Speakers

Joseph F. Alderete, Jr., MD, FAOA (COL, U.S. Army, Retired)

Dr. Joseph F. Alderete is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the Director of the RegenR8 Limb Optimization Research Laboratory. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point (1997) and the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine (2001), he completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Eisenhower Army Medical Center (2001-2006) and a musculoskeletal oncology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Alderete’s 30 years of military service include key roles such as Deputy Commander for Clinical Services in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Chief of Surgery for Task Force 32 in Iraq. He is an award-winning educator and was honored with the Warren R. Kadrmas Memorial Educator’s Award in 2013. He also pioneered the Osseointegration program at Brooke Army Medical Center. Currently, as a clinician-scientist, Dr. Alderete’s research focuses on limb optimization and human performance. His work at the RegenR8 lab is focused on advancing treatments for extremity trauma and optimizing functional recovery.

Emily Bader, MA

Emily Bader serves as the Senior Director of Investments at the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF). In this capacity, she oversees the rigorous selection of best-in-class programs for the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s investments in order to ensure that our nation’s veterans, service members and their families have stable and successful futures. Since joining BWF’s programs team in 2018, she has published numerous briefs to raise awareness of emerging military/veteran research, developed an innovative clinical stipend program to increase healthcare providers’ access to training in evidence-based treatments, facilitated the launch of the Move United’s USA Wheelchair Football League, transformed how BWF evaluates the impact of their investments, and shaped programming to improve the functional and substantive expertise of BWF’s Got Your 6 Network. She holds a master’s degree in Near Eastern Studies from New York University and studied Arabic at The Sijal Institute for Arabic Language and Culture in Amman, Jordan. She is also a 2024 graduate of the Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership program.

Craig J. Bryan, PsyD, ABPP

Dr. Craig J. Bryan is a board-certified clinical psychologist in cognitive behavioral psychology and an internationally recognized expert on suicide prevention, trauma, and resilience. He is the Trott Gebhardt Philips Endowed Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University and the Division Director for Recovery and Resilience. Dr. Bryan’s research has been funded by the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, and multiple foundations. He has published over 300 scientific articles and multiple books including Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention and Rethinking Suicide, and he has received numerous awards and recognitions for his research.

Roxana E. Delgado, PhD, MS, PNAP

Dr. Roxana Delgado is a health scientist dedicated to advancing the well-being of military and veteran communities. She serves as a Professor/Military Health Research Scholar and Director of the Caring for the Caregiver Program in the School of Nursing at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She is also a VA-affiliated investigator with the Elizabeth Dole Center of Excellence for Veteran and Caregiver Research. Dr. Delgado established the Military and Veteran Caregiver Portfolio, a pioneering research platform focused on the short- and long-term health outcomes of caregivers supporting wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans. Her research examines predictors of caregiver health outcomes, particularly those related to chronic stress and the long-term trajectory of disease. Notably, her seminal study identifying distress phenotypes as predictors of suicidal ideation among caregivers has influenced both healthcare practice and national policy. Her professional journey is deeply personal, shaped by her experience as the spouse of a combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient. This lived experience fuels her passion and commitment to the science of caregiving and traumatic brain injury. Dr. Delgado is a nationally recognized researcher, speaker, and advocate, and she serves on numerous advisory boards to inform veteran and caregiver policy. An Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow representing Texas (2015–2016), Dr. Delgado continues to champion the voices of caregivers through her science, scholarship, and advocacy. Her mission is clear: to help veterans and their families not only survive the wounds of war but find ways to heal and thrive together.

Shannon Forkus, PhD

Dr. Shannon Forkus is an Assistant Professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health within the Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health. Her research examines the intersection of substance use, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and violence in both civilian and military populations. She is particularly interested in identifying treatment malleable mechanisms and translating them into new and adapted interventions for substance use and PTSD. Dr. Forkus has over 50 peer-reviewed publications on these topics, and her training and research have been supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Steffany J. Fredman, PhD

Dr. Steffany Fredman is an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies and Psychology and Edna P. Bennett Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research at The Pennsylvania State University. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Fredman has clinical and research expertise on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions within a couple/family context, including ways that involving romantic partners in treatment optimizes outcomes for individuals with PTSD and their loved ones. She is the co-developer of cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD, a couple-based treatment for PTSD that has been shown to reduce PTSD and co-occurring symptoms, enhance intimate relationship functioning, and improve partner well-being. Dr. Fredman has published 1 book and more than 85 scientific manuscripts on this and related topics.

