Craig Barrett graduated from Brooklyn College, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and with honors in the department of philosophy in 1995. His philosophical studies lead him to an interest in social justice, which fueled his aspirations to become an attorney. In pursuit of this career, he later attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School to begin his legal studies. After receiving his law degree, Mr. Barrett moved back to New York City where he became licensed to practice law in 2000.

The terrorist attacks in September of 2001 then prompted Mr. Barrett to join the United States Marine Corps in December of that year. He entered the Officer Candidate Course 179 in January 2002 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in April. After completing The Basic School, Mr. Barrett served as a Judge Advocate until 2008 when he completed his service. He was honorably discharged attaining the rank of Major, receiving the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his service.

In 2008, Major Barrett was offered an adjunct instructor position with Averett University’s Masters in Business Administration program, teaching business law with a focus on ethics. In that same year, he created a limited liability company, ACS Capital Investors, LLC (ACS) doing business as Premier Stays Executive Suites. His company specialized in providing housing for transient professionals relocating to the National Capital Region. The company focused on servicing mobilized Reservists who were called to active duty in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Leveraging his legal background, his knowledge of Military Reserve Policy, and his expertise in the current housing market, Mr. Barrett was able to support an under-served population of service-members during their transition from civilian to active duty service. During his company’s first two years of business ACS provided transition support, career counseling, and housing to over 20 service members for the duration of their mobilization orders, which in many cases was over a two year period.

His passion to serve those who have served our country continues, and he has expanded his commitment and service to include Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to ensure they have access to the resources and support they have earned.

Theo Bell began his own corporate & federal real estate consulting practice, Epic Consulting, LLC, in 2011 after three years as Senior Managing Director at Newmark Knight Frank in Washington, D.C.

With a combined experience of 18 years, Mr. Bell is an expert in federal business development, leading edge technologies, strategic marketing, tactical sales and key account management.

Prior to joining Newmark Knight Frank, Mr. Bell held senior-level executive positions with corporate and commercial real estate service firms, such as Capitol CREAG, LLC, and, most recently, with UGL Equis as senior vice president to the Government Services Group, where he managed key account relationships with agencies such as DOD, GSA, FBI, IRS, IMF, the Census Bureau, Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State.

Mr. Bell started his career as manager of government contracts for the US Department of Defense as a warrant officer in 1990, where he succeeded in saving $30 million in maintenance costs by implementing a new quality assurance program and $3 million in annual aircraft repair and overhaul costs by limiting demand for contractor maintenance.

Early in his career, Mr. Bell assumed the position of executive director/owner at Powerhouse Gym, where he managed 13 facilities and raised capital through promotional and venture capital funding to expand the business to from 2 to 42 employees. He also drove up client satisfaction and revenue by 800%, by identifying areas of concern and creating proactive solutions to exceed expectations.

Mr. Bell also closed $1.5 million in sales for Wilsonart International, and in 2001, he secured over $3 million in new business for Formica with estimated sales of $29.3 million over the next four years. Among several other accomplishments, most recently, Mr. Bell sourced and participated in the proposal development for the $10 million U.S. Census Bureau Real Estate Services Contract and the NASA Lease Prospectus Development Services contract worth an undisclosed amount.

Mr. Bell is a frequent speaker and resource for those covering GSA real property leasing. As a board member and vice president of programs, he actively develops educational topics and trains GSA asset managers, who are members of the Federal Real Property Association.

Professional Affiliations:

• Board Member, National Federal Development Association (NFDA)
• Past President & Executive Board Member, Federal Real Property Association (FRPA)
• Howard County Council Representative, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Task Force
• Board Member & Sponsorship Committee Chairman, CoreNet Mid Atlantic Chapter
• Advisory Board Member, Luke’s Wings

Education:
Mr. Bell graduated cum laude from Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Aeronautics.

