Women of Distinction honoree Nicole Eisenrich on her achievements: ‘I feel like I am just getting started’

Colleague, mentor, friend, partner, caregiver, daughter and sister are just some of the titles that come to mind as Nicole Eisenrich describes herself – and as she goes through the list, she realizes that she often forgets to add veteran.

She’s noticed it’s something many female veterans do – putting their military experience in the past and taking up the titles that describe the latest stage in their lives.

Eisenrich, of Lake in the Hills, said it’s time to change that and help women recall their warrior days.

“At some point, you were a warrior, no matter what the reason was why you joined [the military]. And that warrior is still inside of you,” Eisenrich said.

She is one of the 2023 recipients of the Northwest Herald’s Women of Distinction Awards, honored for their work in the community and their respective fields.

Recalling the warrior is a big part of her latest involvement in the community, as she became an ambassador with SheForce of Northern Illinois.

Modeled after another chapter, SheForce of Plainfield, it brings female veterans together in opportunities for education, networking, sisterhood and socializing. There’s a kickoff event slated for Jan. 6.

“It’s a chance to share resources, experiences and to socialize,” she said. “We are drawn to people who are similar to us and have similar experiences and backgrounds. Being able to gather women veterans will be an exciting endeavor and will hopefully create new friendships and expand the sisterhood for all.”

Eisenrich said she never expected to become a vocal advocate for veterans.

She chose to enter the military to help pay for college. She is the youngest of six siblings, the daughter of a Marine with three older brothers and a sister in the Marines.

She entered the Air Force, drawn with an interest in aerospace and engineering. She trained out West, serving four years and then opting for one additional year of service after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

After she finished her time in the Air Force, she enrolled at Illinois State University, where she studied occupational safety. Even as a nontraditional student, she never really talked about her military experience, jumping into her studies and then into a career.

Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies, a program coordinated by Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association, caught Eisenrich’s attention as she was looking for a gym membership in 2016. This program offers a one-year membership to qualified veterans at no charge at participating park district partners. ]

Eisenrich soon learned that the program offered more than a perk for veterans.

Eisenrich went from helping out with Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies in 2016 to serving as the program’s coordinator, planning monthly events throughout the year in which veterans and their families could spend time together and even explore new skills and hobbies.

She’s coordinated class sessions on pottery and rock climbing, learned some fundamental martial arts and organized holiday events.

She said she’s always looking to add new programs and offers a variety of events to members.

In Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies, Eisenrich sees veterans from all eras – from those who served in the Vietnam War to the Gulf War and later in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All veterans of all eras are welcome in the program. The ones who served in Vietnam might come to an event with a buddy or grandchild, and she also sees middle-aged veterans, the ones who served in the late 1990s through the 2000s.

“We have veterans from all eras,” she said.

Although SheForce and Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies represent opportunities for spending time in the company of veterans and enjoying some fun, too, there’s another reason Eisenrich is compelled to create programs and develop opportunities: She knows all too well what can happen to those left in isolation or those who suffer in silence.

She’s lost loved ones and fellow veterans to suicide. She seeks opportunities for veterans to grab a coffee together, maybe make a friend, have a reason to get up and out of the house for a while.

“It’s finding community for everybody,” said Trisha Palmieri, manager of adult day and veteran programs for NISRA.

She said Eisenrich has helped grow the program through collaborations and even marketing to reach out to new members.

“She’s great to work with,” Palmieri said.

Eisenrich juggles events and programs, saying yes to one more opportunity to shine the light on the needs of veterans in the community and the opportunities for those who served the country to find camaraderie.

Sue Dobbe-Leahy, founder of Dobbe Marketing & PR, met Eisenrich through an American Legion program and quickly assessed her leadership and willingness to step in where needed.

“She has such a great mind. She doesn’t see limits, she sees opportunities,” Dobbe-Leahy said. “She cultivates those around her all the time.”

In addition to her volunteer roles, Eisenrich maintains a full-time career and serves as a mentor to fellow veterans, seeing their ability to lead and helping nurture their skills and leadership.

She laughs as she recalls how some who she has mentored have outranked her, yet they continue to see her as a guide and friend.

“If I had the opportunity to live more than one life, there are so many things I’d want to do, see and try,” Eisenrich said. “I feel like I am just getting started.”

Melissa Rubalcaba Riske is a freelance reporter.