Board of Directors & Advisors
Healing Their Hidden Wounds of War
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2018:
Chairman/President: Chief Master Sergeant (ret) Ed Schloeman, USMC, NYANG
Mr. Schloeman is a retired Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) from the NY Air National Guard (1973-1995) and a Marine Vietnam Disabled Veteran (Sgt) serving from 1960 to 1966.
Ed’s career has been with companies such as NYNEX (Verizon), Telco Systems and other telecommunication companies before starting his own business in 2008. He received many business awards for his sales leadership skills and accomplishments, including being crowned “King of Kings County-Brooklyn CY2013 and received a Life Time of Service Award from the Brooklyn Rotary Club. He was presented with two “Proclamations” from the Brooklyn Borough President, as well as, two Congressional Recognition Awards for his accomplishments within the Veteran community.
CMS (ret) Schloeman holds Life Memberships in; Enlisted Association of The New York National Guard, Enlisted Association of the United States, and The Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and membership in The Iwo Jima Association and The National Veteran Small Business Coalition. Ed is an active spokesperson for supporting Veterans’ initiatives, emphasis on veteran homeless issues, and he is well recognized within that community and government appointees.
Some of his military decorations include; Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Medal, Air Reserve Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Ribbon and NY State Military Commendation Medal
Ed is married for 53 years to Judith Ann whose children are Catherine Syslo (CPA and homemaker), Lt.Col (Ret) Edward Schloeman Jr, USAF (F-15/C-5/C-17 Pilot) and NYPD Lt. Robert Schloeman
Duties: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the foundation; he shall preside at all meetings of the members and of the board; he shall have the general management of the affairs of the foundation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the board are carried into effect.
Treasurer: Walter Primoff
Secretary: LtCol.(R) Patrick Kernan
Patrick B. Kernan
8309 Holly Haven Lane, Fairfax Station, VA
Phone: (703) 867-2973; Email: pbk1965@gmail.com
Professional Summary:
Top Secret Clearance (not active, adjudicated by OPM for DHS in Sep 2011)
Current DHS T2 Clearance
Served 12 years on active duty in the Army as an attorney (Jan 92 to Aug 04)
Worked 8 years as an attorney in DHS, USCIS (Aug 04 to May 12)
Recalled to Army active duty and deployed to Iraq twice (2006 & 2011)
Retired from the Army as a LieutCol with 20 years of service in Nov 2012
Education:
U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School (VA) – Master of Laws, 2001
Wake Forest University School of Law (NC) – Juris Doctor, 1991
Hamilton College (NY) – Bachelor of Arts, 1987
Bar Admissions:
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
District of Columbia
Massachusetts
Security Clearance:
Top Secret (Not Active, Adjudicated by OPM for DHS in September 2011)
Kernan & Associates, PLLC May 2012 – Present
Owner
- Advise small business clients through the procurement process, including bids, RFPs, bid protests, Small Business Eligibility/Criteria Research, System for Award Management (SAM) issues, contract terminations, and new regulations.
- Represent clients in complex litigation in federal court and before administrative tribunals in a broad range of cases including government contracts, bid protests, private commercial disputes, contract advice, and procurement. Includes cases before the government accountability office, court of federal claims and federal district courts.
- Retained by a large Washington, DC university to provide representation on specialized matters. Work focuses on legal advice on government contract matters.
- Successfully represented several clients before federal suspension and debarment authority.
- In addition to other protest work, successfully protested a multimillion dollar ID/IQ contract award before the GAO resulting in a client being added to the contract.
- Wrote dispositive motions and assisted in discovery on a multi-million dollar teaming agreement dispute between two private security companies in Iraq.
- Litigated a Fair Labor Standards Act Collective Action action against a multi-national company for failing to properly pay FLSA overtime to IT help desk employees.
- Provide Foreign Corrupt Practices Act guidance to businesses.
- Assisted several clients with preparation of government contract claims.
- Provide businesses employment law advice, including wage and hour issues.
