Military and veteran caregivers from across the nation selected to represent their states and advocate on behalf of the nation’s 5.5 million military caregivers.
Washington, D.C. – Feb. 13, 2018 – The Elizabeth Dole Foundation is pleased to announce its 2018 class of Dole Caregiver Fellows. These 28 active military and veteran caregivers will join nearly 150 past and present Dole Caregiver Fellows to bring attention to the crisis faced by America’s 5.5 million hidden heroes – the spouses, parents, family members, and friends who provide more than $14 billion in voluntary care for wounded, ill, or injured veterans.
“Our Fellows are the heart and soul of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation,” said Senator Elizabeth Dole, Founder of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “We are thrilled to welcome their unique voices and contributions to our work. Though they come from different states and territories and care for veterans and service members with a variety of needs, these brave men and women share common stories of struggle and triumph, resilience and hope. I look forward to working with them as they mobilize their communities, and the nation, in support of hidden heroes.”
As a RAND Corporation study commissioned by the Foundation pointed out, a well-supported caregiver is the single most important factor in a veteran’s improvement and recovery. Dole Caregiver Fellows advise the Foundation, its coalition partners, and government and community leaders on the most pressing issues concerning military caregivers.
This year’s Dole Caregiver Fellows class includes spouses, mothers, fathers, and sons whose veterans served in all branches of the military and across all eras of war. The 2018 class includes a son caring for his father, an Air Force veteran and civil rights pioneer; a high school principal who relies on the support of her community in order to care for her husband; and a mother – a veteran herself – whose tireless advocacy has allowed her daughter to receive care at home, rather than in a nursing facility.
Members of the 2018 Dole Caregiver Fellows include:
- Craig Remsburg, Gilbert, AZ
- Sharon Grassi, Gilbert, AZ
- Colleen Johnson, Milford, DE
- Jennifer Nelson, Navarre, FL
- Mary-Ella Majetich, Jacksonville, FL
- Stephanie Ruepp, Valdosta, GA
- Jessica Montgomery, Council, ID
- Aimmie Jenkins, Fort Wayne, IN
- Ashlee Williams, Woodburn, KY
- Sharon Urbina, Covington, LA
- Betty O’Brien, Belchertown, MA
- Elissa Lynch, Minnetonka, MN
- Trizer Smith, Blaine, MN
- Vicki Boswell, Hattiesburg, MS
- Hannah Nieskens, Cardwell, MT
- Melida Collins, Santa Fe, NM
- Karee White, Apex, NC
- Lynz Piper-Loomis, Charleston, SC
- Ida Carson, Dayton, OH
- Cynde Collins-Clark, Edmond, OK
- Carol Snider, Lebanon, OR
- Jennifer Olson, Pendleton, OR
- Misty Toothman, Birdsboro, PA
- Robert Grier, Wexford, PA
- Tennille Collins, Rapid City, SD
- Amanda Nuckoles, Mount Juliet, TN
- Angie Toone, American Fork, UT
- Melissa Jackson, Dorset, VT
If you are interested in conducting an interview with any of the 2018 Dole Caregiver Fellows, or with a spokesperson from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, please reach out to:
Taylor Leaming
(978) 895-1796
