Gulf War Veteran Reports for Duty as IDVA Women Vets Coordinator, Vet Business Champion

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Army Gulf War veteran Nicole Mandeville reported for duty today with the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs as a Senior Program Manager, championing Women Veterans issues, Gold Star Family Coordinator, and as the facilitator for Veteran Business Owners and Entrepreneurs.

“We are delighted to have Nicole joining our IDVA team,” said Erica Jeffries, Army veteran and Director, Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “She brings an awesome background of achievement in a wide variety of settings, and with her recent leadership within Illinois Joining Forces, we know she will hit the ground running.  With her background and passion for helping her fellow veterans, we are fortunate to have her in this position.”

Mandeville joined the IDVA after an assignment with the Chicago Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) where she served as the program lead for the Women Vetrepreneurship Program (WVP) since August 2013.  While there she provided specialized assistance to veterans with all aspects of the entrepreneurship process, leveraging her expertise having worked with small businesses, nonprofits, childcare and municipalities.  Prior to the WBDC, Mandeville spent over 16 years in the banking and nonprofit industries working for companies such as BMO Harris Bank, IFF, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of America.

Mandeville was an early supporter of, and is now Treasurer of the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation (IJFF), and serves as the Women Veterans Working Group Chair of Illinois Joining Forces (IJF), which is an IDVA-supported statewide network of organizations that provide services and support to the entire veteran community.   She supports charitable giving by supporting nonprofits by serving on the host committee of Compassion, Fashion and Cocktails - which supported charitable giving to stop human trafficking and integrative cardiac health.

Mandeville served six years in the U.S. Army Reserve’s 308th Civil Affairs Brigade and deployed to Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Provide Comfort in 1991.  She earned the National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal (2 bronze service stars), Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Marksmanship Badge (M-16). 

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration (finance concentration) from Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO, and completed graduate course work at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Mo. In her time away from the office, Nicole loves shopping, reading, walking, fashion, watching science fiction movies, and spending time with her family, which includes her two sons and husband.