LOS ANGELES — Stephen J. Peck, a Marine officer who served in Vietnam and later became a documentary filmmaker, spent nearly three decades at U.S.VETS — 14 of them as chief executive — building it into the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to ending veteran homelessness before retiring at the end of 2024. This profile is...
Category: Nex-finityNews
U.S.VETS’ New Leader: Marine Veteran Darryl Vincent Takes On Veteran Homelessness
LOS ANGELES — On January 1, 2025, Darryl J. Vincent became president and chief executive officer of U.S.VETS, the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to preventing and ending veteran homelessness, after more than two decades climbing the organization’s ranks. This profile is part of #250for250, a NexfinityNews series marking America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 by recognizing...
From Assistant Commandant to Wounded-Warrior Advocate: Gen. John M. Paxton Jr.
Gen. John M. Paxton Jr., who served as the 33rd Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps — the service’s second-highest-ranking officer — now serves on the board of directors of the Semper Fi & America’s Fund, a charity for wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families. This profile is part of #250for250, a...
The Corps’ Top Enlisted Marine on a Mission of Care: Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent
As the 16th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Carlton W. Kent held the highest enlisted position in the service. Today, the retired sergeant major serves on the board of directors of the Semper Fi & America’s Fund, bringing an enlisted Marine’s perspective to a charity for the nation’s wounded, ill, and injured. This profile...
A Former Joint Chiefs Chairman’s Second Mission: Gen. Joseph Dunford and the Semper Fi & America’s Fund
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., who served as the nation’s highest-ranking military officer as the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, now chairs the board of directors of the Semper Fi & America’s Fund, a charity that cares for wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and their families....
The People Behind the Greyshirts: Team Rubicon’s Chief People Officer, Tim Norman
LOS ANGELES — Tim Norman, a U.S. Army veteran of the Desert Storm era, serves as chief people officer of Team Rubicon, the human-resources lead for an organization built on a workforce of more than 180,000 volunteers. This profile is part of #250for250, a NexfinityNews series marking America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 by recognizing 250...
The Marine Who Counts the Cost: Dane Barata, Team Rubicon’s CFO
LOS ANGELES — Dane Barata’s path to becoming chief financial officer of Team Rubicon began in Jakarta, Indonesia. An immigrant who became a U.S. citizen at 17 and a U.S. Marine soon after, Barata has helped steer the disaster-response nonprofit’s rapid growth since 2018. This profile is part of #250for250, a NexfinityNews series marking America’s...
From TOPGUN to Disaster Zones: How Art delaCruz Leads Team Rubicon
LOS ANGELES — Art delaCruz spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy, flying as a Naval Flight Officer, instructing at the Navy Fighter Weapons School, and commanding a strike-fighter squadron. Since July 2021 he has led Team Rubicon, the veteran-powered disaster-response organization, as its chief executive officer. This profile is part of #250for250, a NexfinityNews...
DAV’s New Voice on Capitol Hill: Marine Veteran Jim Marszalek Takes Over the Washington Headquarters
WASHINGTON — In January 2026, Jim Marszalek, a Gulf War-era Marine veteran and nationally recognized expert on veterans benefits law, became executive director of the Washington headquarters of Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the organization’s chief advocate before Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the White House. This profile is part of #250for250, a NexfinityNews...
From Marine Sergeant to DAV Chief Executive: The Quiet Rise of Barry A. Jesinoski
ERLANGER, Ky. — When Barry A. Jesinoski became national adjutant and chief executive officer of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) on June 1, 2023, he reached the top of an organization he had served for nearly three decades, having risen from an entry-level service officer to its highest appointed post. This profile is part of #250for250,...









