BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Board Members consist of individuals with diverse backgrounds in business who are committed to advancing our mission
and supporting the success of each Sentinel within the program. Their leadership provides guided professionalism and a passion for helping wounded veterans complete their education and transition into successful post-military careers.
The board includes a mix of long-term members and two graduated Sentinels with the first-hand experience of the program. Together, they provide their time, talent, and leadership to ensure our passion for helping disabled veterans to complete their education and transition into successful post-military careers can continue long into the future.
Mike Conklin
Chairman and CEO
Sentinels of Freedom
The idea for Sentinels for Freedom began with our founder, Mike Conklin, whose son Kris was wounded in Iraq. While visiting Kris in the hospital, Mike spoke with others who were also wounded. It when then that he realized the tremendous physical and emotional hurdles these war–torn men and women faced when transitioning back to civilian life.
Conklin established Sentinels of Freedom as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2007. Its mission is “…to provide severely wounded or injured post-9/11 veterans with comprehensive personal support and financial assistance as they complete their higher education and achieve success in their post-military careers. We are meeting our national responsibility as citizens to support those severely wounded veterans who have served and sacrificed to defend our freedom.”
Mike Conklin
Chairman and CEO
Sentinels of Freedom
Mike Sandy
Board Secretary and CFO
Sentinels of Freedom
Kent Strazza
Board Treasurer
Managing Director, Alternatives Group
Franklin Templeton Investments (Retired)
Jason Church
Graduated Sentinel
State Counsel and Northwest Regional Director for
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson
Stacy Hadeka
Senior Associate in Government Contracts
Hogan Lovells US LLP
Mary King
Executive Vice President,
People & Culture,
Invenergy LLC
Ron Lowe
Major General Ronald Lowe, US Army (retired)
Executive Director of General Contracting (retired) AT&T
Chris Marzilli
Executive Vice President
Information Technology
Mission Systems General Dynamics
HT Tran
Graduated Sentinel
Community & Citizenship Manager
Turner Construction Company
Pete Walsh
Founder, President, and CEO
Owards LLC
Dan Coleman
Director of Design
Planning Engineering and Construction
for River Islands Development
David Halverson
Lieutenant General Halverson, U.S. Army (retired)
President of Cypress International
Samantha Chapman
Vice President of Programs
Sentinels of Freedom
Marty Kaplan
Board of Directors Secretary
2007-2019
“Without this program, I would not have internal peace or a place to call home. While we all have our ups and downs, life is a bit easier with Sentinels of Freedom. Thank you so much for continuing to support my career and educational needs. For life I will always give thanks to Sentinels of Freedom.”
Richard Casillas
U.S. Army, Bachelors of Sociology from California State University Long Beach
