Nicole Motsek began with the EOD Memorial Foundation in 2012 and was asked to continue on with the EOD Warrior Foundation after the March 1, 2013 merger. She comes to the Foundation’s helm having achieved great successes as a business development manager in the transportation and logistics industry.

She has also supported the continued success of nonprofit organizations like the Junior League of Atlanta, the Anti-Prejudice Consortium, and the YMCA, serving as a key member of numerous boards and committees throughout her career. She is no stranger to the EOD community. Having supported her husband during his years in Army EOD, she was a part of our family long before serving in the capacity she does today. Nicole earned her bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and holds a master’s degree in business administration from American InterContinental University.

Brent Caslin was introduced to the EOD community at a young age through his father’s career as an EOD technician in the US Army. Brent’s brother later joined the Army EOD community as well while he served unremarkably in the Field Artillery.

Today, Brent is a partner with the international law firm Jenner & Block, where he handles significant commercial and intellectual property disputes, particularly those related to cross-border transactions and complex trade secret cases. He has handled some of the largest civil trade secret cases in US history. Brent joined Jenner & Block in 2009, opening the firm’s Los Angeles office, after beginning his career as an associate and then young partner at Kirkland & Ellis. Brent also spent a year, through a

Kirkland & Ellis attorney exchange program, handling international legal matters in Tokyo with the Japanese law firm Mori, Hamada & Matsumoto. He taught for several years as an Adjunct Professor at the Pepperdine University School of Law.

Consistent with Jenner & Block’s long-standing commitment to public service, Brent has been elected to and served multiple positions with bar organizations and regularly provides pro bono representation to military veterans and their families. He is honored to assist the EOD Warrior Foundation by serving on its board. Brent lives on the banks of the South Puget Sound with his wife and two children in Thurston County, Washington, not far from Joint Base Lewis McChord, which the family still fondly refers to as Fort Lewis.

Mr. Herren serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Yulista Holding, LLC. In this role, he oversees a portfolio of companies that operate in aerospace, defense, and civilian markets. After serving in the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1999 until 2008 as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Operator and Team Leader, Mr. Herren joined Yulista’s parent company, Calista Corporation, focusing on business and corporate development.

Upon successfully executing key growth initiatives at the parent company, Calista Board of Directors appointed Mr. Herren to CEO of Yulista Holding; the government services division and largest business segment in the company. Mr. Herren’s experience includes executive leadership, board of director/shareholder relations, value creation and management, merger and acquisition (M&A) expertise, strategic planning and partnerships, customer relations, and corporate development.

Since taking over in 2011, Mr. Herren and his leadership team have produced record years in profitability and revenue for Yulista while maintaining the most diversified portfolio in both business base and capability since the company’s inception.

Mr. Herren has a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration (Management) and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). He also has certificates in M&A and corporate valuations in addition to numerous military certifications and course completions. Mr. Herren has held certifications from the Middle Market Investment Banking Association as a Chartered Merger and Acquisition Professional (CMAP) as well as a certification from the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts as a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA).

Sean Dennis is the current President and CEO and Co-founder of the United States Bomb Technicians Association (USBTA) a national non-profit 501c3 organization with emphasis on the Public Safety Bomb Technician and military EOD community. He is a Hazardous Devices School (HDS) graduate and former Public Safety Bomb Technician and Bomb Squad Commander/Special Operations Sergeant. He spent 13 years on the SWAT Team and was fortunate to simultaneously be on two specialized units.

In addition to supervising the Bomb Squad and HAZ-MAT Teams, Sean was the Assistant Emergency Manager for one of the largest counties in Colorado and a state certified HAZ-MAT Technician. He has been involved in the Bomb Technician/Explosive community for over 20 years (26 Years Law Enforcement) and has been involved in many critical incidents which has formed his belief system and support for Military and Public Safety Bomb Technicians. Sean also served as an Department of Homeland Security Explosives Specialist and former Assistant International Director of the IABTI (International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators). An organization that represents Bomb Technicians, Investigators, Academia and Scientist in over 72 countries with the purpose of the sharing of Information and Training involving Counter IED.