- Provide corporate legal counsel to several small business clients
Vius, LLC July 2012 — Present
Managing Member
- Managing member of a service-disabled veteran-owned small business providing professional technical and management support service to federal and private sector clients. Areas of focus are information technology (IT) program management, legal services, acquisition management, financial management, capital planning and investment control including governance, privacy support, business process reengineering, and data management.
- Under contract with the Department of Transportation, Volpe Center to provide government acquisition legal support.
- Under contract with the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General to provide cloud computing legal services and support for government acquisitions.
- Serve as off-site program manager for an investigative services contract with the Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
- Drafted and promulgated foundational corporate documents including corporate code of conduct, corporate operating agreement, human resources manual and policies.
- Prepared and executed all documents supporting business transactions such as prime contracts, sub-contracts, non-disclosure agreements, and teaming agreements.
- Prepared and managed a claim for an equitable adjustment for costs incurred during the government shut-down which reached a successful outcome.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services September 2011 – May 2012
Special Counsel, Commercial and Administrative Law
- Served as Senior Counsel in the Commercial and Administrative Law Division in the Office of Chief Counsel.
- Mentored and managed workload within the commercial law section.
- Advised management concerning acquisition and procurement, appropriations, and fiscal law.
- Provided guidance on Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, employment law, Equal Employment Opportunity cases, worker’s compensation claims, Federal Tort Claims Act, procurement integrity, and general agency administrative law.
- Represented the Agency in litigation before administrative bodies and in federal court.
Department of Defense May 2011 – August 2011
Staff Judge Advocate (Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Balad, Iraq)
- Led a team of ten (10) legal personnel spread across the Iraqi Joint Operations Area to ensure timely and effective legal support for counterterrorism operations of two Army Special Operations Task Forces and one Navy Special Warfare Task Force.
- Provided acquisition advice on large transition contracts as the U.S. presence in Iraq drew down.
- Directly reviewed and provided legal guidance on lethal Special Operation missions, targeting, detainee operations, and military deception operations against insurgents and terrorists throughout Iraq, and supported legal team review of numerous other missions.
- Oversaw detainee operations for CJSOTF-AP. CJSOTF-AP operated a joint interrogation and detention facility with the Iraqi government and any allegations of abuse by Iraqis or Americans in this facility were investigated.
- Supervised personnel conducting investigations into allegations of detainee abuse and mistreatment, including excessive use of force.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services October 2006 – May 2011
Chief Counsel, Office of Transformation Coordination
- As Chief, Transformation Counsel, identified and resolved legal risks and concerns in the program, provided acquisition, budget, spend plan, and fiscal law guidance to move the program forward.
- Ensured the program complied with statutory and regulatory requirements, and advised on operational matters from a legal perspective.
- Supported all operations of the Office of Transformation Coordination by providing legal and programmatic advice on reengineering the USCIS business and IT processes.
- Played a significant role in developing and obtaining approval for the budgeting plan for USCIS Transformation in the early development of the program. Part of a transformation team that was given an acquisition award by DHS for expanding competition in developing the Request for Proposals to support the solution architect contract.
- Led teams with diverse operational backgrounds in developing legal, regulation, policy, and privacy decisions and documentation. Through the work of my team, we have established working groups to implement legal, regulatory, policy, and privacy changes across USCIS. Program manager responsible for regulatory, policy, and privacy changes.
- Met bi-weekly with the DHS Privacy Office to discuss Transformation privacy issues and to obtain DHS input on how to resolve privacy concerns.
- Reviewed and provided legal approval of all documentation provided to outside oversight organizations.
U.S. Army January 2006 – October 2006
Chief, Procurement and Fiscal Law (Multi-National Corps, Baghdad, Iraq)
- Supervised a section of attorneys responsible for providing acquisition and fiscal law advice in the Iraqi theater of operations. The section supported the Multi-National Corps – Iraq’s operational readiness by developing and implementing complex procurements involving $10 billion in acquisitions. The procurements involved systems, programs, and services critical to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Multi-National Corps – Iraq’s counter-insurgency effort in Iraq.
- Provided fiscal law advice and oversight of critical operational procurements and Iraq reconstruction procurements involving millions of dollars in congressionally monitored Commander’s Emergency Response Program funds. Congress received a list and reviewed each of the projects developed under this program.
