Veteran Resource Podcast

Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D., named to TIME's 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, is the president and founder of Give an Hour?. A licensed clinical psychologist who has been practicing in the Washington, D.C., area for over 20 years, she served as an adjunct faculty member at George Washington University, where she participated in the training and supervision of developing clinicians. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland in 1991, her M.A. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland in 1987, and her B.A., summa cum laude, in psychology from California State College in 1982. Concerned about the mental health implications of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in 2005 Dr. Van Dahlen founded Give an Hour, a national nonprofit providing free mental health services to the military and veteran community. Its nearly 7,000 mental health professionals have given more than 175,000 hours of care and support to those in need, and the organization now a

Laurie Phillips is the co-founder of Tech For Troops Project. Laurie is a successful entrepreneur and founder of seven companies. For 25 years she has been a management consultant to Fortune 500 companies, leading professional services firms, and start-ups. A former Big 4 consulting partner and Information Technology expert, Laurie brings operational, technical, and entrepreneurial leadership to Tech For Troops Project. / / Laurie is also the founder of Sundance Research, an IT consulting and project management company based in Richmond, Virginia. / / http://veteranpodcast.com/050

Sergeant R. Morgan Crihfield served in Operation Iraqi Freedom with the Texas Army National Guard. He is an alumnus of Midwestern State University with both a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Social Work as well as a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. He currently works as a therapist specializing in Post Traumatic Stress and Depression. He currently lives in north Texas with his wife, children, and two lazy Labradors. / / http://veteranpodcast.com/049

Josh is the Director of Strategy at Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness, the nation?s first privately funded rural wellness center dedicated exclusively to combat veterans and their families. The Retreat runs short-duration, high-impact retreats focused on combat-related stress for combat veterans (male and female), spouses, caregivers, couples, families and Gold Star Families. Since opening in September 2013, the Retreat has hosted more than 2,500 guests. / / Josh is responsible for the development and execution of strategic initiatives - including Boulder Crest?s work to develop the nation?s first comprehensive, non-clinical curriculum based on Post-Traumatic Growth, Warrior PATHH. Warrior PATHH is an 18-month program, initiated by a 7-day retreat, designed to harness the unique strength of combat veterans while enabling them to transform their struggle into growth and strength. In addition, he oversees strategic partnerships and scale and expansion efforts. / / Prior to joining Boulder

He went into the Army straight out of High school joining up as an infantryman. His tenure in the Army saw him take the first team into the Pentagon on 9-11 as well as a combat tour in Iraq from 2005-2006. Since that time he has helped build SoldierFit, a gym based out of Frederick MD, from one sub-let location to 3 stand alone facilities with 3,000 members and over 50 employees. He went from being homeless to generating 2.2 million dollars in revenue this year alone. Soldierfit is now franchised and Danny hopes to open 1-2 franchises as well as 1 more corporate location by the end of the year. Recently he Co-founded his first 501(c), Platoon 22, to combat veteran suicides. He is currently a sought after motivational speaker and was selected to the 2013 "Top 40 under 40 V.I.P" by The Daily Record, as well as one of the Top 5 Mens health Ultimate guys. Soldierfit has won numerous awards including Small business of the year in several counties and the state. His goal is to revitalize the American dream and rem

Unable to hold employment or successfully retrain/go back to school; I dove head first into the art of pottery. I have found a great therapy in ceramics upon my discharge from the military. My love of the arts has only helped to propel me forward, allowing me to excel in this artistic medium. I have been transitioning into more sculptural work and am truly loving the new direction! I am a retired (yes, at 32), disabled Iraqi war veteran. I served for nearly 4 years in the US Army as a combat medic. Right around my seventh month in Iraq, my health took a drastic turn; I began having seizures. It has been a downhill slide ever since with more health issues arising as time continues. While the doctors have not yet been able to nail down a diagnosis, I continue to strive and to push forward everyday with the love and support from family. No matter the situation encountered, I choose to always look for the silver linings, focusing on the negatives serves no purpose. I am also the founder of a non-profit organizati

Sam Pressler is the founder and executive director of the Armed Services Arts Partnership (ASAP), and a 2015 Echoing Green Global Fellow. Under Sam’s leadership, ASAP launched the only stand-up comedy class for veterans in the United States, and the largest writing group for veterans in Virginia. Sam graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from the College of William & Mary (’15), where he was a Ewell Award recipient, McGlennon Scholar, and TEDx Innovative Thinker. His efforts with ASAP have been covered by CNN, ABC News, BBC, Washington Post, NPR, the Military Times, Stars & Stripes, Soldiers Magazine, and Task & Purpose, among others. http://veteranpodcast.com/045