Sean feels strongly in supporting this great community and has reached out to those with in the military and public safety ranks to listen and learn on what they are hoping to see in an organization like the USBTA. The USBTA Facilitates Technology IED Training, support R&D projects, Testing & Evaluating of emerging technologies, Educate/Inform the public on hazardous devices and is a strong voice for the EOD community with all levels of government

Sean also served time in the US Navy as an intelligence Specialist. He has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Eastern Illinois University. He is married with two adult children .

Chris Patty is a commercial banker with Bank of America in Huntsville, Alabama, where he focuses on companies in the Aerospace & Defense sector and also serves as one of the bank’s regional government contracting leads. Chris is a career banker with over 29 years of experience and has held various leadership positions in commercial banking throughout his career. Prior to beginning his banking career, Chris graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from the University of Alabama and later earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

Chris also serves on the Board of 305 8th Street, as a Board Member and Vice President of Finance with Cyber Huntsville and has served as a member of the Huntsville Alabama Heart Walk Executive Leadership Team since 2014. Chris and his wife, Linda, reside in Huntsville, AL and have six adult children that live in various locations across the country.

Kellie Perry has been a staunch supporter of the EOD community since joining the EOD family in 1988. As the spouse of an active-duty EOD technician and mother, she has achieved great success in raising two children while enduring multiple CONUS and OCONUS assignments, as well as numerous deployments. Kellie’s commitment of self-sacrifice extends well beyond her immediate family. Service to community is Kellie’s mainstay, and her involvement has been far-reaching. She served as president of the Stephen Decatur School Parent-Teacher Association, director of religious education for NAS Sigonella Chapel, Sigonella, Sicily, officer of the board of directors and as a volunteer for Okaloosa-Walton County’s only Domestic Violence Shelter. Kellie earned strong accolades in her service as an individual augmentee deployment support specialist with Navy Fleet and Family Support Services, San Diego, Ca. Kellie has served on the EOD Memorial Foundation’s board of directors since 2011. Kellie earned a liberal arts degree from Okaloosa Walton College. She and her husband, Mark, have two sons, Michael and Christopher, one daughter-in-law, Cathryn, and three grandchildren, Evan, Elliotte, and Eilah.

Frank T. Tobin, Jr. has a deep history working with technology and telecommunications companies serving the defense and security sector for over 30 years. He currently serves as Executive Chairman of GOMSpace NA, and manufacturer and operator of nanosatellites for customers in defense, academic, government and commercial markets.

During his tenure at multinational companies – including running a division of Lockheed Martin,a global security and aerospace company, and running the Homeland Security & Defense Division at Thales NA, a technology company serving the defense, security, space, aerospace and ground transportation sectors – he was responsible for hundreds of millions in yearly revenues and managing hundreds of employees. He recently served as President of Hoyos

Integrity Corporation, which combines the top handset developers with the leaders in biometrics and security to bring a new approach to mobile security to protect critical personal and corporate information. He has in-depth knowledge of complex systems integration and engineering, cyber security, advanced information systems and technology. He has also been directly responsible for managing large P&L operations overseeing both technical and business functions.

Frank is a decisive leader with a successful background and extensive experience in mergers and acquisition, contracts, finance, and sales management. A growth-oriented entrepreneur, he has proven team-building experience, as well as experience driving sales, increasing performance and implementing successful management procedures resulting in exceeding corporate goals, and gaining market share resulting in bringing business to the next level. His extensive entrepreneurial experience includes working with the private equity firm Main Street Capital, where he was responsible for the growth and sale of two companies: NABCO, a technology company focused on chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear containment, and Hi-Rel, a leading manufacturer of highly specialized metal components for the microelectronic packaging industry.

