Spring is always an exciting time for the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program as we prepare to announce the newest Scholars who have been selected to join this one-of-a-kind community. We had a record number of impressive applicants this year, partly due to your incredible support in spreading the word. We’re grateful for your commitment to the future success of this program and its participants.
The team will officially announce the Class of 2024 in May. We are excited to see how the new Scholars will integrate into the network and engage with the you during the program year. Stay tuned for more details on opportunities to join this year’s class!
Lindsay Davis, Deputy Director of Leadership and Programming at the Bush Institute, has curated an exciting lineup of opportunities to gather with your Veteran Leadership Program colleagues over the next several months. Thank you to all who provided feedback. Keep an eye out for more information via email and Workplace on official alumni gatherings, webinars, and casual meetups. This network is stronger when you are all connecting regularly.
We also encourage you to find ways to plug in to our broader content and programming at the Bush Center this year. We always include a handful of items at the bottom of this email from family-friendly events to policy ideas on challenges at home and abroad. Don’t ever hesitate to reach out if you are interested in learning more or connecting with our experts on one of these topics.
Finally, as 2024 continues to get busier, be sure to find ways to refill your cup and let us know how we can support you. Thank you for all you do.
Kelley Jiou
Director, Leadership and Programming
Jason Galui
Director, Veterans and Military Families
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Things You Should Know
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Attending a conference or gathering? Find other alumni!
We want to make it simpler for you to connect with other Veteran Leadership Program alumni at conferences. Thanks to feedback from the Alumni Committee, we now have a section of the Workplace Knowledge Library to which you can add information about any conference or event that you're attending. If you see an event listed that you're planning to go to, add your name to the document.
Then, when the gathering gets closer, you can start a Workplace Chat with everyone attending that event/conference. This is a work in progress, so please feel free to share feedback.
Update your contact information
Send any email and mailing address updates to Lindsay Davis, so we can continue to keep in touch and update you on the Veteran Leadership Program.
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NETWORK EVENTS
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Alumni gatherings
Portraits of Courage & Nixon Library Tour: Yorba Linda, CA
Join us for a tour of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, including President Bush's Portraits of Courage collection on special exhibit! The Nixon Library has graciously provided tickets for our alumni to participate in this alumni gathering. After we enjoy the museum, we'll head to dinner together nearby. Whether you live in the area or are just passing through, we hope to see you there. ( RSVP on Workplace) This year, we’re coming to you! Watch Workplace for more details on gatherings associated with each of the following events around the country:
- Hiring Our Heroes conference in San Antonio, TX: summer
- Military Influencer Conference in Atlanta, GA: Sept. 29-Oct. 3
- Veteran Leadership Program Class of 2024 Module 4 in Washington, D.C.: Sept. 18
- Army-Navy Game in Washington, D.C.: Dec. 14 (Let us know if you’d like to take the lead on this gathering.)
More ideas for alumni gatherings? Feel free to reach out to Lindsay Davis.
Webinars
We’re excited to bring you a wide range of webinars this year, including some focused on the leadership topics you voted on in Workplace. Make sure to check the events section of Workplace for more details.
- Veteran Policy Update with Jason Galui, Director of Veterans and Military Families at the Bush Institute: Wednesday, April 24 at 11 a.m. CT
(RSVP on Workplace)
- Leading Through Organization Change with Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director of Opportunity and Democracy at the Bush Institute: Tuesday, June 4 at 4 p.m. CT
(RSVP on Workplace)
- Captured State: An Update on Afghanistan with the Bush Institute’s Natalie Gonnella-Platts, Director of Global Policy, and Jason Galui, Director of Veterans and Military Families at the Bush Institute (more details to come)
- Managing & Motivating Teams with Ken Hersh, President and CEO of the Bush Center (more details to come)
We are always interested in your ideas for webinar topics, so please feel free to submit them at any time. |
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PROGRAM UPDATE
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Module One of the 2024 program year will kick off at the Bush Center on June 25. Thank you again for playing such an important role in our recruitment efforts!
