Mr. Junior Ortiz, an ASPIRAnte from New York, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Marines and his professional career spans over 30 years of working in government, corporate and the nonprofit sector.

Before coming to VETS, Mr. Ortiz was the Director of Brand Relations for AARP, where he was responsible for designing and implementing marketing and advertising programs, particularly aimed at the Latino and African American markets. He developed and executed national advertising campaigns on print, broadcast and online media, including national bilingual, bi-partisan campaigns to advance healthcare and financial reform. He has been the spokesperson for Spanish language media on such policy issues as Social Security, health care reform, and Medicare, all critical issues impacting seniors and multicultural communities.