Rachel Washburn, Cheerleader Alumna and Ambassador
A former U.S. Army Captain, Rachel Washburn served six years on active duty as an Intelligence Officer, deploying twice to Afghanistan; first as a member of the pioneer Cultural Support Team (CST) and second as an Intelligence Platoon Leader. As a member of the CST program, Rachel was one of the first women selected to train and deploy with Special Operation teams to Afghanistan. On her CST deployment, she spent nine months living in a remote village in Southern Afghanistan with a Special Forces team, training local security forces, engaging with the female population, and conducting over 100 combat operations all before the ban on women serving in combat had been lifted. Following her combat tours, Ms. Washburn was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge. Since her time in uniform, Rachel Washburn has continued her pursuit in addressing global security and instability, acting as a Regional Director with a nonprofit focused on bringing relief in the wake of disasters and armed conflicts across the globe. Maintaining a commitment to service, veteran support, and a professional life focused on mission first, Rachel serves as VP, Geopolitical Intelligence & Capital Markets at Academy Securities, a veteran owned investment bank with a social mission to train, hire, and mentor post 9/11 veterans. Rachel is grateful for the opportunity to continue to connect with and give back to the veteran community that has so enriched her life, helping veterans transition into a successful career. Rachel's long-standing affiliation with the Philadelphia Eagles has an impact on both the organization and the community. Rachel represents the team as an Eagles Cheerleader, including serving as an ambassador during Salute to Service and leading a key community service initiative that amplifies the team's meaningful support to the community and our nation's service members and veterans.