FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
February 9, 2026
CONTACT: Lou Elliott-Cysewski 
(425) 599-5570 | press@iava.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the leading voice of the post-9/11 generation, today announced its 2026 Cavalry cohort and IAVA Fellows, a group of veteran leaders selected through a competitive application and interview process to help drive national advocacy efforts for post-9/11 veterans and their families. 

IAVA’s Cavalry is the organization’s premier leadership development program. Cavalry members serve as national advocates for their peers, engaging directly with policymakers and the media to share their stories and advance solutions that strengthen the lives of the newest generation of America’s veterans. 

“IAVA’s Cavalry and Fellows represent what veteran-led advocacy looks like when it’s disciplined, strategic, and personal,” said Jerritt Lynn, Membership Manager at IAVA. “These leaders were selected through a competitive process because they’re ready to show up for their peers, tell the truth about what post-9/11 veterans face, and help drive real change.” 

“We’re proud to welcome this year’s Fellows and Cavalry,” Lynn added. “They will step into roles as advocates, storytellers, and change-makers, engaging with policymakers and the media to help shape the national conversation and advance policies that strengthen the lives of post-9/11 veterans and their families.” 

Four IAVA Zach McIlwain Fellowship Leaders are returning to lead and strengthen IAVA’s advocacy efforts, helping mentor and support Cavalry members as they engage in leadership development, advocacy training, and coordinated outreach that elevates veteran voices and advances policy priorities. 

IAVA Zach McIlwain Fellowship Leaders

• Mellisa Walther 
• Meredith Burns 
• Devin Wozniak 
• John Witt 

2026 IAVA Cavalry Cohort 

• Joshua Barnett 
• Connor Elliott 
• Robert Fecteau 
• Ryan Gilfillan 
• Manuel Gomez 
• Kelly Hein 
• Tiffany McKeaney 
• Ryan McKibben 
• Shawn Murray 
• Nick Radke 
• Jonathan Tennis 
• Alan Torres 
• Mackenzie Verdi 

IAVA will work alongside the Fellows and Cavalry cohort throughout 2026 as they engage in leadership development, advocacy training, and coordinated outreach. 

About IAVA 
IAVA stands at the center of people, policy, and institutions to ensure that the lived experience of post-9/11 veterans is heard, measured, and acted on. We turn the experiences of post-9/11 veterans into evidence, use that evidence to shape policy, and work with institutions that serve veterans to ensure that policies become real in veterans’ lives. By convening veterans, researchers, and decision-makers, IAVA drives the changes needed to ensure America serves the newest generation of veterans. 

###