Amanda’s background is in people services and resolutions across a range of industries. In recent years, her education in Psychology and Conflict Management drew her to the non-profit world where she has dedicated herself to delivering unique learning and connection experiences. From navigating organizational change, to empowering students and volunteers, leading daring conversations, and building diverse communities, Amanda has piloted a variety of adventures and is excited to contribute to Give an Hour’s impact.

Amanda finds joy in building relationships, promoting progress and inclusion, and creating safe spaces for expression and being. As an advocate for success through wellness, she strives to amplify achievement and fuel positive transformation in others.

Amanda is a developing foodie, enjoys creative projects, and nothing makes her laugh harder than dance parties with her young son.

Dr. Trina Clayeux brings a wealth of executive experience in workforce development and mental health to her role as CEO of Give an Hour. With a proven history of visionary leadership and innovation, she has made significant contributions in enhancing access and the delivery of vital services within her field. Her career spans various impactful roles, including tenure as Chief Operations Officer for social impact organizations, director and assistant dean for community college systems, and multistate coordination of a Department of Defense base realignment event and a national corporate network for military spouse employment. Having herself been a military and veteran spouse for many years, she possesses an innate understanding of the distinctive challenges and opportunities inherent in this community, making her a dedicated advocate for their personal and professional growth.

Dr. Clayeux holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, a Master of Public Administration from Portland State University, and multiple certifications that underscore her commitment to excellence in her field. She has received recognition from esteemed organizations such as the National Association of Development Boards for her innovative approaches and the Sailing Award for leadership excellence.

Moreover, Dr. Clayeux's fervent dedication to knowledge sharing and catalyzing positive change has led her to present at numerous state and national conferences. Her presentations have covered topics that include optimizing employer and employee performance through person-centric design, to cultivating trauma-informed workplaces, and implementing contextual mental health practices that foster social connections and high-performance outcomes.

In her present role at Give an Hour, Dr. Clayeux continues to harness her executive acumen, profound expertise, and unyielding commitment to enhancing lives, grounded in the belief that each one of us can contribute to the betterment of mental health. For Life.

In her downtime, she enjoys athletic activities and completed a full Ironman, two half Ironman’s and hundreds of running events. She remains active with her husband, a retired veteran of 26 years, and two children.

Andrea started her position as program coordinator, providers relations, in November 2021. She is passionate about seeing growth in the mental health field and is excited to join the provider relations team.

Andrea has always had an aptitude for assisting others from a young age. Throughout her life, she recognized how important mental health awareness is to our society. With life experience combined with professional experience, she strives to improve the mental health field nationally. For the past ten years, Andrea has been dedicated to aiding providers in our community by offering support, resources, training, and information. Andrea has an extensive background working with mental health providers, assisting with practice setup and policy mandates. She has conducted several volunteer seminars on a state level and has held leadership roles through government-mandated programs. She thoroughly enjoys making a positive impact on the world and hopes to accomplish even more with the Give An Hour team.

In her free time, she searches for ways to better her community and likes to paint, read, go on nature walks and spend time with her family.

Jessica Grove is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Give an Hour. She joined the Give an Hour team in 2009 and has held many roles during her time here. Jess currently oversees the day to day operations of the organization including finances, human resources, technology integration, data collection and impact reporting, program management and much more. Her people skills and deep knowledge of all things Give an Hour and our many volunteer providers, partners, and collaborators make her the perfect person for this leadership role.

Jess came to Give an Hour from the professional theater world where she spent 10 years as a professional Stage Manager and Production Manager. She considers herself a compassionate and dedicated self-starter. Jess is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a very proud Tar Heel. She and her husband Randy reside in Montgomery County, Maryland with their three children and are strong advocates for families in need of support for neurodiverse children as well as for families built through adoption. They enjoy traveling and watching their kids sports and activities as well as their beloved Baltimore Orioles.

Ashley Keaton holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from North Carolina State University, Ashley is motivated by her passion for mental health growth and community development.

In her role, Ashley excels in strategic implementation and collaborative partner engagement. Her primary goal is to ensure that her work at Give an Hour is not only effective but also deeply impactful. With a natural talent for leadership and a steadfast focus on measurable outcomes, she is committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of those served by the organization. Ashley is deeply committed to mental health advocacy. She has completed courses in Racial Equity, ACES, trauma-informed care, and more, all aimed at enhancing her ability to support individuals and communities in their mental health journeys.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ashley is often spotted with a generous cup of coffee in hand. She's an avid reader, a passionate writer, and a courageous explorer of new places. These personal interests align seamlessly with her professional mindset, where she constantly seeking to learn, adapt, and grow. At Give an Hour, Ashley Keaton's dedication to improving lives through community outreach and support shines through in every facet of her work.