Rob Reynolds retired as a commissioned officer from the Canadian Army after 22 years of loyal service. Rob joined as a non commissioned officer and after achieving the rank of Master Warrant Officer, was chosen to be commissioned from the ranks. As a Combat Engineer, Rob specialized in the explosives field as a Demolition Instructor and qualified EOD Operator. Rob’s deployments into operational theaters include Kuwait, Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan. Rob concluded his military career as a member of the inaugural Canadian Counter-IED Task Force, participated internationally on NATO initiatives and Tiger Teams and was responsible for EOD requirements across the Canadian Army, Air Force and Navy. In 2008 he left military service to join industry and continue to support the EOD Warfighter through current product offerings and the development of future capabilities. Under the ownership of The Safariland Group in 2013, Rob was chosen to lead the Med-Eng team. Rob is currently the Vice President and General Manager of two companies, Med-Eng and Pacific Safety Products. Rob is married to his wife Manon and have two sons, Zac who is a competitive alpine ski racer and JJ who has recently enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces to follow in his father’s footsteps as a Combat Engineer.

Leon Tackitt is a 27-year Navy veteran. During his first 5 years, he was an anti-submarine warfare specialist, search and rescue crewman, radar and sonar operator in H2 Helicopters. He transitioned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal in 1984 and completed his career in the EOD profession. After his retirement, he and his wife, Cindy, started a small family winery.

Shortly thereafter, Leon joined the EODWF family as an ambassador, and through the winery has developed a very strong network of friends and professionals who are committed to supporting the EOD Warrior Foundation in its endeavors.

Peter Connolly is an Air Force EOD veteran and currently a Senior Vice President with Wells Fargo in their commercial bank. He is responsible for developing and managing banking relationships with corporate clients that generate between $100 million to $1 billion in annual revenue. Prior to Wells Fargo, Peter was a Vice President at JP Morgan where he specialized in banking multinational corporations and their US subsidiaries. He earned his MBA from Arizona State University while on active duty in 2019 and graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2011.

Peter is honored to have an opportunity to help support and give back to the EOD community through his service as a board member.

Brian Corris retired from the United States Marine Corps after 30 years of active duty service. Enlisting in 1985, Brian served his initial tour of duty as a rifleman in an infantry battalion. Promoted to squad leader at the rank of Corporal, Brian transitioned into the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) occupational field where he served 10 years as an enlisted EOD Technician and 16 years as an EOD Officer. With multiple combat deployments dating back to Desert Storm/Desert Shield (1990/1991); Brian has served as an EOD Company/Platoon Commander and a Multi-National Force West EOD Officer in Al Anbar Province, Iraq (2006/2008) as well as the Deputy Director for the Regional Command Southwest Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Cell in Helmand Province, Afghanistan (2010). Achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Brian retired as the EOD/C-IED Officer for the Commander Marine Forces Pacific where he also served as program manager for humanitarian mine action in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Brian’s personal military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (x2), Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal (x2), Combat Action Ribbon (x2), and the Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge. Brian is a graduate of Chapman University where he earned a Bachelors of Arts in Organizational Leadership while on Active Duty. Brian is currently serving as the Lead Explosive Specialist for John Wayne Airport in Orange County California. Brian resides in Oceanside California with his wife Angela, and has one daughter, Gabrielle, who resides in Colorado.

Colonel Leo E Bradley (U.S Army, Retired) is a consultant and subject matter expert providing world class expertise and thought leadership in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), counter improvised explosive device (C-IED), counter weapons of mass destruction (C-WMD), and explosives safety. He served 29 years in the United States Army, most of those in ordnance and explosive ordnance disposal assignments, including commander of the 71st Ordnance Group and Combined Joint Task Force Paladin (C-IED) in Afghanistan (July 2011-June 2012), the Chief of EOD and Humanitarian Mine Action in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy; the EOD Division Chief for the Army Staff, and the Commander of the 184th Ordnance Battalion, including a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq, in 2005.

Leo walked down on his first suspect IED in 1994 in Wichita Falls, Texas, as an EOD company commander; shortly followed by his company’s response to the Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City; an event that continues to drive his focus today.

Leo is a senior staff engineer and subject matter expert for the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, an adjunct instructor at the Oklahoma State University Graduate School of Forensic Sciences, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Science from Pennsylvania State University.