Mika Brzezinski is the co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and the author of three best-selling books. Her memoir “All Things At Once” became a “New York Times” best seller in January 2010. Her second book “Knowing Your Value,” which examines the role of women in the workplace, reached #1 on the “New York Times” best sellers list for business books in spring 2011. Her most recent book “Obsessed: America’s Food Addiction and My Own” debuted on the best-sellers list in spring 2013. Brzezinski also writes “Getting What You Want” for Cosmopolitan, a monthly column about career confidence and empowerment.

Prior to joining MSNBC in January 2007, Brzezinski was an anchor of the “CBS Evening News Weekend Edition” and a CBS News correspondent who frequently contributed to “CBS Sunday Morning” and “60 Minutes.” She reported live from Lower Manhattan for CBS News during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

A native of New York City, Brzezinski is the daughter of Foreign Policy Expert and Former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. She is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and a Williams College alum. Brzezinski lives in New York with her husband and two daughters.

James Jay Carafano is a leading expert in national security, defense affairs, and homeland security at The Heritage Foundation. Before assuming responsibility for Heritage’s entire defense and foreign policy team in December 2012, Carafano had served as deputy director of the Davis Institute as well as director of its Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies since 2009. He has testified before the U.S. Congress many times and has provided commentary for ABC, BBC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, SkyNews, PBS, National Public Radio, the History Channel, Voice of America, Al Jazeera, and Australian, Austrian, Canadian, French, Greek, Hong Kong, Irish, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish television. His editorials have appeared in newspapers nationwide including The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, The New York Post,Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today and The Washington Times. He is a weekly columnist for the Washington Examiner.

Carafano served as a member of the National Academy’s Board on Army Science and Technology, the Department of the Army Historical Advisory Committee, and is a Senior Fellow at the George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Advisory Committee. He was the creative director for the feature-length documentary 33 Minutes: Protecting America in the New Missile Age.

An accomplished historian and teacher, Carafano is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and has served as a visiting professor at National Defense University. He previously served as an assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and as director of military studies at the Army’s Center of Military History. He taught at Mount Saint Mary College in New York and was a fleet professor at the U.S. Naval War College.

He is the author of many books and studies. His most recent book is Wiki at War: Conflict in a Socially Networked World(Texas A&M University Press, 2012), a survey of the revolutionary impact of the Internet age on national security. Carafano coauthored Winning the Long War: Lessons from the Cold War for Defeating Terrorism and Preserving Freedom. The first to coin the term, the “long war,” the authors argue that a successful strategy requires a balance of prudent military and security measures, continued economic growth, the zealous protection of civil liberties and winning the “war of ideas” against terrorist ideologies. Carafano joined Heritage in 2003. Before becoming a policy expert, he served 25 years in the Army. Carafano rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He served in Europe, Korea and the United States. His assignments included head speechwriter for the Army Chief of Staff, the service’s highest-ranking officer. Before retiring, Carafano was executive editor of Joint Force Quarterly, the Defense Department’s premiere professional military journal.

A graduate of West Point, Carafano also has a master’s degree and a doctorate from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in strategy from the U.S. Army War College.

Ed Dasso, MD, is an Amazon Bestselling novelist who writes the medical action/thriller series, Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles. His stories leverage many of his “stranger than fiction” experiences from years of patient care at major medical centers and community hospitals. Ed worked at some of the busiest trauma centers in the United States, often training with military physicians who came to the centers to gain experience treating penetrating injuries during peacetime. Also, Ed grew up in a family where his father, aunt and five uncles served in WWII and the Korean War. Two of those uncles were KIA as B-17 pilots.

