Anne Black, Ph.D., serves as the Executive Director of The Warrior Connection with a fervent commitment to reduce the high suicide rate, trauma, unresolved loss, domestic discord, and the addictive coping medications affecting many combat veterans, their families, and their communities. Since 2008, Dr. Black has been consulting with The Center for Health and Learning, researching and developing a veteran grief resolution and trauma mitigation model funded in part by The Society for Arts in Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, and the Educational Foundation of America. The Warrior Connection is now being tested and modified in preparation for national replication to heal the invisible wounds of veterans and their families within a safe community context. In the marketplace from 1996 to 2003, Anne founded and served as president of Comfort Baskets, a condolence gift business taken from a new paradigm idea to national distribution through FTD.com; Comfort Baskets that helped more than 75,000 men, women, and children move through the grieving process. In the schools, Anne co-founded The HEALS Program, a bereavement model (1990) and The Center for Creative Healing (1993), a non-profit organization committed to funding and training over 100 facilitators to deliver programs that have helped more than 20,000 bereaved children, teachers, parents and community members process feelings of grief and loss. Dr. Black holds a doctoral degree in community psychology and Thanatology (dying, death, and grieving) from The Union Institute, a master’s degree in education, and certificates of training from The New England Art Therapy Institute in Sunderland, Massachusetts, and the Person-Centered Expressive Art Therapy Institute in Santa Rosa, California. Dr. Black has served as adjunct faculty for Norwich University,
Anne serves as executive director, program designer, lead facilitator, trainer, and research evaluator. She actively enjoys serving veterans and participating in the many creative domain of The Warrior Connection.
iishana Artra, MA, Director of Combat Stress Reduction, has 20 years of experience consulting, coaching, and training in health-related non-profit and for-profit sectors. In 2005, iishana realized her call to focus her work on PTSD when she initiated a relief effort reaching 80,000 evacuees of Hurricane Katrina as she served as a Disaster Relief Field Coordinator. This focus is an integral part of her own healing journey as well as professional life. Currently a doctoral student of Transpersonal Psychology, iishana researches the interactions among PTSD, Mortality Salience, and Sense of Life Purpose. With Dr. Anne Black, iishana co-developed The Art of Healing Loss an expressive arts grief resolution program for Veterans, which informs The Warrior Project. In 2007, she founded and now directs a nature-based wellness center, Healing Gate. Her creative life has included painting, sculpting, writing, singing, and playing the mountain dulcimer. Iishana's main creative modality is now musical spoken word, which she is developing into a healing tool. Iishana is currently co-developing and facilitating the Walk the Purpose Path life visioning workshops series and The Warrior Connection for Veterans. She holds a combined masters degree in spiritual psychology and spiritual history from The Union Institute, a dual bachelors degree in Training Education and Anthropology from the University of New Mexico, certifications in Comprehensive Neurolinquistic Programming, Professional Life Coaching, and Spiritual Coaching, and has completed one year of training in Psychosynthesis.
iishana serves as the Director of Combat Stress Reduction for The Warrior Connection.
Joe Doyle was born during the Second World War in New York City and raised in the Bronx. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on April Fool's Day, April 1, 1964. He served for 6 years, until March 31, 1970, as a grunt (infantry man), is a Vietnam veteran and was an instructor in the Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Geiger, part of Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. After leaving the military, Joe worked in the Financial and Securities Industry (Wall Street) for over 37 years, retiring as a Vice President of Operations. He has been involved in personal growth work since 2001, when he was an eyewitness to the attack on the World Trade Center. Joe is an Accredited Journey Practitioner, a Certified Conscious Leadership Coach, a Steward of the Hero's Journey Program, a graduate of the Pathwork Transformation Program (also called "Pathwork Studies"), and his an integral part of The Warrior Connection leadership team representing the "voice of the veteran". He is currently a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Marine Corps League, the Marine Corps Association and the American Legion.
Joe is a consultant to The Warrior Connection; he is also a charter Mentor Warrior.
Meg Lyons, TWC Operations Manager, brings to The Warrior Connection more than 30 years of experience working in the not-for-profit world, most of that time as an administrator in independent schools from coast to coast. She brings extensive knowledge of annual and capital fund raising, board development, special events, alumni and parent programming, community relations, and marketing. The schools she has served include The Collegiate School in NYC, The Buckley School in Los Angeles and Northfield Mount Hermon in western Massachusetts (where she managed an advancement staff of 11). As a volunteer, Meg is currently the interim board chair of the Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity and also an active member of the selection committee for the Women's Film Festival of Brattleboro, Vermont. Other service to the community includes six years on the Board of Directors of United Way of Way of Windham County, Vermont, (board president, vice president, chair of strategic planning and campaign chair), seven years on the board of the AIDS Project of Southern Vermont (vice president and nominating committee chair), and three years on the Hilltop Montessori Board of Trustees (financial aid committee member).
The Warrior Connection is greatly strengthened by the vast experience Meg brings in her role as Operations Manager.
