Dr. Tammy M. Foster-Knight, Air Force Major (ret) Combat Veteran

Dr. Tammy M. Foster-Knight is a retired United States Air Force Major, organizational psychologist, and leadership practitioner with more than four decades of combined experience in military service, academia, and executive leadership. She honorably served 23 years, 10 months, and 21 days on active duty as both a noncommissioned and commissioned officer, including a seven-month deployment to Iraq in support of overseas operations.

As the founder of She VET, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, she is dedicated to empowering women veterans through advocacy, education, and healing-centered leadership development. Through She VET, she brings together the collective strength of women veterans to help one another move on, move upward, and move forward.

As a former Chief of Military Equal Opportunity, Dr. Foster-Knight worked on the front lines of discrimination and sexual trauma cases, advising senior leaders and helping shape command climates grounded in fairness, accountability, and professionalism. Her advanced training at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) strengthened her ability to identify systemic patterns, confront injustice, and lead with clarity, integrity, and compassion. Her work has consistently centered on improving organizational culture and advancing ethical leadership.

Her scholarly research focuses on leadership, trauma, and institutional response. Her dissertation, Military Sexual Trauma: Women Veterans Diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a Result of Sexual Trauma While Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and Their Decisions Not to Report, examined the systemic barriers that hinder reporting and recovery. Leadership, accountability, and ethical responsibility remain central themes across her work.

Dr. Foster-Knight is currently completing her forthcoming book, When the Enemy Wears the Same Uniform: Women, War, & Betrayal, scheduled for release on March 1, 2026.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of South Florida, a Master of Arts in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Arts in Organization and Management (Leadership) from Capella University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

In addition to her advocacy work, Dr. Foster-Knight is an adjunct professor, course author, and subject matter expert in leadership and organizational development. She also serves as an editor for SAGE Publishing, contributing to the advancement of adult learning and leadership scholarship.

Originally from Tampa, Florida, Dr. Foster-Knight is a proud mother and grandmother. She believes deeply in the power of voice, community, and legacy—and in the idea that meaningful change begins when people are courageous enough to speak the truth about what they have lived.