Established in 2008
meet the team
Believing in the value of fellowship, Mend the Heart Foundation aims to improve the overall emotional and spiritual wellness of U.S. service members and their dependents by providing high-quality outdoor expeditions, service companions, and future opportunities.
The primary keys to success for mission completion are led by our Chief Operations Officer based on the following factors:
- Showing love and care for all people.
- Focusing on attention-to-detail and a commitment to providing experiences of the highest quality while making Hero satisfaction the primary goal.
- Ensuring that all who are involved feel the sense that he or she is important and a top priority.
STRATEGIC PLANNING / RELATIONSHIP BUILDERS
Board of Directors
Mr. David J. Desrosiers, III
John Brayman
Mel Miles
Robert E. Sullivan
Lauren Stroud
Pete Masalin
Board of Advisors
Nicole Amelio-Casper
Chase Stroud
Michel Burris
LTC Oakland McCulloch (ret)
day-in / day-out operations
Tactical Staff
Mr. Chris Straughn
Austin Wade
Nicholas Forti
CY23 PARTNERS/SPONSORS
Through family members, friends, and support volunteers, Mend the Heart Foundation has quietly grown into an organization solidifying those traditional American values that all members of society can appreciate.
On behalf of those we help, thank you for supporting Mend the Heart Foundation with your advocacy, your finances, and your words of encouragement; truly, our heroes appreciate your nurturing participation.
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“When I first arrived in Recruiting Station Cleveland there was nothing significant we could offer Marines as a unique reward for their demanding duty. Along came Lazy Lab Hunting Club who identified the sacrifices Marines and their families make by finding the next generation of warfighters among the streets of Cleveland and Detroit. Through multiple chartered fishing trips and hunting expeditions, they have given the Marines an escape and experience to feel appreciated and valued. Our Marines have thoroughly enjoyed every second and are extremely thankful for the support from the foundation. We look forward to years of partnership with Lazy Lab Hunting Club and can’t thank them enough for their support.”
s/f,
Major Hubert, Brian D.
Commanding Officer
Recruiting Station Cleveland – United States Marine Corps
– 05 November, 2021
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Strategic Planning / Relationship Builders
Mr. David J. Desrosiers, III
Chairman/Co-Founder
(US Navy Veteran)
David Desrosiers is the Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of LLHC. His main responsibilities are raising funding and ensuring the direction of LLHC aligns with our mission statement.
He has been an active Camper, Hunter and Angler since 4 years old. Growing Up in rural Michigan allowed David’s passion for outdoor recreation to be fully embraced where it evolved into a lifestyle.
A lifestyle that he uses to help reach those in need. Mr. Desrosiers earned a M.S. in EE from the University of Michigan and ALM in Finance from Harvard University. He and Matthew Michelson met during his six years as an enlisted Sailor in the USN and have been brothers ever since. Their passion for pouring into people and the outdoors led to the creation of LLHC.
Two main statements that frame David’s mindset are “Equal rights for Equal effort” and “Encourage All”.
Mr. Thomas Bethmann
Vice Chairman
(US Navy Veteran)
Born into a Navy family and followed his father’s career around the U.S. and world as a child, ultimately graduating from St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, PA where he chose to accept a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Thomas served for 11 years in the Navy on active duty across multiple commands that included a guided missile destroyer, a Navy SEAL Team, and at the Navy’s largest helicopter squadron among others before being medically retired in 2019.
Thomas is a lifelong entrepreneur, having owned multiple businesses while he was in the military and is passionate about working with the veteran community, which lead to the launch of his company, Redeployment; a recruiting and executive search firm that works directly with biotechnology and life-science startups. A large portion of the work that Redeployment does is directly related to the veteran transition from the military, resume building, interview preparation, and getting more veterans into the booming biotech field.
Thomas is an avid golfer and has a love for being outdoors with family and friends. He and his wife Kathryn (Kat) live in San Diego with their son and two golden doodles.
Rev. Katie Day
Counselor
The Reverend Katie Day is Senior Pastor of Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church in Duluth, Georgia.
