John Rodolico, Co-Chair, PhD, Clinical Advisor, EOVS SAVE Team
Dr. John Rodolico, a retired Colonel and former State Surgeon for the Massachusetts National Guard, brings over three decades of expertise to behavioral health. He is the Director of Training at McLean Hospital's Co-occurring Institute and Director of Military and Veteran Services. Additionally, he advises the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veteran Services SAVE team. He is an Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veteran, serving as the Executive Officer for Combat Stress.
With a focus on evidence-based treatments, Dr. Rodolico has dedicated his career to helping individuals, including veterans and military personnel, struggling with addiction. As a supervising clinician and therapist, he has played critical roles in numerous clinical trials. His research interests include motivational interviewing, evidence-based treatments for co-occurring disorders, and military member and veteran suicide epidemiology.
Margaret Guyer, Co-Chair, Ph.D., Clinical and Professional Services, Department of Mental Health
Dr. Margaret Guyer, Ph.D., is a distinguished professional known for her multifaceted roles as a clinician, researcher, and administrator within the Department of Mental Health (DMH). As the Special Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner of Clinical and Professional Services at the DMH, Dr. Guyer is pivotal in driving the department's commitment to evidence-based practices.
René Lento, Director of Addictions Services at Home Base
Dr. René Lento is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Home Base, where she specializes in assisting veterans with PTSD, Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), and reintegration issues. She also oversees substance use programming in the 2-week Intensive Clinical Programming and SOAR program.
Her clinical interests include evidence-based treatments for PTSD, SUDs, suicidal behaviors, anxiety, and mood disorders. She's trained in therapies like Cognitive Processing and Prolonged Exposure for PTSD Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Seeking Safety approaches. Dr. Lento also has expertise in evidence-based treatments for suicide prevention and insomnia.
Dr. Lento earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Catholic University of America and completed an APA-accredited internship at the VA Boston Healthcare System, specializing in Dual Diagnosis (PTSD-SUD). She also underwent postdoctoral training with the MGH Home Base Program.
Bill Davidson Sr., Director of Veteran Outreach and Peer Support, Home Base
Bill Davidson, Senior Director of Veteran Outreach, Peer Support, and Volunteers at Home Base, retired as a Command Sergeant Major in the Massachusetts Army National Guard (MAARNG) after 34 years of service in 2018. His roles included Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) to the Command Group and Director of the Resilience, Risk Reduction, and Suicide Prevention Program for the MAARNG.
He deployed to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan in 2002-2003 as First Sergeant of a Military Police Unit. He later served as Task Force Command Sergeant Major and SEA for a multi-national security force in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2011-2012.
CSM Davidson's accolades include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Marechausse Medal (Silver) from the MP Regiment. He also served over 25 years as a police officer in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, and holds a master’s degree in criminal justice and public Administration from Western New England College and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Curry College.
Dr. Erin Fletcher, Director, Wounded Warrior Project
Erin Fletcher, Psy.D., is the Warrior Care Network Director at Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). In this capacity, she ensures synergy across all WWP mental health programs. She collaborates with the four Academic Medical Centers within WWP's Warrior Care Network to facilitate program implementation and delivery alignment.
Erin brings over 15 years of mental health experience in various treatment settings, including serving as the Clinical Director of an intensive outpatient treatment program for adults with anxiety disorders before joining the Wounded Warrior Project.
She holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and a master's degree in clinical psychology from The Illinois School of Professional Psychology, as well as a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in social work from Niagara University.
Charly Oliva, Veteran Service Officer, Belchertown
Charly Nicole Oliva, MSW, is the Director of Veterans Services for Belchertown, Massachusetts, where she has contributed her expertise for three years. Before this role, she spent 13 years as the Deputy Director of the Springfield Veterans Office.
Her military service spanned from February 2001 to November 2012, including deployments to Afghanistan in 2003 and Iraq from 2009 to 2010, where she served as a Military Police Officer. She was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant, E-5.
She holds a master’s degree in social work from Springfield College and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Westfield State University.
Paula Tessier, Associate Director, Mass Coalition for Suicide Prevention
Paula joined the MCSP staff in 2022, where she sees her role as an opportunity to oversee projects and enhance communications to support the coalition's growth. Paula Tessier brings decades of professional experience working with diverse groups of Massachusetts leaders in public health, human services, and behavioral health. She previously served as a DMH Emergency Response to Suicide Prevention (ERSP) Grant Director, playing a crucial role in coordinating the COVID-related SAMHSA grant.
