World experts in their field, with centuries of cumulative experience

Operations Team:

Kirti Carter, Executive Director

Dr. Kirti Carter, MBBS, MPH, FAIS is a #1 Amazon international best-selling author of 'The Morning Mind', a Forbes #1 best self-help book 2019. She practiced as an intensive-care physician in India before moving to Texas for postgraduate training in public health. In 2010, she received her master of public health from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. She also has her graduate studies in integrative physiology.

Carter is a Fellow of the American Institute of Stress (FAIS). She has more than 20 years of experience in meditation and breathing techniques. Her work has been instrumental in bringing stress-management and resilience programs not only to the general population but also to corporate employees, educators, middle school and university students, and to special populations such as refugees in violence-prone areas and victims of military sexual trauma.

Dr. Carter has published her research on human performance, ergonomics, and breath-based meditation in periodicals such as the World Journal of Clinical Cases, the Journal of Visual Experiments, and the Journal of Environmental and Public Health.

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Robert Carter, Director, Research

Dr. Robert Carter III Ph.D., MPH, FACSM, FAIS is a US Army officer, an expert in integrative human physiology and performance, and has academic appointments in emergency medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Carter completed military assignments in Germany, France, Afghanistan, Washington, DC, and the White House as a military social aide for the Obama administration.

He holds a doctorate in biomedical sciences and medical physiology, and a master of public health in chronic disease epidemiology. Selected as a Yerby Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr. Carter received his postgraduate training in environmental epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. He serves on several scientific editorial boards, is a reviewer for 14 scientific and medical journals, and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM) and the American Institute of Stress (FAIS). Carter is also a Thermal Councilor for the Exercise and Environmental Committee of the American Physiological Society and a member of the inaugural class of Gates Millennium Scholars.

He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts, and technical reports on human performance, breath-based meditation, nutrition, human water needs, trauma, and environmental medicine in noted publications such as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Journal of the American Medical Association, Nutrition Reviews and the Journal of Applied Physiology.

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Virginia Hancock, Director, Engagement

Virginia Hancock is a Licensed Master Social Worker (emeritus status). She received her B.S. in Education with a specialization in Orientation and Mobility of the Blind. She then went on to work in a rehabilitation facility instructing adults who were blind or were diagnosed with low vision on how to use mobility devices. She has extensive experience with providing medical social work services to senior citizens which helped them and their families find services that allowed them to remain in their homes.

Virginia worked for 32 years with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services protecting children and adults. Tasks included providing services for the disabled and adults, training colleagues on the use of MicroSoft products, regulating the child-care industry, protecting children and adults from abuse or neglect, and software testing. She worked as a Staff Manager for approximately 20 of those years. She served as a president of The Austin Center for Spiritual Living a 501(c)(3) organization in Austin


Advisory Council:

Dr. Lacey Berumen, PhD, LAC, MNM, ADS

Dr. Lacey Berumen is a passionate advocate and clinician. Lacey has had an extensive career in behavioral health, spanning 25 years both nationally and internationally.  Lacey is currently the Director of Behavioral Sciences for TRACKtech LLC. Prior to TRACKtech, Lacey worked at a  variety of treatment settings including 17 years at a Level I trauma center. She is a Clinical Director at four treatment programs and serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at The University of Phoenix-College of Social Sciences.  Lacey recently completed a six-year term serving as a National Board Member for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She is currently appointed to the Behavioral Health Taskforce Subcommittee for Long-Term Competency. 

Lacey has held previous appointments to: The Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council; The Behavioral Health Transformation Council; Civil Commitment Task Force; Colorado Commission on Juvenile Justice Committee; Colorado Medicaid-Advisory Council. Lacey was recognized as Undergraduate Faculty of the Year for University of Phoenix Colorado Campus, 2014; CAAP Substance Abuse Counselor of the Year, 2013; Regis University Alumni Community Volunteer of the Year, 2012; Colorado Youth Volunteer of the Year, 2010; Colorado Volunteer of the Year by Governor Ritter, 2009; One of Denver’s 150 Unsung Heroes, 2008; Heroes in the Fight Nominee 2007 and 2008; Lacey served in the United States Air Force during Desert Shield and Desert Storm receiving a Presidential Citation. 

