About IAVA

Spokespeople

• Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director and Founder Paul is the Executive Director and Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Paul served as a First Lieutenant and infantry rifle platoon leader in the Iraq war from 2003-2004. He is also the author of the critically-acclaimed Chasing Ghosts, and a nationally recognized authority on the war in Iraq and issues affecting troops, military families and veterans. Prior to going to Iraq, Paul worked as a high school football coach and an Investment Banking Analyst on Wall Street. He received a BA in Political Science from Amherst College in 1998 and lives in New York City.
• Todd Bowers, Deputy Policy Director for Public Affairs As Director of Government Affairs, Todd works with the Chief Legislative Counsel as IAVA’s liaison to members of Congress, to Veterans Service Organizations, and to other government agencies. Todd served two tours in Iraq as a Civil Affairs Team Sergeant with the United States Marine Corps, and was awarded the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation medal with “V” device for Valor. He studied Middle Eastern Affairs and Arabic at George Washington University in Washington, D.C, and continues to serve his country as a Sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserves.
• Tom Tarantino, Legislative Associate Tom is a former Army Captain who left service in 2007 after 10 years. He returned from Iraq in 2006 after one year of deployment with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Tom served in combat as both a cavalry and mortar platoon leader, and was awarded the Combat Action Badge and Bronze Star. Tom graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2002 with a degree in Global Studies and International Relations. As Policy Associate, Tom assists with IAVA’s research and policy through coordination with Congress, Veterans Service Organizations and governmental organizations.
• Tim Embree, Legislative Associate Tim works with the legislative team as a liaison to members of Congress, Veterans Service Organizations, and to other government agencies. Tim joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves in 1999 and served two combat tours in Iraq before being honorably discharged in 2007. He holds a bachelor degree in political science from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. Tim has extensive professional experience working in local government administration in the Midwest.
• Cara Hammer, Veteran Support Associate Cara serves as liaison to veterans and their families, helping them resolve problems related to housing, legal issues, employment, physical and mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, and financial planning. She enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1997 as a Unit Supply Specialist, serving with the 348th Transportation Company based out of Phoenix, AZ and the 310th TACCOM in Ft. Belvoir, VA.  In 2002, she joined the active army, serving with the First Infantry Division in Kitzingen, Germany before deploying to Tikrit, Iraq from February 2004 to February 2005 with the 1st Infantry Division. She is a 2009 graduate of Arizona State University where she received a degree in Family and Human Development.  An Arizona native, she currently resides in New York City.
• Adam Bryant, Membership Assistant Adam supports Membership in event planning and execution, paperwork verification and document, and communication with civilian and veteran members. He enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard in September 2004 as an infantry soldier in New York’s 27th Brigade Combat Team. From January 2007 to January 2008 he served in Kabul on a civil military operations team, which completed and initiated more civil projects to build schools, roads, and wells than any other previous rotation. Adam also served in Herat on a 14 man Police Mentoring Team (PMT) and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his service.  A prolific writer and photographer, he studied Communications at the University of Buffalo prior to his deployment.  He is currently on active drilling status in the Army National Guard, and resides in Queens, NY.  

