Founder Toanh Tran hands over leadership after eight years, will remain on the board
San Diego, Calif. — September 3, 2026 — MilSpouse Coders, a nonprofit that helps military spouses build careers in tech, announced today that Danielle Koppel will step into the role of Executive Director. Koppel takes over from founder Toanh Tran, who started the organization in 2018 and will continue to serve on its board.
Tran founded MilSpouse Coders to give military spouses a way to learn software engineering skills and break into tech jobs, no matter how many times a permanent change of station uprooted their careers. Her own husband served 28 years in the Navy before retiring, and she built the organization around the same reality that so many military families live with: you start over, again and again, and you need people in your corner while you do it.
“I started this organization because I watched too many talented spouses lose ground in their careers every time we moved,” said Tran. “Danielle isn’t just someone who believes in that mission. She’s been living it alongside me for years. It’s time for new vision and new energy to lead MilSpouse Coders into its next chapter, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to do that than Danielle.”
Koppel has served as a Chapter Lead with MilSpouse Coders since 2021, hosting seminars on cybersecurity fundamentals, mentoring spouses and veterans entering the field, and leading lightning talks on the industry. She and Tran have known each other for more than five years.
Koppel knows the story firsthand. As an Army spouse of over a decade, she has rebuilt her career from scratch more than once: new state, new employer, new team, and the same uphill climb to prove herself each time. She now works as an Information Security Engineer in the financial services sector, where she leads data governance and security compliance work. Before moving into cybersecurity, she worked in animal behavior and wildlife management, experience that taught her to read patterns, anticipate resistance, and design systems that people will actually follow rather than work around.
“Military spouses don’t need someone to hand them a roadmap and walk away,” said Koppel. “We need someone who’s walked the same road, moved the same boxes, and knows what it takes to start over and still build something real. That’s what MilSpouse Coders has given me, and it’s what I want to keep giving to the spouses who come after me.”
Beyond her work with MilSpouse Coders, Koppel is the Founding President of the Augusta chapter of the GRC Engineering Club and is active in Women in CyberSecurity, the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu, ISACA, AFCEA, ISSA, and Women in Trust.
Tran will remain involved with MilSpouse Coders as a board member, supporting Koppel through the transition and beyond.
About MilSpouse Coders
MilSpouse Coders is a nonprofit organization founded in 2018 to help military spouses build careers in technology through training, mentorship, and community. The organization has supported military spouses across the country as they navigate the unique career challenges that come with military life. Learn more at https://milspousecoders.org/.
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