I would give the world my time and effort to make mental health care affordable and accessible to anyone and everyone who needs support. I will use my education and experience to create intentional, nonprofit spaces prioritizing care and community. As a mental health practitioner, everyone is safe with me. Compassion listens louder than judgment, and I will always find a person’s value, even when they or the world cannot. I aim to lead a nonprofit organization that bridges integrated primary and behavioral healthcare by creating trauma-informed, whole-person healing spaces where individuals can access compassionate, coordinated care that honors their dignity and potential. This scholarship will help me cultivate premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status.

I prioritized my mental, emotional, and physical health when I decided to retire from the Army in 2021. After five deployments and a 22-year military career, counseling saved my life. I buried my trauma deeply within, never realizing the effect it had on the way I treated others and, more devastatingly, how I treated myself. I was anxious and depressed, constantly seeking outside validation, whether personal, educational, or professional, to feel worthy. Through therapy, I learned to be kinder to myself. I gave myself grace. I was mindfully deliberate in loving and caring for myself. Now, I want to share this way of living with others.   With my career, deployments, and PTSD, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to address it. I am a 4.0 GPA student at New York University and Arizona State University, pursuing a Master of Arts in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling degree and a Doctor of Behavioral Health Management degree, respectively. These degrees will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others. I will start my Master of Business Administration program at Indiana University in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit organization to make the best care decisions. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status. My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for Veterans, our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.  Providing comprehensive, holistic, and enduring mental health care to Veterans is a no-fail mission for me. With advanced degrees in strategy, counseling, and behavioral health management, I bridge evidence-based leadership with trauma-informed compassion to build integrated care models that prevent suffering before it begins. I still have much to learn to be a better teammate. My behavioral health and management degrees will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. In addition to the Veteran population, I plan to start group homes for marginalized communities. As a student therapist and volunteer in my area, I want to do more to help people locally. The first home will be for foster children and other homes are planned for non-violent offenders, domestic violence survivors, and people recovering from addiction. Your scholarship will help me achieve my goals. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I am a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served on active duty for 22 years in military intelligence and public affairs. I am a senior-rated Jumpmaster who has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. I commanded a company and a joint service, multinational theater support element. I served as the intelligence officer for multiple real-world combat aviation operations with the 82nd Airborne Division. I managed crisis communication as the communications director and spokesperson for 1st Armored Division, 18th Airborne Corps and Soldier for Life. The Army is a family business for me. My grandfather fought in World War II. My father served in Vietnam. Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service. With my post-traumatic stress disorder from a 22-year military career, counseling saved my life. I buried my trauma deeply within, never realizing the effect it had on the way I treated others and, more devastatingly, how I treated myself. I was anxious and depressed, constantly seeking outside validation, whether personal, educational, or professional, to feel worthy. Through therapy, I learned to be kinder to myself. I gave myself grace. I was mindfully deliberate in loving and caring for myself. Now, I want to share this way of living with others.   My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for Veterans, our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.  In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor, graduating with a 4.0 GPA.   I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization.   I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it.

I am a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served on active duty for 22 years in military intelligence and public affairs. I am a senior-rated Jumpmaster who has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. I commanded a company and a joint service, multinational theater support element. I served as the intelligence officer for multiple real-world combat aviation operations with the 82nd Airborne Division. I managed crisis communication as the communications director and spokesperson for 1st Armored Division, 18th Airborne Corps and Soldier for Life.   Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service. With my post-traumatic stress disorder from a 22-year military career, counseling saved my life. I buried my trauma deeply within, never realizing the effect it had on the way I treated others and, more devastatingly, how I treated myself. I was anxious and depressed, constantly seeking outside validation, whether personal, educational, or professional, to feel worthy. Through therapy, I learned to be kinder to myself. I gave myself grace. I was mindfully deliberate in loving and caring for myself. Now, I want to share this way of living with others.   My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for veterans and our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.  In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May.   I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization.   I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others. In addition to the veteran population, I plan to start group homes for marginalized communities. The first home will be for foster children. The importance of the program is providing integrated healthcare and personal and professional development to foster youth 14 to 21 years old, a marginalized population with limited resources. Georgia has 11,000 children in foster care, and adoption can be rare for teenagers in this population. The goals of the program include helping foster youth recognize and process their trauma while creating a pathway for a future that fits their unique fulfillment aspirations. This includes learning life executive functioning skills that support vocational development, college preparation, and fiscal management. A healed child becomes an empowered adult. These program opportunities empower them, giving them coping strategies that promote emotional and risk development and management and encourages self-discovery, growth, and trust in their judgment and instincts. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it.

