OUR TEAM

Board of Directors

Lee Sechrist

Executive Director & Co-Founder

Jill Sharp

Senior VP,
Internal Assurance Services Halliburton

Dr. James “Buddy” Steele, Ph.D.

Senior Learning Strategist for Gallup

Jason Loveless

Principal at JCL Solutions Group,
U.S. Army Veteran

Marty Melton

State Farm Agent

Angela Casey

Treasurer

Advisory Board

Chuck Andrews

GI Advisory Board Chair,
Founder FRIENDS OF CHUCK (FOC),
Retired Police Chief

John Fleming

Director of the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource & Support Center, a department in the Division of Student Affairs at Texas A&M University

Marco DeLeon

Vice President, Strategic Alliances
Lexipol

Richard E. “Tex” Brown

Lieutenant General U.S. Air Force (Retired)

Brad Ball

President/Owner Ardent Creative

Carly Bragg

Risk Management Advisor/Whataburger
Military Spouse

Alex Fender

Founder of Funnel Science and Vice President of Sales
Marine Veteran

Carlos Francisco

Regional Security Leader at Meta,
Former Law Enforcement Officer

Jefferson Hammann

Vice President Enterprise Transportation and Logistics at The Pasha Group,
Major U.S. Army Reserves

James Hughes

Board Member North Texas Crime Commission
Retired Police Officer
Army Veteran

Tabetha Lamb

Former DoD Warrior Care Advocate,
Military Spouse,
GI Program Parent

Rob Lively

Command Sergeant Major U.S. Army (Retired),
Former U.S. Army Special Missions Unit CSM

Lori Phipps

Director of the Department of the Air Force School Liaison Program,
U.S. Air Force Veteran

Dr. Brandi Plunkett, Ph.D.

Director Mays Business School,
Center for Executive Development

Barbara Secor

Director Of Programs for The Special Operations Warrior Foundation,
Military Spouse

Mike Ripley

Colonel U.S.Army (Retired)

Dr. Rita Watkins, Ed.D.

Executive Director
Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas
Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX

Tony Conner

President - Nebraska Fraternal Order of Police

Heath Cherry

Vice President for Sponsorship
Joe Gibbs Racing

Alicia Romero

Family Support Coordinator
Douglas County CO. Sherrif's Office
Founder of Behind the Badge

Marcie Werner

Education Support Programs Manager
The Navy SEAL Foundation

Leadership Team

David Russell

Chief Financial Officer & Co-Founder

Brenda Watkins

Director of Student Programs

Stephanie Ross

Communications Coordinator