Captain Kevin M. Smith U. S. Navy (Retired)

Captain Kevin M. Smith is a Naval Aviator, Fighter Pilot, and a former Squadron Commander. He commanded the first deployed Top Gun Unit. As a Top Gun Pioneer, Captain Smith was directly involved in enhancing Air Combat performance against fast, highly maneuverable Air Combat adversaries for both the F-4 and F-14 fighter communities, contributing significantly to National Defense.

Captain Smith has received numerous awards including a Seventh Fleet Citation from the Commander U. S. Seventh fleet; a Meritorious Unit Commendation awarded to all members of his unit;  a Letter of Commendation from the Commander, Naval Airforce, U. S. Pacific Fleet;  a Letter of Commendation from the Commanding General, 3rd Marine Airwing; and a Letter of Commendation from the Commander, Carrier Airwing Nine; all as the result of having commanded the top performing squadron in the Pacific Fleet as well as Commanding the first Carrier Deployed Top Gun Unit while operating aboard the USS Constellation. Captain Smith Flew the amazing F-8 Crusader, considered one of the top fighter aircraft in the US Arsenal . Flight Time in the Crusader: 2,500 Hours. Captain Smith’s Airline career included Captain Qualifications on the B-737, B-747 400, B-757, B-767, & B-777. He was also the Chairman of the Joint Government-Industry Training Integration Task force tasked with the responsibility of redesigning Airline Pilot Training for all U. S. Airlines.

Captain Smith is the author of numerous books and peer-reviewed articles and is a recognized expert in the area of Critical Thinking and Complex Problem Solving.

Dr. Steven D. Carter DBA, MBA

Dr. Carter is a management consultant and an adjunct professor of business at the University of Maryland Global Campus. He teaches business management and strategy at the graduate and undergraduate levels. He graduated in the top 1% of his doctoral class. He was nominated by the faculty for the Wall Street Journal Business Leader Award by the faculty.

Dr. Carter has extensive experience in business management and innovation.  His recent activities include consultation for a non-profit organization to develop an international strategic plan. As a government employee he led a diverse group of men and women geographically dispersed to develop national and regional cyber strategy in partnership with the United Nations, the African Union, Ministries of Defense, European partners, academia, and industry. He led an effort to diversify the symposium participation make-up by increasing female African partner participation in a male dominated environment as a direct activity of the 2012 Women Peace and Security Executive Order each year reflecting zero participants in 2015, eight participants in 2016, and 16 participants in 2017.

Dr. Carter is a retired 24-year U.S. Army veteran of three wars. He retired as the Senior Advisor to the Command and Information Technology Director in the Special Operations Command Africa.

Dr. Carter is a motivational speaker and an author regularly contributing articles on human capital management and productivity.  He is a Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Alumni. He serves on executive committees and currently serves as the District Director for a non-profit organization committed to civil rights and social advocacy.  He lives and works in Germany.

Jose L. Garcia-Aponte

Jose L. Garcia-Aponte was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico. He is blessed with two children, former US ARMY SPC Caleb Ho’Onuii, a member of the elite 82nd Airborne Division. former USAF Airman Velmarye Adame, one amazing grandson. Mr. Alejandro, and Maximum Garcia: AKA MAX an English Golden Retriever.

After almost 29 years of honorable service to his nation as a US ARMY soldier, he retired as a Command Sergeant Major at Program Executive Office of Simulation Training and Instrumentation (PER STRI) in Orlando, Florida. In June 2005 he was awarded the Soldier's Medal for saving the life of another soldier. Jose is the founder of Project Giveback (PGB) an organization developed to raise awareness and resources for our “First Responders. and the families of our FALLEN HEROES”. He is also the founder of Run the “Q” (a 135 miles relay), and “Ziglar Classic” an event designed to promote the Zig Ziglar philosophy.

