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Lori Milkeris

Biography

Lori Milkeris is a proud United States Air Force veteran, continuing a family legacy of service shared by her parents and brother. She enlisted in 1994, serving four years on Active Duty as an F-16 Crew Chief before completing an additional four years in the Air Force Reserves as a Mental Health Technician. In 2005, she made Florida her home.

Dedicated to supporting others, Lori earned an Associate’s Degree in Small Business from Pensacola State College, followed by both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of West Florida (UWF). Her journey with UWF began in 2012 as a VA Work Study student. After graduation, she became one of the nation’s first veteran counselors embedded within a campus resource center.

Lori went on to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and launched the university’s Mentoring Program in November 2015—an initiative supported by a quarter-million-dollar annual state grant. She was promoted to Assistant Director in August 2018 and then to Director just three months later, a role she continues to proudly serve in today.

In addition to her leadership at UWF, Lori has served as an adjunct professor teaching Social Work in the Military at the graduate level. She was honored as the 2020 Social Worker of the Year for her region.

She remains deeply engaged in community advocacy and veteran support, serving in multiple leadership and advisory roles. Lori is:

  • Chair of the EscaRosa Suicide Prevention Coalition
  • Co-Chair of the Pensacola Veterans Support Organization Network (PVSON)—a quarterly gathering that strengthens collaboration among local veteran-serving organizations
  • An interim board member for 90Works
  • A member of the Mental Health Task Force
  • A member of the EscaRosa Financial Stability Coalition

Through each role, Lori continues her commitment to strengthening resources, improving mental health outcomes, and ensuring veterans and their families receive the support they deserve.