We are so happy for you to meet Kathy Borkoski, a two-time BreakLine Education alum who recently joined Twill as Director of Product Management. Here’s her story:

“My parents met in boot camp and served in the Navy for their entire careers. My mom was a hospital corpsman. My dad was an aviation mechanic. We say that she fixes people and he fixes everything else.

I had straight As in high school and was the salutatorian of my class. All I ever wanted to do was go to the Naval Academy. I still remember the feeling of getting accepted.

Everyone said Aerospace Engineering was the most difficult track, so I decided to go for it. (Looking back, that’s a bit of a theme.) At the same time, I also played on the Under-23 Women’s National Rugby Team. When I graduated from the Naval Academy my mom gave me my first salute, and my dad swore me in.

After college, I got accepted into the Navy’s explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) division, and I stuck with it for years. There’s nothing like disarming bombs, and I loved it.

After my military service, I moved up to the Bay Area with my wife, Lauren. The tech industry was all around me, but I couldn’t figure out how to get into it. I submitted my military resume online everywhere, but it didn’t get picked up. 

Then I saw a post about BreakLine. Through BreakLine, I ultimately jumped to my first position in the tech sector, at Meta, where I worked for one of the Navy’s first female combat pilots. Veterans recognize the value of veterans!

I stayed at Meta for several years, and then joined a startup. When I was ready for my next chapter, I made a list of all the things I wanted in a new company: strong mission, great culture, and a company in an interesting phase of growth.

I went back to BreakLine to help me find it.

When I interviewed at Twill, it felt like a conversation. And now that I’m here, I like everyone, all around the organization. My manager asks me how I’m doing, and cares about the answer. Our CEO makes sure everyone feels safe to talk about current events, even when they are hard.

I have two pieces of advice for people who are looking to make a career leap. The first is BreakLine. Both for mentorship and to help you get your foot in the door of places you wouldn’t normally have access to. BreakLine isn’t just for a one-time transition. I worked with BreakLine twice, and they helped me land in exactly the right place both times.

The second thing I would say is: use your networking skills. Great careers start with great relationships.”