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, and the granddaughter of an Air Force veteran, Katie first learned the blessing of serving in a military community when she served a congregation in Jacksonville Beach.
From there she moved to Monterey, California, and became pastor to Matt Mitchelson and his family, and learned about the good work LLHC was doing.
Katie holds degrees from Furman University and Columbia Theological Seminary, and is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Katie is married to Kevin, who teaches middle school humanities, and mom to Elijah, who is in Pre-K and loves soccer, riding his scooter, and pretzel sticks.
Dr. Ahmed Adeyemi
Treasurer
(US Marine Corps Veteran)
Dr. Ahmed Adeyemi is a Marine Veteran born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the University of Arkansas Grantham for his Undergraduate in Electronics Engineering Technology and also received a Master’s in Information Technology. Upon graduation from his Master’s, he pursued a Doctorate in Business Administration from Argosy University, where he received his DBA in 2017. In 2021, he decided to attend the University of Southern California, where he received a Master of Business Administration for Veterans. Before all his schooling endeavors, Dr. Adeyemi served in twelve and a half (12.5) years in the Marine Corps with multiple combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan with Regimental Combat Team 7 and Regimental Combat Team 5. As a civilian, he works as a consultant in the Information Technology space, delivering collaboration solutions to multiple enterprise organizations across the United States. Additionally, he is a father with a wife and two kids who are in their pre-teens. With his affinity for learning, Dr. Adeyemi also serves as an Adjunct Professor for Westcliff University, where he is part of the College of Technology and Engineering staff.
Mr. Robbo Fitzgibbons
Member
(US Navy Veteran)
From Hip Hop and R&B to Gospel and House music, the respected entertainer has worked with national artists and underground acts across the globe. He’s performed with such talents as Stellar, GRAMMY, and Dove Award-winning artist Kirk Franklin, reggae phenomenon Beres Hammond, actor/host Nick Cannon, Da Bush Babees and R&B crooner Kenny Lattimore, to name a few.
In 2007, he was recruited by Cross Movement recording artist “DaTruth” and toured internationally with him for over three years. He has displayed his skills on BET’s 106 & Park and MTV’s Super Sweet Sixteen as well as at the professional basketball games of the Washington Mystics and Philadelphia 76ers. Most notably, Robb-O was the first deejay to perform live on the Stellar Award Celebration.Today he produces music and operates his production company (MDCCCVI) and his imprint, GROOVY.
Currently he produces music for video, film, and digital retail. He is also the DJ & host of his mix show entitled “The Dj Robb-O Show” on DASH RADIO & WHCR 90.3FM NY.
Mr. Michael Burris
Member
(US Navy Veteran)
My name is Michael Burris and I am a 2010 graduate of The Citadel, Charleston native. I was commissioned as a naval officer, upon graduation, and served on active duty for 7 years, 2010-2017, in both conventional and special operations units.
After leaving the Navy I attended the Full-Time MBA program at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. I graduated with an MBA (Concentration in Real Estate Development and Finance) in 2019.
I began my real estate career at Cortland, a large multifamily owner/operator headquartered in Atlanta, as the Director of Operations for their Raleigh/Durham, NC portfolio. I oversaw 4,000+ apartment homes across 13 sites with a market capitalization of $1B and led 120 associates.
After 3 years at Cortland I returned home to Charleston, where I serve as the VP of Operations and Asset Management for Acme Marinas.
In 2022 I was selected as a Presidential Leadership Scholar. For 6 months I met with both Presidents Bush and Clinton, as well as members of their cabinets, and explored their leadership styles. Also, I met with members of the George H.W. Bush and Lyndon Johnson administrations, achieving the same insights.
I have been married for 5 years to my wonderful wife Brooke. We have two sons, ages 2 and 10 months, and live in Mount Pleasant. I enjoy fishing, hunting, boating, watching college football, basketball and lacrosse, playing golf, going to concerts, and spending time with my friends and family.
Fun Fact: My younger cousin is a professional golfer on the PGA Tour.
Ms. Nicole Amelio-Casper
Member
Award Winning Documentarian and Non profit advocate.
