Retired USAF Colonel Penny Bailey
Penny Bailey retired at the rank of Colonel after serving in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years. She was a logistician expert; her last assignment was as Vice Wing Commander for a Combat Sustainment Wing managing over $4 billion and more than 4,000 personnel. Since retiring from the Air Force, she has volunteered and held numerous leadership positions for non-profit organizations. Currently, Penny and her husband (also a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel) own and operate a private medical clinic in north Florida.
Colonel Bailey (Ret) has a Masters Degree in Aerospace Management from Embry-Riddle University, and a Masters Degree in International Studies from Air University. She is currently enrolled in Liberty University working toward a doctorate degree in Foreign Policy.
Penny is a guest speaker for various leadership, management, and motivational events. She is a Board Member of a non-profit Medical and Dental clinic that provides free health care to those in need. As a retired military member and s a spouse of a military member, she provides a unique perspective to the National Military Family Advocacy Organization and serves as its President.
Rohini Hughes
As one of the original founding members and vice president, she formed National Military Spouse Advocacy Organization-NMSAO in September 2015. Rohini Hughes is a successful management/leadership professional with an extensive cross-functional background and a reputation for meeting and exceeding challenging and rigorous organizational goals and objectives. Specific experience includes project management, marketing, and banking, as well as volunteer work in the community. Mrs. Hughes' extensive experience with client-focused marketing includes identifying the unique needs of high level clients and meeting those needs with superior results. Additionally, Mrs. Hughes has actively and passionately served her family, the military, and the community for the past 18 years. She had the privilege and honor to work closely with high level base leadership as she served as the lead manager for numerous U.S. Air Force Key Spouse Programs. In this capacity, she served as a liaison between military leaders and families of deployed military personnel.
Mrs. Hughes had the privilege of working with Governor of Maryland, Hon. Governor Larry Hogan’s staff on a needs assessment involving a $70M grant of the Victims of Crime Act program by providing victims with the assistance and services necessary to aid their restoration after a violent criminal act, and to support and aid them as they move through the criminal justice process.
On September 18, 2019, Mrs. Hughes was requested by Hon. Chairwoman Jackie Speier to testify to the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel (Committee on Armed Services) a hearing held after 15 years, on Shattered Families, Shattered Service: Taking Military Domestic Violence Out of the Shadows (links available on the main page). This testimony was presented on behalf of countless military families of domestic violence and abuse in our military through her own story and the story of her two children. Mrs. Hughes, as a Congressional witness and as a victim of domestic violence and abuse in our military testified regarding the abuse from her former husband, Lt. Col. Matthew Ernest Hughes, Esq., an USAF JAG officer at Joint Base Andrews, MD and Hurlburt Field, FL, towards her and their two children, Simran and Jay Hughes while identifying the numerous gaps and impediments for the HASC members.
Mrs. Hughes' work was recognized and awarded as the Civilian Volunteer of the Quarter by 28th Bomb Wing for Excellence in kick-starting the "Key Spouse" program by U. S. Air Force, Ellsworth AFB. She was also recognized and awarded for outstanding leadership and pioneering skills by the Air Force Material Command, Logistic Center Command, and The Family Support Center by U. S. Air Force, Hill AFB. Mrs. Hughes currently serves as the Vice President of NMFAO.
Freya Cooper-Richardson, MS-HRM, MS-CMH
Freya Cooper is a Counselor and HR/EAP Professional with 10+ years of diversified experience. Her passion lies in both business and counseling. Freya has experience with bringing synchronization to stressed lives and circumstances; and teaching people the skills and techniques needed to find resources, work out solutions, and lead fuller lives, richer lives. She has the ability to maintain an organization’s expectation and perspective as well as understand the importance of an employee’s well-being and that it affects not just the employee, but the workplace as well.
As a mental health counselor, Freya has been drawn to particularly helping individuals struggling with substance abuse, those working in law enforcement, and working military wives dealing with the unique stressors that come with that lifestyle. Believing it important that those in law enforcement know that their therapist understands the context in which they work, Freya participates in ride-a longs in Fulton County, GA. Additionally, Freya successfully completed the 40-hour Georgia Crisis Intervention Team Training Program and is a certified Georgia CIT Officer.
As a former military dependent and former military spouse, Freya understands the stressful aspects of pre-deployments, deployments, separations, and organizations. Freya’s former husband has been a member of the armed forces for over 20 years and has mobilized several times during their twelve marriage.Freya recently started an organization called Former Military Spouses Support Services and Resources. The organization was created to provide support and resources during and after their divorce and just to help acclimate former military wives back into the civilian life.
Jimmie D. Bailey III, Esq.
Jimmie Bailey is a licensed attorney located in Crestview, FL. Mr. Bailey is a very organized and driven individual who believes that vision, teamed with hard work and dedication, provides the recipe needed for success.
Mr. Bailey has worked on multiple political campaigns for both republicans and democrats, was a volunteer for the Crisis Center in Birmingham, AL, and assisted in grant writing and public relations for a non-profit organization in Tucson, AZ called GAP Ministries, which provided homes for foster children. Mr. Bailey is very skilled in outreach, fundraising, marketing, and provides a unique perspective concerning the importance of advocacy and need for reform as a legal scholar.
