We are proud to announce the following individuals have been selected to the third cohort of the Mission43 Leaders Fellowship. 22 veterans, military spouses, or currently serving military members who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and actively seek personal and professional growth will take part in this year-long experience.
Zach Betts
Boise, ID. An Army helicopter pilot and graduate student at Boise State University.
Ben Gilbert
Caldwell, ID. A former Marine Corps engineer officer.
Casey Jones
Boise, ID. Former Navy nuclear machinist mate & Army infantry cavalry scout. Current senior parking & mobility planner Desman Parking.
Mike Majors
Nampa, ID. An Army National Guard engineer officer and current division director for Engineered Structures, Inc.
Jarrett Redman
Boise, ID. A former Army civil affairs officer.
Bruce Sims
Virginia. A Marine Corps officer, project manager at the Marine Corps Warfighting Center at Quantico & future Idaho resident.
Davin Strang
Boise, ID. A retired Navy salvage diver and current owner of Boise Wine Barrel Creations.
Chris Wilson
Boise, ID. A former Army infantryman and current fraud, waste and abuse program manager at PacificSource Health Plans.
Fred Dummar
Idaho Falls, ID. A retired Army Special Forces infantry officer.
Sean Hunter
Boise, ID. An engineer officer in the Army National Guard & director of community-based education outreach at Boise State University.
Justin Klitch
Coeur d’Alene, ID. A former Coast Guard boarding officer and current sergeant with the Idaho State Police.
Corey Mendenhall
Hayden Lake, ID. A retired Army aviation officer and current president of StanCraft Companies.
Johnny Reyes
Meridian, ID. An A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot and air liaison officer in the Air National Guard. Owner of R&R Roofing Solutions, and a pilot for American Airlines.
Shannon Smith
Boise, ID. The commander of the 124th Fighter Wing and A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot in the Air National Guard.
Eric Toms
Boise, ID. A former Marine Corps infantryman and current supervisory deputy U.S. Marshal for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Gus Engstrom
Boise, ID. A mechanical engineer and former Army mechanic.
Tim Jolicoeur
Meridian, ID. A former Marine Corps infantryman & current owner/operator of Nutrishop and Restore locations in the Treasure Valley.
Heather Lopez
Boise, ID. A former Army physical therapist and current PT.
Melinda Parks
Silverton, ID. A military spouse and the owner of an independent grocery store in Pullman.
Johnathan Salisbury
Boise, ID. A former Air Force explosive ordnance disposal technician and current patrol officer for the Meridian Police Department.
Angie Spaulding
Boise, ID. A military spouse and controller at the Amalgamated Sugar Company.
Jesse Van Patten
McCall, ID. A former tactical air control party Airman in the Air National Guard and current lineman with Idaho Power Company.
With a collective experience of 70 deployments, 87 military moves, and 312 years of military service, Cohort III will complete four development phases with the goals of growing their network and increasing their ability to positively impact that state of Idaho. Phases are designed to align with the core values of Lead, Learn, and Inspire.
“Whether you’re an Idaho native or you’ve spent the last 10 years away, the Mission43 Leaders Fellowship provides a path for past and present military members and their spouses to quickly integrate into the community and gain a deeper understanding of how they can drive the state forward,” said Mission43 Director Bryan Madden. “Local leadership programs for the military community are rare. What we have here is special.”
The cohort is made up of a wide range of professionals and, when compared to other military development programs across the country, the inclusion of military spouses is a differentiator for the Mission43 Leaders Fellowship.
“Spousal support is extremely important to our military personnel,” said Melinda Parks, a Silverton based military spouse and the owner of an independent grocery store in Pullman, Washington. “We help with the difficult transition back to civilian life after deployment and hold down the fort at home in the meantime. I hope that through my time in this program I gain a new perspective into ways I can help support veterans at home, in my community and the workforce.”
Learn more about the Mission43 Leaders Fellowship HERE.