I am a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served on active duty for 22 years in military intelligence and public affairs. I am a senior-rated Jumpmaster who has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. I commanded a company and a joint service, multinational theater support element. I served as the intelligence officer for multiple real-world combat aviation operations with the 82nd Airborne Division. I managed crisis communication as the communications director and spokesperson for 1st Armored Division, 18th Airborne Corps and Soldier for Life.   Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service.   My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for veterans and our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.  In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May.   I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization.   I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it.

I am a retired 22-year Army officer and mentor turned mental health and wellness counselor and advocate. My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences. Primary care models alone do not have the breadth to provide the mental health care essential to long-term patient health improvement. I plan to use the quintuple aim of improving population health, enhancing the care experience, advancing health equity and care team well-being, and reducing costs to synchronize quality personal care and ensure equitable access for all.    With my post-traumatic stress disorder from a 22-year military career, counseling saved my life. I buried my trauma deeply within, never realizing the effect it had on the way I treated others and, more devastatingly, how I treated myself. I was anxious and depressed, constantly seeking outside validation, whether personal, educational, or professional, to feel worthy. Through therapy, I learned to be kinder to myself. I gave myself grace. I was mindfully deliberate in loving and caring for myself. Now, I want to share this way of living authentically well with others.   With my career, deployments, and PTSD, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. I am a 4.0 GPA student at New York University and Arizona State University, pursuing a Master of Arts in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling degree and a Doctor of Behavioral Health Management degree, respectively. These degrees will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others. I will start my Master of Business Administration program at Indiana University in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit organization to make the best care decisions for patients and providers.   I am committed to making a difference in my community and beyond. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status. In addition to the veteran population, I plan to start group homes for marginalized communities. The first home will be for foster children. The importance of the program is providing integrated healthcare and personal and professional development to foster youth 14 to 21 years old, a marginalized population with limited resources. Georgia has 11,000 children in foster care, and adoption can be rare for teenagers in this population. The goals of the program include helping foster youth recognize and process their trauma while creating a pathway for a future that fits their unique fulfillment aspirations. This includes learning life executive functioning skills that support vocational development, college preparation, and fiscal management. A healed child becomes an empowered adult. These program opportunities empower them, giving them coping strategies that promote emotional and risk development and management and encourages self-discovery, growth, and trust in their judgment and instincts. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it.

I am a retired 22-year Army officer and mentor turned mental health and wellness counselor and advocate. My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences. Primary care models alone do not have the breadth to provide the mental health care essential to long-term patient health improvement. I plan to use the quintuple aim of improving population health, enhancing the care experience, advancing health equity and care team well-being, and reducing costs to synchronize quality personal care and ensure equitable access for all.    With my post-traumatic stress disorder from a 22-year military career, counseling saved my life. I buried my trauma deeply within, never realizing the effect it had on the way I treated others and, more devastatingly, how I treated myself. I was anxious and depressed, constantly seeking outside validation, whether personal, educational, or professional, to feel worthy. Through therapy, I learned to be kinder to myself. I gave myself grace. I was mindfully deliberate in loving and caring for myself. Now, I want to share this way of living authentically well with others.   With my career, deployments, and PTSD, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. I am a 4.0 GPA student at New York University and Arizona State University, pursuing a Master of Arts in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling degree and a Doctor of Behavioral Health Management degree, respectively. These degrees will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others. I will start my Master of Business Administration program at Indiana University in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit organization to make the best care decisions for patients and providers.   I am committed to making a difference in my community and beyond. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status. In addition to the veteran population, I plan to start group homes for marginalized communities. The first home will be for foster children. The importance of the program is providing integrated healthcare and personal and professional development to foster youth 14 to 21 years old, a marginalized population with limited resources. Georgia has 11,000 children in foster care, and adoption can be rare for teenagers in this population. The goals of the program include helping foster youth recognize and process their trauma while creating a pathway for a future that fits their unique fulfillment aspirations. This includes learning life executive functioning skills that support vocational development, college preparation, and fiscal management. A healed child becomes an empowered adult. These program opportunities empower them, giving them coping strategies that promote emotional and risk development and management and encourages self-discovery, growth, and trust in their judgment and instincts. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it.

