Leadership | Purple Heart Homes USA

Dave Sternberg

Chairman of the Board

Dave Sternberg is a founding partner of Loring, Sternberg & Associates (LSA) and has considerable experience in nonprofit board development and governance work. He has been a fundraising professional since obtaining his BA Degree from The Ohio State University, working as chief development officer for several organizations prior to founding LSA. Dave is a member of the faculty at The Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University’s Fund Raising School, where he teaches nonprofit management and fundraising nationally and internationally. Dave is also a Certified Governance Consultant with BoardSource. In 2008, Dave authored the second edition of Fearless Fundraising for Nonprofit Boards a publication for BoardSource in Washington, DC, a best seller since its publication. From 2005-2015 Dave designed and lead the Annenberg Foundation’s Alchemy Program (in Los Angeles, California). This cohort based program brought CEOs and Board Chair’s together to learn the fundamentals of board governance and fundraising through direct training and offered strategies for change. The program offered ongoing coaching for participating groups as well as further in-depth learning opportunities – and it is where he became aquatinted with Purple Heart Homes. Dave has served on the boards of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis, Catch the Stars Foundation, and is a past president of the Washington Township Schools Foundation and Association of Fundraising Professionals. Currently he a board member for Indianapolis Classical Schools and is beginning his first term with Purple Heart Homes.

Esteban McMahan

Vice-Chairman

Esteban McMahan is the Spirit Guide for Top of the Hill Distillery in Chapel Hill, NC. Esteban joined the ROTC program at James Madison University. Upon graduation, he served with 5-21 Infantry Battalion, 7th INF(L), first as the Medical Platoon Leader, then as the S-1. He earned his Airborne and Air Assault badges, as well as a Combat Medical Badge during Operation Just Cause in Panama. After leaving active duty as a Captain, Esteban became a block equity trader at Bear Stearns in NYC for 7 years. He then moved to Chapel Hill, NC, where he was the international portfolio manager for a hedge fund. He has served on the boards of El Centro Latino as well as Carolina For Kibera. Esteban is married to a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and has two children.

Danica Coit

Treasurer

Danica Coit is a Certified Public Accountant that holds a Masters in Finance and Accounting as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. She has over 25 years experience in accounting, taxation and assurance. She started her career in the nonprofit sector, working as the Controller for a small nonprofit in San Diego, CA. She then worked at the Big 4 to gain knowledge as an auditor in the public sector. She has extensive experience in the real estate, home building and construction industries as she spent a bulk of her career in various positions at the homebuilding giant, James Hardie. She founded her first company in 2006 and has been building successful businesses since then. She is currently the founder of four successful businesses in travel, accounting, real estate and e-commerce. She is the CEO of Terra Business Solutions, the premier remote CPA firm in the United States. Terra Business Solutions is headquartered in California and offers the full spectrum of services from bookkeeping and tax preparation to assurance and tax planning. She has brought her holistic approach to all of her businesses which include proactive communication and taking the time to really learn and understand clients and their business, their needs, and their goals.

Russell “Fenway” Rauch

Secretary

Russell Rauch is the Profit Center Manager of Hughes Plumbing and Pumps in Statesville, North Carolina where he met Dale Beatty during the construction of Dale’s home. Russell has been able to share the joy of the changing veterans’ lives since building Dale Beatty’s home (Cofounder of Purple Heart Homes). Russell is an Army veteran that served in Europe and was reactivated for Desert Storm to the 10th Mountain Division. After returning home, he earned a BS Degree from the University of N.C. at Greensboro with honors on full scholarship. Russell and his wife moved to Colorado after graduation where he worked for the park service and enjoyed the same Rocky Mountains where the 10th Mountain Division was founded. Russell is an experienced board member that has served on non-profit and for profit organizations including; Shepherd’s Watch Foster Community, Iredell County Home Builders Association, Hickory and Catawba Valley Home Builders Association, and Xylem / GWT Customer Council. He has actively participated in many Purple Heart Homes events over the years and enjoys helping veterans find the freedom to live into the American Dream.