Kristin Richardson is the Director of Communication and Implementation at Give an Hour, where she has worked since 2012. With years of experience advancing organizational missions, she is passionate about developing and executing strategic communication initiatives that align with organizational goals, enhancing both visibility and impact. Kristin holds an MA in Forensic Psychology from Marymount University and a BA in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Prior to joining GAH, she served as Senior Analyst in the Background Check Unit at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She resides in Greenville, S.C., with her husband, five children, and their dog.

Julie Wells joined the Give an Hour team in August 2022 as a consultant exploring the impact of peer support in the healing of survivors of mass violence. In May 2023, she returned to Give an Hour to elevate the supports for rare caregivers and in September 2023, transitioned into the role of Director.

For 30 years, from community advocacy to institutional change, Julie has immersed herself in non-profit culture and issues that affect disenfranchised populations.She began her career working with students with developmental disabilities, moved into work with students in the criminal justice system and has created replicated models of programs that support the most vulnerable populations in central North Carolina. Julie is also the founder of the UNITY Fellowship, a capacity building and strategic leadership development program for nonprofit leaders designed to address the over-saturation and underdevelopment of the non-profit community. Through the creation of the UNITY Fellowship, she worked with 30 small non-profits- mostly led by women and BIPOC Executive Directors- to define their theory of change, their impact, and how to create funding strategies and growth metrics that are sustainable. She has led 2 successful non-profit mergers and spent 18 months with the Latino Community Credit Union leading community impact and partnership development.

Julie is also the mother to two powerful young women and spends every moment she can in the mountains of North Carolina around backyard fires, hiking local trails and living as simply as possible.

Originally from the UK, Rebekah joined Give an Hour as executive assistant to the CEO in July 2019 and more recently has expanded her role as a graphic designer for the nonprofit.

With a Bachelors’s degree in Music Performance, Rebekah is currently enrolled in the University of West London Online where she is studying for a post-graduate certificate in Music Therapy. An avid musician and songwriter, Rebekah spends her free time teaching piano as part of a virtual teaching academy and writing with a songwriting team for sync placement opportunities in TV, Film, and Advertising.

The story of Ryan Young is one defined by a passionate commitment to mental health advocacy, a journey shaped by both personal experiences and professional expertise. Ryan's career began amidst the bustling streets of New York City, where he honed his skills in retail management and NYFW events, and later, in the vibrant city of Tampa, Florida. His educational background in Art and Digital Movie Production studies infused his career with creativity and a knack for storytelling.

However, it's life's profound moments that fuel Ryan's dedication to mental health advocacy. The tragic loss of a close loved one to suicide and the heartbreaking experience of losing friends in the Pulse Mass shooting became transformative chapters in Ryan's life. These experiences ignited a deep-seated desire to combat the stigma surrounding mental health and ensure accessible care for all.

Ryan's journey ultimately led him to Give An Hour, where marketing became his vehicle for change and community connection. At Give An Hour, he strives to make mental health care accessible and stigma-free. Moreover, Ryan's extensive experience as a board member for organizations like Balance Tampa Bay, where he served for eight years with five of those years in executive roles, including President, demonstrates his profound dedication to community leadership. He has also contributed his insights during his three-year tenure on the board of Empath Partners In Care (EPIC) and is currently serving as a board member of the Epilepsy Services Foundation of Tampa where his focus is on the mental health of youth through art. In 2023, his remarkable achievements were further recognized when he received the prestigious Voice Award from the Tampa Bay Business Journal and was appointed as the Grand Marshal of St. Pete Pride, the largest pride parade in Florida.

Beyond his career, board roles, and recent accolades, Ryan and his partner share a love for exploring the world. In his spare time, he finds joy and purpose in volunteering for numerous nonprofit organizations across Tampa Bay, giving back to the very community that has supported his journey.

Robert is the Manager for Data, Evaluation, and Technology Integration at Give an Hour. Known for his customer-first approach, he has led teams to modernize internal systems and external-facing platforms using new technology all while ensuring their impact. He is proficient across a wide range of technical tools and aims to integrate technology to expand mental health services for all.