Gerry Grace, PhD, MDiv

Dr. Gerry Grace was born and raised in Ireland. He has followed his heart’s passion for over 35 years, a passion that has sought to integrate sound psychological approaches to human suffering with the eternal wisdom we are heirs to from our spiritual traditions both east and west. His training in spiritual direction, theology and psychotherapy brought him to the United States. He was recruited by the U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) to be part of a startup team whose mission was to roll out evidenced-based treatment training for PTSD across all Army installations with a behavioral health department. Dr. Grace spent the last five years of his GS career as Chief of the Intensive Outpatient Program for PTSD at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Texas. He now operates a consulting practice offering trainings, retreats, workshops and psychotherapy.

Vanessa Jacoby, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Vanessa Jacoby is an Associate Professor and a board certified behavioral and cognitive psychology licensed clinical psychologist within the Division of Behavioral Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Jacoby directs the Strong Families Prevention and Support Program at the STRONG STAR clinic located on Fort Hood. The clinic provides evidence-based primary prevention and trauma-focused intervention services to active duty and veteran families. Dr. Jacoby also provides expert consultation in Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure to veteran-serving community mental health providers across the United States through the STRONG STAR Training Initiative. Her research and clinical interests focus on identifying the risk and protective factors, prevention strategies, and most effective interventions to treat posttraumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related problems in military service members and their families.

Terence M. Keane, PhD

Dr. Terence Keane is Director of the National Center for PTSD-Behavioral Sciences Division and Associate Chief of Staff for Research & Development at VA Boston Healthcare System. He also serves as Professor of Psychiatry and Assistant Dean for Research at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Dr. Keane has published more than 450 articles, books, and chapters on the assessment and treatment of PTSD. For 45 years his program of trauma research has been supported by federal funding agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In 2013, Keane was named the Co-Principal Investigator of the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD, an initiative supported by the VA and DoD to improve the care of active duty military and veterans with PTSD through the conduct of multi-site clinical trials of psychotherapy and medications. His contributions to the field have been recognized with many national and international honors including the 2013 Distinguished Research Contributions to Clinical Psychology Award from the American Psychological Association’s Society of Clinical Psychology and a similar award from the Canadian Psychological Association in 2015. Also in 2015, he was named the recipient of the John Blair Barnwell Award from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the highest national award for those engaged in Clinical Research.

Lisa K. Kearney, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Lisa Kearney serves as the Chief Consultant for the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), implementing nationwide healthcare change initiatives and executing national healthcare policy in collaboration with senior leaders across the agency.  In her role as the Secretary’s Senior Advisor for Health, she coordinated with executive leadership across the enterprise and worked daily with other federal agencies and the White House in healthcare policy development and execution. Dr. Kearney previously served as the Executive Director of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), overseeing the largest national crisis line in the United States, leading the successful national launch of 988 (press 1 for VCL) for the VA, and she facilitated the enactment of VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide (2018) and the White House Strategy for Reducing Military and Veteran Suicide (2021).  Dr. Kearney previously served as the Associate Director of Education at the VA Center for Integrated Healthcare and served on the executive team in the VA Office of Mental Health Operations. In San Antonio, Dr. Kearney served as the Chief of Psychology, Assistant Chief, Director of Training, and Director of Primary Care Mental Health Integration at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. Dr. Kearney is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Editor for Psychological Services. Her research focuses on integrated primary care, suicide prevention, mental health business operations, and training of health care providers.

Kevin Kelly, MD, MBA, MSS, FAAFP (COL, U.S. Army)

COL Kevin Kelly was commissioned as an Army officer in 1999 upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He completed medical school at The Ohio State University and a Family Medicine Residency at Madigan Army Medical Center, Washington. He completed an MBA from Pacific Lutheran University and an MS at the National Defense University. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and holds an appointment as Assistant Professor at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit, a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and recipient of the U.S. Army’s Michael J. Scotti, MD, Family Physician of the Year Award for 2023. COL Kelly has had many assignments over his military career including Joint Base Lewis McChord, Fort Hood, Fort Stewart, Fort Bragg, and Joint Base San Antonio. He completed military deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and to the northeastern U.S. during the DoD’s support of the national COVID-19 response. He formerly served as Consultant to the Army Surgeon General for Family Medicine. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Combat Medical Badge, and Parachutist Badge. COL Kelly has been a STRONG STAR collaborator since 2010. He has co-authored 8 scientific manuscripts and 19 conference presentations with STRONG STAR investigators.

