Alfie Lourdes Ramos, Director, Washington State Dept. of Veterans Affairs: Alfie Alvarado is a retired Army Command Sergeant Major who serves as the Deputy Director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. She represents the agency locally and nationally in matters related to veterans' health, employment and quality of life. She is a tireless advocate for veterans, and particularly women veterans, to receive the benefits they earned through their service and sacrifice. She is an innovative thinker and natural leader, always keeping her focus on new ways to help veterans have fulfilling lives.

She serves on the boards of directors of the Association of Washington Generals, Hire America's Heroes Foundation and Madigan Foundation. In addition, she is a member the National Association of Female Executives and the Legislative Officer for the National Association of State Veterans Homes. Watch Alfie's video

Bridget Cantrell, PTSD Expert: Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D., is an award winning author and mental health practitioner that travels extensively around the globe teaching and lecturing active military personnel, veterans, Chaplains, medical and mental health professionals, and concerned families regarding the different aspects of deployment transitions during and after military service. She has received high acclaim for her re-integration workshops that have been given in both the European and Pacific duty assignments and was appointed the 2008 and 2004 Outstanding Female Non-Veteran for her service to veterans by the Governor's Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee and the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2008, Dr. Cantrell and her co-author Chuck Dean (Vietnam Veteran) received the Didi Hirsch Foundation Leadership Award for Erasing the Stigma of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

She has appeared on television news programs: CNN, FoxQ13 and several other television shows. Dr. Cantrell is a frequent guest on numerous radio broadcasts, Internet programs, as well as military Chat Rooms as an expert in the field of combat trauma and PTSD recovery for the military and their loved ones. She is featured in the documentary SERVICE: When Women Come Marching Home. Dr. Cantrell focuses upon the current issues our troops and their families face before and after their deployments, which includes PTSD, TBI, and a multitude of adjustment challenges associated with military service.

Dr. Cantrell is also an honorary member of the Red Feather Warrior Society, which is a Native American Combat Veteran's association on a national level. This honor is as result of her work, knowledge and dedication to veterans. She has also been extensively exposed to the understanding and meaning of the Native American Ceremonial Rituals, which offer an alternative approach toward combat trauma recovery. She has worked with veterans for over twenty-years.

She has written several books: Turning Your Heart Toward Home. Down Range: To Iraq and Back ... which now has more than one million in print, and co-authored work, Once a Warrior: Wired for Life Dr. Cantrell's newest books: Souls under Siege: The Affects of Multiple Troop Deployments-and How to Weather the Storm, will help us all find ways to support and tend to those living under the pressures of multiple deployments.

Once a Warrior: Wired for Life Interactive Workbook comes alive and takes participants on the next step from theory to practical application. Following closely with the concepts of her book Once a Warrior: Wired for Life.

Dr. Cantrell is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS) and The International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). In addition, she is one of a small number of specially selected and trained mental health providers for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs PTSD Program. Currently she is the Founder and CEO of Hearts Toward Home International, a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to the recovery and reintegration of trauma survivors.

Simi Linton, Writer, Consultant and Leader in Disability Studies, Awareness and Advocacy: Simi is among the foremost experts on disability studies, arts, and culture. With a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and 14 years of teaching experience, she lectures widely on the relevance of disability studies, advocates for greater representation of disabled artists, and argues to incorporate disability into the multicultural curriculum. Simi consults with a diverse range of cultural organizations–theatre companies, film and television producers, museums, and universities–to improve and increase the ways disability is represented and depicted. Simi authored "Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity", and her memoir, "My Body Politic", which documents the evolution of her disability politics, and celebrates the pleasures associated with coming out as a disabled woman. She is currently co-directing and producing the documentary film, "Invitation to Dance" that weaves her personal experience as a disabled woman into the broader story of the disability rights and culture movements.

Christina Roof, Federal Policy Advisor, Federal Lobbyist on Veteran Issues: Christina is responsible for researching, writing, and presenting testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate. She is also involved with the development and execution of several organization's legislative agendas, in the areas of veterans entrepreneurship, appropriations, health care, benefits, active duty service member entitlements, and national security. Christina works closely with numerous federal agencies including the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Labor, and Homeland Security. Christina is also an author and contributor to the Department of Veterans Affairs Independent Budget, which is published annually by the nation's top veterans' and military service organizations.