Throughout his career, Robert has applied his expertise in data analytics and project management to drive positive change. His ability to leverage technology has resulted in innovative solutions that have advanced the missions of the various organizations with which he’s worked. Robert holds a degree in Psychology from Middlebury College and is a Certified Project Management Professional.

The Honorable James M. Byrne is the Vice President of Ethics & Business Conduct at Lockheed Martin Corporation. He was appointed and later confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs on August 28, 2018. He retired from federal service on February 3, 2020. As the Deputy Secretary, he led modernization initiatives and worked closely with the Secretary as the chief operating officer leading operations of the federal government’s second-largest Cabinet department, with some 385,000 employees in VA medical centers, clinics, benefits offices, national cemeteries, and other facilities throughout the country.

Previously, Mr. Byrne served as VA’s General Counsel, leading VA’s nationwide team of nearly 800 attorneys, paralegals, and staff who support VA’s mission and priorities by providing sound legal expertise, representation, and, as needed, critical problem-solving skills and risk-management advice to the Secretary and other senior VA leaders.

Before arriving at VA, Mr. Byrne served as Associate General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer at Lockheed Martin Corporation, where he was also the company’s lead cyber and counterintelligence attorney. He served for several years on the board of directors for Pacific Architects and Engineers. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Mr. Byrne served in the career Federal Senior Executive Service as Deputy Special Counsel with the Office of the United States Special Counsel, and as both the General Counsel and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations with the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

Soon after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Mr. Byrne was recalled to active duty for 18 months with the U.S. Marine Corps in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Lieutenant Colonel James Byrne was assigned as the Officer-in- charge of the Marine Liaison Office at the then-National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Mr. Byrne led teams of Marines in DC-metro-area military hospitals and Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, that were responsible for supporting injured and deceased Marines, Sailors, and their families.

Mr. Byrne has over 25 years of experience in the public sector, including service as a forward deployed Marine Corps Infantry Officer and a U.S. Department of Justice international narcotics prosecutor. Mr. Byrne’s professional honors include several DOJ awards and The Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator’s Award for Exceptional Service. He is also a recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Global War on Terrorism and several military decorations, including the Meritorious Service Medal.

Volunteering in his community, Mr. Byrne has extensive experience on several non-profit and advisory boards. Until August 2017, Mr. Byrne’s most recent professional engagements included service on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Board and the International Association of Privacy Professionals Board of Directors. For ten years, Mr. Byrne volunteered on the Executive Board of Give an Hour, a non- profit organization that has developed national networks of volunteer professionals capable of providing complimentary and confidential mental health services in response to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society, beginning with the mental health needs of post-9/11 veterans, service members and their families.

Mr. Byrne is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he received an engineering degree and, ultimately, held the top leadership position of Brigade Commander. Mr. Byrne later earned his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida, and started his legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Malcolm J. Howard, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina.

SVP, U.S. Operations, Kolaghassi Capital. Former president of Dinwiddie Enterprises, Inc, a single- family office dedicated to providing wealth management and estate planning services. From 2002 through 2010, she was the principal of Bowditch & Associates, LLC, an outsourced financial services company, providing CFO and management services to businesses, primarily in the family wealth management, real estate, and association industries. Prior to founding Bowditch & Associates, Ms. Bowditch was the chief financial officer of several companies in the real estate and construction industries. She has also been responsible for the financial oversight of nonprofit organizations and private charitable foundations. She began her career in public accounting, spending 12 years at Arthur Andersen in its Commercial Audit Division. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Indiana University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

Sean Howard, is the CEO of WPP’s Government & Public Sector Practice and serves as the Give an Hour Chairman of the Board. He responsible for identifying and pursuing government business worldwide within WPP. The WPP Government and Public Sector Practice works with governments and public sector organizations around the world, pioneering the application of excellence in public communications to the challenges of public policy delivery. He advises WPP agencies on federal, national and provincial, or statewide bid opportunities and manages the acquisition process that is specialized for successfully placing WPP agencies with government agencies in need of their services.

Sean also acts as the WPP Team Lead for the U.S. Navy business and regularly meets with senior Navy personnel to advise them on non-traditional marketing programs to further define the Navy brand and ultimately drive to the Navy’s annual recruiting mission.