- Developed Iraq theater-wide policy and procedures to build a process for handling issues involving contractors on the battlefield, including rules for the use of force, arming, escalation of force investigations, and private security company training.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services July 2004 – January 2006
Associate Counsel, Commercial and Administrative Law
- Served as Associate Counsel in the Commercial and Administrative Law Division in the Office of Chief Counsel, Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- Advised management on acquisition and procurement, appropriations, and fiscal law.
- Provided guidance on Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act, employment law, Equal Employment Opportunity, worker’s compensation claims, Federal Tort Claims Act, and general agency administrative law.
- Represented the Agency in litigation before administrative bodies and in federal court.
- Volunteered for Hurricane Katrina community relations work in support of DHS efforts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
U.S. Department of Justice 2003 – 2004
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Eastern District of Virginia)
- Special appointment to the Department of Justice to represent the U.S. government in federal court litigation in the Eastern District of Virginia and the Fourth Circuit.
- Lead attorney representing many different federal agencies in a wide variety of subject areas including employment law and discrimination, immigration, Federal Tort Claims Act, Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, Bivens matters, and military personnel litigation.
- Led teams of attorneys and expert witnesses to resolve litigation. Successfully represented the Army in a federal district court jury trial involving a medical malpractice claim for wrongful death.
- Responsible for cases from initial complaint through appeal including filing motions, motion arguments, depositions, trials and appeals.
U.S. Army 2001 – 2003
Litigation Attorney (Arlington, VA)
- Represented the U.S. Army in federal court litigation. Principal area of practice was employment discrimination, including class actions and individual discrimination claims based on disability, race, gender, retaliation, and sexual harassment.
- Successfully represented the Army in two federal district court jury trials.
- Participated in numerous appellate arguments, motions hearings, and depositions. Filed over sixty motions for summary judgment.
U.S. Army 1998 – 2000
Chief, Criminal Law Division (Fort Bragg, NC)
- Chief criminal prosecutor in an Infantry Division (20,000 troops). Supervised five attorneys and seven support personnel.
- Staff prosecuted over 100 felony level criminal cases including sexual assault, child abuse, and drug distribution.
U.S. Army 1995 – 1998
Trial Attorney, Contract Appeals Division (Arlington, VA)
- Litigated U.S. Army contract cases before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, General Services Board of Contract Appeals and the Government Accountability Office.
- Litigated a full range of contract disputes involving multi-million dollar claims. Also, litigated bid protests involving the award of a variety of government contracts.
- Led litigation teams involving other attorneys, accountants, engineers, cost estimators, program managers and analysts.
U.S. Army 1992 – 1995
Defense Counsel (Korea) & Prosecutor and Administrative Law Attorney (Fort Hood, TX)
Military Awards:
Bronze Star, Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Service Ribbon, Meritorious Service Medal (3d Award), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2d Award), Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge.
Special Advisor/Veterans Advocate: Anne Akers
With an extensive professional background in health and wellness, Anne comes to Operation Warrior Shield with a family background of military service and previous Board service with other not-for-profits serving the Veterans community. Anne has been recognized by SMART CEO Magazine with the BRAVA Award for “entrepreneurial service with a sense of give back to the community” and has served on the Board of Directors for VOICE Ovarian Cancer at Mt. Sinai Hospital; Board of Advisors at the Skin Cancer Foundation, Tournesol Wellness, Shining Service Worldwide and Operation Reinvent and volunteer positions with the American Cancer Society, the National Osteoporosis Foundation and other health advocacy groups. Anne has enjoyed a successful entrepreneurial career as Founder/Publisher of GLOW Beauty, Health and Wellness Magazine; co-founder/Publisher of MDPublish.com, and Founder/Publisher of Castle Connolly Graduate Medical Publishing, developing pharmaceutically sponsored educational review manuals to assist young doctors in passing their Board exams in over 15 different medical specialties. Currently, Anne Akers is spearheading the Veterans Wellness program (VETWELL) at Operation Warrior Shield.
(The Late) Jerry Yellin WW II P-51 Pilot
Board Advisor
Captain (ret) Jerry Yellin is an Army Air Corps veteran who served in WWII between 1941 and 1945.
