metaphysics in her blog series, “The View From My -Ships: Stories about leadership, friendship, personal relationships, business partnerships, personal ownership, the money-ship and a sneak peek into my world on the metaphysical mothership.”

Annie understands the struggles women veterans face. She returned from deployment with visible and invisible wounds. The women that left was not the same women that returned. She ow uses her position to help influence change in the military culture to better support Nevada women in the Guard/Reserve and women veterans from all eras, with emphasis on the incoming generation of women veterans.

Marlene Merck graduated from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1987.  She attended the local community college for two years before joining the Air Force in April 1989.

Her job in the Air Force was Service Specialist (food, fitness, and lodging). In the 24 years of service, she worked in all areas of the job to include training manager and extra duty as intern First Sergeant. In her time in the Air Force she was stationed at 4 different bases and deployed to 7 different countries.  

Marlene received her Associate in Hospitality Lodging/Food Service/Fitness and a Bachelor in Business Management.   

After retirement, she joined the civilian work force in the food industry.  She had a difficult time letting go of her military life and decided that it was time to become a full time mom. She officially retired from the work force.  She is currently working for the Elko School district as a lunch monitor at the middle school (just to give her something to do)

Two years after retiring she joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars.  Within 6 months of joining she was elected in as Senior Vice Commander.  A month later stepped up as Post Commander, the first female post commander since the post opened its doors.  Since then she has held all positions and continue to be active with all the veteran organizations in Elko.  She recently started tutoring and counseling troubled 7-8th graders; teaching them coping skills to deal with the changes school and society.

Five things believe in-

— Use the lessons life throw at you to help others. 

— Honesty is the best policy.  Truth is easier to remember than lies.

— Its okay to say “No"

— Treat people how you want to be treated. Don't hold double standards.

— Accountability does breed excellence