Sean has worked across the marketing spectrum from small digital agencies to global digital, CRM, and traditional agencies and networks.

John Nowell is the President & CEO of the United State Navy Memorial. Before that he was the Senior Principal at McChrystal Group, an industry leader in management and leadership development consulting, where he leads the firm’s Federal practice.

John retired from the U.S. Navy in 2022 as a Vice Admiral after more than 38 years on active duty.  His experience includes multiple overseas tours leading large joint and multinational teams and conducting international negotiations.  His operational tours spanned the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets to include commanding forward deployed naval forces homeported in Europe and the Western Pacific.  A Surface Warfare Officer, he commanded at every level including command of an AEGIS Guided Missile Destroyer, a Destroyer Squadron, Combined and Joint Task Forces and an Expeditionary Strike Group.  Ashore, he has extensive experience on Capitol Hill with congressional liaison and coordination as well as the development and operationalization of the Navy’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Programs.  Significant experience in Human Resources culminating as the Chief of Naval Personnel in charge of all talent acquisition, management, and workforce development for over 400,000 personnel with a global workforce of 26,000 and an annual budget over $35B.  Led transformation and modernization of Navy’s workforce development and HR Service Delivery process and service-wide efforts in leveraging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as the Navy’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.  He conceptualized and effected a focus on Cultural transformation.

He sits on the Boards of the Abrams Marine Group, the Navy Memorial Foundation and the Give an Hour Foundation.

John is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering, and he holds a Master of Science in Weapons Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.  He is a published author in the U.S. Naval Institute’s PROCEEDINGS journal, a keynote speaker at the UVA Darden School’s “Strategic Thinking Course” and was recognized by the 2021 Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO) Legacy in Leadership and Vision Award.

Edward Schiff is currently Senior Counsel at the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in its Washington, D.C. office.

Ed was born and raised in New York City, starting his educational career at Pennsylvania State University, where he was a member of the Skull & Bones Honor Society and Chairman of the Student Judiciary Board. He continued his education at the School of Law at Washington and Lee University, where he earned his law degree, Magna Cum Laude, Order of the Coif. In addition to being the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review, he was also President of the Law School Student Body. After graduating from law school, Ed clerked for the Honorable John Minor Wisdom, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, La. Ed led the opening of the Washington, D.C. office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, a 700 person international AM LAW 100 law firm with offices in California (7), New York, Illinois, Washington D.C., London, Brussels, Shanghai, Beijing, and Seoul. Mr. Schiff served as the Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office for its first ten years. Prior to joining Sheppard Mullin, Ed was a partner in the Corporate Practice Group of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in its Washington, D.C. office and then, after leaving that firm, was Managing Partner for the D.C. office of Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis, a Philadelphia-based law firm. Mr. Schiff is a frequent guest speaker and panelist on finance structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and negotiating strategies.

Rob Scott is the Managing Director of Americas @Technip Energies.  In 2021, he was the President of Birdon America of their operations in the U.S. Prior to that he held a variety of executive management and operational roles with Bechtel Group Inc. In his last role with Bechtel, Rob helped set up and lead Bechtel’s Operational Technology Cybersecurity Business Unit. In addition, during 2020 he also led Bechtel’s COVID-19 Crisis Response Team answering a national call for help in planning and responding to the pandemic through Alternate Care Facilities.

Prior to joining Bechtel in 2011, Rob had a distinguished 21-year career in the United States Marine Corps. Rob graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He is also a certified Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute and served as a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow (Executive Fellowship) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Rob has also received numerous honors and awards including the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star medals. Rob volunteers to help transitioning veterans find apprenticeships in the construction field.

Rob currently lives in Houston, TX with his wife Gabriela and together they have four children.

Patricia Toledo is the Head of Product Management, Senior & Long-term Care (VP) at ResMed.  She built her career at the intersection of product innovation, business development, leadership, and tech at financial services, education technology, and social impact companies.

Successfully launching and managing for-profit businesses, and non-profit organizations of $10M – $1B+ P&L, in the US, Europe, and Latin America. She brings 20 years of experience as a strategic & operational leader with a demonstrated track record of building successful products and high caliber teams. Patricia is a lifelong learner. A self-starter with an entrepreneurial mindset, ability to scale businesses, and great passion for mission-driven organizations.

In 2022, she believes we will see a larger focus on ensuring quality mental health care reaches all populations in need, with greater emphasis on access and cost-effectiveness. Now is a good time to expand GAH’s program portfolio, reach, and social impact.

