After nine years of military service, Robyn Grable faced a harsh reality many Veterans know too well: Her hard-earned skills weren’t immediately recognized in the civilian job market. Told to “start at the bottom,” she spent years rebuilding her career. That experience fueled her determination to ensure others wouldn’t face the same struggle.
In 2018, she founded Veterans ASCEND in South Carolina, launching it as a community-driven initiative to support Veterans transitioning into civilian roles. With a team made up entirely of Veterans and military spouses, the organization quickly became a trusted resource for those navigating the shift to civilian careers.
As Grable’s vision grew to include military spouses, people with diverse abilities, justice-impacted individuals, and small business founders facing unique challenges, the organization evolved to Talents ASCEND in 2022. At that time, The ASCEND Collective was formed to address these unique groups as part of the 501c(3) — all dedicated to advocating for underserved talent and breaking down barriers rooted in bias.
The ASCEND Collective’s mission is clear: to remove outdated hiring practices that rely on resumes and traditional applications, often hotbeds for discrimination, and instead lead the way in skills-first hiring. Their innovative approach centers on valuing what individuals can do—not just where they’ve been or what titles they held.
At the heart of their work is CATE®—the Career AI Talent Equalizer—a proprietary skills translation and matching engine that levels the playing field by focusing on capabilities over credentials. Complementing this is the Northern Compass Academy, a virtual career readiness hub offering free, tailored online courses and coaching designed to empower Veterans, military spouses, diversely abled individuals, justice-impacted candidates, and small business founders along their unique career journeys.
Robyn and her team provide more than free, virtual tools—they build a collective voice for opportunity. Their resources include career coaches, advocates, employer education, and partnerships with organizations like the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program, ECPI University, and the L-EAF Lab, which innovates learning experiences through real-world skill-building and digital portfolios.
“The ASCEND Collective doesn’t just see potential—we invest in it,” Grable said. “Everyone deserves employment that values them as a person, appreciates their skills, and offers a path to success. Our differences are what make us stronger.”
As a DOD/DOL Employment Navigator and Military Spouse Employment partner with a five-star rating on Vets Indexes, The ASCEND Collective is poised to transform how organizations discover and support talent, while empowering candidates to thrive—without bias or barriers.
Join The ASCEND Collective in breaking down barriers and investing in underserved talent. Whether you’re a Veteran, military spouse, or supporter, you can access career resources, volunteer as a coach, or help expand opportunities. Discover how you can make a difference at theascendcollective.org
