Lalena "Zoe" Magneta
Surgeon - Navy

Lalena "Zoe” Magnetta is a US Navy Veteran from Grayslake, Illinois. She enlisted in the Navy following September 11th, 2001, as an Aviation Electronics Technician. Her duty stations included the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER and the USS JOHN C. STENNIS as well as various other commands that were directly involved with Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Committed to developing others, Lalena served as a Recruit Division Commander, transforming over 1,000 civilians into basically trained Sailors at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes. After 11 years of active-duty, Zoe received two master’s degrees and currently works for Siemens Smart Infrastructure as a Senior Training Specialist based out of Buffalo Grove, IL. She is instrumental in her community through her VFW Post 2245 as Post Service Officer and the Social Media Representative, represents Illinois Joining Forces as a Woman Veteran Ambassador for the Lake County region of Illinois for mentorship and guidance, and she holds the title of the 2019 Ms. Veteran America Second-Runner Up which is a nationwide platform that advocates for the eradication of women veteran homelessness. She also serves as Board President of non-profit organization Keeping Families Covered based in Waukegan that identifies diaper need across Lake County and provides low-income families with essential items for newborn children. She also serves in local government as an elected official for her hometown, the Village of Grayslake, as a Trustee.