Ross Dickman currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Hire Heroes USA, the nation’s leading veteran and military spouse employment organization. Mr. Dickman joined Hire Heroes USA in December 2015 after 12 years of service in the United States Army. He led employment intervention research programs at Hire Heroes USA before serving as Interim CEO during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Dickman was the Chief Operating Officer from October 2020 until assuming his current role in March 2024.

During Army career, he served in multiple leadership and staff positions as an AH-64D Apache Helicopter pilot with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. He deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His awards include the Air Medal, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and Combat Action Badge. He later served as an Aide-de-Camp at the U.S. Army Combat Readiness and Safety Center and as a Tactical Officer at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Mr. Dickman’s final Army assignment was as the Executive Officer of the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethics.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Comparative Politics from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Psychology and Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University, and a Master of Business Administration from the Terry College of Business at The University of Georgia.

Mr. Dickman resides in Connecticut with his wife and daughter.

Charlotte Creech, Chief Program Officer at Hire Heroes USA, is a mission-driven leader with a deep passion for supporting the military and veteran community. Before joining Hire Heroes, Charlotte led Claims Innovation at USAA, where she spearheaded automation and digital solutions to enhance the user experience for both customers and employees.

Previously, Charlotte served as CEO of Patriot Boot Camp (PBC), a nonprofit providing startup education and mentoring for military entrepreneurs. During her tenure, she grew PBC from a volunteer-led event into a nationally recognized program, supporting over 600 entrepreneurs and 400 mentors. PBC was later acquired by Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in 2021.

Charlotte’s dedication to veteran entrepreneurship began with her own startup, Combat2Career, which helped veterans match with higher education programs through a personalized platform. She also has a background as a business consultant and claims adjuster at The Hartford.

She holds a Bachelor’s in Business Management from Bentley University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. Charlotte is married to an Air Force veteran and first responder, and is a proud mom of two. In her free time, she volunteers with DAV Patriot Boot Camp, ACP, and Techstars, and is passionate about mentoring women-led and veteran-led startups. In 2022, she was named one of San Antonio Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” honorees.

James Gillen, CFRE, is a nonprofit executive with decades of expertise in fundraising, marketing, and strategic leadership. Most recently, he served as Chief Development & Marketing Officer at The Mission Continues, where he led revenue development, brand strategy, corporate partnerships, and national campaigns, contributing to impactful veteran-focused programs nationwide.

James previously served as Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at United Way Suncoast, where he enhanced the organization’s visibility. As Founder and CEO of Slate Media, a national media and public relations firm, he worked with Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits to craft compelling stories and expand their audiences.In addition to his professional roles, James is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). He holds an MBA from the University of South Florida, a bachelor’s degree from East Tennessee State University, a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Harvard University, and a certificate in Professional Fundraising from Boston University.

James is also an active community leader, serving on the Board of Directors for PLATO (Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization), which fosters critical thinking and philosophy education for youth. He also serves on the Board of Directors for 360Eats, a Tampa Bay nonprofit addressing food insecurity, food waste, and sustainability.

A U.S. Army veteran from a family with deep military roots, James is passionate about ensuring veterans have the support and resources they need to thrive in their post-service lives. His personal connection to the military has fueled his dedication to supporting veterans throughout his career. James resides in Tampa, Florida, with his wife of 25 years, Katherine, and their four children.

As the Director of Client Service Delivery, Elena is responsible for the development and implementation of Hire Heroes USA’s core service delivery model, including oversight of all aspects of the program, from the client’s first phone call with their assigned Transition Specialist through their confirmation as Hired. She leads the Area Managers and staff, aligns them on a common vision, and drives service delivery production, quality of care, and consistency.

Elena is a career development professional and community leader with nearly 14 years of experience in the career services and employment industry working with college students, military members, veterans, and military spouses. She began her career with Hire Heroes USA in 2015 as a Transition Specialist and has served as the Georgia Area Manager and Georgia Program Manager. Before coming to Hire Heroes USA, she worked in career services in higher education. Elena earned an MBA, graduating summa cum laude, and holds a Professional Resume Writer Certification.

Elena’s research interests include the effective management of generational differences in the workplace, and her work has been published in the Journal of Business & Economics Research. She is a graduate of Leadership Lumpkin County and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Elena currently resides in the mountains of North Georgia with her fur-babies. She enjoys traveling, visiting state and national parks, fishing, kayaking, and hiking on the Appalachian Trail with her dog. Elena is also an avid runner and has completed two Marine Corps Marathons and one Ragnar Trail Relay.

As the Director of People Operations, Amy provides effective and efficient personnel direction and support to the organization’s leaders and team members across the country. She ensures successful implementation of the organization’s Human Resources programs and compliance with Hire Heroes USA policies and applicable employment laws. Amy leads a team of a Human Resources Generalist and DEI Business Partner. Her team is consistently striving to positively impact company culture and make Hire Heroes USA an industry leader and employer of choice.