Bob Rheault, Colonel (Retired) US Army, claims his resume can be distilled to two commitments to service: 26 years in the Army and 32 years with Outward Bound. Bob served in Europe and Asia, including combat in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. The last 10 years were with Special Forces (Green Berets) with missions in France, Germany, Norway, Iran, Pakistan, India, Crete, Turkey and others; and in Asia: Vietnam, Thailand, The Philippines, Taiwan, Korea and Indochina. He retired in 1969 as a full colonel. In Outward Bound he worked at many levels from assistant instructor to president of the Hurricane Island Outward Bound school and among other jobs ran, for 18 years, an Outward Bound wilderness program as an adjunct therapy for Vietnam veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. He retired from Outward Bound in 2001, and continues to work on programs for veterans.
The Warrior Connection is grateful for Colonel Rheault’s serving as one of our valued advisors.
James S. Bastien, M.S.W., M.H.D., LICSW, is the designer, developer and Director of the Brattleboro Retreat’s Uniformed Services Program (USP). Trained as a research-practitioner, Jim is a clinical social worker and trained behavior analyst with more than 30 years experience providing trauma-focused clinical services in large residential settings. Jim holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan and a Masters Degree in Human Development from the University of Kansas. He has been published in scientific journals including the Journal of Behavioral Assessment, the International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, and Behavioral Intervention. He has also led professional workshops and presentations at numerous regional and national conferences. Prior to joining the Retreat, Jim served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Zen Peacemakers, Inc. He has also served as Vice President of Residential Services for the Sisters of Providence Health System and as Executive Director of Father Flanagan’s Boys Town of New England.
Jim is a past board member and now serves as a valued advisor to The Warrior Connection.
Barbara J. Tarantino, M Ed. started her educational journey in 1971 with the prospect of becoming an Art Therapist. The universe had other plans. She went on to obtain a BS in Special Education from The College of St. Rose, Albany, NY. and a Masters of Education from Keene State College, Keene, NH. Barbara worked with the NH Institute on Disability and trained New Hampshire teachers, future teachers, and students in Inclusionary Education practices for students with disabilities. Barbara left her counseling and adjunct faculty positions at Keene State College to pursue her passion for creating art. Since that time, she has studied art and healing with various New England Art Institutions, Meinrad Craighead, Jeanne Carbonetti, & Deborah Koff-Chapin. She received certification from the Stillpoint School of Integrative Life Healing with Meredith Young-Sowers, and Reiki Certification Levels I & II. Barbara is currently enrolled in Person Centered Expressive Art for Healing and Social Change Certificate Program, with the wonderful Natalie Rogers through Saybrook University. Her goal is to help women & men heal through their personal creations of Intuitive Art.
Barbara became involved with TWC when she was invited to share the technique of Touch Drawing with a wonderful group of Warriors at one of the early retreats in Putney, VT. SHe is now "honored to be a board member of The Warrior Connection" and looks forward to the creation of new retreats for the women and children in the lives of veterans.
Andrea Ross' career of community service includes over twenty-five years in clinical patient care; board service and active involvement with local schools, community foundations and family services. Having earned her B.S. and Masters in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, Andrea served as a Primary Nurse at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and later Children’s Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Andrea also had training and gained clinical experience at Yale-New Haven Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Magee Women’s Hospital (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). The focus of her graduate studies and clinical nursing career was on the psychological impact of hospitalization on the child and his/her family. Andrea is the Founder and past Chairperson of the Arlington Hospital “Friends of Nursing” Foundation. As the mother of eight children, Andrea Ross has served on the Board/Advisory Board of numerous schools and community-based activities, including The Country Day School of McLean, Virginia; Fairfield Country Day School Parents’ Association, Fairfield, Connecticut (President 2001-02); Northshire Day School, Manchester, Vermont (Steering Committee); Northshire Civic Center Advisory Board; Frog Hollow, Middlebury, Vermont (Trustee), and the Arlington Community Foundation (Arlington, Virginia) . Having moved her family to Manchester Village, Vermont in 2003, Andrea Ross currently serves on the Advisory Board of Riley Rink/Hunter Park/Northshire Civic Association, is a Trustee of the Long Trail School in Dorset, Vermont and serves as Vice Chairman of the Manchester Village Design Advisory Board.
Andrea serves on the board of The Warrior Connection.
Nannette Goldstein, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist in New Jersey, trained at, and, subsequently, served on the faculty of Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons for 25 years. Dr Goldstein’s experiences span from teaching and having a private practice to serving as consultant and medical director for various clinics and hospitals. Having found her passion, she is now serving as Attending Psychiatrist on Fort Dix, a US Army Reserve Command training, mobilization and deployment center. There she evaluates mobilizing and demobilizing Service Members and, when indicated, initiates treatment for those returning from Iraq, Afghanistan and other theaters of operation. Dr. Goldstein serves as a consultant to The Warrior Project and will on occasion assist the facilitation team. Her commitment is to help ground the program with her medical knowledge as well as her openness to the expressive arts and complementary modalities of treatment. Nan feels honored to participate with The Warrior Connection and combine her skill, strength, compassion and wisdom to serve those who have served our country.
Dr. Goldstein serves the Warrior Connection as a consultant offering her medical expertise, wisdom and compassion.