Impact. Change Agent. Relentless. These words have helped me realize my mission in life: Inciting change through film to empower Veterans, their families, and others who experienced Trauma.
My purpose is my passion: To tell impactful stories through film that resonate with those who seek healing. In turn, my films become change agents.
My personal story is not uncommon as I was immersed in the military community for over 20 years. My family members and close friends who served our country faced challenges that many civilians cannot begin to fathom. I have seen firsthand how PTSD and war wreaked havoc on families and their ability to thrive in every aspect. I understand the struggle and I have learned – there are many paths to healing and empowerment.
This is why I am dedicated to serving Veterans every day through my work with nonprofit organizations that support and empower Veterans. I help raise funds to provide housing, supportive services, and overallempowerment for Veterans and their families.
As a filmmaker, I am compelled and determined to further contribute to the effort and highlight real solutions, to combat PTSD so that our warriors can become empowered and highlight stories of RESILIENCE (documentary in progress).
LTC Oakland McCulloch
Member
(US Army Veteran)
Oakland McCulloch was born in Loudon, Tennessee and raised in Kirkland, Illinois. After graduating from high school, he attend the United States Military Academy at West Point for two years. He then graduated from Northern Illinois University and received his commission as an Infantry Officer through the Reserve Officer Training Course in 1986.
In his 23 year career in the Army Oak McCulloch held numerous leadership positions in the Infantry and Armor branches. He assisted in disaster relief operations for Hurricane HUGO in Charleston, South Carolina and Hurricane ANDREW in south Florida. His operational deployments include Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Iraq as a Generals Aide-de-Camp, the Congressional Liaison Officer in support of operations in Bosnia and the Operations Officer during a Peace Keeping deployment to Kosovo. He held instructor positions at the US Army Ordnance School, the US Army Command and General Staff College, the Australian Command and Staff College, University of South Alabama and Stetson University. His last position in the Army was a three-year tour as the Professor of Military Science at the University of South Alabama where he led the training and commissioning of Lieutenants and tripled the size of the program in his three-year tour.
LTC McCulloch retired from the Army in September 2009 with over 23 years of active service and joined the staff at the Bay Area Food Bank as the Associate Director. He was also the Vice Chair for Military Affairs on the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Mobile Rotary International Club. LTC McCulloch left the food bank in December 2010 to become the Senior Military Science Instructor and recruiter for the Army ROTC program at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. In his 9 years at Stetson, the program grew from 15 Cadets to over 100 Cadets. In October 2013, he became the Recruiting Operations Officer for the Eagle Battalion Army ROTC program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he has more than doubled the size of the program in 6 years. Cadet Command selected LTC McCulloch as the top recruiting officer, out of 274 recruiters, for 2019. LTC Oak McCulloch published his first book in February 2021 – “Your Leadership Legacy: Becoming the Leader You Were Meant to Be”.
LTC McCulloch earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History from Northern Illinois University in 1987 and a Master of Military Arts and Science in History from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 2002. He received thirty-one military service awards including the Bronze Star, eight Meritorious Service Medals and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
LTC Oak McCulloch is married to the former Kelly Smyth of Wauconda, Illinois. They were married at Fort Sheridan, Illinois in 1987 and they have two children, Oakland Vincent McCulloch and Caileigh Nicholson. They also have a granddaughter, Ryleigh Jade Nicholson and two grandsons Christopher Bryce Nicholson and Oakland Maverick McCulloch.
Mr. Mark A. Mitchelson
Member
TACTICAL STAFF
Day-in / Day-out Operations
LCDR Matthew A. Mitchelson
President/CEO/Co-Founder
(US Navy)
With the support from Mr. David “DJ” Desrosiers, Mr. Matthew A. Mitchelson established the Lazy Lab Hunting Club is 2008 as a private outreach aimed to providing high-quality hunting opportunities for disabled veterans.
Since then, Matthew has guided the Lazy Lab Hunting Club from a private outreach into a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving not only disabled veterans but also active-duty personnel and military dependents.
Outside of his service within Lazy Lab Hunting Club, Matthew is an active-duty naval officer billeted as a surface combatant project officer at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Everett, WA.
