MEET THE TEAM

 

LOUISE WAYHAM
Founder
Louise Wayham, the British wife of a U.S. soldier currently stationed in Germany, has lived, worked and studied on four continents. Certified by the Chartered Institute of Marketing in London, Louise started her career in the fast-paced advertising department of The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia; worked as Marketing Director for a nationwide chain of health clubs in England; served as a member of the Steering Committee for a major international film festival, for which she organized A-list networking receptions in Dubai, Toronto, Venice and Cannes; and as Director of Sponsorships and Marketing for a major global executive conferences group. She is mother to two young children, Jasmine Mackenzie and Ralston Bodhi, with her third child due in January 2011.


JOY AWE
Editor - Travel and Lifestyle
Joy Awe is a military spouse from Houston, Texas currently living in Grafenwoehr, Germany. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in marketing in 2007 and will receive a master's degree from University of Oklahoma later this year. Joy and her husband, Michael, enjoy traveling Europe every month on their four-day weekends. In her spare time, Joy likes to read, try out new recipes, plan future travels, work on her novel, and play with her two Maltese, Ralphie and The Dude.


JASMIN BECKMAN
Relationships & Business Development
Jasmin Beckman has been a part of the Military Concierge team since the very beginning. A qualified pediatrics nurse and a military spouse who has lived in Fort Benning, Fort Leonard Wood, and Grafenwoehr, Jasmin is mother to three children, Christopher, Jayden and Hailey. She manages business partner relationships in Germany and other parts of Europe, and also assists with marketing, publicity and concierge assistance.


CASEY CLARK
Contributor - Travel & Lifestyle
Casey Clark graduated with a bachelor's degree in education from Sam Houston State University and became a military wife just one month later. After a 3-year tour in Germany, she now lives with her husband, Jordan, in Turkey. Casey loves living overseas and has visited more than 20 countries in the last few years. While most of her time is taken up with graduate courses, in her spare time Casey enjoys shopping, organizing, taking and teaching Zumba, and reading.


ELIZABETH GEORGE
Contributor & Sponsorships Coordinator
Elizabeth Rae George is a military spouse currently living in Germany. Originally from Miami, Florida, Elizabeth attended the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, where she studied Psychology and Communication. She also graduated with a Master of Arts in Advertising from the renowned "AdGrad" program at the University of Texas at Austin. Her graduate research included Health Communication and Non-Profit Audiences. Elizabeth has held marketing and public relations positions in the private, non-profit, and government sectors; most recently, she worked in Public Affairs at the NASA Johnson Space Center, coordinating community outreach programs across the nation, managing internal center events, and developing social media strategy. Elizabeth is an avid reader and travel enthusiast; she and her husband enjoy traveling by train with their dog Monica, scuba diving, and exploring Europe's many adventures.


MARY HILL
Contributor & Spouse Ambassador
Mary Hill is originally from Western NY and Germany is her and her husband's first duty station! Mary is a stay at home mom to an adorable year old son, and in her free time she likes to read, craft and cook. Mary is a contributor of reviews and recommendations for the Schweinfurt area.


SARA MARSHALL
Contributor & Spouse Ambassador
Sara Marshall, a Dallas native, received a communications degree from Texas A&M University. She has spent the last 5 years in dental industry management in Dallas, Texas.  For the past two years, Sara has been a military spouse and has more recently become a “mom” to her maltichon puppy named Sherman. Sara lives for taking vacations with her husband, spending time with her family and giving unsolicited opinions to her friends.  She is looking forward to settling into her new community in Vicenza, Italy and making her new apartamento a home.


CIERRAH MCIVER
Contributor & Spouse Ambassador
Cierrah McIver has been stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany for almost two years, and she's had a great time getting to know Germany along the way! She enjoys cooking, watching movies and just enjoying the outdoors. When she isn't exploring, she's in class studying for her undergrad in Healthcare Administration, with a minor in creative writing.


SHELBY VAN-VORIS SCHOENBORN
Contributor & Spouse Ambassador
Shelby Van Voris-Schoenborn has been an Army Spouse since 2004. Since graduation from Kenyon College in 1999 she has worked as a consultant for a variety of federal agencies including the Army, the Smithsonian, the FAA, and at the Pentagon. Shelby has specialized in Environmental Policy and Public Health for the past 11 years.  She obtained a Master of Public Health in 2006 and worked for the state of Georgia. Currently, Shelby is a stay-at-home mom to Chloe, 21 months old. Shelby's travels are vast, including Europe, Asia, Australia, North & South America. She speaks fluent French.


JENNIFER SHUMATE
Relationships & Business Development 
Jennifer Shumate is a native of Athens, Tennessee. She became an Army wife after marrying her husband, Raymond, in 2003. Jennifer is a mother to two, handsome boys, Jake and Luke, whom she has enjoyed the privilege of staying home with for the past several  years.  The army life has given Jennifer and her family the opportunity live in Germany for nearly six years as well as over a year in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. Jennifer has great passion for extending support and assistance to other families of the United States military. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys gardening, crafts, finding a good sale rack and delicious wine with special friends.  


KRISTEN VANDENDRIESSCHE
Contributor - Travel, Lifestyle & Retail Therapy
Kristen Vandendriessche, a graduate of George Washington University and the London School of Economics, hails from New York and is relatively new to Army Life; she currently lives in Germany with her husband and their four-month-old son. Previously, Kristen was a Senior Business Analyst for Polo Ralph Lauren in New York and a Diplomatic Tax Analyst for the U.S. Department of State. She joins The Military Concierge Company as a feature writer and contributor, applying her inside knowledge of retail and fashion to our shopping and lifestyle guides.