Amy has been a career development and human resources professional for 10 years with a speciality in working with service members, veterans, and military spouses seeking meaningful employment. She began her career at Hire Heroes USA as a Transition Specialist and has served as the California Area Manager, Human Resources Generalist, and Human Resources Manager before taking on the role of Director of People Operations.

Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from Wofford College and earned a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University. She is a Certified Professional in both Human Resources and Talent Development. She currently resides in South Carolina with her husband and two sons.

As the Director of Program Operations and Evaluation, Ashley is responsible for operational planning, coordination, and reporting. This includes collaborating with stakeholders to ensure delivery of scheduled programs and services and the development and publication of regular operational reports. Her team provides support across Hire Heroes USA’s operations to drive information and jobseeker intake, process and data tracking, and the reporting and assessment of outcomes.

Ashley’s previous career has involved public relations and higher education program management. She joined Hire Heroes USA as a Transition Specialist in 2015 and has served multiple roles within the Program Operations and Evaluation team. Ashley’s motivation to join Hire Heroes USA came both from her husband’s experience transitioning out of the military and her time spent working with veteran, military, and military affiliated spouse university students. She brings a Master of Arts in Communication and her educational background includes a focus on leadership studies.

Ashley lives in North Carolina with her husband and dogs. On the weekends you can often find her hiking or kayaking – when she isn’t participating in autocross, a car-control event testing a driver’s ability to navigate a defined course both quickly and with control.

Mark Edmiaston serves as the Director of Individual Giving. Prior to joining Hire Heroes USA, Mark dedicated 28 years to leadership roles in the national nonprofit sector, beginning his career at the American Cancer Society. Over a span of 23 years, he excelled in several capacities, notably as VP of Development in Texas and as Chief Development and Community Engagement Officer in the GW Division. Following his tenure at ACS, Mark assumed the role of CEO at the National Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation. He further contributed his expertise as Senior Vice President of Fitness and Endurance at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and as Chief Development and Community Engagement Officer at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.In 2019, Mark founded MRK Consulting and also joined Turnkey For Good Consulting, where he has played pivotal interim roles including CEO, CDO, and Director of Development for various prominent nonprofit organizations. In addition to his development work, Mark has expertise in strategic planning, systematic approaches to health care system engagement, community mobilization and volunteer engagementCurrently residing in Memphis, TN, Mark enjoys life with his partner of 20 years and their dog, Dobby.

Cheryl Ewell believes that veterans and military spouses are some of our country’s most valuable assets and everyone has a responsibility to ensure they are supported after the time in the service ends. Prior to her current role, she served Hire Heroes USA in various capacities and worked for the State of Georgia as a Research Analyst.

Cheryl holds a Masters of Nonprofit Organization Management from the University of Georgia and a Communications Degree from Shorter University. She lives north of Atlanta in Alpharetta, GA with her husband, an Air Force veteran, and three sons, Sawyer, Davis, and Caleb.

Allison Herbst, Senior Director of Business Operations, joined the Hire Heroes USA team in 2007 and has partaken in over seventeen years of tremendous growth and outstanding accomplishments in the veteran and military spouse employment space at Hire Heroes USA. Her areas of concentration are focused on the organizations’ business administration, to include company IT assets and infrastructure, company culture; payroll and benefits; contract and event management; facilities and lease management; and audit management and compliance.

Allison has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, as well as an Associate’s degree in Fashion Buying & Merchandising. Her 15-year advertising career is highlighted by various sales-based positions with well-known brands, including Kudzu.com, Autotrader.com, POP Design Magazine, Creative Loafing, and the Verizon Yellow Pages. As one of the first employees at Hire Heroes USA, Allison’s background in campaign management, marketing and online media was instrumental in garnering support and unprecedented growth for the nonprofit organization.

“I am extremely proud to have had the opportunity to watch Hire Heroes USA grow into the nationwide, best-in-class organization that we now are. I feel incredibly lucky to work for such an amazing organization that is an industry leader in assisting veterans, military members, and military spouses in finding meaningful employment.”

At Hire Heroes USA, Crystal Perez oversees finance and accounting operations crucial to the organization’s success. Financial reporting, cash flow management, cash projections, revenue forecasting, and organizational budgeting are among her responsibilities. To support the organization's growth and evolving needs, Crystal has been instrumental in building a robust Finance Department. As a result of her commitment to financial transparency and good governance, Hire Heroes USA is able to effectively serve our clients and fulfill our mission in a sustainable way.

As a seasoned accountant with a decade of experience, Crystal discovered her passion for nonprofit accounting while working for Covenant House Alaska for three years. In addition, Crystal served in the US Army Reserves for eight years as a Heavy Equipment Repairer. In the field and in the motor pool, she was equipped to lead and manage soldiers after completing the Warrior Leaders Course.

