“Change happens at the speed of trust”

Mission

The White Oak Collaborative (WOC) seeks to address the challenges faced by military- and Veteran-connected communities through data-driven, cross-sector partnerships among its members for direct service and/or policy-level solutions—while applying a whole-of-family lens.

About the Collaborative

The White Oak Collaborative is a cross-sector coalition of organizations committed to supporting service members, Veterans, wounded warriors, caregivers, survivors, and their families.

Blue Star Families is the convening authority and secretariat for the collaborative, with more than 150 members representing military and Veteran support organizations, other nonprofits, and private, philanthropic, government, and community sectors. The work of the White Oak Collaborative is non-partisan.

Led by a board of oversight and rotating steering committee of member organizations, the collaborative holds off-the-record partners’ calls approximately every two weeks, where members hear updates, share relevant data, and learn about government and military priorities for the purpose of better serving our constituencies.

Participation is by nomination and invitation. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Board of Oversight

Eric Eversole, President, Hiring Our Heroes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Meg Harrell, Chief Program Officer, Bob Woodruff Foundation
Donna Hoffmeier, Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications and Advocacy, TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Pete Jeffries, National Director, Integrated Campaigns Field Management, AARP
Dr. Michael Jordan, Senior Vice President, Service to The Armed Forces, American Red Cross
BG Michael J. Meese, USA, Ret., PhD, President, American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association (AAFMAA)
Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO, Blue Star Families
Jose Ramos, Vice President, Government & Community Relations, Wounded Warrior Project
Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation

Steering Committee

The steering committee rotates its membership every six months. Current members include:

Maureen Casey, COO, D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families
Leigh Edmonds, Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
Donna Hoffmeier, Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications and Advocacy, TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Jordan Huffman, Strategic Alliance Director, Hope for the Warriors
Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, Director, Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University
Eldon Mullis, COO, Army Emergency Relief
Kara Oakley, Founder, Tricare for Kids Coalition
Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO, Blue Star Families