Our People
Bryan Anderson
USA Cares National Spokesman
Veteran, Actor, Stuntman, and Advocate
Johnny Bench
USA Cares Ambassador
Former Major League Baseball World Series Champion and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
Heather French-Henry
USA Cares Ambassador
Miss America 2000, Heather French Foundation for Veterans, Inc., and Former Commissioner for Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
Doug Flynn
USA Cares Ambassador
Central Bank and Trust Co., Lexington, KY; Former Major League Baseball World Series Champion & Gold Glove Winner
Brian Forrest
USA Cares Ambassador
Partner, Hoagland Commercial Realtors
Emily D. Chambers
USA Cares Ambassador
Associate Treasury Management Officer, Republic Bank
Bradley Roy
USA Cares Ambassador
MLF Bass Pro Tour Pro Angler & 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year
Tanisha House
USA Cares Ambassador
Mrs. Jefferson County & Veteran, U.S. Army
Board of Directors
Comprised of leaders from diverse areas of influence, USA Cares’ Board of Directors possesses a shared passion for assisting military families. As the governing body of USA Cares, they provide counsel and serve as advocates in support of USA Cares’ programs.
WILLIAM ROBY, SR.
USA CARES BOARD CHAIR
Vietnam Veteran, U.S. Army
VP Agency Manager (Retired), BB&T Insurance
Louisville, KY
VELMA R. HART, CAE
VICE CHAIRWOMAN
Veteran, U.S. Army
President/CEO, Velma Hart & Associates
National Harbor, MD
DALJIT HUNDAL
SECRETARY
President, Hundal Companies
Livermore, CA
ANDY DYTRYCH
TREASURER
Veteran, U.S. Army
Business Optimization Analyst
Atria Senior Living
Louisville, KY
MG (RET) JOHN R. TINDALL, JR.
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Veteran, Major General (Retired), U.S. Army
Radcliff, KY
COL (RET) SUZANNE BERGMEISTER
Veteran, Colonel (Retired), U.S. Air Force
Entrepreneur-in-Residence & Assistant Director of the Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship, University of Louisville
Louisville, KY
STEVE CUNANAN
Veteran, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve) & NC National Guard
Louisville, KY
JORDAN DOEPKE
CEO, Green District
Louisville, KY
RICHARD HOPPLE
Veteran, U.S. Army
President/CEO (Retired), Guideposts Corporation
Hobe Sound, FL
DICK MCLANE
General Manager (Retired), Pride Mobility
Exeter, PA
COL (RET) JOSEPH A. SIMONELLI, JR.
Veteran, Colonel (Retired), U.S. Army
Arlington, VA
RON STEPTOE
Veteran, U.S. Army
CEO, Warrior Centric Health, LLC
Clarksville, MD
TIM VIBBERT
Veteran, U.S. Army
Plant Manager
GE Appliances, a Haier Company
Louisville, KY
GARY WHIDDEN
Veteran, U.S. Army
Manager, Account Management
Facebook
Austin, TX
KIMBERLY JEANE
Veteran, U.S. Army
Senior Recruiter
Tesla
Austin, TX
MAURI RAPUZZI
Veteran, U.S. Air Force
Senior Manager, University Recruiting Account Management
Microsoft Corporation
Denver, CO
HEIDI RICHARDS
Managing Director, Ernst & Young (EY)
Takoma, MD
USA Cares Staff
USA Cares’ team members are essential to the organization’s ability to deliver high-quality programs and services to veterans and military families living across the nation and abroad.
TRACE CHESSER
PRESIDENT/CEO, USA CARES
Veteran, U.S. Army
Army combat veteran Trace Chesser joined USA Cares in February 2018, with the intent of aiding transitioning military, National Guard and Reservist veterans, as well as military spouses, to overcome the challenges they face in obtaining employment opportunities. As Vice President of Career Transition, Chesser focused on assisting clients with obtaining suitable employment, which ultimately would reduce their need for Housing and Emergency assistance.
Prior to joining the USA Cares team, Chesser was a Managing Partner of SCOUT Solutions Group, an executive search firm. With SCOUT, he was responsible for the business development strategies, policies and procedures, and government contracting operations. From 2010 to 2015, he was the Vice President of Career Services for Sullivan University System. There he was charged with developing new systems that would improve the graduate employment opportunities, increase salaries, enhance business development opportunities. He was also instrumental in developing relationships with the U.S. Military.
Prior to his corporate roles, Chesser served in the United States Army where he functioned in a variety of roles ranging from combat arms occupations to positions with the U.S. Army’s Recruiting Command. Additionally, Chesser served as an instructor for the U.S. Army Air Assault School, an Observer and Controller for the Joint Readiness Training Center and in leadership positions within several combat operations units. Chesser served in the Gulf War with the 101st Airborne Division and has graduated from several military leadership courses and specialized combat operations schools. His civilian education includes a Masters in Business Administration from Sullivan University and Bachelor of Science in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
MATT CASTOR
VICE PRESIDENT OF OUTREACH & DEVELOPMENT
AMY CALLAHAN
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE & PROGRAMS
PAULA PRESLEY
DIRECTOR OF CAREER TRANSITION
Alexis Becker
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING MANAGER
MARLO TAFT
PROGRAMS MANAGER
STEFANIE JONES
DONOR RELATIONS MANAGER
ALICE BLACKBURN
Administrative Assistant & GRANT WRITER
ALISON HEDGES
CHAPTERS & OUTREACH COORDINATOR
LEAH MARUNA
ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE
JOSH KERBY
MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER
CONNER MAYFIELD
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR
ANGELA C.
CASE MANAGER
JERRY NEWMAN
CASE MANAGER