Paula actively supports the MA Governor's Challenge, contributing to the national VA/SAMHSA suicide prevention project for service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF). She also has experience as the former Director of Safe Spaces, a statewide LGBTQIA+ suicide prevention program at DPH, and as a member of the Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Dr. Miriam Stoll, Clinical Psychologist, Worcester Recovery Center, and Hospital (DMH)
Dr. Miriam Stoll is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with a decade of active involvement in the Massachusetts Psychological Association. She earned her Bachelor of Science, double majoring in Psychology and Anthropology, from the University of Pittsburgh. Her academic journey continued at William James College, where she achieved both her master's and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with a specific focus on Veterans and Military families.
Throughout her graduate studies, Dr. Stoll honed her skills in assessment, addiction, family dynamics, and group therapy through practical fieldwork. Her APA internship took place at the prestigious Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. She furthered her professional development as an APA Post-Doctoral Fellow at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, where she assisted Veterans in their transition to undergraduate studies and participated in the Operation Enduring Families Research Initiative.
Dr. Stoll dedicates her expertise to the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, where she works with some of the most vulnerable community members. Her primary focus is on developing dual diagnosis programming for hospital residents in addition to her routine clinical responsibilities.
Amanda Braga-Tipton
Amanda Braga Tipton is a Massachusetts native from three generations of military service members. In 2018, she decided to join the USAR as a Chaplain.
In the past ten years, she has served on the board of directors of 7 varying para-military support groups located on Cape Cod (where she resides). She graduated from Liberty University with her Master of Divinity in 2019 and served as a Hospice Chaplain in the Civilian sector.
On July 5, 2023, Amanda joined the horrific ranks of being a White Star Family member when her brother Sgt. Joshua Owen Tipton, US Army), took his life. Amanda is determined to ensure that those who raise their hands to protect and defend find themselves winning the war they tell no one about.
Elisabeth Parrott, Director, Lowell Mass VETS Center
Dr. Parrott is a clinical psychologist and registered nurse currently serving as the Director of the Lowell Vet Center in Massachusetts, a part of the US Department of Veterans Affairs' Readjustment Counseling Service. Her dedication to veterans' well-being spans back to 2008, and she solidified her expertise through a postdoctoral residency at the Bedford VA Medical Center in 2012. Dr. Parrott officially joined the staff of the Lowell Vet Center in 2013.
Before her career in psychology, Dr. Parrott contributed to research ethics administration at esteemed institutions such as Harvard University, Cambridge Hospital, and the Boston nonprofit organization Public Responsibility in Medicine & Research, among others. Her educational background includes degrees in anthropology from Dartmouth College, nursing from Johns Hopkins, and clinical psychology from Antioch University, New England.
Michael Baird, Alumni Manager, Wounded Warrior Project
Michael Baird is the Alumni Manager at Wounded Warrior Project with over ten years of experience serving veterans and their families. He manages the WWP Alumni team and oversees outreach and engagement events in the Northeast region to connect, serve, and empower wounded service members and their families.
After enlisting in the US Army and serving in Iraq, Michael returned to Massachusetts in 2008. He pursued a bachelor's degree in criminal justice at the University of Massachusetts – Boston and briefly attended the Boston Police Academy before prioritizing his mental health. He sought help at Home Base in Boston and received crucial care to process his deployment trauma.
Michael's career path shifted towards advocating for veterans. He was a Peer Support Specialist for the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services, assisting homeless veterans with housing programs and benefits access. In 2015, he joined the Wounded Warrior Project as an Outreach Coordinator/Specialist, planning networking and bonding opportunities for WWP alums and their families.
2016 Michael earned a Master of Public Administration in Non-Profit Management from Northeastern University. Since April 2020, he has served as the Alumni Manager for the Wounded Warrior Project in the Northeast, overseeing a team of six. Their work centers on connecting warriors and their families with resources, resulting in over 3000 engagements in the local community and region in 2023.
