Vance Spouse Spotlight: Elisa Maher Published Oct. 16, 2013 By Sarina Houston 3rd Flying Training Squadron key spouse VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Name: Elisa Maher Base affiliation: My husband, Lt. Col. William "Yogi" Maher, is the 71st Student Squadron commander and also flies with the 25th Flying Training Squadron. Tell us about your family: Will and I knew each other for 13 years before falling in love and marrying in 2005. Will and my brother were best friends at the Air Force Academy. In April of 2003 my brother and hero, Capt. Eric "Boot" Das, was shot down during a combat mission in Iraq flying the F-15E. Out of that dark sorrow grew our fairy tale relationship. Will is an amazing husband and loving father to our two precious children -- precocious Eric Eugene, born in December 2008, and darling Millie Rose, born in November 2012. Moose the Whippet, is our old and patient puppy-dog. Family, faith and friends define all we do. What is your professional background? I have an International Business Degree in the field of Management from Texas A&M University. After college I worked in Argentina and learned to speak Castellano. From there I did marketing for an international coffee roasting company called Alpen Sierra in Lake Tahoe, Calif. Part of my job was doing live interviews on the morning news every two weeks on educational topics regarding coffee. Live television is fun but unforgiving. I continued marketing in the coffee industry while in Alaska, with a beautiful company called Terra Bella, an all organic coffee house in the heart of Anchorage. In 2010 I earned my certificate as a Family Herbalist and I am working - slowly -- on my Master Herbalist degree. What are your hobbies? I absolutely love traditional rock climbing. I'm a Tahoe girl at heart so hiking, back packing, kayaking, skiing, snowboarding and biking are some of my favorite things to do. But I think a more realistic description of current daily actives would be walking while pushing a stroller, biking while hauling a trailer full of kids, creatively cooking in 30 minutes or less, balancing all the domestic duties of a mom, nurturing our little ones and loving my husband. I also have a passion for organic and healthy living. One might even label me as an activist. Do you volunteer? Presently, the main avenue for my volunteering is the Student Squadron. I am a command mentor spouse and average about 25 hours a week, pouring my heart and soul into making sure everyone feels welcomed, plugged in and cared for during their time as student pilot spouses here at Vance. What is your favorite thing about Enid? We love Enid for the people. Most of our dearest friends here are Enid locals. In my opinion, this is by far the most supportive community one will ever come across during their military career. Enid locals -- you ROCK! Now can we please get a Target store? Do you have any advice for other spouses? My personal motto is, "Only by the grace of God do I go!" After nine moves in eight years, my advice to others would be that there will be pros and cons to every assignment. Your attitude makes the real difference. Extend yourself along with kindness to others. Everyone is looking for a friend. Finally, get involved in the local community, whether through a church and a Bible study, volunteering or working. Locals can open up an entirely different feel to the place where you live. What else should we know about you? As a young child I loved other cultures, their food and people. It continued as an adult. Learning will always be a highlight for me. So far I've experienced Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belize, Canada, Chile, England, France, Germany, Guam, Holland, Jamaica, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea and Switzerland. I hope to continue traveling and appreciating this big world we get to live in. Sarina is the Key Spouse for the 3rd Flying Training Squadron and is married to Capt. Jacob Houston in the 3rd FTS at Vance AFB.