A New Chapter and a Postscript

Today is my last day as the CEO of Operation Gratitude. For those of you who know me well, this will come as no surprise. As this chapter of my life closes, the next chapter begins.

While leaving an organization I love (and the friends I’ve made along the way) is bittersweet, I am filled with excitement about the possibility of making an even greater impact for our men and women in uniform and their families. I will continue to passionately pursue my life’s work of building understanding, empathy, and ultimately bridges between civilians and our military, veterans, first responders, and their families.??

It has been an honor for me to serve alongside our unstoppable team, our extraordinary volunteers and supporters, and purpose-driven partners from the corporate, nonprofit, and public sectors who believed in our vision to bridge the civilian-service divide and the power of partnership to achieve a greater impact for those who serve our nation.???

I will remember the hundreds upon hundreds of service projects, assembly days, and in person deliveries and the blood, sweat, and tears we shed together in dozens of communities to impact more than 1.3 million deployed service members, recruit graduates, National Guardsmen, military families, wounded heroes and caregivers, first responders, and healthcare heroes.??

I will never forget the moments we shared or the difference we made in so many lives, because I was blessed to repeatedly see the profound and lasting impact of our actions in the eyes of countless recipients and volunteers nationwide.??

I will always cherish my time at Operation Gratitude and getting to know so many wonderful people who care so deeply about our country, our communities, and our service men and women who protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.??

I will forever be proud to say I am part of the OG family and equally proud of what we have accomplished together for men and women who so richly deserve our appreciation and our efforts to go a step beyond to help them and their families feel better understood and connected to their communities.??

Three years and 8 months ago, I came to this amazing organization with a charter from our Board and our Founder, Carolyn Blashek, to grow and expand Operation Gratitude’s reach and impact in communities across America. From 2017 to today our team has grown from 14 to 37 strong, and our organization has grown exponentially, too -- by every measure -- more than doubling in size and in the impact we made each year.??

Yesterday I told the incoming CEO, retired USAF Maj Gen James Johnson, that I am here to help him and continue to serve OG in any way I can.

In the coming weeks, months, and years, I look forward to serving alongside fellow volunteers at Operation Gratitude assembly days, service projects, and deliveries all over the country. For those of you who know me well you know that as this chapter of my life closes and a new chapter of impact begins, I will always be Team OG.??

A PostScript

Last week when I attended my final service project and in-person delivery as the CEO of Operation Gratitude in partnership with NYPD, I took this picture of the Verrazano Bridge.

As a little kid driving back to NJ from Long Island, I saw this bridge after dozens of trips to the neighborhood where my parents grew up.

It was daunting in the distance of the summer traffic.

I remember looking back at it in the rear view mirror, happy to see it get smaller and smaller until it disappeared.

Today this bridge holds a completely different meaning for me thanks to the police officers, service members, veterans, and volunteers I met in NYC last week... and millions like them who believe a common bond of service, gratitude, and meaningful engagements can bridge divides.

After looking in the eyes of tens of thousands of service members and their families, veterans, and first responders in communities across the country over the past 3 1/2 years (including hundreds of NYPD police officers in Brooklyn last week) I saw the true impact of our actions…. And it means more.

I look forward... to seeing the Verrazano again in New York City soon... and other bridges like it in cities across the country. I will never look back.

#ActionsSpeakLouder #BeTheBRIDGE #BRIDGEtheDivide