Ed is also a physician executive and practitioner with over 3 decades of diverse clinical and healthcare management experience; especially skilled in the use of complex healthcare data analyses and clinical informatics. Demonstrated expertise in creating, effectively deploying and managing population health programs including Integrated Medical-Behavioral health management, complex case management and preventive-health/wellness/health promotion. Several of these programs have won awards for clinical achievement and innovation. Ed has published articles in national healthcare journals, written many “Ask the Doctor” columns and has frequently spoken at national healthcare forums. Ed Dasso, MD on LinkedIn | Ed Dasso, MD Amazon author page

Jonathan Elias is an award winning journalist and has been recognized both nationally and locally for covering and reporting stories. Right now Elias anchors our 4, 6, and 11 p.m. on ABC7 News, as well as our 10 p.m. on NewsChannel8.

He also heads up the 7Salutes beat, where he is constantly looking for stories about our men and women who are serving or have served in the military.

Elias joins ABC7/WJLA-TV from WBZ in Boston where he was a primary anchor and a lead reporter. On the day of the Boston Marathon bombings he was the only reporter to be standing on the finish line. His coverage earned him the highest journalism awards in the business, a DuPont, a Peabody, and a National Emmy Award. While in Boston Elias earned Emmy Awards for being the best anchor, writer, and for four years in a row the best general assignment reporter. He covered blizzards, hurricanes and parades for the Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots.

Before Boston, Elias was the main anchor at KNXV in Phoenix. He traveled the country covering big stories including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, and the Washington D.C. sniper case. His investigative work exposed a gaping hole in the T.S.A. screening process earned him a national Peabody Award. Elias also started the Welcome Home Project — a group that worked to recognize and thank returning Purple Heart Veterans.

During his career Elias worked as a primary anchor at KCBS in Los Angeles, WCCO in Minneapolis and as a reporter in Birmingham and Joplin.

He has reported from important stories including the L.A. Riots, Oklahoma City bombing, the crash of TWA 800, and the Oakland Hills fire. He’s covered hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and politics.

His work has been recognized with three George Foster Peabody Awards, an Alfred I. DuPont Award, a National Emmy, and 25 Regional Emmys.

In addition to his work as a journalist Jonathan has served as an Honorary Commander at Hanscom Air Force Base for three years, and for nearly a decade has served as an instructor at the U.S. Army War College.

Elias graduated from California State University at Northridge as a history major. He married his high school sweetheart, but the two first met in kindergarten. They have two children and a cattle dog named Beau. In his free time he enjoys golfing, traveling, reading, working out and searching for the perfect BBQ.

Lieutenant General Jason T. Evans was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and raised as an Air Force dependent. He attended Wentworth Military Academy where he earned an Associate Degree in Business Administration. He completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in
Business Administration from Bellevue University, Bellevue, Nebraska. He holds Masters Degrees in Business Administration and National Resource Strategy.

Lieutenant General Evans has served in command and staff positions in the continental United States, Italy, Somalia, Kosovo, Germany, and Iraq with the 13th Corps Support Command, III U.S. Corps, 510th Personnel Services Battalion, 1st Personnel Command, USAREUR, Installation Management Command, Multi-National Force – Iraq, and Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army. His key assignments include:
• Commanding General United States Army Human Resources Command
• Director of Military Personnel Management, Army G1, HQDA
• Deputy Commanding General (Support), U.S. Army Installation Management Command
• The Adjutant General; Executive Director, Military Postal Service Agency
• Executive Officer, Assistant Secretary of the Army, Manpower and Reserve Affairs
• CJ1, Multinational Force – Iraq, (Director Personnel)
• Commander, United States Army Garrison, Fort Monroe, VA
• Chief, DA, Secretariat for Officer Centralized Selection Boards, PERSCOM
• Commander, Task Force 510th Personnel Services Battalion (Kosovo)
• Commander, 510th Personnel Services Battalion, 1st PERSCOM
• Military Assistant to the G-1, Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel, HQDA
• Deputy Chief, General Officer Management Office, Office of the Chief of Staff, Army
• Majors/Lieutenant Colonels Assignments Officer, HQDA, PERSCOM
• Executive Officer, 502d Personnel Services Battalion, 3rd Personnel Group
• HHD Commander, 502d Personnel Services Battalion, 3rd Personnel Group
• G-1, Joint Task Forces Logistics Command (Mogadishu, Somalia)
• Chief, Strength Management, G-1, 13th Corps Support Command
• Executive Officer, United States Army Element, Allied Forces South