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Around the Network
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- Vishal Amin (2022) has joined the advisory board of MightyID.
- Claudia Bergheger (2022) transitioned to a new role at Vanderbilt University: Associate Director of Operations for National Security Projects.
- Derren Burrell (2021) has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who for his success in the venture capital sector.
- Crystal Cochran (2021) started a new job as HR Leader for Military Talent at Johnson & Johnson.
- Beth Conlin (2021) was selected as a Branch Finalist for the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year award, representing Army spouses.
- Beth Conlin (2021) and Michelle Mills (2023) presented on the value of military spouses at the Amazon FTR VetX conference.
- Quincy Harper (2019) visited Michael Logan’s (2023) military-connected students at the University of Texas at San Antonio to help them create better resumes.
- Desiree Holley (2023) was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Operation Healing Forces.
- Chris Lancia (2021) started a new role as Director of Military and Veteran Initiatives for the State of Tennessee.
- Ben Miranda (2022) published an op-ed in the El Paso Times with a call to action to help unhoused veterans.
- Abby Peterson (2022) started a new job as Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs at Merck.
- Eric Templeton (2023) is launching a podcast series, Line of Departure, which will focus on authentic conversations with veterans working in technology and business. This project emerged from some of the interviews Eric conducted as part of his PLP.
- Angel Torres (2022) started a new position as Director, Change Management at Broadridge.
Send us your updates
We want to continue to highlight your milestones on our platforms and within the Veteran Leadership Program community. Send any updates about project advancements, collaborations with fellow Scholars, career changes, or any other personal or professional changes to Lindsay Davis.
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PLUG INTO THE BUSH CENTER
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Articles from Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program alumni
Journalist and researcher Jennifer Barnhill (2023) reflects on her powerful conversation with President Bush during Module Five and shares about her mission to tell the often forgotten stories of military families.
Molly Brooks (2022), CEO and Founder of Hero's Bridge, shares how her organization is leading a movement serving our nation’s elderly veterans and how a Veteran Leadership Program collaboration is helping to maximize its impact.
Holly Bernardo (2022), Director of Hope Navigators at the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, writes about how her initiative is helping the state’s veterans find prosperity, self-sufficiency, and purpose.
Taliban corruption must end
Captured State is a new series of reports from the Bush Institute that examines how the Taliban have relied on mafia-like behavior to consolidate power in Afghanistan. The authors identify new and underutilized policy options to advance peace, stability, and freedom in Afghanistan while exploring the Taliban’s corruption, the disproportionate impact on women and children, and the role of foreign enablers. Read the series.
Creating additional avenues for legal migration through self-petitioning
The steady rise in individuals requesting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border over the last decade illustrates one of the core problems with our immigration system: There aren’t enough ways to legally immigrate to the United States without a sponsor. This Bush Institute paper outlines ideas to provide additional legal immigration pathways to the United States through self-petitioning.
Determining whether your state’s young people are on track for a life of opportunity
State longitudinal data systems that meaningfully connect workforce, higher education, K-12, and early childhood outcome data from multiple state agencies over time are foundational to strong decision-making by state leaders and provide invaluable insights to policymakers and parents. A new Bush Institute report discusses why state longitudinal data systems are worth the legislative investment and provides recommendations to policymakers on what to prioritize when thinking about our kids’ futures.
Springtime events at the Bush Center
Whether you’re a Dallas local or just passing through, we invite you to stop by the Bush Center this spring. Join us for weekly Storytime in the children’s reading area of The Boeing Company Exhibition Gallery at the Bush Museum.
The Bush Center’s Forum on Leadership on April 18 will bring together notable voices for in-depth discussions on today’s pressing issues around the globe. Reach out to Lindsay Davis if you are interested in learning more or tune in to the livestream.
We’ll also welcome Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, to the Bush Center on May 18 for the Laura Bush Book Club edition of Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint with support from H-E-B. Explore more Bush Center events here.
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About the George W. Bush InstituteThe George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day. Learn more at bushcenter.org.2943 SMU Boulevard Dallas, TX 75205 Privacy Policy
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