C.J. Bannister

Board Member

As a philanthropic advisor to Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s most generous donors, CJ Bannister is committed to supporting her clients, her community, and non-profits around the world, through philanthropy, planned giving, endowments, fundraising and more. After graduating from high school, she joined the United States Air Force, where she worked as a Crew Chief for four years and subsequently cross-trained to be a Paralegal and worked with the JAG for the remainder of her service. Bannister earned the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSgt) as well as many awards and medals, including: Basic Military Training Honor Graduate, The John Levitow Award at Airman Leadership School, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Military Education Award, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. Bannister served from 1993 until 2001, when she ended her military career as a non-commissioned officer. After leaving the Air Force, she attended Hodges University in Naples, FL toward a BS in Management, and also worked full time as a Paralegal. Bannister began her as a financial advisor in 2007, helping individuals with investment and financial needs. However, upon working on a project with the Community Foundation of Sarasota, serving as a board member for SOLVE Homes, and serving as a board member for Goodwill Manasota, she quickly found her calling in the non-profit world. She ultimately accepted a full time position with Goodwill and helped launch their Veterans Services Program as their Director of Veterans Services, assisting veterans and their families in facets of life and service. Bannister is dedicated to helping others and passionate about giving back and making a difference. She has also worked on other projects near to her heart, such as the Women’s Veterans Network, Sarasota County Veterans Commission, Manatee County Veterans Council, and Pathway to Prosperity (a program designed to help single moms in generational poverty). She has over 21 years of experience in the community giving back, growing businesses, launching programs, and establishing and maintaining meaningful partnerships.

Robert Bañuelos

Board Member

Rob Bañuelos is a Senior Vice President of Sales at HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank N.A. located in Waterbury, CT. Rob enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsmen in July 1980. While based on the west coast he served on the USS Dixon AS-37 and received the Navy Expeditionary Medal for operations conducted during the Iranian hostage crisis. He then served at the Naval Regional Medical Center in various critical care units and administrative roles. In 1984, he was selected for Deep Sea Diver training at the Naval Diving Savage Training Center in Panama City, FL and graduated with qualifications as a Deep Sea Diving Medical Technician (8493). He was then stationed at the Naval Underwater Systems Center in Newport, RI. After active duty, he transitioned to the Naval Reserves and was assigned to Mobile Diving Salvage Unit Two Detachment 101. In January 1991, he was activated for the First Gulf War: Desert Storm/Desert Shield and later returned to his unit after the war. During his tenure he was awarded three separate Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, one of which was for saving a life. He also received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. He retired in September 2002 with over 22 years of service. Rob earned a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from Emmanuel College in Boston and completed his Bachelor degree at Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts.

Charlie Eadie

Board Member

Charlie Eadie is the Vice President of Business Development for Claris Construction, a design-build contractor. Charlie enlisted in the Army as a Combat Engineer and served in the 25th ID before gaining admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. While at the Academy, he was a member of the Parachute Team and served as the 2nd Regimental Commander. He won the Truman Scholarship and the Marshall Scholarship and completed graduate studies in London. Charlie served as an infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division—deployed to Iraq as a platoon leader—and as a detachment commander and Aide-de-Camp for the Commanding General of the Rule of Law Field Force—Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. He completed the following schools: Ranger, Sapper, SFAS, Airborne, Military Free Fall, Pathfinder, and Air Assault. After leaving active duty, he has worked in the construction and commercial real estate industry as a Vice President of a NY firm, the Director of Business Development for InterCon, and now the Vice President of Claris Construction in Charlotte, NC. He serves on the Board of Advisors for The Data Incubator, and volunteers as the President of the West Point Society of Columbia.

Laura Forrest

Board Member

Laura has been a Board Member of PHH since June 2021. She is a native North Carolinian, born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a practicing attorney with the national law firm of Goldberg Segalla, LLP, with a focus in the areas of insurance coverage, insurance defense, construction defect, community association law and corporate law. Laura has been involved in non-profit work the majority of her life, volunteering for multiple organizations with their fundraising and volunteer drive events. Laura is the spouse of a retired Veteran and resides in Holly Springs, North Carolina with her husband and their two children.