Jill Neitlich, LICSW has been working as a psychotherapist for 17 years and co-leading Vision Quests for the past 10 years. She is certified in Core Energetics (body/mind/spirit psychotherapy), Power of Breath, a form of Therapeutic Breathwork, and is an EMDR practitioner. She specializes in treating stress and trauma. Jill has practiced yoga for 15 years, is certified in teaching Kripalu Yoga, Life Force Yoga for Anxiety and Depression, and is a student of mindfulness. She has a deep respect for the uniqueness of each person's journey.
Jill teaches the psycho-educational content for The Warrior Connection. She also leads yoga, drumming and vision quests.
Natalie Rogers, Ph.D., REAT, is author of The Creative Connection: Expressive Arts as Healing (1993) and The Creative Connection for Groups: Person-Centered Expressive Art for Healing and Social Change, (Spring 2011). She has integrated the values, methods and core conditions of the work of her father, Carl Rogers, with her passion for creativity and expressive arts. She has lectured and facilitated groups in Europe, UK, Russia, Latin America, Japan and South Korea. Natalie is a Distinguished Consulting Faculty at Saybrook University, San Francisco. She enjoys her three daughters, four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Dr. Rogers serves as a person-centered and expressive arts consultant to The Warrior Connection.
Jerry Eppler, Ph.D., is President of Jerry Eppler and Associates. Dr. Eppler was the Civilian Dean of Training for the U. S. Army’s Organizational Effectiveness program, a fully accredited graduate-level program which trained officers and senior non-commissioned personnel to be internal management consultants Army wide. While with the program he designed curriculum, conducted seminars on personal effectiveness, coached individuals in peak performance, and consulted at the highest levels in the U.S. military. Dr. Eppler is the author of many articles on communication and high performance and regularly reviews books in the fields of personal and organizational effectiveness. He has been a featured guest on television programs and at national conferences. During his tenure on the American Management Association faculty for the prestigious Presidents’ Association training and the Executive Effectiveness Program he was consistently one of their highest ranked presenters. Dr. Eppler is a Michigan State University fellow with a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Arizona State University. He has completed post-doctoral work at Harvard University in the Organizational Effectiveness Executive Program. Dr. Eppler's academic assignments included membership on the graduate faculties of University of California at Santa Barbara, Pepperdine University, Chapman University, University of Puget Sound, and University of Northern Colorado. Prior to the end of the Cold War, Dr. Eppler was a guest lecturer and consultant at the business school of the University of Saint Petersberg, Russia.
The Warrior Connection is strengthened by Jerry's consultation as an expert in mentoring and developing high-performance management teams.
Flynn Johnson, MA has had a varied life and work experience. He served in the Army from 1966-68. He has worked as a bookstore clerk, taxicab driver, bus driver, fire fighter in Alaska, community skills worker, teacher, college psychological counselor, and a psychotherapist for a community mental health agency and in private practice. In 1993 he founded The School of Natural Wonder, which offers Vision Quests and other nature-based healing programs. Flynn is the author of the recently released book Journey to the Sacred Mountains, Awakening Your Soul in Nature. Flynn currently lives in southern Vermont with is wife and son.
The Warrior Connection is grateful to Flynn for his willingness to share his love of nature and vision questing with our veterans as a Program Facilitator.
Charles Monette, MA was drafted into the Army in 1970 and served with the 1st Air Cavalry Division for 348 days in Vietnam. Charles received a Purple Heart as well as two Bronze Stars with valor for actions in ground combat. Born in New York City, Charles has resided in Vermont since 1980 working as a carpenter from 1980 to 1990. He returned to college in 1990 and received his Master of Arts in Educational Theatre from NYU in 1995. Upon his return to Vermont, he was an assistant professor teaching Communications, Film, and Acting at Landmark College in Putney, Vermont. While there, he also directed student theatre productions. After leaving Landmark, he has taught English, History and Social Skills at Kindle Farm School in Newfane, Vermont. Charles is a poet, playwright, and most importantly, he is the proud father of two beautiful children, Devan and Simone, who live in Brattleboro, VT.
Charles is an integral part of The Warrior Connection team, assisting in veteran education.
Kimberlee Hayward, Marketing Director for The Warrior Connection, author of Brilliant Marketing, and co-founder of Brilliant Marketing University. Kimberlee's holds a B.S. in Natural Health From Clayton College in Birmingham, Alabama where she graduated with honors. Kimberlee's work includes includes consulting with non-profit, public sector, and private sector organizations developing and implementing rapport-centric, multi-channel, direct marketing campaigns, rapport-centric websites, e-mail campaigns, and online social media campaigns. Kimberlee is a much-sought after public speaker, noted for her enthusiastic and witty presentation style.
As the marketing consultant for The Warrior Connection, Kimberlee's involvement goes beyond website and collateral design, with her greatest prayer for this project being the ability to help create a "world wide rave" that quickly reaches into communities across our nation for the purpose of getting this life-changing, often life-saving, work to our veterans in record numbers... in record time.
The Warrior Connection, Inc., is an equal opportunity provider and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, and/or age in programs or services that it provides or in employment decisions.
Warrior Connection Leadership Team