Lieutenant General Evans is a graduate of the Adjutant General’s Officer Basic and Advanced
Courses, Combined Arms Staff Services School, Command and General Staff College, the
Army Resource Management Course, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
Lieutenant General Evans’ awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal
(with 2 Oak Leaf Cluster), Legion of Merit (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star Medal,
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army
Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf
Cluster), Parachutist Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

Erika Glon is the Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at CACI International in Arlington, Virginia. She is responsible for the company’s external marketing communications, to include all company websites and social media, marketing campaigns, advertising, and graphic design. She is also on the Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG) Steering Committee, an internal organization dedicated to supporting veterans both inside and outside the company.

Prior to her job at CACI, Erika was the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, where she was the Air Force public relations lead for National Special Security Events such as Inauguration, State Funerals and Contingency Response. In 2016, Erika was selected to participate in the Secretary of Defense’s Education with Industry Fellowship Program, where she spent 10 months in Coca-Cola’s Government Relations Office in Washington, D.C.

Erika has held positions as the Chief of Community Relations, Chief of Media Relations, and Deputy Director of the Commander’s Action Group at AFDW. She has also worked as a conference planner for the Office of Secretary of Defense, program analyst for Headquarters Security Forces, and Chief of Strategic Communications for Headquarters Air Force.

Erika spent 13 years in the Air National Guard as a Security Forces Officer, and after 9/11 was activated to support both Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Erika lives in Woodbridge with her husband, Ben, and two children, Hunter and Charlotte. She enjoys teaching cycle classes at her local fitness center and competing in ballroom dance. She has danced on behalf of ORHF in 2017 and 2018 in the DC’s Dancing With the Stars competition as a Corporate Dancer, raising over $110,000 for ORHF. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, and a master’s degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from Georgetown University in 2012.

Vanessa Jaklitsch is US Correspondent for Antena 3 TV and La Razón. While a Correspondent in Washington, she also teaches at the “International Journalism” Course of Atresmedia Formación, and contributes to “Club de Prensa” TV Show of the NTN24 Channel as an analyst. Currently, she also coordinates the US and Latin America media relations at the IDB Invest. She has 15 years of experience as director, presenter and reporter at Localia Canal 4 Navarra, TV Azteca, Cadena Ser, Onda Cero and Atresmedia. She has also worked as a Special Correspondent for Antena 3 TV in Haiti, as well as in UK, Poland and Spain for PRISA Group. In print and digital journalism, Vanessa has published reports in The Washington Post, and magazines “Momento” in Mexico and “LocalArt” in Spain. She also has experience as an event host and Master of Ceremonies.

Ms. Jaklitsch has also worked as a Corporate Communications Specialist, implementing the communication strategy at the Education Division and the Integration and Trade Sector of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Here, she coordinated the editorial process, social media strategy, newsletter and media relations, as well as organizing marketing campaigns and events. She has worked as a communication consultant in communication agencies and international organizations, such as the Organization of the American States (OAS) and the Panamerican Development Foundation (PADF) following the earthquake in Haiti in 2011.

Ms. Jaklitsch co-founded ‘DCSpaniards’, the first digital platform for Spanish nationals in Washington D.C. She has a BA in Journalism and a Master’s degree in Business from the University of Navarre, and she is certified as a Specialist in Social Media Management by Georgetown University.