Jessica Millman

Board Member

Jessica Cogan Millman is the Executive Director of the Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation. The mission of the Soderberg Foundation is to enhance access to quality health services and economic empowerment opportunities by boosting the quality of life for all people with a specific emphasis on improving the lives of women. Jessica is an expert and leader in urban planning and environmentally sustainable development and known as a passionate and energetic organizer for the public good. Jessica is a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and the School Safety Committee of the Skaneateles School Board, Chair of the Skaneateles Lake Association Education and Outreach Committee, and a member of the Skaneateles Music Guild. In addition, she has served on numerous committees including the Town of Skaneateles Planning Board. Jessica has extensive experience working at all levels of government and in the non-profit arena. Through the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Green Neighborhoods Program, Jessica worked with communities around the country to design, plan, and catalyze the building of model, neighborhood-scale development projects that combine equity, environmental justice, green stormwater infrastructure, efficient transportation options, green building, public health practices, smart growth, and new urbanism. Jessica served as the Planning Director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, an organization dedicated to the adoption of sound planning policies around the Washington region. Jessica has held many other positions including: Deputy Director of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute at Smart Growth America (where she ran a technical assistance grant program); Chief of Staff for the Governor’s Office of Smart Growth in Maryland (where she helped directed the State budget towards the Governor’s top environmental priorities); and a variety of grant-making positions at the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Liz Paradise

Board Member

Liz has spent her career in advertising, both as an award winning writer and creative director for brands such as Audi, Land’s End, NASDAQ and Nationwide Insurance. Along the path, she has touched everything from Superbowl commercials to long-form videos to branded web series. Liz even starred in a reality show about advertising called, “The Pitch.” Most recently, Liz was Executive Creative Director of McKinney in Durham, NC and has served as a juror for the most highly regarded award shows in the industry, including the Cannes Festival of Creativity. Liz has also been a panelist at the 3% Conference where the mission is to increase female leadership in the advertising industry. Currently, she is working on documentaries and reality show ideas with Hocus Pocus Productions. Liz is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, is married and has three children.

Victoria Schweizer

Board Member

Ms. Schweizer moved from New York City to Charlotte in 2013 and before moving she worked on Wall Street for many years. Her broad and powerful life experiences have directly resulted in her passion for philanthropy. Her dedication to this country and our veterans is something near and dear to her heart after witnessing the events of 9/11 from only a couple of blocks away. As she continues her mission to paint for charity auctions worldwide she is bringing her ongoing dedication to Purple Heart Homes.

Sherry Yaskin

Board Member

Sherry Yaskin is Vice President of Human Resources, U.S. Stores and Operations, for The Home Depot. She is responsible for all human resources functions for the Company’s 1,977 stores in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Sherry joined The Home Depot in 2004 as Director of Learning and has held positions of increasing responsibility, including Director of Talent Management and Organizational Effectiveness, Senior Director of Human Resources for both the Western and Northern divisions, Senior Director of Human Resources for U.S. Operations and the Pro Business. Prior to joining the company, Sherry was a District Manager with Circuit City. She also spent more than 14 years with Gap, Inc., where she held a variety of leadership positions. Sherry holds a Bachelor’s of Speech Communication from the University of Florida.

Board Members

Dave Sternberg

Esteban McMahan

Danica Coit

Russell “Fenway” Rauch

C.J. Bannister

Robert Bañuelos

Charlie Eadie

Laura Forrest

Jessica Millman

Liz Paradise

Victoria Schweizer

Sherry Yaskin

Staff

Devin Alexander

Lamar Austin

Tim Bates

Dale Beatty

Jewelye Birkhofer

Brad Borders

Tammy Burchette

Cheryl Campbell

Paul Cockerham

Debra Connolly

Karen Fisher

John Gallina

Leigh-Ana Garrigues

Mark Grindall

Durant Haire

Rob Harrell

Terry Joyner

Misty Karriker

Ashley Lippard

Kerry Lawing

Tim Mangum

Bryson "Dusty" McAlpin

Tim Parker

Tammy Pate

Cherie Parks

Lois Pelto

Ron Sewell

Akeem Robertson

Matt Stevenson

Carolyn Straight

Layn Tallent

Christopher Williams

Sandi VanWormer

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