Washington State Military Community Engagement Liaison Olivia Burley Selected for George W. Bush Institute’s Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program
OLYMPIA - Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) is proud to announce that Olivia Burley, Washington State’s Military Community Engagement Liaison, was selected to participate in the George W. Bush Institute’s Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program. Burley has spent the past five months engaging with national leaders across sectors to strengthen her capacity to advocate for military families and Veterans in Washington and beyond.
Burley is the nation’s first state-level Military Spouse Liaison, a position she initiated in 2021 along with the Washington State Military Spouse Initiative. In this groundbreaking role, she focuses on reducing employment and economic barriers for the military spouse community and ensuring spouses are connected to vital resources. She serves as a champion for military families by advising policymakers and legislators, leading statewide and multistate collaborations on employment, childcare, and license/credential portability, and conducting policy research and analysis.
“Her participation in the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program reflects the innovation and dedication she brings to her role every day,” said WDVA Director David Puente Jr. “Olivia’s work not only strengthens the support available to military spouses here in Washington, but also sets a national example for how states can better welcome and empower those who serve alongside our service members.”
In 2023, Burley authored a first-in-the-nation report on childcare for military families through a collaborative workgroup composed of federal, state, and local partners. She frequently speaks on military and Veteran family quality-of-life issues and provides training on Military Spouse Cultural Competency. With 24 years as a military spouse and as the daughter of dual-military parents, Burley brings lived experience and deep dedication to her work.
As part of the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program, Burley has advanced the Washington State Ready to Welcome initiative—an expansion of the Military Spouse Initiative. The project includes a Welcome to Washington guide for incoming military families, new training for partners who engage with military communities, and replicable tools such as a blueprint for establishing a Military Family Liaison position in other states. “I’m honored to be a part of the Bush Institute’s Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program. The leadership skill development and engagement with the Bush Institute team, fellow cohort leaders, and program alumni will impact our work advocating for military and Veteran families in Washington and across the country,” said Olivia Burley.
2026 Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program participants. Olivia Burley is featured second from the left in top row. Group photo courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Center
View more photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/georgewbushcenter/albums/
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