Ross Whitmore (Lt. Colonel, USAF, Ret.) was the first openly gay Commander at the Air Force Special Operations Headquarters. He faced many personal and professional challenges because of this deliberate decision, but still successfully fulfilled his duties as a Commander. His openness provided a safe space for many colleagues to share their own struggles and led to a public speaking invitation by the Gay-Straight Alliance to share his struggles of living under the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.

During his career as an officer in the Air Force Medical Corp, Ross provided Command level leadership, policy development, and disaster intervention. Ross has served as Medical Commander in the 1st Special Operations Wing, additionally, he created the 27th Special Operations Wing Clinical and Operational Psych Support Program and was the first-ever Air Force Social Worker selected for both the elite Survival Evasion Resistance Escape training and the Special Operations Combat Rescue Officer Selection Cadre. Overseeing screening and selection of elite operators to rescue US service members stranded behind enemy lines.

As a member of the Surgeon General’s staff for the largest Major Command, Ross was responsible for all mental health services for 13 Bases. Concerned with the rising suicide rate within the Air Force, Ross assembled a task force to develop policy and protocol for the command to care for suicidal and other high-risk service members and their families. This policy mandated close coordination with the base mental health clinic, civilian medical resources, and the supervisor and Commander of the service member. This policy and protocol were then adopted as the standard of care for the entire Air Force in managing high-risk service members.

Ross holds a bachelor’s degree in Educational Psychology with a Major in Special Education from Brigham Young University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University. After joining the Air Force, he continued his education with Graduate Level Senior Professional Education at the Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College. Ross retired from active duty in 2016. He is the proud father of two daughters.

Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen is the founder of Give an Hour and the former executive director of the PREVENTS Presidential Executive Order Task Force. She is currently the chief executive officer of WeBe Life, a digital health company focused on improving global mental health and well-being.

Named to TIME magazine’s 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Dr. Van Dahlen is a renowned clinical psychologist and mental health consultant who built the first all-of-government and whole-of-nation effort focused on suicide prevention for Veterans. As a key element of the PREVENTS effort, Dr. Van Dahlen developed the first national public health campaign focused on suicide prevention for all Americans.

Dr. Van Dahlen is widely recognized for her work in changing the culture associated with mental health to remove barriers and increase access to care. She has been a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and TIME and has been interviewed by major media outlets such as AP, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, USA Today, CNN, NPR, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, Newshour, and such military media outlets as Stars & Stripes, AUSA Magazine, and the Pentagon Channel.

Boyd Melson is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Upon commissioning and graduation, he joined the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, becoming a four-time U.S. Army Boxing Champion and representing the U.S. in international competitions. Notably, he captained the U.S. World Team at the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships, finishing 5th.

After Active Duty, Boyd continued serving in the Army Reserve, rising to Lieutenant Colonel, and pursued a professional boxing career, earning a WBC Championship in 2015. He donated all his professional earnings to spinal cord research, fulfilling a promise to a friend, and his story was featured on HBO Real Sports.

Boyd retired from boxing in 2016 but remains active in advocacy for stem cell research and serves as an Ambassador for Team Fight To Walk, WBC Ambassador of Peace, and Military Ambassador. He received the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame “Scholar Athlete of the Year Award” in 2005 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Boyd is a Command and General Staff Officer Course Instructor with the 97th Training Brigade and holds an MBA from Touro University International. He earned a certificate in “Topics in Human Behavior” and is completing a Master’s in Psychology at Harvard University, along with a certificate in “Diversity, Equality, Inclusiveness, and Belonging Leadership.” He plans to pursue a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership at USC in 2025.

He continues to mentor at the Steve Harvey Youth Mentorship Camp and serves as an Ambassador for the Sport Philanthropy Network. Boyd is the Director of Special Projects and Recruitment for Consultants for America’s Veterans and a partner at MYND Drinks. In 2021, he released a spoken-word album titled “RAINDROPS: Changing Your Life’s Weather.”

Shawn Moore serves as the Program Manager, Financial Wellness for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation where she supports financial and employment related initiatives, to include the Employer Task Force and emergency financial relief offerings. Shawn is an Alumna 2017 Dole Caregiver Fellow for Missouri, and has also assisted with the Foundation’s Respite Relief program.

