Boots to Books was founded by Peter Cline and Aubrey Sine in December 2020 after Peter’s transition from the Army. Peter had an extremely successful career in the service, being promoted to sergeant in record time, being named the fastest winner ever of the Fort Benning Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Competition, and doing so while beginning his degree at night. However, when it came time to transition Peter faced many of the challenges Boots to Books now helps individuals overcome. From his college application, to funding textbooks and other training exceeding his GI Bill, to making a career plan and landing a job, Peter needed support.
After struggling without seeking support, Peter finally swallowed his pride and approached Aubrey Sine, one of his lifelong best friends and a current student and intern at a leading semiconductor company for support. Aubrey would meet with Peter regularly and offer support from college applications to degree planning to career-focused. Before long, Peter had a scholarship to his dream school, began an exciting career, and realized the help Aubrey had provided him and his personal experience could help so many more.
Since 2020, Boots to Books has grown to a grass-roots community tens of thousands strong rallying around one common goal, seeing our veterans and their families attain the best possible career outcomes. Thanks to our community, we have distributed over $200,000 in educational resources, assisted over 15,000, and built partnerships with organizations Google, the Army Reserve, CompTIA, and more. We are so thankful and excited for the opportunity to continue making a difference in our military community.
“ I was put in contact with the correct people and got the job I wanted in three weeks! ”
“ It is through the connections I have made and the career services provided by Boots to Books, that I have accepted an employment offer for my dream job/company. As a result, I am in a position to be able to support my family financially once my husband retires from the military in the coming years. ”
“ Boots to Books is a tremendous resource and force multiplier to transitioning service members, Veterans, and families. Peter Cline and the organization genuinely care and are dedicated to serving their communities. I really don't feel so alone in the transition process thanks to organizations like Boots to Books. ”
“ Boots to Books has been a phenomenal assistance this far in assisting in my future transition! The guidance and follow up from the organization has been outstanding and testament to their care for not only the services they provide, but ensuring the donations received are used wisely and effectively! ”
“ Boot to Books has provided me with the access to resources and ultimately skills that would have otherwise been challenging to obtain on my own in terms of substance and financial cost. Plus, knowing I have the direct support from the Boots to Books team lends itself toward another level of confidence to strive further. ”
" Boots To Books has been a blessing to me from Day One. I earned a Six Sigma Green Belt certification in pursuit of breaking into the tech industry for free because of the generosity and service to the Veteran community. I have also had opportunities to network with tech recruiters through introductions from Peter. Overall, I am grateful for the Boots To Books team not only for their generosity but their responsiveness to any question I may have. Keep up the great work! "
" I stumbled on Boots to Books on LinkedIn and connected with Peter Cline on the NPO's mission. Timing couldn't have been better considering I was in the market to find new LSAT-prep study materials. LSAT-prep materials easily cost hundreds of dollars, and Boots2Books picked up the tab for me! Peter and I spoke Army for a bit, spoke about his NPO, and I even got pointers for the NPO I'm starting...can't ask for much more. Thanks, B2B! "
" Boots to Books is a champion for service members, veterans and families who want to grow professionally. I am so grateful for the support from B2B during my transition from the U.S Army. The B2B team continues to inform me of career events and higher education opportunities. I am especially thankful for the free opportunity to earn the Lean Six Sigma certification. Thank you Boots to Books for your continued support and making me feel less alone during my military transition. "
" Thank you to the team at Boots to Books for coordinating and putting on a great Cyber Career Expo! There was so much knowledge to be gained - only cost? To listen. Can't beat that! Being a viewer of the event, I was fortunate to receive one of the giveaways: CPF Coaching Course. Thrilled to win a prize, I took the course I received. I recommend the course as it is a no frills, straight to the point, and organized curriculum designed to help people get into the industry. Thank you to the team at Boots to Books for coordinating and putting on a great Cyber Career Expo! Also thank you to Christophe Foulon for donating his great course! "
" The staff was professional and the process was very easy. I was looking for material on my project management certification and they were able to get me a comprehensive study guide that I could use. I really appreciate Boots to Books for providing such a great service to our veterans. "
" Peter first approached me around May 2021 about Boots to Books. Not on the aspect of being in a Graduate school, but after they had made alliances with Phase2 Advantage. My ears blocked out all noises as he had my full attention. My testimonial is that Boots to Books listes to it it's community and take action to produce results. The community is hungry on the essence that almost all Veterans are trying to enter the Cybersecurity space and upon hearing, they made lasting connections and partnerships to help vets do just that. I am humbled that Peter reached out to me and grateful that Boots to Books allowed me to pilot their first ever cyber education partnership. "
" Following and attending Boots to Books events is non-negotiable if you are a transitioning veteran! If you want to succeed that is. Great training, strong network, and you might even win a giveaway! Attending a B2B networking event, I was awarded TryHackMe premium subscription, and it helped a lot during my Net+ and Sec+ studies. Can't recommend this team enough. "
" Boots to Books assisted my career development with a 6-month voucher to a fantastic cybersecurity training program that complimented my learning with a hands-on practice focused on industry concepts. Along with the training, my network has expanded with motivated job seekers and industry leaders from the networking events hosted by Boots-to-Books. "
Sign up with Boots to Books to be sent valuable resources and relevant event and scholarship opportunities as they occur, and check current event and scholarship announcements.