Dr. Katrina Lawrence currently works as a Soldier and Family Liaison for the United States Army in Bethesda, MD serving wounded OIF/OEF soldiers and their families. She began her Army Civilian career at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2006 serving as a Case Manager to wounded OIF soldiers. Dr. Lawrence also has a part time private practice in Lanham, MD where she is a Psychologist to children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Lawrence earned her BS in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2001. She earned her MA in Professional Counseling from Argosy University in 2005. She successfully defended her dissertation titled, “Compassion Fatigue/Secondary Trauma, Burnout, And Compassion Satisfaction In Trauma Workers Who Assist Clients Experiencing Individual Trauma” in 2010, leading to an EdD in Counseling Psychology. Dr. Lawrence is also a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Approved Clinical Supervisor in the state of Maryland. She is native of Alexandria, Virginia.

Jennifer Lopez joined the US Army immediately after the 9/11 attacks and served for over five years as a Chemical Operations Specialist. As a Veteran, Jennifer is very passionate in helping other Veterans in need as she experienced first hand how our current fragile economy affects our Nation’s heroes. Jennifer’s currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in Information Technology.

Terry McAuliffe is the 72nd Governor of Virginia. He’s a businessman and an entrepreneur and for 30 years, Governor McAuliffe has been fighting to create jobs and build a better future. We are pleased to have him on our team working for our homeless Veterans.

Frank G. Wickersham III is the Vice President of VSE Corporation’s Corporate Responsibility (Veterans Outreach). As Vice President, Mr. Wickersham designed, developed and deployed VSE’s Veterans Outreach Program. Currently, VSE sponsors various email and social media broadcasts to include veterans’ updates, business networking and employment services.

In 2011, the National Chamber of Commerce recognized VSE Corporation as one of the top five large businesses engaging in Hiring Our Heroes and veterans’ employment. Previously, Mr. Wickersham served as Assistant Vice President of VSE Corporation, Program Manager of Tanker Ballistic Protection System (TBPS), a start-up, internationally deployed ballistic protection program (Iraq/Kuwait), Field Support Team Project Manager for field inspection of all TBPS tankers deployed throughout Iraq, Director of Field Service Support Division for the specific purpose of managing Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) field maintenance support in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. In addition, from 2003 to 2009, Mr. Wickersham provided program support to Communications & Engineering Division for large U.S. Army contract (R2) requiring oversight and coordination with over 70 large business subcontractors and vendors.

Serving in the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Wickersham held a variety of positions to include: Fleet Marine Officer/Special Staff Officer to Commander Naval Forces Central Command and Commander U.S. 7th Fleet (Gulf War); Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, Human Resources, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing; Director, Joint Strategic Branch, Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters Marine Corps; Special Advisor/Trusted Agent to Commandant of the Marine Corps on International Treaties and Arms Control; Marine Corps SIOP/RISOP Officer; Deputy Commander, Air Combat Element, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (Somalia); Commander, Marine Observation Squadron Two; Commander, Marine Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 29; Commander, Marine Corps Air Facility, Camp Pendleton; Brigade Air Officer, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (NATO/Cuba); Marine Corps Foreign Military Sales Project Officer (Morocco), Fleet Test Pilot/Maintenance Officer, Cobra Combat Test and Evaluation Team (Pax River/Vietnam); Marine Corps Officer Selection Officer; Squadron Operations Officer, Squadron Strike/Flight Leader (Vietnam), Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Instructor Pilot and Post-maintenance Test Pilot.

Mr. Wickersham graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Social Sciences in 1965. He earned his Master of Arts in International Affairs in 1987 and his PhD in World Politics/Legislative Affairs in 1998 from Catholic University of America.

His awards and commendations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal – Single Mission Award, the Air Medal – Strike Flight Award, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V,” the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat “V,” the Purple Heart and the Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon.