Prior to becoming a caregiver to her late husband who served for 23 years in the U.S. Army, Shawn served as a police officer for nearly 15 years with Kansas City, Missouri. She then obtained a Master of Social Work degree from Park University and is a Licensed Master Social Worker in both Missouri and Kansas. Prior to joining the Foundation, Shawn founded Operation Frontline Families (formerly Caregivers on the Homefront) where she stood up for mental health programming for veteran and military caregivers and their children.

Shawn is passionate about advocating for military and veteran caregivers and utilizes both her lived experience and education by presenting to national audiences on how communities can best support the family members of our veterans.

 

A Caregivers Journey

 

The Masks We Wear: I'm Fine

Nick O’Kelly is a Special Operations veteran, whose life is marked by dedication, adaptability, and resilience. Originally from Washington State, Nick’s journey began with a Special Forces enlisted contract, where he served as a Green Beret in the prestigious 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). His commitment to excellence led him to attend flight school, ultimately ascending to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3.

 

Nick’s versatility became evident as he transitioned from an enlisted Green Beret to a Warrant Officer and later served as a Special Operations Blackhawk Pilot in the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). With multiple combat and non-combat deployments worldwide, Nick honed invaluable skills in teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership in high-stakes environments.

 

Beyond his military achievements, Nick’s personal journey also highlights his resilience in facing mental health challenges. Nick went through a deep and dark depression in the latter years of his career, and he struggled alone for far too long. This experience ignited a passion in Nick to combat the stigma surrounding mental health in both military and civilian communities.

 

Residing in Charlotte, NC, Nick is not only a dedicated professional but also a family man. Married with two children, he finds joy in sports, outdoor activities, fitness, and quality time with friends and family. Nick brings a unique perspective and resume, combining diverse Special Operations experience, business acumen, and a commitment to fighting the stigmas surrounding mental health.

Beating the Odds

Shawn's NFL Ad

Allen’s published collection of poems titled Can I Speak? tells of stories from the lives of characters who face different adversities. He has evoked empathy and has inspired his readers to reflect on their own unique story. His motto has moved the hearts of those who desire motivation as they journey through life; it is a lifestyle and a mindset. “Never Stop, Never Quit, Repeat!”

A Veterans Experience

Beating the Odds

Allen's NFL Ad

Don Stewart, hailing originally from northern New Jersey, boasts a wide-reaching background that spans across the United States. He honed his skills as a Wide Receiver, competing in NCAA Division 1 football for both Stanford University and Wake Forest University. Beyond the gridiron, Don dedicates his off-season and spare time to coaching and mentoring high school athletes, guiding them towards success in both their athletic endeavors and personal lives.

Recently, Don has shifted his focus towards gaining a deep understanding of the potential of name, image, and likeness in empowering young student-athletes within his community. His educational background includes an undergraduate degree in science and technology with a specialization in sports technology, supplemented by a Masters of Arts degree.

Adding to his diverse repertoire, Don showcased his talents beyond the field by portraying Reggie King in Season 2 of HBO’s Winning Time. Furthermore, he has made his mark as a published children’s author, demonstrating his multifaceted passions and talents.

Don’s decision to serve as an ambassador for Give an Hour stems from his dedication as a servant leader with a fervent commitment to sports, mental health, and community service. Recognizing the vital importance of prioritizing mental well-being, he embraces Give an Hour as a supportive platform that enables him to extend his reach to a wider audience in need of understanding the significance of mental health.

Stephanie Szostak, is an actress and author and speaks on overcoming failure, being an outsider and living with authenticity.

Szostak left her native France to study business and play varsity golf at the College of William & Mary. At 29 years old, after a few years at Chanel in NYC she took a leap and gave the acting world a try. Soon after she landed a role opposite Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada. Her most notable projects include the ABC hit series A Million Little Things, Iron Man 3, and Dinner for Schmucks.

As her career gained momentum, she battled with Impostor Syndrome which pushed her to address her mindset and develop her own ‘Playbook’ as a daily practice of Mental Fitness. In her book, Self!sh: Step Into a Journey of Self-Discovery to Revive Confidence, Joy, and Meaning, she guides readers in creating their own Personal Playbook for life—a tool to cultivate a resilient mindset and empower them on their unique journey of self-discovery, learning, and growth.

As part of her commitment to mental health, she donates half of her proceeds from the book to the mental health organization, Give an Hour.

SELF!SH