Robyn Grable is the Founder and CEO of Veterans ASCEND and Ability ASCEND, which she created to help employers invest in a talent acquisition strategy that is an intentional model of inclusivity for military talent and talented people with disabilities.
Her unwavering commitment to inclusive employment is well-served by her corporate and military experience, including more than 30 years of private sector human resources after nine years of service in the U.S. Navy. Her ongoing study of America’s workforce have made her a leading voice on advocacy, removing barriers and providing connections to successful employment for our underserved talent pools.
In the private sector she focused primarily on workforce management, human capital planning, recruitment, process and procedure evaluation, strategic alignment and relationship management. She created skills assessment programs at blue chip companies McDonald’s Corporation and McGraw-Hill and during her tenure as a Strategic Client Partner at ADP, a leading human capital management firm, Robyn successfully managed and grew the largest client portfolio of Fortune 100 companies.
Robyn enlisted in the United States Navy immediately after high school in 1979, serving for nine years at the height of the Cold War. She received a Meritorious Unit Commendation while deployed to Keflavik, Iceland and the Navy Achievement Medal while stationed at the U.S. Command Center for the Pacific Fleet Pearl Harbor. For dedication to her profession and civilian community service, Robyn was awarded the Navy League Award.
A native of Richmond, Indiana, Robyn holds a master’s in psychology focused on Leadership Coaching. Her capstone project during her graduate studies emphasized coaching military veterans during their transition back to the civilian workforce. Committed to giving back, Robyn has volunteered for American Red Cross, The MS Society, United Way, March of Dimes, Upstate Warrior Solution, IVMF Mentor Program, STRIVE Mentor, Veterans Treatment Court and Vantage Point Foundation. She is a member of SHRM and advises the Workforce Readiness Council of the Greenville SHRM chapter. Robyn also serves on the SCDVA Employment committee and the Workforce Council with the Skilled Trades Alliance. She regularly speaks as a Workforce subject matter expert.
Today she is focused entirely on ensuring veterans, military spouses and people who happen to have a disability are recognized for their skills, valued for their talent and that America’s employers realize the full value of great talent in the workforce to truly ascend.