An advocate of continued education, he holds a B.S. in Oceanography from the United States Naval Academy, a B.S.A.S.T. in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Thomas Edison State University, a M.S. in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Business from the University of Southern California, and is enrolled at the San Francisco Theological Seminary working towards a Master of Divinity.
Matthew and his wife, Brianna (a USNA alum and Navy Veteran), are blessed with four children and reside in the greater Seattle area. To quote the great Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
Matthew believes that it is our duty to provide physical, emotional, and spiritual reprieve for those who have chosen to voluntarily serve our nation in the armed forces. He is dedicated to growing the Lazy Lab ministry to ensure these men and women receive the care they deserve.
Mr. Chris Straughn
Chief Operations Officer / Podcast Host / Content Creation
Mr. Chris Straughn, is the Director of Operations for Straughn Communications, Inc. a father to a son and a daughter, and a husband of 14+ years. He holds a BA in Business Economics from UCSB, is a private pilot of fixed-wing aircraft, as well as a professional drone pilot.
He has served the Treasurer for other 501(c)(3) organizations specializing in airborne law enforcement and search-and-rescue, along with assisting in the formation of the Napa County Disaster Airlift Response Team – Napa DART – a branch of a state-wide organization of airport-based response teams activated for airborne patient transport, prescription drug delivery, and emergency supply airborne delivery (food, water, clothing, emergency gear, etc.) in the event of a catastrophic disaster (natural or otherwise).
Chris continues to serve our community and nation in ways that his leadership and learned skills can best facilitate.
LCDR Eric Mason
Chief Financial Officer
(US Navy)
LCDR Mason was born in Yonkers, NY, and was raised in Atlanta, GA. He graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Mercer University in 2007. He received his commission from Officer Candidate School in 2009.
Sea assignments include 1st Lieutenant onboard USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and Damage Control Assistant onboard USS Sterett (DDG 104). During his time at sea, he achieved Surface Warfare qualification and completed three deployments to the Western Pacific/Arabian Gulf.
Shore assignments include Training Officer at Navy Reserve Center (NRC) Denver CO and Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff (DACOS) for Resources and Requirements (N8A) at Naval Forces Central Command / Fifth Fleet. At NRC Denver, he supported the mobilization, training, and administrative preparation of over 700 Reservists in 24 units, maintaining the highest state of readiness while providing support to the fleet. At Fifth Fleet, he conducted deliberate and crisis response planning of assigned forces operating in the USCENTCOM AOR.
During his Post-Division Officer tour, he served as an Officer-in-Charge of the Landing Support Element for Amphibious Squadron ONE and as an assistant Maritime Preposition Force planner (N5A) for Naval Beach Group ONE. He led the Arctic Expeditionary Capabilities Exercise (AECE) in 2019, which provided proof-of-concept training and documentation to inform future Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) missions. LCDR Mason affiliated with the Navy Reserve in 2020. When not performing Navy duty, LCDR Mason serves as a government contractor supporting the Federal Protective Service Southeast Region as a senior budget analyst.
Personal decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal (3), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various unit, campaign, and service awards. Still, he is most proud of the “Battle E” earned with his shipmates in afloat commands.
Ms. Melissa Anne
Chief Marketing Officer
(US Army Veteran)
Melissa started her military journey straight out of high school, as a medic.
Two of her favorite accomplishments from her time in service were while stationed in Germany. She earned the Expert Field Medical Badge and a silver Schützenschnur badge (German Armed Forces Marksmanship). The last was completing an untrained for half marathon at Ft Campbell, KY with an 8:56 minute pace, crossing the finish line in under 2 hours.
She later became a military spouse, and dove into wedding photography, branding, and website design while raising their son. Unfortunately, in 2018 she became a Gold Star Spouse due to an overdose.
Since then, she’s self published a book called, A Series of Flashbacks: Darkness Within, and started a mental health podcast called, From Grief to Gold.
She’s currently pursuing a M.S. in Military and First Responder Psychology, and holds a B.S. in Marketing.