Take advantage of the asynchronous resources you are emailed after sign up, including a video course, free training opportunities, and mentorship.
Learn about different careers, how to write a resume, and how to prepare for an interview to define your career goals, network, and prepare to explain your value in the hiring process.
Apply to our monthly Google certification scholarships, quarterly $1,000 certification scholarships, or per-semester higher education resource scholarship to fund your upskilling after defining a career goal.
Leveraging the training received through monthly events on the resume and interview, as well as the technical training and certification or degree received demonstrating competence to an employer, to get hired at live events or through one-on-one connections with employers.
Providing periodic scholarships for individuals to attain professional certifications, or to fund higher education resources such as textbooks exceeding one’s benefits.
Providing regular opportunities for the military community to connect with recruiters and hiring managers seeking military talent.
Providing a video course taught by recruiters, monthly events, and one-off assistance to job-seekers to perfect their resume, interview, and other essential skills to landing a role.
Meet the team running Boots to Books and stewarding your donation.
Peter is a finance and strategy professional dedicated to entrepreneurial ventures that empower the workforce, build community, and strengthen the economy. After serving as an Infantryman in the Army, where he earned numerous awards, including being the fastest winner ever of Fort Benning’s Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year competition, Peter graduated with highest honors from Chapman University’s honors program. He began his career in strategy consulting, advising leading companies on complex challenges, before transitioning to corporate development at a private-equity-backed software and media firm, where he worked on acquisitions, including a carveout from a public company. Peter brings this experience to Boots to Books, supporting the military community. He has received various honors including the Lifetime Presidential Volunteer Service Award, the Don Lavoie Political Economy Fellowship, and serves on various boards. Peter is additionally currently pursuing his Juris Doctor degree part-time at Santa Clara University.
Aubrey graduated from Chapman University with a degree in data analytics, bringing data-driven insights to Boots to Books to enhance its mission of supporting veterans. After graduating, Aubrey began at Twilio Segment as a Solutions Architect, where he consulted on business-specific data collection use cases and implemented software solutions for diverse clients. He has since been promoted to an Advisory Architect. Aubrey’s expertise in data analytics drives impactful decision-making within the nonprofit. In his free time, he enjoys reading non-fiction and exploring web design. His commitment to leveraging data for social good reflects his dedication to empowering the veteran community.
As an Air Force Veteran and Military Spouse, Chimeria understands the tumultuous military life and has gained exposure to a variety of industries because of it. Her background includes hospitality, computer information systems, accounting, business management, and real estate. Once returning to her home state of Texas, she was able to pivot into her true passion of Cybersecurity. Chimeria now works as CSI Security Analyst at Abnormal Security. Chimeria joined Boots to Books after seeing what Peter and Aubrey were accomplishing and how she aligned with their vision. She enjoys riding horses and shooting whenever given the chance.
Bill McNicholas is a retired Navy Captain and Vietnam veteran who led the U.S. Navy Surface Ship Camouflage Project, developing software to evaluate ship paint schemes, a system still in use today. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University and an MBA from Golden Gate University. After his military career, Bill served as Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Campbell & George Company and later as a Technical Advisor and Project Manager at EO Products. He now consults for businesses on process improvement, automation, and product research. Beyond his professional achievements, Bill has held leadership roles in philanthropic organizations, including SIRS branches, Rotary groups, and municipal boards. Devoted to supporting servicemembers, Bill has dedicated his post-service life to honoring those who have served our country.
Patrick Gillespie is a retired Army Intelligence Analyst and Operation Enduring Freedom veteran. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Thomas Edison State University and a master’s degree in Computer Information Systems with a concentration in security from Boston University. Patrick has held executive roles in cybersecurity, including Senior Vice President of Network Security at SBS Cybersecurity and his current position as Managing Security Consultant at GuidePoint Security. He is the founder of Boots to Cyber, a managed security services provider that hires veterans, offering them paid training and real-world experience to launch careers in cybersecurity. Patrick serves on the board of the Whole Cyber Human Initiative, mentors veterans across multiple platforms, and is a member of the National Small Business Administration Leadership Council. He also holds certifications such as Offensive Security Certified Professional and Certified Banking Forensic Investigator.
Ittai Shaked is an entrepreneur with expertise in building consumer-facing products. While in college, he founded and sold Genie, an app that helped students save and pay off student loans, where he designed the user interface and set the company’s strategy. Ittai now works in Product Marketing, first at Alchemy, a company enabling developers to build scalable web3 applications, and now at Globality, a market leader in autonomous sourcing technology. Though not a veteran, he is deeply committed to service, volunteering, and supporting nonprofits with leadership and dedication. Ittai earned his degree in Business Administration and Graphic Design from Chapman University. His experience reflects a strong blend of technical skill, strategic thinking, and civic responsibility.
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Boots to Books is a tax-exempt, 501(C)(3) Nonprofit registered in the USA Under EIN: 85-4377724
