Board of Directors

Gary is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a Duquesne University graduate, and he holds a Master’s Degree in Management from Central Michigan University. In 2000, he retired from the Air Force as a brigadier general after 27 years of service. He had  served as a combat crew member and a B-52 instructor pilot. He played leadership roles in logistics, operations, and information technology. He commanded five units, from squadron level to wing.

After the Air Force, Gary joined IBM as VP for the Department of Defense. He also served as the company’s focal point for partnership with American Corporate Partners, a non-profit that provides executive mentors for returning veterans.  He also represented IBM on the Board of the USO of Metro D.C., and spearheaded initiatives with the Washington Redskins and DC United to support wounded servicemen and women.

He now devotes much of his time to advocacy on behalf of people living with mental illness, intellectual disability, and/or substance use disorders.  He has recently joined the board of Operation Veteran Success, whose primary purpose is support of military and veterans and their dependents, especially in the provision of emergency funds as needed in times of financial distress.

Mary is an Illinois employment attorney (Notre Dame Law, JD, 1987) who has founded a WINGS home in Barrington (transition housing for battered women & their children), worked with the Volunteer Center in Barrington, IL, was a member of the Board of Directors for the Barrington Chamber of Commerce and its lawyer for 10 years, as well Board Member and Board Secretary for the Northwest Suburban [Chicago] Bar Association, helping to found its Veterans’ Assistance program. Her interest in veterans’ issues began when she became a Blue Star Mom. She assisted the local Marine recruiting station with fundraising, in-kind donations, and legal issues, while her son, Joe, served 5 years as an active-duty Marine. Her father’s and grandfathers’ and nephews’ service inspires her to help.

Shauna serves as Parliamentarian for the OVS Board. She is founder and principal of Brennan General Counsel Group, PLLC, in Las
Vegas, Nevada. Ms. Brennan has over 37 years’ experience providing legal advice in real estate and commercial transactions, commercial litigation and business succession and estate planning. She earned her J.D. degree from Notre Dame Law School, where she was a member of Notre Dame Law Review. Ms. Brennan is admitted to practice in Washington, Nevada, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

Shauna is able to be the change she wants to see in the world through community service on the Community Advisory Board for the Salvation Army of Southern Nevada, as a member of the SEEDS (Saving, Empowering, Educating and Restoring DreamS for survivors of sex trafficking and acute trauma) of Hope Committee. Shauna previously served on the Board of Living Grace Homes, maternity homes for homeless girls, and on the Board for Youth Leadership Authority, dedicated to providing character development and opportunities to at-risk community youth. Shauna has two grown daughters and many grandchildren. Shauna has a son-in-law actively stationed at Camp Pendleton, serving in the US Marine Corps as a Staff Sergeant, Infantry.

Kimberly Chatto is a consultant in strategic communications with over 11 years of leadership experience as an Air Force officer specializing in public affairs, nuclear operations, and special operations. She is a key advisor and communication strategist to senior military leaders for all messaging efforts for internal and external audiences. She has experience in building public affairs programs and maximizing information environment goals. She was recently crowned Ms. Utah America’s United States.

Alexandra Collins is passionate about helping veterans and their families. Alexa is a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she received a dual masters in Global Security Studies and Intelligence. Alexa obtained a BS in geography from Valparaiso University. After college, Alexa met and married Andrew Collins, and fellow Las Vegas native, an active duty Marine. Together they have three beautiful children. They are currently stationed at Camp Pendleton, California.

Carole Ann is the CEO of Columbia Chutes, a metal fabrication operation headquartered in Rockdale, Illinois. Columbia Chutes recruits, hires, and trains many veterans in their workforce. Carole Ann graduated with a degree in business from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Her passion for veterans’ needs stems from her own family members. She is also the mother of 3 grown children and engages in various philanthropic efforts throughout the Chicago area, her hometown.

Dan is an attorney who earned his undergrad and law degrees from Loyola University in Chicago. He was corporate counsel at Brunswick, Bank One, Sears Roebuck, and Federal Signal, retiring in 2022. He is married to Joan DuPré with whom he shares six children, two of whom are retired from the Marine Corps, one who is a Major in the U.S. Space Force.

Jay is an experienced commercial attorney possessing 36 years of legal experience at firms and companies such as McDermott, Will & Emery, Motorola, Sears, and T-Mobile, and currently SVP & General Counsel for a privately-held, international group of companies with diverse holdings in areas such as advertising and promotions, medical devices, pharmaceutical licensing and distribution, nut-based beverages, NFTs and toys & games. Jay has served on the Parish Council for St. Anne Church (Barrington, IL), was Chair of the Barrington Plan Commission, Co-Chair of the Barrington Zoning Commission, and Founder and President of the Barrington Fencing Club. Jay received his AB at the University of Michigan (Hist), and his JD at the University of Michigan Law School. Jay’s son, Joe, was an active-duty Marine for 5 years. Jay’s father served in the Army (1951-1953), and as a member of the Michigan Air National Guard (1957-1971).

Ed has worked in telecommunications for more than 30 years. He was a member of the Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Labs, and later at Motorola as a Directo and General Manager of a cell phone division, and as Director of Business Development & Strategy including M&A and IP licensing. After earning a law degree, Ed worked in private practice as a Patent attorney, providing legal services to clients in the high tech sector. Ed has an Exec. MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, a J.D. from NSU Shepard Broad Law Center, Masters in English fromCornell University, and a B.S.E.E. from the University of Florida.

