Stephanie S. Paul is an ideal candidate for both the Veteran of the Year®️ and Vetrepreneur®️ of the Year awards because her leadership spans military service, federal emergency management, and proven business execution, all anchored in measurable community impact. A U.S. Army Veteran (Aug 2011–Jul 2017, Honorable Discharge), she served in high-trust operational roles, including managing a $1.5B travel budget supporting 3,000+ Servicemembers as a Brigade Defense Travel System (DTS) Approving Authority, ensuring compliance, auditability, and mission readiness.
Since 2017, she has continued serving the nation through FEMA as an Emergency Management Specialist supporting Public Assistance. She has created 100+ training curricula and 10,000+ instructional materials and leads national-scale training that supports delivery of $50B+ in federal assistance annually. She has also instructed 1,000+ State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) partners and mentored FEMA and SLTT personnel supporting recovery operations across 30+ federally declared disasters.
Her excellence has been recognized through honors including Houston Business Journal “40 Under 40” (2025) and the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Bronze, Silver, Gold) for 500+ volunteer hours supporting a drunk driving prevention program. Her military awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and Expert Marksmanship Qualification with Rifle Bar, among others.
Stephanie is also a licensed REALTOR®️ in Texas and Georgia, and a founder of multiple ventures and a nonprofit. She represents veteran leadership at its best: disciplined, service-driven, and relentlessly focused on outcomes that strengthen communities and elevate others.