Mark Sanders is President and CEO of R3. He retired from the U.S. Navy after more than 20 years as an EOD Officer with qualifications as a special operations officer, Master EOD technician, Surface Warfare Officer, naval parachutist, deep-sea mixed gas diving officer, and joint specialty officer. His last three assignments were focused on the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) threat. At U. S. Joint Forces Command as the IED Defeat lead action officer, he coordinated operational and strategic level support to the Joint IED Defeat Organization and U.S. Central Command. He commanded EOD Training and Evaluation One, responsible for advanced tactical training of EOD forces deploying to

Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

As Deputy Commander of Combined Joint Task Force Troy, Iraq’s multinational and interagency counter-IED brigade task force, he oversaw the 1400-person task force at the height of the surge. Additional tours included Operations Officer on a Mine Countermeasures ship, Officer in Charge of an EOD detachment for a carrier battle group during Operation Desert Strike, Executive Officer of the Navy’s Experimental Diving Unit, and overseas duty with the U. S. Seventh Fleet where he planned and executed such multinational exercises as Cobra Gold (Thailand) and Balikatan (Philippines). His personal decorations include the Bronze Star.

He received his Bachelor of Science in Oceanography with merit from the U.S. Naval Academy and holds two Master’s degrees in National Security and Public Administration.

Lisa Wirstrom, RN, BSN, CCM, has been advocating for military families most of her adult life. Lisa married into the EOD community in 1995 as the spouse of a career U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer. As a mother and one time stay at home mom of two boys now grown into wonderful young men, she understands and appreciates the impact that military service, and in particular the joint EOD units, has on the family. Lisa was an active volunteer in the Family Readiness Group in multiple joint service and U.S. Navy commands. Lisa was an early advocate for expanding the Families Overcoming Under Stress (FOCUS) program services being offered to members of the Naval Special Warfare community and their families to EOD commands in the San Diego area. She has also volunteered in local Parent Teacher Associations and was active in the Ocean Lakes High School Band Booster organization. Lisa returned to the workforce in 2013 and resumed her career as a health care professional and is currently working as a Nurse Case Manager. A native of Delran, NJ, Lisa loves the Eagles, Flyers, and Phillies, and is a proud University of South Carolina and North Carolina State University Mom. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and loves the beach and travelling abroad. Lisa would be honored to offer her perspective as a spouse, mother, and as a licensed nurse and Nurse Case Manager to the EODWF Board of Directors and in service to our EOD warriors and their families.

Paul is currently retired and resides in St. Augustine with his wife Nancy and their two dogs. Paul initially served on the EOD Memorial Foundation board shortly after his retirement from the Army in 2007 and remained on after the merger with the EOD Warrior Foundation as an active board member until October 2020.

Prior to his full retirement, Paul was a defense consultant for two years following his 11 year tenure as Corporate Vice President for the Electronic Warfare and Range Instrumentation (EWR) Business Area of Sierra Nevada Corporation.

Paul’s military career began in February 1972 as an enlisted Infantryman and concluded as an EOD Colonel in 2007. During his extensive service he held various staff and leadership positions, from platoon to brigade size units in peace and in combat. He was awarded his Basic EOD Badge in September 1981. Several of Paul’s key EOD assignments include Commander, 146th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachment, where he deployed in support of Operation Urgent Fury; Commander, 191st Ordnance Battalion, where he organized and deployed a Joint EOD Task Force in support of operations in Albania and Kosovo; and Commander of the Sierra Army Depot, where he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), serving as the first Officer-In-Charge of the Captured Enemy Ammunition mission for the Combined Joint Task Force 7, the largest mission of its kind since WWII. His final tour in Iraq was as the Commander, Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Troy. His last duty station assignment was as the Deputy Commanding Officer for the Army’s 20th CBRNE Command. Paul was inducted into the United States Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame in 2013.

Paul has two sons, Paul Jr. and Ryan. Paul Jr. served in the Army as an Airborne Ranger for 8 years and Ryan currently serves on active duty as an Army EOD Officer. Paul and Nancy have four grandchildren.