Jerry enlisted two months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on his 18th Birthday. After graduating from Luke Air Field as a fighter pilot in August of 1943, he spent the remainder of the war flying P-40, P- 47 and P-51 combat missions in the Pacific with the 78th Fighter Squadron.
He participated in the first land based fighter mission over Japan on April 7, 1945, and served on Iwo Jima during that horrific battle. He also has the unique distinction of having flown the final combat mission of World War II on August 14, 1945 – the day the war ended. On that mission, his wing-man (Phillip Schlamberg) was the last man killed in a combat mission in WWII.
After the war ended, Jerry struggled with severe undiagnosed PTSD. He always wondered why he survived, while so many of his comrades died during the war. Because of these experiences, Jerry has dedicated his life speaking on the horrors of “the hidden wounds of war-PTSD”.
Jerry is the award-winning author of four books, including Of War and Weddings, The Blackened Canteen, The Resilient Warrior, and The Letter. He is the official spokesperson for The Spirit of “45. .
Jerry is traveling the world sharing his story and helping to bring healing and hope to a new generation of veterans who are battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).He aims to help heal the wounds of war while dissolve the barriers and misunderstandings that bring us to the point of destroying ourselves. He delivers an insightful glimpse into the life of a warrior from the perspective of a humble humanitarian.
Jerry’s military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross. He married Helene Shulman in October 1949, is the father of 4 sons and grandfather to 6 grandchildren. Helene passed away in June 2015 after 65 years of marriage.
John Walsh, President/CEO Sightspan Inc.
Treasurer
Mr. John Walsh is President and CEO of Sightspan Inc. which specializes in Risk Management, Corporate Governance, Security and Overall Business Process Improvement.
John has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, with direct responsibility for Management, Security and Anti-Laundering, Combat Terrorist Financing and Corporate Security matters for the majority of his professional career. He has established and trained members of the Financial Investigations Units and Federal Crime Specialists for global and personal work in high risk areas designing methods to detect and reduce global criminal activities for both private and public organizations.
John is a Certified Compliance Officer, an active member of the Association of Anti-Money Laundering Professionals, a member of the Arab American Bankers Association and Certified Examiners Association, Global Association of Risk Professionals and several Security Groups. John is active with many military and veteran groups and is a Committee Member of the North Carolina Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
Duties: The Treasurer shall have the care and the custody of all the funds and securities of the foundation and shall deposit said funds in the name of the foundation in such bank or trust company as the directors may elect. At the endo of each calendar year, he shall have an audit of the accounts of the foundation made by the committee appointed by the president, at which time he shall present an annual report setting forth in full the financial conditions of the corporation.
Dennis Herrera, Founder of Nuday Capital
Dennis Herrera is a venture capitalist with over 15 years of experience in the financial industry. His primary focus is providing instrumental financing for late stage biotech and life-science companies. Mr. Herrera has an established reputation for building specialized sales teams of financial experts who work diligently to meet the needs of their investors and maintain successful track records. Mr. Herrera currently holds his Series 7 and Series 63 licenses.
Dennis Herrera has built a career by forging strong relationships and unlocking value for his clients in several pre-ipo big tech companies. Mr. Herrera has been instrumental in financing and investing in bio-tech, life science and med tech companies.
Mr. Herrera is the Founder of Nuday Capital and is an active member of various nonprofit organizations. He has been featured on Bravo’s hit show “Million Dollar Listing New York” and recognized by the NY Post and Toro magazine.
Francesca DeVito, President BTD Textile
Ms. De Vito started her career working in several New Jersey hospitals as an x-ray technician, attended Moore College of Art, and danced professionally for the Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company, before moving to NYC to enroll in The Actors Studio.
She performed Off-Broadway in a number of shows, including stand-up comedy. She had a singing career and taught children acting classes before entering the Garment Industry as a sales person. She starting her own company in 1996, Francesca De Vito Inc.