Jose joined forces with “Laps for Limbs Inc” (L4L) founder Kristen Smith, to collaborate in events that raise awareness and resources for children and veterans with limb loss and limb differences. Together. PGB and L4L are committed to promoting accessibility, inclusion. and community  advocacy for amputees. The foundation of their shared mission is built on service to others, in order to promote improved quality of life and well-being.

Through the years Jose developed his personal and military life by two concepts: the U.S. Army Warrior Ethos and the Zig Ziglar Philosophy that “You can have everything in life you want, lf you will just help enough other people get what they want.” He is a graduate of the prestigious Ziglar  Legacy Certified  (ZLC) Trainer Class #6. Additionally. he is certified by Toastmasters International. As a proud  G12  members of his home church  Word  of Life Christian Center in Honolulu, HI he developed the “Debt-Free Ministry’ Later as a member of the ROCK Family Worship Center (FWC) Deacon Team, he established the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University program a class designed to bring clarity, discipline,  and  a  common sense  approach  to  finances  for families.

He believes that no one person reaches the top alone, but it is rather a collection of efforts, and ideas that bring any worthwhile endeavor to fruition. His mission is to walk. or run any event he can from half to full marathons, 5K/10K/15K, the “Q” to the RAGNAR Relay Series event with the purpose of raising understanding, awareness and resources for our First Responders, their families and the families of our FALLEN HEROES.

Dr. Dean Harminson

Dr. Dean Harminson has been a private practice dentist in San Antonio, Texas. He is the owner of Dental Wellness Center in San Antonio which was awarded as the Patient’s Choice Winner 2015. Dr. Dean Harmison, has been voted as one of the top San Antonio, TX Dentistry practices. The last 25 years, he was a part of several non-profit educational and charitable foundations as secretary and president. These include The Art of Living Foundation and The International Association for Human Values. He teaches relaxation and stress management techniques and processes along with yoga and meditation to people from all walks of life. His most recent passion is serving on the Board of Advisors of Project Welcome Home Troops and facilitating Power Breath Meditation workshops for Vets and their families.

Dr. Aditi Dave MD

Dr. Aditi Dave completed her undergraduate studies and medical school at the University of South Florida and her dual residencies in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Michigan. She has worked as faculty physician in Hospital Medicine and Internal Medicine for the past 8 years, at both the University of Michigan, and now as assistant professor at Wake Forest University Hospital. Her Pediatric activities focus on global health expeditions in third world countries.  Her clinical focus includes compassion and patient centered medicine delivery in the hospital.

Dr. Dave became interested in practicing breath based meditation techniques about 20 years ago after practicing other forms of meditation. Over the past 20 years, her long term interests and pursuits in yoga, meditation and the use of breath are synergistic to her interest in enhancing individual wellbeing for body, mind and spirit to produce personal excellence, resilience, and wholehearted living. Her unique perspective on the tendencies of stress on the mind and body comes from firsthand experience of not only treating patients, but also working in highly stressful and demanding hospital environment.. Over the past 15 years, she has formalized her training in the power of breath and meditation to foster ultimate health and vitality by teaching the unique SKY Breath Meditation and Sound Based Meditation (called Sahaj Samadhi) for the International Association of Human Values, a nonprofit organization serving to empower the individual.

Gunnar Larson MSc, MBA (ip)

Gunnar started his career at NBC’s executive offices of talent and development in New York. He then managed creative development for web video at the United Nations, based in its Manhattan headquarters, where he increased the breadth and accessibility of reference content from the world’s most important multinational organization.

In 2011 Vistage International, the leading Chief Executive Organization in the World named Gunnar as one of the most passionate CEOs in America.

Honored as a Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar, Gunnar attended Bond University in Australia where he graduated with a B.A. in International Relations and Journalism. One of the world’s preeminent universities (The University of Nicosia, “UNIC”), honored Gunnar as a Blockchain Scholar where he graduated with a M.Sc. in Digital Currency. Enrolled at UNIC, Gunnar is currently earning is MBA.