Kelley Cunningham, Director of Suicide Prevention Program, DPH
Kelley Cunningham has been in the suicide prevention field since 2007, spending seven years leading the Community Education and Outreach Program at Samaritans, Inc. in Boston, and more recent years at the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Suicide Prevention Program. Since starting at DPH in 2014, she has been in the Suicide Prevention Program and, in 2017, became the Director of the program. She has been a member of the MA Governor’s Challenge and a co-chair for one of the priority groups focusing on Firearm Safety and Suicide Prevention. In November 2023, Kelley was promoted to Director for the Division of Violence & Injury Prevention at DPH. However, she continues her work with Service Members, Veterans, and Families through the Governor’s Challenge. Kelley is a suicide loss survivor and caregiver to an adult child with lived experience. She is also the proud parent of a former service member with the MA National Guard.
Angela Taveira-Dick, Associate Director of Military and Veteran Psychology Program, William James College
Dr. Angela Taveira-Dick, Ph., is the Associate Director of the Military and Veteran Psychology Program and an Assistant Professor at William James College. She earned her doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2013 and completed her predoctoral internship in "Clinical & Community Psychology" at the Yale University School of Medicine. In 2014, she finished a postdoctoral "Psychosocial Rehabilitation" fellowship at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital (Bedford, VA).
Before her current role at WJC, Dr. Taveira-Dick was the clinical lead for the Community Recovery Connections Team at the Bedford VA. In this capacity, she established community partnerships between the VA and non-governmental agencies to support veterans' reintegration into the community, organizing veteran coffee socials and fostering collaboration between nonprofit agencies in nine different Boston-area towns. She also created and implemented the Specialized Team for Early Engagement and Recovery (STEER) to assist veterans with symptoms of psychosis.
Katherine Nicholas Malvey, LICSW, VISN 1 Veterans Justice Programs Coordinator, US Department of Veterans Affairs
Katherine Nicholas Malvey (Katie) has been a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with the Department of Veterans Affairs since 2008. She serves as the Suicide Prevention Program Manager for VA New England (VISN 1), overseeing clinical and community-based suicide prevention programs for eight facilities in the 6 New England states. Katie has dedicated a decade to enhancing the identification of at-risk Veterans and improving access to care, outreach, programming, and risk mitigation.
Before this role, Katie spent 11 years with the VA's Justice Program, serving as VA New England's Veterans Justice Programs Coordinator and a Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator (VJO) in Massachusetts. She provided direct services to justice-involved Veterans and contributed to the establishment of Veteran treatment courts in Massachusetts. Previously, she worked for three years as a clinical social worker at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts, in their inpatient psychiatry unit, offering acute care to Veterans with mental health and substance use issues.
Katie is an adjunct professor at Boston College's School of Social Work and is a Justice for Vets faculty member. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Stonehill College and a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College.
MAJ (P) Katherine Murphy, Director, Warrior Resilience & Fitness, Massachusetts National Guard
LTC Katherine Murphy is a seasoned leader with over two decades of experience in military behavioral health and holistic health and fitness implementation.
Throughout her career, she has held various positions at tactical, operational, and strategic levels, both CONUS and OCONUS, including deployment. LTC Murphy is recognized as a subject matter expert in Army behavioral health, serving on the executive committee for the Army National Guard Behavioral Health Working Group since 2014 and earning the Army National Guard Behavioral Health Officer of the Year award in 2016.
LTC Murphy recently completed a temporary active-duty assignment as an On-Site Installation Evaluation team member with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of Force Resiliency. She has returned to her military role as the Chief of Behavioral Health and her full-time role as the Integrated Primary Prevention Officer with the Massachusetts National Guard.
Lily Mendez, President and CEO of Mass Mentoring Partnership
Lily Mendez is the President & CEO of Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening mentoring programs in Massachusetts through technical assistance, funding, and advocacy.
Previously, she served as the Regional Chief Operating Officer for the American Red Cross of Massachusetts, overseeing programs and spearheading organizational restructuring efforts.
Lily's extensive public service career includes roles as Governor Deval L. Patrick's Senior Director of Appointments and Civic Engagement, Deputy Secretary of Transportation for Interagency Management and Reform in the Patrick administration, Executive Director of the Access Strategies Fund, and Chief of Staff in the MA House of Representatives.
She is a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Nonprofit Practice and a trustee of the Hyams Foundation and The Schrafft Charitable Trust. She holds a BS in Communications from Emerson College and an MPA from the McCormack Institute at UMass Boston. Lily resides in Andover, MA, with her husband, Matthew S. McSwain, and their children, Shaun and Joshua.