Mr. Bailey holds a Juris Doctorate from Ave Maria School of Law and a B.A. in English Literature, with a minor in political science, from Birmingham-Southern College. During his time in law school, Mr. Bailey served as the President of the Moot Court Board, the Secretary of the Student Bar Association, and was the Vice President of the Veteran Law Student Association.
Jan Goen
Janice Goen retired from her career as a government service employee with the United States Air Force in 2006. Throughout her career, Mrs. Goen worked in several branches of office management to include secretarial positions, information management, and human resources. Her attention to detail and excellence in her work resulted in numerous awards and recognition to include several Administrator Quarterly Awards, and four Civilian Administrator of the Year Awards.
From her experience as a former government service employee and as a spouse of a military service member, Mrs. Goen serves as a great asset to the National Military Family Advocacy Organization as a valued member of the Board of Directors.
Kayla Bailey, MS
Kayla Bailey, MS, Director of Education has over 8 years’ experience in the non-profit sector and 5 years in Education. Kayla is the Director of Education for ChildSafe, San Antonio’s only CAC. Kayla has worked extensively with traumatized children throughout her career. Prior to working at ChildSafe Kayla worked with Southside ISD managing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports for the district.. In addition Kayla provided mental health and substance abuse treatment through Lakeview Center community mental health facility in Pensacola, FL in their Adult Outpatient Counseling programs.
Jay N. Hughes - Military Youth Advisory
Jay N. Hughes has a mission. His focus is on academics and working to protect military family members suffering from abuse, trauma Jay has endured. Jay has advocated for himself against his abuser for six years, including testifying over two days in a seven-day custody trial in Fairfax County Courthouse. He also testified to attempt to obtain a protective order against an abusive father. Through these trials, he has gained empathy for others and a determination to advocate for others.
During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on domestic violence, Jay was noticed by Congresswoman Jackie Speier, who saw his potential and recommended that he become a professional advocate. His advocacy within the Individualized Education Program within the Virginia Department of Education has also added to his valuable life experiences. His passion for helping others and his zeal for justice to those who are wronged drive him today.
Jay N. Hughes serves as a military youth advisor.
Katrina Van Dopp, MAS, ACC, CHBC
As a dynamic speaker, trainer, coach and author, Katrina Van Dopp inspires people to be their best both on the outside and, more importantly, on the inside. In addition to her being a certified master communications coach, she also holds certifications as a behavior consultant and image consultant. Katrina impacts people throughout the country with her programs.
After a successful career in corporate America, Katrina began sharing her passion by helping people achieve and excel. She shows them their inner strengths and encourages them to believe in themselves. Her mission is to empower clients by instilling the philosophy that “what you think of yourself on the inside is directly reflected on the outside.” She builds confidence and inspires forward thinking, so her clients can be successful and savvy.
Katrina found a way to morph all the training of a BA in History (Randolph-Macon Woman’s College) and a BS in Biology (University of Connecticut) plus Master of Administrative Science in Business (a MBA equivalent from The Johns Hopkins University) to help people in a unique way. Katrina has attained the credential of Associate Certified Coach (ACC) granted by the International Coaching Federation. She has also been credentialed as a Human Behavior Consultant (CHBC) by Personality Insights, having been personally trained by Dr. Robert Rohm. In addition, she is a graduate of the exclusive London Image Institute and has earned the credentials of AICI FLC from the Association of Image Consultants International.
Katrina is also co-author of the book Socially Smart & Savvy, available on Amazon. A New Englander by birth and avid equestrian, Katrina resides in Brookeville, MD with her husband of 32 years, her teenage daughter, and her 3 cats.
Zach Galati, Marketing Consultant
Mr. Zach Galati has been involved in non-profit marketing for over 3 years and has a passion for helping people and serving the Lord. Mr. Galati graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s in Marketing. Prior to non-profit marketing, he worked and contributed in the advertising industry. Mr. and Mrs. Galati live in central Florida.
Eileen Garner, M.A., R.D
Ms. Garner is a deeply perceptive and inspiring counselor working in the areas of divorce coaching and personal nutrition. Highly effective at aiding clients through step by step changes to achieving a new vision and powerful outcome for themselves. Moreover she is extraordinarily skilled at helping people overcome problems and hurdles impeding their progress. Ms. Garner’s work includes individual counseling, conducting workshops and speaking to small and mid-sized groups. Deeply troubled by the destructive nature and excessive cost of the divorce process she has recently co-founded Crossroads Divorce Coaching, specializing in a better way to divorce. Eileen Garner M.A., R.D. has been involved in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics for more than 18 years as a registered dietitian, a member of the American Dietetic Association.
Ms. Garner holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Pennsylvania State University and a Masters Degree in Nutrition Education from Immaculata College. Additionally, she has a certificate of training in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management from the American Dietetic Association and a certificate of training in Divorce Coaching. Together Ms. Garner and her husband share 8 children and 6 grandchildren.