Nancy’s interest in horses began at 16 months of age when she received a rocking horse on the first Christmas she can remember. Her interest in the challenges disabled people faced every day started with her Great Uncle Walter who she first met when she was 3 years of age. Uncle Walter was blind. He had lost his sight when he was taking money earned from his business to the bank for deposit. He was robbed by a thug who hit him with a blackjack (as it was called in those days), knocked him unconscious and robbed him of his hard earned money. Uncle Walter was kind, sweet, and never complained about his misfortune. At the time he was a young man, engaged to be married. He broke the engagement because he did not want to burden the girl he loved. Nancy was fascinated by what he could do without sight. Play the piano, he had even taught piano. He took care of his invalid sister, and did all the cooking. Later as a teen-ager, Nancy baby sat a disabled child. In the early 1980’s Nancy went through a life altering exp

Animal trainer, Clarissa Black, graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science Animal Science and from Canisius College with a Masters in Anthrozoology. She discovered her passion for training while working with elephants and dolphins but gradually realized she wanted to develop relationships with the animals for which she cared. Through her career as a dolphin trainer, Clarissa learned advanced animal training principles and applied them to husbandry, veterinary, research and program training. While working with these unique mammals in the water, she decided to further her work and experience training animals on land and began working as a professional dog trainer. She has been successful developing personalized training and behavior plans, as well as teaching dog obedience. Her motto is set both the owner and the dog up for success. During her experience working with therapy dogs in the company of Americas veterans and wounded soldiers, she saw firsthand how important

A proud member of the 2010 class of Tillman Scholars, Elizabeth O’Herrin serves as Director of Programs and Scholarships–overseeing scholarship selection, engagement, and opportunities. She served with the Wisconsin Air National Guard from 2001-2008, assembling and transporting conventional weapons for F-16 fighter jets. She received her BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her MA from the Johns Hopkins University, where her research focused on the federal government and veteran reintegration. She has worked on a wide range of issues facing Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for nearly a decade. She co-founded the Student Veterans of America and fought with a dedicated team of veteran advocates to successfully pass the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2008. She is passionate about learning people’s stories, promoting all things Wisconsin, her faith, and coffee. http://veteranpodcast.com/042

Daniela Petrilli was born and raised in Springfield, NJ. In 2002, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts with minors in Marketing and Psychology from Caldwell University. After working in publishing, television and public relations, she decided to pursue graduate school. In 2007, she received her Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies and Leadership from Kean University. In 2008, she became certified in Human Resources Studies by Cornell University. After completing her education, Daniela relocated to Washington, DC where she currently works in human resources. Daniela is extremely passionate about and believes it is vitally important to give back to the community. In her spare time, her volunteer work includes animal and United States military causes. Her other interests include: travel, attending concerts, reading, and spending time with friends and her adopted cat, Sweetie. veteranpodcast.com/041

Every personal and professional decision Emily Cherniack has ever made has come from a place that honors service and leadership. From her service in AmeriCorps and employment with City Year AmeriCorps, to being part of the founding team of Be the Change -- where she led a coalition of over 200 organizations, engaging 250,000 people for a Day of Action which resulted in the passage of Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009, a $6B piece of federal legislation -- Emily has worked tirelessly to serve her nation. Driven by service and servant leadership, Emily also chose to avoid politics until, in 2009, Alan Khazei decided to run for the U.S Senate. Khazei asked Emily to become his Deputy Campaign Manager and, although he was defeated, Emily learned a great deal from his campaign and the power of politicians who chose to serve country before self.It took one campaign for Emily to see why our political system is broken; it is exclusive and has significant barriers that prevent transformational leaders from su

Jim Estes, a former PGA Tour Player, and childhood friend Jamie Winslow co-founded the Salute Military Golf Association in late 2006. They both saw first-hand the positive force the game of golf could play in the recovery process for our nation’s wounded warriors. SMGA began with the purpose of creating a therapeutic outlet for post-9/11 veterans undergoing prolonged medical treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. Jim’s and SMGA’s efforts have been recognized by numerous media outlets. Jim was awarded the prestigious (2010) PGA Patriot Award for his contributions to the recovery of wounded warriors. Articles from ESPN.com tell how several trips from Walter Reed Army Medical Center to Olney Golf Park, where Jim Estes is a PGA Teaching Professional, eventually evolved into a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation aimed at supporting post-9/11 wounded warriors. http://veteranpodcast.com