• Bryan Adams, Palmyra, NJ. Bryan served a year-long deployment as an Army sniper in Tikrit, Iraq from February 2004 until February 2005. In October 2004, he was shot in the left leg and left hand during an ambush and was awarded a Purple Heart. Bryan was 21 years old when he returned from the war and now admits that he suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Additionally, he had difficulty navigating the VA system and trying to get his disability benefits, inhibiting any efforts to seek treatment. Bryan is featured in the PSA “Alone” for IAVA’s Veteran Support Campaign with the Ad Council. He is now a sophomore at Rutgers University.
• Andrew Brown, Mechanicsburg, PA. Andrew joined the United States military in 1990 and served in the first Gulf War as an armor crewman. After the September 11th attacks, Brown was called to active duty and was deployed to Iraq in 2004. He served in Fallujah, Taji, Baghdad and Ba-quba. An advisor to the then newly-formed Iraqi Army, Andrew’s primary responsibilities included advising, coaching and mentoring the officers and non-commissioned officers of the Iraqi Army on tactics, intelligence gathering and operations. Andrew can speak from personal experience on veterans’ mental health and reintegration issues, as well challenges the family of deployed soldiers face. He is currently serving in the US Army Reserve and is an employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• Perry Jefferies, Copperas Cove, TX. Perry served as a First Sergeant with the Army’s 4th Infantry Division in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from April-October 2003. After deploying to Iraq and traveling with the cavalry through the Sunni Triangle, his unit moved to the Iran – Iraq border and established Camp Caldwell, future home of the New Iraqi Army. After enlisting in the Texas National Guard, he joined the Army and served in Korea, Germany, and the United States before deploying to Iraq. He has served in infantry, armor, and cavalry units and was an instructor at the Armor School at Fort Knox. He retired in 2004 after 22 years of service, and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Legion of Merit. He is a member of the Order of Saint George for service to Armor and Cavalry. He works for a large contractor with the blood program at Fort Hood.
• Rita Jerabek, Green Bay, WI. Mrs. Jerabek's son, Ryan, joined the Marines and left for boot camp weeks after his high school graduation. Nine months later, Ryan was killed in Iraq. As chronicled in the independent film, JERABEK (see trailer here), Mrs. Jerabek exhibited extraordinary strength and grace throughout her family's tragedy. She now has a second son serving in the war and is very active with Operation Gratitude, which sends care packages to troops serving overseas.
• Rebecca Martinez, Queens, NY. A New Yorker of Puerto Rican heritage, Rebecca served as a specialist in Iraq. Rebecca has played every role in the military family's experience - wife of a soldier serving in Iraq, mother of a baby daughter, and female combat vet whose younger sister was recently deployed.
• Annette McLeod, Chesterfield, SC. Annette is the incredibly courageous and determined wife of Specialist Wendell McLeod. Wendell sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and numerous other painful and debilitating injuries in an accident while he was serving in Iraq in 2004. Mrs. McLeod was forced to give up her job to be a fulltime caretaker for her husband. On March 5, 2007, Mrs. McLeod testified before Congress to call attention to the abhorrent care her husband had received at Walter Reed, and in hopes of preventing other military families from going through what she encountered. In October 2007, portions of Mrs. McLeod’s testimony were featured in IAVA Action Fund’s ad, Demand Action, which brought attention to a late VA budget and lack of progress since Walter Reed. The ad can be found here.
• Carolyn Schapper, Washington, DC. Carolyn served as Human Intelligence Collector/Interrogator in Bayji, Iraq from October 2005 to September 2006 with the Georgia National Guard. During her time on a Tactical Human Intelligence Team (THT), Schapper participated in approximately 200 combat patrols. As a part of the THT, she was one of the top report writers in the area of operations. She holds a Masters Degree in International Relations with an emphasis in Religious Conflict and National Security.
• Mariel Aydee Sosa, Brooklyn, NY. Mariel is a two time Operation Iraqi Freedom Campaign Veteran who served with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division of Ft. Campbell, KY for three years. She now works as a Readjustment Counselor Technician for the Manhattan Vet Center where she coordinates outreach for the newest generation of veterans. Mariel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Marist College and is currently pursing a Master’s in Social Work at New York University.
• Baldwin “Bobby” Yen, Atherton, CA. Bobby joined the Army Reserves at 19 in order to serve his country and live out his life long dream of being a soldier. The youngest of three, a son of Taiwanese immigrants, Bobby went to UCLA for 5 years for a degree in computer science and engineering. Bobby deployed to Iraq from November of 2003 to November 2004 as a Broadcast NCO with the 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment. While in Iraq, Bobby served in Mosul and was shocked by the “the disorganization, rampant waste and corruption that is part of the fabric of our operations in Iraq.” From unarmored Humvees, to overpaid contractors, to the unprepared Iraqi Guard, Bobby saw firsthand many of the issues Troops have faced in Iraq. Bobby currently works as a video game programmer in Los Angeles.
• Michael Zacchea, CT. Mike was a major in the US Marine Corps Reserve. He was the senior advisor to the first US Military trained Iraqi army battalion. Mike spent a year building, training, and leading the battalion in combat operations while based in Kirkush, Taji, and Fallujah. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for valor, a Purple Heart, and received the Lion of Babylon Medal for service to Iraq from Ayad Allawi. After his service in Iraq, Mike settled with his wife in Connecticut. He now works for a major Wall Street financial services and investment bank.