Meet your V A-Team!
Penny Martinez
Manager of Veterans & Military Affiliated Students
Penny joined the Army Reserves at the tender age of 17, before graduating high school. While attending Eastern Washington University, she decided to go active duty. Penny spent nearly 25 years in the United States Army, retiring in 2010. Highlights from her career include Criminal Investigations Command-Europe, United States Disciplinary Barracks, deployment to Iraq and 10 years at Fort Hood. As a veteran, she serves as a Volunteer Service Officer, American Legion District Officer, and is a member of the Whitman County Veteran’s Advisory Board. Penny graduated in 2020 with a BS in Organizational Science and Communications. Penny joined the WSU staff in August 2019.
Jadon Hawkins
School Certifying Official (SCO)
Jadon grew up in southeastern Utah, where he combined his passion for mechanical engineering and business, launching a yard and farm maintenance business. He joined the Army National Guard in 1996, later transitioning to active duty in 2002 and serving in Germany with two deployments over three years. After leaving active duty in 2005 he spent 10 years in Alaska, joining the Alaska National Guard and further developing his business interests by being integrally involved in the growth of startup companies. In 2019, he moved to Vancouver, WA, and pursued a BA in Business Administration at WSU Vancouver, graduating in 2024. Since 2020, he has worked in the VMAS sector, starting as a Work-Study Student and now holding a full-time remote position for Pullman Campus. Jadon lives on a 4-acre homestead in Washougal, WA, with his wife and two college-age daughters, spending his free time with family, animals, and developing farm-focused business ventures.
Matthew Bowers
Veterans' Affairs Coordinator
As a financial advisor and National Guard officer, Matthew understands how important accessing education benefits is to current service members, veterans, and their families. He brings experience both in and out of uniform to this position and is excited to serve the military community at WSU as our newest SCO – Veterans’ Affairs Coordinator. He grew up in Meridian, ID along with his two older brothers. He attended Seattle Pacific University on an ROTC scholarship and studied Business Finance. He came to Pullman to support his fiancé who is completing a PhD in accounting here at WSU. Outside of work, you can find Matthew practicing archery, playing pickleball, and watching Kraken games with Morgan.