Her charity efforts started with Francesca and Friends, which raised funds for gift cards for families in need and made gift baskets for the soldiers at Walter Reed. Some of her veteran work, was and still is, with organizations as The David Lynch Foundation’s Operation Warrior Wellness and other Not For Profits, Operation Warrior Shield. She held many successful fund raising campaigns for each.
She is the author of “Johnnie Discovers the Book of Light, The Mysteries of Magic Town and her new book in which she was a contributor to, Dictionary of Dreams.
Anthony Rodriguez, AFEX CRO
Anthony Luis Rodriguez is the son of a Vietnam Veteran, a Meditator, a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and currently the Chief Global Compliance and Data Protection Officer for AFEX, a global payment and risk management solution provider.
Anthony is a senior executive leader with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, leading complex global compliance initiatives, audits/validations, and the implementation of technologies throughout North America, Asia Pacific and EMEA. Over the years, he has developed comprehensive skills in global economic sanctions, anti-money laundering, privacy, regulatory corporate compliance and enterprise risk management.
Currently Anthony is a member of the Advisory Board of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven, as well as, the ACAMS Advisory Board representing the MSB industry.
Christina Tadross, Sotheby’s Real Estate
Christina Tadross retired from the Real Estate business and is now living in Sag Harbor, New York. She has served on the board for a private school in New York and now sits on the board of “Warrior Shield”. Having been in 911, she saw first hand how truly brave and selfless the first responder were. Christina wants to give back to our men who put their lives on the line for all of us. Christina is very proud to be part of this wonderful enterprise that heals the unseen wounds of post traumatic stress syndrome.
Sent from my iPhone
Wendy Waugh, VP Unigo
Frederick Winters Senior Operations Executive
Dynamic, innovative and results-driven leader with over 35 years of progressive leadership, team building and operations
experience, highlighted by distinguished 22 year military career. Goal oriented with a consistent record of exceeding
standards and expectations. Five years plus experience in Consequence Management, Humanitarian Assistance, and
Disaster Relief Operations at the multi-national, interagency agency and NGO/PVO levels. Outstanding communication,
presentation, negotiation and sales skills combined with a unique ability to forcefully but diplomatically get the point
across. Excels under pressure and in high stress environments.
Brett Cotter Stress Is Gone, LLC
B
rett Cotter is a stress relief expert specializing in group facilitation, one-on-one coaching and instructional design. His program is certified by The American Institute of Stress. Brett founded www.
Dr. Gladys Frankel
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Rita Cosby, TV/Radio Host Emmy Winner, best-selling author
Board Advisor
Rita Cosby is a renowned TV host, radio host, bestselling author and veteran correspondent, who anchored highly-rated primetime shows on Fox News Channel and MSNBC. She is currently a Special Correspondent for the CBS syndicated program Inside Edition specializing in interviewing newsmakers and political figures. Honors for the three-time Emmy winner include the Matrix Award and the Jack Anderson Award.
She was also selected by Cosmopolitan Magazine as a “Fun and Fearless Female.” A recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Lech Walesa Freedom Award, she hosts the National Memorial Day Parade broadcast to all US military installations around the world. October 11, 2010, was declared “Rita Cosby Day” in the State of New York for her “extraordinary journalism and exemplary service on behalf of her community.”
Dr. Robert Cancro, Chairman Emeritus of Psychiatry, NYU
Board Advisor
Robert Cancro, M.D. Med.D.Sc. is a Lucius N. Littauer Professor
and Chairman Emeritus of Psychiatry at the New York University Medical Center—one of the largest psychiatry faculties in the United States, boasting a wealth of experts that are always on hand, specializing in such refined areas as neuropsychiatry, psychoanalysis, psychopharmacology, behavioral therapy, positron emission tomography and epidemiology.
Dr. Cancro is an expert on psychosis who teaches residents, develops research programs for traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, and maintains a clinical practice. He meets with patients and lectures to practicing psychiatrists, offering insight into the world of psychiatry as it applies to the classification of psychiatric diseases and the cataloging of biological-psychological disorders.