Crystal holds an Associate of Applied Science in Business and Accounting Technology and actively pursues professional development opportunities in nonprofit accounting and leadership. She enjoys reading about finances, psychology, and sociology in her spare time. Crystal enjoys spending time outdoors, listening to music, and building authentic relationships.

As the Director of Employment Partnerships and Opportunities at Hire Heroes USA, Liz is responsible for the growth and development of Hire Heroes USA’s Employment Opportunities department. This includes bridging the gap between Employers interested in hiring transition military members, veterans and military spouses -and the clients we serve. This is done through the management of Hire Heroes USA’s Job Board, the Onward to Opportunity Partnership, Virtual Career Fairs, and Training Program partnerships.

After graduating from the University of Montana with a degree in Natural Resource Management and Conservation, Liz commissioned into the U.S. Army as a Human Resources Officer, serving in a variety of positions and locations including Afghanistan. She served nine years on active duty.

It was when she moved to Colorado Springs that she found her passion to assist other recently transitioned service members and military veterans in their job search endeavors. Shortly after her own transition out of the military, Liz completed her Masters of Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources from Webster University.

Liz continues her military service in the U.S. Army Reserves.

As the Director of Client Programs, Johnathan Severs is responsible for Hire Heroes USA’s development and implementation of career programming in support of specialized and segmented client need areas. In his previous roles with Hire Heroes, Johnathan served as Deputy Director of Client Services, Process Improvement Manager, and the North Carolina Area Manager, and began his tenure in 2014 as a Transition Specialist. Through these roles, he created scalable workflows, authored policies, and structured training that is used today as the foundation of client service delivery.

During his 15-year Army and Army Reserve career he served in multiple leadership roles as an infantryman, civil affairs trainer, and recruiter with the 4th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Infantry Division, Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command, and Training & Doctrine Command. He deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His awards include the Combat Infantry Badge and Expert Infantry Badge.

Johnathan serves on the board of Opportunity Pathways as Vice President where he lends his creative thinking to the mission of helping at-risk youth. Since 2017, he has volunteered to coach youth baseball.

Johnathan graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Emergency Response and Homeland Security. He earned a Master of Business Administration, graduating summa cum laude from Jack Welch Management Institute. He holds certifications in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as well as Career Coaching, Resume Writing, and Lean Six Sigma. He resides in Raleigh, NC with his wife and two children, Leonardo, and Ines.

David Talamantez serves as the Director of Marketing & Communications. In this role, David oversees all aspects of Hire Heroes USA’s marketing, communications efforts, creative direction, and brand experience while accelerating the organization’s national brand presence and advancing awareness of Hire Heroes USA’s social cause across all channels.

Prior to his civilian career, David served in the US Army as a Registered Radiologic Technologist from 2007 to 2013. After his service, David provided marketing support and academic guidance to veterans and military spouses looking to further their education at Texas Tech University and Troy University prior to joining Hire Heroes.

David joined Hire Heroes USA in August 2018 as a Transition Specialist assisting over 100 veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment and was then promoted to Colorado Area Manager in April 2019. In September 2019, David accepted the role of Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, implementing innovative digital strategies to grow brand recognition. He was elevated to the position of Director of Marketing & Communications in July 2021.

David studied Business Administration in Marketing at the University of Texas at San Antonio, earned his Bachelor of Science from Texas Tech University, and will complete his Master’s in Marketing Analytics & Insights from Penn State University in 2023.

“As an Army veteran and current active-duty military spouse, I understand the challenges our service members and their families face every day. Having “rucked a mile in their boots,” I am committed to improving the lives of the clients and community we serve.”

Michele Wiesner, Director of Capacity Building, is responsible for the growth, direction and results of service delivery support programs, including the Volunteer Program, Alumni Program and Referral & Training Partners Program. These support programs serve to increase organizational reach, influence, effectiveness and efficiency through partnerships and supporters. The organization has nearly 800 active volunteers and 30 training and referral partners united by the goal of helping veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.

Michele received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of North Georgia (formerly North Georgia College & State University). She earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Georgia, and she also holds a Certification in Volunteer Administration (CVA). Her professional background includes experience in program development, training, grant writing, leadership and event management from the local government and nonprofit sectors.

Michele joined Hire Heroes USA full time in 2012 as the organization’s first Volunteer Coordinator, responsible for the creation of the Volunteer Program. She was promoted to Manager in 2013 and then to Director of the Volunteer Program in late 2015. In 2019, she took on the responsibility of serving as the Director of Capacity Building to strengthen our mission through productive partnerships. She grew up in Georgia and currently resides just east of Athens with her husband, a veteran of the U.S. Army.