Kyleanne Hunter | Chief Executive Officer, IAVA

Dr. Kyleanne Hunter is CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and a dedicated and lifelong servant leader. In this role, she is responsible for strategic direction of IAVA, ensuring that the post-9/11 generation of veterans continues to have a voice in the most pressing issues of our day. A Marine Corps veteran of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, she has been dedicated to inspiring all veterans to ascend to their potential, and ensuring that the policies and practices are there to allow them to do so.

Prior to coming to IAVA, Ky was the lead of the Women, Peace, and Security Initiative, part of the RAND National Security Research Division and a senior political scientist at RAND. She also holds faculty affiliations as a professor of policy analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy and an affiliated professor of political science at Oregon State University, among many other notable accomplishments.

Jonathan Pruden | Captain, U.S. Army, Retired | Senior Advisor, Elizabeth Dole Foundation

Jonathan Pruden is a Senior Advisor for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. In this role he leverages VA, DoD, SSA, HHS, and private resources to coordinate timely and appropriate care and support for VIP, sensitive, or complex caregiver/veteran cases. Jonathan advises on EDF’s programmatic supports, and advocacy efforts focused on improving the healthcare ecosystems supporting our caregiver’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Jonathan began his career as an Army officer, serving first as a Medical Service Corps Officer and later as an Infantry Officer. He was on the initial invasion of Iraq with 3rd Infantry Division and on July 1st, 2003 became one of the first Improvised Explosive Device (IED) casualties of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While undergoing 20 operations at seven different hospitals, including the amputation of his right leg, he earned his MA in Public Affairs from the University of Florida and started working with Wounded Warrior Project.

Mr. Pruden currently serves on the Veterans’ Family, Caregiver and Survivor Federal Advisory Committee. He has testified on five separate occasions before U.S. Senate and U.S. House committees about DoD-VA Transition Issues, Palliative Care, Prosthetics/ DME, support for caregivers, and care for those struggling with PTS and TBI.

Derek Blumke | Veteran and Policy Advocate 

Derek Blumke is a veteran, policy advocate and subject matter expert in mental health, medication safety and veterans’ health. He served 12 years in the U.S. Air Force and Michigan Air National Guard, including deployments to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan with the AC-130H Spectre Gunships.

As the Veteran Policy Fellow at Irreverent Warriors and the Grunt Style Foundation, Derek leads national efforts focused on reducing suicide and adverse drug events through safer prescribing practices for service members and veterans. He also chairs the Psychotropic Drug Safety Subgroup of the Michigan Governor’s Challenge and serves in legislative leadership roles with the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Derek has spent much of his career advancing veterans’ health and policy, including helping launch Student Veterans of America, supporting passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and leading advocacy on behalf of veterans exposed to toxic substances during deployments to Karshi-Khanabad Air Base.

Meghan Wagner | Physical Health & Wellness, Jacksonville WWP Office

Meghan earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Education from the University of Florida and remains passionate about educating and positively influencing others to invest in their physical health.

Meghan joined Wounded Warrior Project in 2011 and currently serves as Physical Health & Wellness Director. In this role, she oversees the Physical Health & Wellness (PH&W) program which includes one-on-one coaching opportunities as well as in-person and virtual educational events. The primary purpose of these programs is to improve quality of life through physical health, mainly focusing on increasing physical activity, improving nutritional habits, and enhancing sleep quality. These programs also aim to improve mobility, resilience, and psychological well-being as well as reduce depression symptomology, chronic pain, and medication, tobacco, and alcohol use.

Meghan comes from a family of career service members and has a passion for helping others. As a Gold Star daughter, part of her “why” is preserving her father’s legacy by supporting our nation’s veterans. She believes in success through teamwork and ensuring warriors and teammates always come first. Additionally, Meghan is married to an Army veteran and is a registered WWP family support member. She and her husband have two young children and enjoy spending time outdoors.

Amera Bilal  |  Vice President of Programs & Policy, Caregiver Action Network | Session Moderator

With over 20 years of experience designing programs at the intersection of aging, caregiving, and equity, Amera brings a powerful vision for centering caregiver voices in systems change. From leading Alzheimer’s initiatives in Prince George’s County to championing inclusive program design for historically marginalized communities, her leadership strengthens our ability to serve caregivers nationwide.