Deveney was born and raised in the city of Wichita, Kansas. At 18, she joined the Army and moved around from places such as Virginia to Missouri and Maryland. She was just recently crowned as the first Miss Maryland for America! She has worked for the Army Cyber Command for the past 3 years. She is currently serves in the Army Reserve as the commander of a Broadcast Operations Detachment at Fort Meade. She is a proud mother to Christian, and spends most of her free time volunteering for activities he participates in – These include coaching his soccer team, going on runs with him for Cross Country and Track, and she spent 5 years as his Den Leader for his Cub Scouts.Deveney has been in the Army 18 years both active duty and reserve; enlisted and commissioned. It was one her assignments as the commander of a Warrior Transition Unit that she gained a very personal and strong understanding for the trials and tribulations Veterans and transitioning Soldiers who are wounded, ill or injured face. Though her service at the Warrior Transition Unit, she interacted daily with Soldiers transitioning to Veteran status as a direct result of their service. Her compassion and understanding enabled her to advocate for her Soldiers. She has worked with multiple Veteran organizations to provide awareness and raise money to assist with housing and transportation costs for struggling Veterans.

Mark Viani is a shareholder of Bean, Kinney & Korman practicing in the areas of land use, real estate, environmental, municipal and other areas of administrative law in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Mark participates in various community, civic, charitable, business and professional organizations and services.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mark served as an officer in the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army, in Texas and the Persian Gulf region.

Monica A. Valdiviez-Wiley served 20 years in the US Army. She comes from a family of veterans. Her father and sister were career soldiers. She has many uncles and brothers-in-laws that served. Her career began in Army aviation as a flight operations specialist and continued in the public relations and ground transportation fields. She served as a photojournalist and a radio and television broadcaster. She supported presidential and heads-of-state ceremonies in Arlington National Cemetery as the media relations director and spokesperson. She has vast experience working with national and international media. She is an expert crisis communicator responding to Congressional queries, writing Congressional testimony, advising and supporting Pentagon senior executive officers and staff. Monica retired in 2003 and continues to serve by volunteering with various veteran service organizations. She is working on her second Master’s degree made possible through the Post 911/GI Bill. She enjoys spending time with her children, grandchildren and her miniature schnauzer, Delilah.

Rev. Dr. Jack W.D. Turner is a retired pastor emeritus from Mt. Vernon Baptist church in Arlington, VA in 1991 following 25 years service. Other pastorates were in Anchorage, Alaska and New Orleans, LA. In 1992 he was employed as Director of Spiritual Affairs at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Alexandria, VA INOVA Health Care Systems, patient and staff care. He practiced private family care for those who preferred counseling with a Christian/spiritual bias. Rev. Turner served as V.P. and President of 43,000 member Association of Southern Baptist churches in Northern Virginia. He was an officer and member of the Board of Directors for Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs (AMEN) from 1995 until 2010; member of Arlington County Board Advisory committees on Environmental Protection, conducting the first (voluntary) auto emissions tests in Arlington, Committee on Services to the Ageing, organized local pastors to provide opening prayer for County Board Meeting; Chairman of the Arlington Ministerial Community Hospital, Arlington Public Schools Advisory committees on Integration; Career and Adult Education; and Family Life Education; Participant in the White House Conferences on Social and Ethical Concerns, Washington, DC 1983-1984; Member, Symposium for Community Leaders, United States Department of State, Washington, DC 1966-69; Participant in the Inaugural Day Ecumenical Worship Services for President-elect Bill Clinton, Vice President-elect Al Gore, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appointed Cabinet members and staff and their families; Participant in a Baptist Pre-Inaugural Prayer Service for the newly elected President and Vice-President of the United States and their families; Chaplain (Capt.) Civil Air Patrol Search and Rescue Team, Anchorage, Alaska; 1956-1962.Rev. Turner received the Doctorate of Ministry degree in 1986 from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA in family systems analyses; M.A. degree in 1966 from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) in philosophy and practice of adult education; completed a year residence in pastoral clinical psychology at Baptist General Hospital, New Orleans, LA; Masters of Divinity degree in 1956 at SBTS in homiletics, Biblical interpretation, psychology of pastoral care; B.S. degree from Tennessee Polytechnic University, industrial engineering, social science and economics.