Karen is the Vice President of EHS and Environmental Sustainability for Danaher Corporation. She has held various leadership positions in the environmental safety and sustainability space for over 20 years. Prior to that, Karen was a practicing attorney who started her legal career as a JAG officer in the Army in Washington DC. Karen went through the ROTC program as an undergraduate student and graduated with a commission in the Army. Karen’s grandfather served in World War I and her uncle was a Colonel in the Army. Karen feels strongly about the duty and responsibility that the military brings and believes in supporting our veterans. Karen earned her B.S (Finance) at Northern Michigan University and earned her J.D. at Notre Dame University Law School.

Rear Admiral (Ret) Jason Lloyd is the Vice President, Maritime at TotalTek since assuming the position in August, 2024. He previously served as the Chief Engineer at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA 05) from May 2020
to June 2024. Prior to this tour, Lloyd held multiple positions at Newport News Shipbuilding, including Commanding Officer of Supervisor of Shipbuilding from 2017-2020 and the first Reactor Officer on USS Gerald R.
Ford from 2013 to 2016. Jason holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School, a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Florida State University and is currently enrolled in the Executive MBA program at Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

Jason serves on the American Society of Naval Engineers National Council, the strategic advisory board for the American Center for Manufacturing Innovation and is on the Board of Directors for Velo3D, a metal Additive
Manufacturing Company. Admiral Lloyd and his wife live in Savannah, Georgia.

Amy McCormack is a Founder and Co-President of McCormack Schreiber Legal Search and has been a legal recruiter for more than 30 years.

A former practicing attorney, Amy
began her career practicing labor and employment law in the Washington, D.C. area before moving to Chicago and entering legal recruiting.

Growing up in Norfolk, Virginia, surrounded by the region’s strong U.S. Navy presence,Amy comes from a family with a long history of military service, including her great-grandparents, father, and cousins. This personal connection to the veteran community makes Operation Veteran Success and its mission particularly meaningful to her.

With a long history of nonprofit and civic involvement, Amy has served on the boards of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants, the Oak Park and River Forest High School Board of Education, the Collaboration for Early Childhood in Oak Park, and the Patrick Williams Foundation.

Amy earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Richmond.

John J. McGowan, CPA (license inactive), brings a wealth of experience and a desire to serve his community. John worked in public accounting for ten years as a forensic accountant, assisting attorneys with financial and accounting issues as they prepare for commercial litigation. During his career, John has worked for organizations such as CVS Health, University of Illinois, Edward Jones & Co., Grant Thornton LLP, BDO Seidman LLP, and others.  

John holds an MBA with an emphasis in Accounting and Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan. John passed the Uniform CPA examination on his first attempt and earned a Cybersecurity Professional Certificate from the University of Michigan. 

John is inspired by his late father, a 1952 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a Korean War veteran who served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy. The legacy of his dad fuels John’s passion for supporting veterans and their families, as well as his commitment to mental health advocacy, motivated by witnessing the impact of mental illness on loved ones and their communities. 

Currently John is an analytic consultant for CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit management division of CVS Health. John applies his analytical skills to improve healthcare outcomes and manage pharmacy spend efficiently. 

Chrissie is a seasoned Business Development and Communications Expert, currently collaborating with her husband at Menagery, Inc., a boutique marketing agency they co-founded in 2015. As the proud daughter of a Purple Heart POW, Chrissie deeply appreciates the sacrifices made to safeguard our freedom.

Chrissie has been an active force in various community organizations throughout her career. She was a dedicated board member and president for esteemed entities such as the Barrington (Illinois) Rotary, Barrington Area United Way, Barrington Junior Women’s Club, and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Auxiliary (Lake Barrington, IL). Her commitment extends further, having played roles as a Board Member and Fundraising Chair for the WINGS Program (Domestic Violence Victim support), Journeycare, and the Barrington Area Conservation Trust.

Relocating to Florida in 2021, Chrissie continues to make a positive impact. She is an engaged United States Coast Guard Auxiliary member, contributing her skills and expertise as a Staff Officer in her Flotilla. Furthermore, she is helping to launch the Wings Program in Miami in 2024.

Chrissie’s dedication is not confined to professional and community roles; she also served as an elected official in Tower Lakes, Illinois. Her contributions have earned her notable recognitions, including the Illinois Department of Law Enforcement 2007 Citizen of the Year, Lake County Magazine’s 2015 Woman of Distinction, and the Barrington Area Development Council 2018 Citizen of the Year.

As a US Army veteran with 8 years of active duty, Kathleen Terada has a wealth of experience and leadership skills.  She is a mother of two, grandmother of three, and wife of an IT professional.  She is a technology enthusiast dedicated to creating positive outcomes by leveraging tech innovations.  She is passionate about supporting women and fellow veterans in achieving their professional goals and aspirations. 

Clay Walker is a 20 year Marine Corps Veteran with numerous deployments in support of operations in regions such as the Pacific, Middle East, and with Dept. of Homeland Security. His career as an Intelligence Analyst has spanned from conducting humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions, non-conflict preparation in response to crisis events, combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom, to large scale operational planning and support to policy makers. He is a graduate of multiple Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence School curriculum, as well as certified through FEMA’s Incident Command System programs. His desire to assist our veterans is personal, and he feels lucky to have an opportunity to assume a meaningful role in serving his brothers and sisters in uniform when they need someone most.