Dr. Cancro has amassed a vast range of experience in the area of psychiatry. He has spent more than half a century sharpening a skill set that has garnered for him a reputation in the field of psychiatry, and he continues to strive for excellence in his endeavors. Dr. Cancro earned an MD from the SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and he fulfilled medical internship requirements and a residency in psychiatry at the Kings County Hospital Center. Dr. Cancro also received a Doctor of Medical Sciences at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and earned a board certification in psychiatry.
For his demonstration of a long-standing interest in psychiatry and advancements made in the field, to date, Dr. Cancro received a Progress in Psychiatry Award.
Dr. Lois Lee, Founder Children of the Night Foundation
Board Advisor
Dr. Lois Lee is a pioneer and trailblazer in rescuing America’s sex trafficked children right here in the United States. She is the founder & president of Children of the Night and has rescued over 10,000 children from prostitution — that is more children than all of the other sex trafficking organizations combined. Since 1979 she has raised more than $40 million in private donations to support her groundbreaking programs.
Diplomats come from all over the world to observe Lee’s ground-breaking work at the Children of the Night home
Dr. Lee has received countless awards for her humanitarian work, most notably the prestigious President’s Volunteer Action Award, presented to her by President Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1984.
A permanent memorial portrait at the Frederick Douglas Museum honors her 1994 National Caring Award.
Her life story was portrayed in a CBS Movie of the Week “Children of the Night” in 1985 and she was profiled on CBS “60 Minutes” in 1987.
Dr. Lee was lauded by singer/songwriter Richard Marx in his song “Children of the Night,” which appeared on his 1989 Repeat Offender album.
Major General James Williams, USMC (ret)
Board Advisor
Major General James L. Williams, USMC (Ret) recently retired as the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division, the largest infantry division in the U.S. military, consisting of nearly 22,000 Marines, Sailors, and civilians. Previously, he was Assistant Division Commander, 2nd Marine Division (2006-2007), and Deputy Commanding General (Mobilization), Marine Corps Combat Development Command (2005-2006). As the Assistant Division Commander, 2d Marine Division at Camp Blue Diamond, Ar-Ramadi, Iraq, Major General Williams directed combat operations and was directly responsible for the sensitive negotiations with insurgents and terrorist groups to get them to stop fighting and cooperate with the building of Iraq.
In the civilian business and corporate world, Major General Williams held positions as Chief Operating Officer in Kentucky and Texas with Humana, EPIC Healthcare, and HealthTrust; assisted Ross Perot in starting operations in development of corporate information systems for healthcare organizations at Perot Systems as a Principle Associate; was the Chief Information Officer for EmCare, the largest emergency physician management company in the U.S., and Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer for software company Emergisoft; and was President, Strategic Alliances for software security company bTrade, Inc.
In addition, Major General Williams has been responsible for international engineering development for classified systems for various defense contractors and has worked in international global trade consulting roles for numerous multi-national corporations doing business with China, Vietnam, the Western Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa, and Central and South America. He is deeply involved in local, national, and global political issues as well. He is a member of a number of professional associations in academics, technology, military affairs, world trade, and global business forums.
LtCol(r) Justin Constantine, Job Path
Randy Eichinger, Military Mortgage Guys
Jack Fanous, Job Path
Jane Hanson, TV Emmy Award Winning Journalist
Emmy award winning television journalist and coach Jane Hanson has spent over 30 years helping people communicate better. Not only does it enhance their presence, and ensure they resonate with every type of audience, but in today’s fast paced world, it is imperative to be on one’s game 24/7. Hanson focuses on three core elements: what you say, how you say it, and how your body language keeps it all in sync.
Among her diverse array of media and presentation training clients: top tier leaders of corporations spanning the fields of finance, insurance, startups, technology, education, design, fashion and media; publishers and editors in chief of numerous national magazines & websites; key opinion leaders in the pharmaceutical industry; internet entrepreneurs; chefs and restaurateurs. She has also hosted programs on cable channels and private satellite broadcasts, covering nearly every subject, from health care to food, pop culture, finance and religion. And she is a frequent speaker, emcee, and panel moderator.