Joanne Dittes Yepsen, Saratoga Springs, NY County Supervisor and Business Entrepreneur: With 25 years of strategic planning, fundraising and fiscal management, Joanne is serving her fourth term on the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. She has focused on building coalitions and delivering results for her constituents with a bi-partisan approach. Joanne has been in the forefront of local issues including the initiation of the Guardian House for Homeless Women Veterans and The Coalition for Women Veterans of New York State, encouraging public-private partnerships, and co-founding Grant-to-You Eastern Chapter, Sustainable Saratoga and Thorofan. Joanne is owner of a small business "Critical Needs Now." She served as Vice President of Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature), on the Board of the Saratoga County Arts Council, serving two years as President, and Advisory Board member to the Saratoga Arts Festival.

Gini Reticker, Award winning documentary filmmaker/Producer: Gini is one of the world's leading documentary filmmakers putting a lens on the real-life dramatic stories of women's rights and international social justice issues. She is an executive producer of "Women, War & Peace" and directed both "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" and "Peace Unveiled"-the third film in the series about Afghanistan. She also produced "Asylum", the 2004 Academy Award®-nominated short focusing on the story of a Ghanaian woman who fled female genital mutilation to seek political asylum in the U.S.; and was the producer/co-director of the 1994 Sundance Award-winning "Heart of the Matter", the first full length documentary about the impact of HIV on women in the U.S. She produced and directed the 2005 Emmy Award-winning documentary "Ladies First" for the PBS series WIDE ANGLE, which focuses on the role of women in rebuilding post-genocide Rwanda. Her film "Out of the Darkness", focusing on women and depression also won an Emmy.

Barbara Glickstein, Nurse, Health Policy Expert and Broadcast Journalist: Barbara is a health journalist, public health nurse, feminist activist, and global citizen. She's co-director of the Center for Health, Media & Policy at Hunter College. She produces and hosts a weekly radio program, "Healthstyles", for public radio. Barbara creates strategic partnerships, and uses new technologies to create social change. As a media maker, she is committed to putting a human face on important social issues.

Susan Avila Smith, Founder and Director, VetWow: Women Organizing Women is an organization that advocates for survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST), VetWow. Susan is a survivor of MST and through VetWow, has helped more than 1200 female and 50 male clients at various stages of recovery from MST. She is a sought-after media guest who has spoken to international audiences about the challenges faced by survivors of MST - sexual harassment, assault and rape -while serving on active duty. From VA Medical Center health care to the VA Regional Office benefits system, Susan has discussed both their benefits and failures from the perspective of MST victims. Currently, she trains other advocates to help with this work.

Kathleen Hoffman, Professional Veteran Advocate: Retired from the military, Kathleen is a professional Veteran/Active duty Advocate Certified through the National Veterans Legal Services Program. In addition to her work with VETWOW, she has served veterans through the US Army and SWAN (Service Women's Action Network) and, working with her many contacts, she has steered active duty members into programs, such as getting women who are suffering abuse transferred and pulled out of Kandahar. In her own words, she is all about "helping all 'era' veterans apply for their medical care and military benefits."

Victoria Wegwert Co-founder of F7 and Copperrock Business Solutions: Victoria brings over 20 years of corporate, entrepreneurial and nonprofit experience to the veteran advocacy community. She specializes in strategic business development, marketing, graphic arts, as well as program design and implementation. Her business acumen and creative talents are exemplified by her presence in the White House, The State of Texas Governor’s Office, Dallas Cowboys Stadium and a Grammy winning film, Service, the Film. Combining years of for-profit and nonprofit experience, Victoria launched The Victory Campaign (TVC) in 2014, an organization that provides direct critical needs assistance, support, and vetted community resource partners to the veteran and survivor communities. Through her efforts with TVC, a board position with US Vets in Washington, D.C., and collaborative efforts with other service organizations, assistance is provided to veterans during their transition and reintegration process.