Major (r) Scott “Mack” Macksam graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a BA in History with a Minor in German Studies. He received a commission in the Field Artillery. Major Mack has served honorably 20 years in the United States Army in various leadership, command and staff positions in a global setting. His last assignment was Director of Military Science and Leadership at the University South Florida St Petersburg where he secured over 1.4 million scholarship awards to Cadets and personally dedicated a 8K Veterans Memorial to USFSP. He has graduate of Officers Basic Course, Air Defense Officers Advanced Course ,CGSG and Combined Arms Staff Service School, Air Assault, Military History Instructors Course and holds a Masters in Organizational Management. He also has implemented a National Leadership Development and Internship Programs for US Army Cadet Command. In 2014 he secured a 30K National American Soldier Exhibit which was a first in the State. He now is the Founder and President of the Vetera

In her current position, Amanda is the Region III Administrator at Team Rubicon, where she is responsible for the management of all readiness and response functions in the Mid-Atlantic region. In her previous role with Team Rubicon, she was responsible for managing Team Rubicon's national membership engagement and wellness strategies. Amanda served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps from 2007-2011, where she served as a Company Commander, Assistant Operations Officer and Platoon Commander at Second Radio Battalion in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. She joined Team Rubicon after volunteering to serve on Team Rubicon’s disaster relief logistics team in the Philippines, following the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan. After serving in the Marine Corps, Amanda also worked as an Operations Manager at Target Corporation and as a Senior Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. She received her BA in Political Science from Sonoma State University and is currently enrolled as a full time graduate student at George Was

Will Hubbard is on the professional staff of Student Veterans of America, currently serving as their Vice President of Government Affairs. His focus is on legislative action and executive branch policy across all issues that impact student veterans in higher education. Mr. Hubbard is frequently called before congress as a subject matter expert to testify on a variety of issues, and often advises executive officials in the administration on higher education and veterans policy issues. Previously, he was a National Executive Committee Member of Deloitte’s Armed Forces Business Resource Group, and led the successful proposal of several veteran-focused projects while serving in the federal practice as part of Deloitte’s Strategy and Operations business line. Mr. Hubbard entered the Marine Corps in 2006, and initially served with 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines. He later went on to lead Marines with 4th Supply Company at Boling Air Force Base in Washington, DC. Today, he continues to serve in the Marine Corps Reserves

Catch A Lift Fund (CAL) is a 501c3 non profit dedicated to helping post 9/11 wounded veterans recover, rehabilitate and reintegrate through physical fitness. CAL believes each of the over 2,200 veterans in the program has the ability to actively contribute to their health on a DAILY basis. By providing these veterans with the financial assistance and motivation to be in the fitness programs that fit their needs, CAL vets are losing weight, dropping medications, and re-establishing their lives with family and friends. http://veteranpodcast.com/035

I recently joined the Operation Second Chance team as the Sales Development & Marketing Manager; after growing up surrounded by the military lifestyle it was hard to picture myself doing anything other than joining our armed forces. It wasn't until college that I began to find my individuality and passions, and began studying communication and marketing. I graduated from The University of Maryland, College Park with my Bachelor's in Communication in 2012 and began a career in sales. But something was missing.Not a day went by that I wondered what my life would have been like if I joined the military, but at the same time I never regretted my choice to not join. Coming from a long line of Marines, my admiration for these men and women, and the sacrifices that they make, only grew over the years.It wasn't until a conversation with my brother in-law, a LtCol in the Marines, that I saw a chance to use my passion and skills for marketing and communication to give back to our soldiers. He told me of a non-profi

In this episode I talk about creating the VAP Family of Podcasts under the Veteran Artist Program non-profit.  I also talk about the new VAP Community that we just rolled out this week to allow veteran artists to interact with and help other veteran artists.  A rising tide lifts all boats.  This community will strengthen veteran artists as a whole.  To get your invite into the community, https://veteranartistprogram.leadpages.co/communityinvite/

Born to Holocaust refugees at the close of WWII when Truman was President, Denny began a lifetime of activism at the age of 13 when he joined a NAACP picket line. Since then he has battled for Gay rights, Women’s rights, Transgender rights, and LGBT veterans rights. During the Vietnam Era he left college and volunteered to serve his country, joining the Navy (either for love of the sea or for the dress blue bell bottom 13 button uniform). In less than 4 years he was a Petty Officer Second Class. Later he worked for the Army Reserves as a civilian administrator and, after joining his reserve unit, rose to Sergeant First Class. After AIDS took the life of his love of 20 years, Denny became inspired to found the New York Chapter of AVER – AVERNY, he served as Region 1 VP for a number of years, and currently serves as both the AVER national Public Affairs Officer and Vice President of Veterans Affairs.