Stefanie T. LoSavio, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Stefanie LoSavio is a board-certified psychologist, clinical trainer, and research investigator focused on increasing access to evidence-based PTSD treatment. Dr. LoSavio currently serves as Director of Research & Innovation for the STRONG STAR Training Initiative and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. LoSavio trains hundreds of mental health providers each year in evidence-based, trauma-focused such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and Written Exposure Therapy. Dr. LoSavio is co-author of the award-winning self-help book, Getting Unstuck from PTSD: Using Cognitive Processing Therapy to Guide Your Recovery, which has helped people process their traumatic events and experience recovery. In her research, Dr. LoSavio studies adaptations to interventions and provider training to increase the reach, effectiveness, and efficiency of PTSD care.

Don McGeary, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Don McGeary is Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas at San Antonio. He also holds cross appointments with the Department of Psychology at UT San Antonio and as a Research Health Scientist with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.  Dr. McGeary is a nationally recognized expert in military and veteran pain management with over 100 scientific publications and over $40 million in federally research as a principal investigator.  Relevant to his conference presentation, Dr. McGeary is one of the first VA-funded investigators to study cannabis-derivative drugs (including THC) in a clinical trial of veterans with lower extremity neuropathic pain.

Sonya Norman, PhD

Dr. Sonya Norman directs the National Center for PTSD’s PTSD Consultation Program and is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Norman is a clinical psychologist and a researcher in the treatment of PTSD and addictions, as well as in novel treatments to address trauma-related guilt, shame, and moral injury.  She previously directed a PTSD treatment program for U.S. military veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dr. Norman has over 250 publications related to PTSD and associated problems and is the principal investigator of research studies funded by several U.S. federal agencies. She served as a member of the VA/DOD PTSD Clinical Practice Guideline workgroup in 2017 and 2023 and is an elected board member of the International Society of Traumatic Stress.

Alan L. Peterson, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Alan Peterson is a Professor and the Chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He is a board-certified clinical health psychologist through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), the Krus Endowed Chair in Psychiatry, and the Associate Director of Research for the Military Health Institute. He is also a Professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Peterson is the Director of the STRONG STAR Consortium and the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD, which includes over 150 research collaborators and 50 institutions worldwide. He served previously as the Chair of the Department of Psychology and the Director of the Clinical Health Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at the U.S. Air Force’s Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio. Dr. Peterson retired from the Air Force in 2005 after 21 years of active duty service that included deployments in support of Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. He has clinical and research expertise in the areas of behavioral medicine, psychological trauma, and resiliency. He has published 9 books and over 400 scientific manuscripts, and he has given over 700 presentations and invited addresses at national and international meetings.

David Rozek, PhD, ABPP

David Rozek, PhD, ABPP, is an Associate Professor and a clinical psychologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He received his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and completed his residency at the Orlando Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Prior to joining the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Dr. Rozek held positions at the University of Central Florida as the Director of the National Center of Excellence for First Responder Behavioral Health at UCF RESTORES and at the University of Utah in the Department of Psychiatry with a secondary appointment as the Director of Training at the National Center for Veterans Studies. Dr. Rozek’s research and clinical expertise are in cognitive and behavioral therapies for suicide, depression, and PTSD. He regularly provides training to clinicians, medical professionals, peers support specialist, and mental health allies on best practices when working with individuals who are at risk for suicide and is an active researcher focusing on how to best improve clinical care.

Johanna Thompson-Hollands, PhD

Dr. Johanna Thompson-Hollands is a Staff Psychologist with the Behavioral Science Division of the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the role of family and social support in trauma recovery, particularly among veterans. She is the developer of the Brief Family Intervention for PTSD, which is currently being tested in a clinical trial at three Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country. Dr. Thompson-Hollands has written over 20 articles related to social support and family involvement in treatment, and she is co-editor of a book describing a range of approaches to family and peer involvement in mental health treatment. She has received funding from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs to support her work.

Elna Yadin, PhD

Dr. Elna Yadin is a member of the clinical faculty at the Department of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and a Research Affiliate in the Department of Psychology at Bryn Mawr College. She has extensive experience in the treatment of anxiety, stress, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), and has trained and supervised numerous national and international mental health care professionals in the practice of Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD and Exposure and Ritual Prevention (ERP) for OCD. Dr. Yadin is a consultant for the residential treatment facility for active duty military personnel at Mission Resiliency at Laurel Ridge Treatment Center, San Antonio, Texas. She continues to participate in programs implementing PE in a variety of PTSD contexts, including combat, civilian war zones, military and civilian sexual traumas, and natural disasters. She has coauthored academic articles, book chapters and books on PTSD and its treatments. Dr. Yadin is a veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).