Counseling is my response to my own trauma. Counseling saved my life. I buried my childhood trauma deeply within at a young age, never realizing the effect it had on the way I treated others, and more devastatingly, how I treated myself. I was anxious and depressed, constantly seeking outside validation, whether personal, educational or professional, to feel worthy. Through my own therapy, I learned to be kinder to myself. I gave myself grace. I was mindfully deliberate in loving and caring for me. It felt amazing. Then my life took a dramatic turn. As I was approaching 20 years of military service in the U.S. Army, I was reassigned to the Pentagon. I was ecstatic for this opportunity. Assignment at the Pentagon is the pinnacle move for any career service member, and I joyfully believed I was on the path to Colonel, a mere one rank away. Looking back, my optimistic naïveté was cute. I was happy and hopeful as I began my position, and for about four months, life was beautiful. Then one day, randomly, things changed. Our chief was renowned for publicly berating members of the team, but I had never experienced it firsthand. Alas, my turn was nigh, and after that fateful, humiliating day, I found myself relentlessly on the receiving end of verbal shotgun blasts. Prior to this assignment, I had completed five deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Once in Iraq, my building was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, and I received a Combat Action Badge. On that same deployment, my unit lost three soldiers, including Capt. Kimberly Nicole Hampton, the first female military pilot shot down and killed in combat in United States history. I contributed to the book on her life, and I stay in contact with her parents, both truly humbling experiences. I have jumped out of an aircraft 32 terrifying times. To say I have seen and experienced many uniquely traumatizing events sounds like an understatement, but nothing I had been through prepared me to deal with the toxic leader I faced daily, and I did not handle it well. I was physically, mentally and emotionally depleted. I was not there for my son as a mother needed to be. I was not there for myself. As much as I loved my career, I decided it was not worth my mental health and my son. I requested a medical retirement from the Army I loved so dearly. It was a devastating decision but undoubtedly the best one for me. Though my boss was ultimately reprimanded for how she treated me and others, the damage was done. I was mentally fractured. I spent two years in therapy, seeking to rebuild myself and find purpose after the loss of the livelihood I had known for more than two decades. Counseling saved my life once again. My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences. As a Soldier with PTSD, I understand what the darkness and pain feels like. As a leader, I intimately know what it is like to have people’s lives in my hands. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals.

I am a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served on active duty for 22 years in military intelligence and public affairs. I am a senior-rated Jumpmaster who has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. I commanded a company and a joint service, multinational theater support element. I served as the intelligence officer for multiple real-world combat aviation operations with the 82nd Airborne Division. I managed crisis communication as the communications director and spokesperson for 1st Armored Division, 18th Airborne Corps and Soldier for Life.   Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service.   My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for veterans and our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.    In addition to working with my Veteran population, I have a lifelong commitment to making a difference in my community and beyond. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status.   In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May 2025.   I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization.   I have exhausted my GI Bill, and I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others.   Trust is the cornerstone of every good leadership and counseling relationship. As a leader, I intimately know what it is like to have people’s lives in my hands. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals.

The Army is a family business for me. My grandfather fought in World War II. My father and father-in-law, who was also a Army Ranger Instructor, served in Vietnam. My husband is a retired Army Infantry Ranger. Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service. As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for Veterans, our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions. I have a lifelong commitment to making a difference in my community and beyond, and my focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status. In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May 2025.   I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization.   I have exhausted my GI Bill, and I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others.

Serving in the Army gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for veterans and our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I want to help service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.    In addition to working with my Veteran population, I have a lifelong commitment to making a difference in my community and beyond. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status.   In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May 2025.   I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others.   As a leader, I intimately know what it is like to have people’s lives in my hands. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it.