Jane Hanson grew up on the prairies of rural Minnesota— coming to New York three decades ago to join the NBC networks. She began as an anchor and correspondent for WNBC New York in 1979. In 1988, Jane was named co-anchor of “Today in New York,” a position she held until 2003 when she became the station’s primary anchor for local programming and the host of “Jane’s New York.” She covered events ranging from the tragedy of 9/11 to the joy of Yankees victory parades to Wall Street and Washington; has interviewed presidents, business magnates, prisoners, and celebrities; traveled as far as the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and the great depths miles below New York City for her special reports. Most recently she hosted a daily entertainment and lifestyle program, New York Live, for NBC4 in New York City.
Jane has won 9 Emmy Awards. In addition, she was named “Correspondent of the Year” by New York’s Police Detectives and received a similar honor from New York’s Firefighters. She has also been the recipient of numerous other awards for her service to the community. Jane has served as the March of Dimes Walk-America Chairman, honorary chair for the Susan B. Komen Foundation’s “Race for the Cure,” and as a board member of Graham Windham, Phipps Houses, the Randall’s Island Sports Foundation, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, and Telecare. She has taught courses on communication at Long Island University, Stern College, and the 92nd St Y. And Hanson is a Past President of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota.
Lestiel Kelly, Veteran Advocate
VALUE STATEMENT
Resourceful veteran advocate with special knowledge of city, state, and
federal veteran benefits. Strong relationship builder able to communicate
information clearly and concisely. Effective manager of people and
operations. Extremely customer oriented with strong interpersonal skills.
Efficient and highly organized. Successful in planning and prioritizing
multiple projects. Technically savvy in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and
various databases. Bilingual – Spanish Language.
EXPERIENCE
Veteran Benefits Assistant, Harlem VET Center, U.S Department of
Veterans Affairs, New York, NY 06/13 – 12/14
• Assisted and advocated for veterans and members of the armed
services and their families on concerns relating to their rights
and benefits, including matters pertaining to employment and
educational training, military law, employment and
reemployment, health, medical and rehabilitation services and
facilities, and the provisions of laws relating to veterans’ rights
and privileges.
• Conducted preliminary intake and eligibility assessments;
Generated requests and order service records.
• Administrative support for the following programs – Homeless
Outreach and Vocational Rehabilitation.
• Advocated for veterans on claims and referrals to entitlements;
Outreach coordination and enrollment assistance.
• Improved operating procedures by implementing a migrating
process from manual to electronic storage.
• Responsible for the coordination and referrals of clients to
counselors and vocational departments.
• Liaison between partner organizations and members.
Veteran Program Support Assistant, Office of Veteran Affairs, City
College Of New York, NY 01/12 – 12/12
• Advised collegiate veterans on educational and vocational
supplemental program benefits.
• Advised veterans of form completion processes and assisted in the
interpretation of various VA Programs.
• Created, implemented and maintained student profiles to improve
the tracking of each veteran’s matriculation.
• Collaborated with the Program Coordinator to enhance the
promotion of department’s service offerings.
General Manager, Hallo Berlin, New York,
NY 12/10 -04/12
• Managed all aspects of food service operations for two locations.
Management entailed supervision of 25 employees (floor and
kitchen staff) Managed staff schedules, payroll, supervision,
training, and evaluation.
• Oversaw inventory control and overall profitability of restaurant.
Increased revenues by 10% within first year.
• Ensured compliance of NYC Department of Health regulations;
improved establishments rating to an A rating.
Manager, Lali’s Restaurant, New York, NY
03/08 – 12/10
• Created dinner service offering for restaurant. Responsible for
managing a staff of 5 for both kitchen operations and floor
service to ensure consistency of menu production and client
service. Increased revenue by 25%.
• Maintained budget, prepared payroll, paid monthly bills and
ensured compliance with Department Health codes.
Chef De Cuisine, Mercat Restaurant, New York,
NY 01/07 – 12/08
• Responsible for creation and production of the evening cuisine
with the Executive Chef.
• Managed inventory of ingredients, organization of kitchen
facilities, and optimizing revenue for dinner service.
United State Navy, Arabian Sea, Middle East
11/99 – 11/04
Petty Officer 3rd Class, Aviation Electrician, Operation Enduring
Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Managed procurement of inventory and parts for each mission.