Raquel Riley Thomas (Captain, U.S. Army, Veteran) is the visionary founder behind An Officer and GentleWoman, LLC (AOAGWLLC), a distinguished media and entertainment company delivering white-glove service to clients around the country. With over 30 years of media expertise, Raquel has made an indelible mark in the Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle, Celebrity, and Music Industry.

Professional Life:
Raquel who is inducted into the Library of Congress, is a Publicist and the owner of An Officer and GentleWoman, LLC, a media and entertainment company, founded in 2011, with locations in DC, Atlanta, New York and LA. The company has won over 75 awards, and her clients have been highlighted in over several thousands of appearances in print media, television, in-person, and radio/podcast appearances. The company has a production division that has produced luxury beauty pageants, music videos and tv commercials.

Media: She has been featured in dozens of media including ABC, Fox, USA News, Black Enterprise, Veterans of Foreign War, Style Cruze, Fitness, Washingtonian, The Atlantan, WashingtonLife, and Military Times, to list a few.

Education:

1990: Raquel graduated from the Defense Information School of Technology and became a photojournalist for the U.S. Army.

1998: Raquel graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Hampton University.

1998: She graduated with a degree in Psychology from Hampton University.

1998: Raquel graduated from Officer’s Leadership Course.

2019: Raquel received a certification from Harvard Business School in “Mastery of Negotiations.”

Community Life:

-Chair Publicist of the SouthEast Emmys
– Advisory Board member of Operation Renewed Hope
– A member of Veterans of Foreign War
– A Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc
-Raquel supports the American Federation of Suicide because unfortunately, her mother took her own life in 2013. In honor of her mother, she started Queen V Day, a day in which she brings businesses together to pamper a deserving Veteran.

Awards (request full list)
– Inducted into the Library of Congress for her service.
– Army Commendation Medal (2x)
– Army Achievement Medal (3x)
– “Veteran of the Year” 2011, by Women Veteran’s Rock.
– Titled a “Leader of the Future,” by Ebony Magazine
– Washington Business Journal “People on the Move.”
– Consumer Goods Technology (CGT) Visionary 2022.
– Entrepreneur Business Startup Award for Raquel Riley Thomas Cosmetics from The Rosie Network 2022.
– Most Influential Women in Atlanta 2023 by The Atlantan, Modern Luxury
– HBCU Alumni Highlight of Entrepreneurs in Upscale Magazine Feb/March 2023
– President’s Volunteer Award (Gold) 2023
– Women to Meet Award | Taste Urban Atlanta 2023
– Best Entrepreneur Award | The Global Beauty Awards 2023

Personal Life:

Raquel is a native of Maryland. Her family recently moved to Georgia.

She is married to West Point graduate Ron Thomas, Esq (who has never lost to Navy in his football career). They have been married since 2006. They have two children together

Follow Raquel on Instagram @raquelrileythomas.

Follow @AOAGWLLC on Instagram and Facebook

MG Tony Taguba retired on 1 January 2007 having served 34 years on Active Duty. He is President, TDLS Consulting LLC, which provides business consulting services to small companies – disabled veteran owned and economically disadvantaged. He is the Chairman, Pan Pacific American Leaders and Mentors (PPALM), a national, all volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 tax exempt organization committed to mentoring and professional development of military and civilian leaders. He served as Vice President for Army Account, SERCO Inc., a leading global services company from July 2007 to Nov 2008. As a community service advocate, he provides assistance to Veterans with their benefits issues, help raise funds for college scholarships, and as a volunteer to the United Services Organization.

Christopher (Chris) S. Paul is President and Founder of FRC Marketing. Founded in 1993 and based in Falls Church Virginia, FRC specializes in the development of custom logo merchandise for Government, Trade Association, Non-Profits, and Business clients nationwide. As a core component of any organization’s marketing programs, promotional products run the gamut from employee uniforms to writing instruments to drink-ware, electronics and awards and recognition. Chris specializes in overseas product sourcing and in the development of complete merchandising programs including product design and “just-in-time” distribution via electronic commerce.