I am a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served on active duty for 22 years in military intelligence and public affairs. I am a senior-rated Jumpmaster who has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. I commanded a company and a joint service, multinational theater support element. I served as the intelligence officer for multiple real-world combat aviation operations with the 82nd Airborne Division. I managed crisis communication as the communications director and spokesperson for 1st Armored Division, 18th Airborne Corps and Soldier for Life.   Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service.   My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for veterans and our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.    In addition to working with my Veteran population, I have a lifelong commitment to making a difference in my community and beyond. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status.   In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May 2025.   I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization.   I have exhausted my GI Bill, and I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others.   Trust is the cornerstone of every good leadership and counseling relationship. As a leader, I intimately know what it is like to have people’s lives in my hands. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals.

I am a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served on active duty for 22 years in military intelligence and public affairs. I am a senior-rated Jumpmaster who has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. I commanded a company and a joint service, multinational theater support element. I served as the intelligence officer for multiple real-world combat aviation operations with the 82nd Airborne Division. I managed crisis communication as the communications director and spokesperson for 1st Armored Division, 18th Airborne Corps and Soldier for Life.   Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service.   My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences.   As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for veterans and our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions.    In addition to working with my Veteran population, I have a lifelong commitment to making a difference in my community and beyond. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status.   In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May 2025.   I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization.   I have exhausted my GI Bill, and I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others.   Trust is the cornerstone of every good leadership and counseling relationship. As a leader, I intimately know what it is like to have people’s lives in my hands. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals.

I am a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served on active duty for 22 years in military intelligence and public affairs. I am a senior-rated Jumpmaster who has earned a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge and Combat Action Badge, among other awards. I commanded a company and a joint service, multinational theater support element. I served as the intelligence officer for multiple real-world combat aviation operations with the 82nd Airborne Division. I managed crisis communication as the communications director and spokesperson for 1st Armored Division, 18th Airborne Corps and Soldier for Life. Serving in uniform gave me the honor and distinct privilege of coaching, teaching, mentoring, and serving alongside our nation’s finest Soldiers, earning their trust to lead them into combat. Building meaningful connections fosters a sense of community and teamwork, and the Army allowed me to cultivate an inclusive environment that celebrated each team member while growing the next generation of proud, disciplined, and purposeful leaders dedicated to camaraderie and selfless service. My goal is to increase exposure and access to mental health resources while reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. I want to build and manage integrated healthcare models for meaningful, enduring societal differences. As a retired Soldier for Life, I advocate for veterans and our heroes, sharing my military experiences publicly to foster understanding and appreciation of military service. As a Soldier living with post-traumatic stress disorder, I will dedicate a significant portion of my nonprofit work to helping service members and their families experiencing similar conditions. In addition to working with my Veteran population, I have a lifelong commitment to making a difference in my community and beyond. My focus as a mental health and wellness professional is to create premium holistic healthcare that is financially and managerially more accessible and convenient to provide and receive for patients and providers, regardless of economic or personal status. In addition to the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree I am pursuing at Arizona State University, I have one class and 300 internship hours left to complete a Master of Arts degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness from New York University to become a licensed counselor. I have a 4.0 GPA and will graduate in May 2025. I start Indiana University’s Master of Business Administration Strategy and Leadership program in August to enhance my confidence in leading all aspects of my nonprofit healthcare organization. I have exhausted my GI Bill, and I still have so much to learn to be a better teammate in the world. With my career, deployments, and own post-traumatic stress disorder, I feel I can offer a unique view and understanding of this issue and offer viable insights and solutions to attack it. My degree in behavioral health management will give me the credentials I need for the nonprofit work I want to do with current and former service members and families. As a Veteran, I am acutely aware of the mental health stigma in our military community. I want to create a safe space for service members and families to grow and connect with themselves and others. Trust is the cornerstone of every good leadership and counseling relationship. As a leader, I intimately know what it is like to have people’s lives in my hands. My passion is people, and I am ready to serve again. For over 22 years, I was entrusted with leading our nation’s finest Soldiers into combat. Now, it is time for me to counsel and guide them out of it. This scholarship would help me achieve my goal.