• Responsible for the daily maintenance and repair of electrical
systems for the F-14 jet wing.
• Created and managed daily executive summary for pilots and
command staff.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts – Public Administration, The City College of New York,
GPA 3.23 (Cum Laude) 5/2015
Associate of Occupational Studies –Culinary Management, The Art
Institute of NYC, GPA 3.1 12/2006
Abe Shainberg, Actor and Film Producer
Abe Shainberg is an attorney, filmmaker, art dealer and marketer with 30 years + experience working for firms in advertising, marketing, publishing, public relations, fundraising, filmmaking, trade associations and law. He has served as the Executive Director of the Diamond Dealers Club, Executive Vice President of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and is a board member of ICAMI, Int’l Com. Against Mental Illness, Nathan Kline Inst. NYU.
Rita Shtivelman, President, Wonder Rita Productions
Jamie Wells, Academy Securities
Jamie Wells moved to Brooklyn, NY from Maine in 2006 where she obtained a B.S. in Business Management from Baruch College. She is currently the Operations Manager for a disabled veteran owned investment bank in New York City. Jamie has been a Veteran Advocate for many years.
She is the proud Aunt to ten, amazing, nieces and nephews and teaches religion classes to children at St. Francis Xavier near her home in Park Slope.
Jamie’s family is full of veterans including her father who served on the USS Austin and grandfather served in the US Air Force.
Kirke Walsh, Entrepreneur
Kirke Walsh, as head of his own construction company, has built, owned and operated
major entertainment venues through out New York City.
As company head, he has designed, built and launched over 25 New York City venues
including, restaurants, night clubs, as well as many high end New York City apartments
and condo/co-op conversions.
Sampling of commercial projects have included:
DEVELOPED OWNED AND OPERATED
Make Believe Ballroom-Night Club
Tracs-Night Club
High Rollers-Roller Rink
Kamikazi-Night Club
DEVELOPED/CONSTRUCTED
Tunnel-Night Club
Ritz-Night Club
Shark Bar-Resturant/Bar
Red Parrot-Night Club
Les Poulet-Night Club
Madame Romaine-Resturant
Kirke Walsh and his insured associates are experts at:
Demolition
Steel and Foundation
Framing & Elevators
Plumbing
Electric & Lighting
Walls/Flooring
HVAC
All finishes including ornamental plaster work, etc.
QUALIFICATIONS
Mr. Walsh is detailed oriented and self motivated, with strong communication skills and a
working knowledge of Spanish. He is knowledgeable in all aspects of construction.
Sharon Marantz Walsh, Artist/Charity Advocate
Sharon Marantz Walsh has served as a spokeswoman, appeared on television, radio and other media outlets for many not-for-profit Foundations, securing celebrity endorsements, significant funding, and sales, as well as in-kind gifts for auctions from high profile vendors, such as: Piaget, Bulgari, Harry Winston, J. Mendel, etc. Sharon was a Founding Board Member of the Pajama Program, is on the Advisory Board of the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts and was a past Board Member of the Jefferson Awards, for whom she established a strong New York City presence. In addition, Sharon has been Dinner Chair for Boy’s Town of Italy as well as produced successful events for the Rogosin Institute, The Evelyn Lauder Breast Cancer Foundation, The Women’s Forum, The Chocolate Show, among many others. She was awarded a “Special Thanks” for her past roles as Chairwoman of the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Generation of Strength Campaign, Creator of their Gift From Mothers to Daughters Luncheon and the Chair of NOF’s national Honoree Committee, where Sharon was responsible for spearheading NOF’s two million dollar campaign.
Richard Carlton, MD, Integrative Physician
Richard Carlton, MD is an Integrative Physician. As a psychiatrist, he uses nutrients and herbs to help people suffering from PTSD, anxiety, depression, TBI, and ADD. He also serves as a consultant (not primary care) for people with a variety of medical conditions, such as migraines, inflammatory bowel disease, and post-COVID syndromes (“long haulers”). Dr. Carlton is licensed in NY State as a Medical Cannabis provider, which has enabled him to help many combat vets and first responders.
Brett Hochman, Military Mortgage Guys