Mr. Isaiah Belue
Gold Star Family Ministry Coordinator
I grew up in Greenwood, AR. After completing high school, I accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy where I completed my freshman and half of my sophomore year of college. I then transferred to Ouachita Baptist University where I am completing my degree in Finance.
At Ouachita Baptist University, I am a part of the Fundraising and Finance Committee for the Ouachita Student Foundation which helps provide scholarship funds to students in need, serve in the Elder Serve program, and work part-time in the President’s office for work study. In the summer before my senior year of college, I served as a Senior Counselor for fourth and fifth grade students at Sky Ranch.
Ministry and the Military have been huge parts of my life, and my passion to serve the individuals of the Armed Forces has been amplified by partnering with the Lazy Lab Hunting Club. With that in mind, I am incredibly thankful and excited for this opportunity to serve Gold Star families.
Deja White
Executive Fundraising Officer / Podcast Host
Deja is a Southern California native and mental health advocate. While Deja has not personally served in the military, she comes from a lineage of service members, starting with her great grandfather, grandfather, aunt and uncle. Deja graduated with her Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of California Riverside in 2019, and her Masters of Science degree from Saybrook University in 2022.
Deja would describe herself as passionate, community oriented, and determined. Deja has spent the past few years working in property management, project management, event planning, and employee resources. She also has built up her experience with social media content creation, podcasting, and health and wellness coaching. Deja now dedicates herself to serving the community at large, supporting the personal and professional journeys of those she’s been fortunate to connect with and cultivating change and growth for those in need.
CPO Mark Gular
Podcast Host / Hogs 4 Heroes Officer
(US Navy)
Mark Gular is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and enlisted into the United States Navy in 2007. While serving on active duty he served 3 tours overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Spartan Shield. At his 7 year mark he made the switch over from active duty to the selected reserves to finish his undergraduate degree in Advertising and Marketing from The Art Institute of California San Diego.
Currently Mark still serves in the reserves as a Senior Enlisted Leader for Expeditionary Medical Facility Camp Pendleton. Professionally he is the Chief Business Officer for a biomedical engineering company and is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a Master’s in Business. He was the City of Temecula’s District 4 Nominee for the 2020 General Election, his main motivator was to be an advocate for veterans and is excited to be part of the Lazy Lab Hunting Club team, which allows him to continue to serve and build that community through fellowship alongside his brothers and sisters-in-arms.
Mr. Mike Ergo
Podcast Host
(US Marine Corps Veteran)
Mr. David Cascante
Public Relations / Podcast Host
(US Army Veteran)
“Dynamite” Dave Cascante was born in Manhattan, NY (but grew up mainly in Costa Rica and California) and is the second of three sons to Costa Rican immigrants, and the first in his family to serve in The U.S. Army as an Infantryman. During his 4 years in The Army, he deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq for 15 months with A co. 2-7 Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division and participated in numerous combat operations as an RTO/Grenadier and later as an Automatic Rifleman (M249).
After The Army, he went on to work in various non-profit roles in the San Francisco Bay Area assisting unemployed and homeless veterans with getting back on their feet and becoming employable through overcoming barriers and obtaining career specific training and certifications. Also by assisting with SSVF programs to help veterans find stable housing once employment was established. Helping his fellow veterans has always been his mission, and he hopes to continue to do so through LLHC.
In his own quest to find peace with his own PTSD battle, he found fishing to be one of his great passions and can often be found near a lake, stream, or pond. Fishing has caused him to have to slow down and enjoy the moment of being out in the woods of the Fort Gordon, GA area. It’s caused him to take that moment to really look around and appreciate the primal connection with the outdoors, and this has brought him a great deal of natural therapy and appreciation for God’s creation.
Dave is married to Sarah and they have 2 children together and have enjoyed teaching their children how to fish and appreciate the outdoors. They are ages 6 and 8 and absolutely love playing soccer and helping others. Dave and Sarah also attended High School with Matthew Mitchelson and have known each other since the late 90’s.
Dave’s motto is from his time as a Cottonbaler (7th Infantry Regiment)
“Volens Et Potens”
“Willing and Able”
