An Incredible Year of Impact
2018 has been an incredible year so far thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
We welcomed another remarkable class of Tillman Scholars, and expanded the network to more than 580 leaders nationwide. As the next generation of private and public sector leaders, the Tillman Scholars are tackling challenges across national security, healthcare, technology, civil rights and education.
See how Tillman Scholars Samuel Innocent and Chris Diaz are two of many scholars serving after service to improve the lives of those in their communities. Then read our 2018 Impact Report to learn more about how your commitment empowers the next generation of private and public sector leaders for our country and communities.
2018 Impact Report
The Tillman Scholar Network
PTF made a $1.3 million lifetime commitment to the 2018 Class of Tillman Scholars, from a pool of approximately 2,400 applications.
Tillman Scholars Are Making an Impact Nationwide
Tara Heidger
2017 Tillman Scholar, Columbia University
M.A., International Urban Planning & M.A., International Affairs
As an intelligence analyst and psychological operations specialist, Tara has been exposed to rich and diverse cultures and ideas, while also witnessing the existential struggles that many people face around the globe. Currently pursuing a dual degree in Urban Planning and International Affairs, Tara focused her studies on informal settlements, urban policy and specifically the issues of housing and shelter. This year, Tara traveled twice to Rwanda, funded partially by SPDO, to examine the role of land use and resettlement policies in a post-genocide context. She hopes to assist countries facing massive return migration and understand what the international community can do to alleviate this strain on post-conflict countries.
Jameson Lopez
2015 Tillman Scholar, Arizona State University
Ph.D, Educational Policy & Evaluation
Jameson is a member of the Quechan Tribe, whose reservation spans the border of California and Arizona in the Yuma area. Following his deployment with the Army during Operation New Dawn, Jameson earned his Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Evaluation at Arizona State University. His research focuses on Indigenous statistics, survey research, and Indigenous data collection. In his Make Your Mark talk, Jameson explained how data collection tells the stories of our country’s Indigenous populations through the universal language of numbers, and with this data, effective policies and legislation can be passed to bring visibility to these communities.
Leilani Attilio
2017 Tillman Scholar, The George Washington University
DNP, Nursing
As an Army Nurse Corp officer, Leilani was a critical care nurse and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. After leaving the military, Leilani discovered her passion working with underserved communities on drug policy. But Leilani felt a call back to the clinical world when she recognized the stigma people with drug addiction face in health care. Leilani enrolled in George Washington University’s Family Nurse Practitioner program to become a primary care provider. At the 2018 Pat Tillman Leadership Summit, she spoke on a panel about her experience as a family nurse practitioner advocating for drug policies directly impacting stigmatized and underserved communities.
Andrew Garza
2018 Tillman Scholar, The George Washington University
M.A., International Space Policy
Drew began his military career in the medical field, and after his first deployment, he reenlisted as part of a specialized electrical engineering unit. Fulfilling a childhood dream, Drew is now working for NASA while pursuing his graduate education in the Space Policy program at The George Washington University. He wants to play an integral part in crafting the nation’s space policies to not only execute bold exploration in space, but also to provide economic benefits, security for American interests, and support for global humanitarian efforts. As part of Team Tillman, Drew ran in the New York City Marathon in November.
Emily Junkins
2017 Tillman Scholar, The University of Oklahoma
Ph.D., Microbiology
Emily is a military spouse and Ph.D. student at the University of Oklahoma studying Microbiology. She is a microbial ecologist who applies real-world problem solving skills to the field and seeks to determine how current problems faced in our society can be solved through microbiology. Whether solving corrosion problems on U.S. Air Force planes, or seeking unusual sources to discover novel drug targets, Emily aims to produce practical solutions that can be applied across communities. She also hopes to bridge the knowledge gap between scientists and the public through effective science communication.
Jason Turner
2013 Tillman Scholar, Arizona State University
Master of Social Work
After a 10-year military career and at the brink of utter collapse, owing to his own substance use, Jason realized that something needed to change. The pain of continuing down the road he was on, was for the first time, more than the pain of making a change. From this realization and the belief that challenges overcome create change, Jason earned his Master’s in Social Work from Arizona State University and founded Recover Strong. Jason’s passion for helping others is limitless and he has spent the last twelve years working in the treatment industry. In December 2016, Jason assumed the role of CEO of Granite Mountain Behavioral Healthcare. Since then, he has been instrumental in the reclamation of the organization and the implementation of Recover Strong, and its principles, as the core of Granite Mountain BHC.
2018 was a success thanks to our partners
A RECORD SELLOUT AT PAT'S RUN
From the first event held in 2005 with 5,000 participants, Pat’s Run - presented by TEKSystems - has grown into the largest run in the nation to honor a fallen soldier and support the Tillman Scholars. Save the date! The 15th Annual Pat's Run will take place on April 27, 2019. Registration opens in January 2019.
28,000
RUNNERS
1,802 KID RUNNERS
2ND LARGEST MILITARY RACE
18TH LARGEST NATIONAL RACE
4,033
HONOR RUNNERS
30 HONOR RUNS
Supporters participated in Honor Runs and as Remote Runners in cities nationwide
Runner Profile: KIANIE KING
For someone who lives with cerebral palsy, completing the 4.2 miles of Pat’s Run is a tall order. But it was a challenge that this ASU alumna decided to meet head-on. After registering, she decided to ask friends and family for their support – which is when she started to learn more about the Pat Tillman Foundation.
“Once I started up my fundraising page,” she recalls, “I quickly realized that I was doing this for more reasons than just myself…every one of the Tillman Scholars is an inspiration to me.”
Kianie was the last person to cross the finish line at Pat’s Run, but she says, “I felt like there was a stadium full of people cheering me on as I stepped over the 42-yard line.”
Learn more about Kianie’s story.
PAT TILLMAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
The Pat Tillman Leadership Summit celebrates Pat’s values and convenes the Tillman Scholars to network, collaborate, and present solutions to the challenges facing our country and communities.
140+ Tillman
Scholars attended
Honoring Pat's Spirit of Service
The Pat Tillman Leadership Summit celebrates Pat’s values and convenes the Tillman Scholars to network, collaborate and develop solutions to the challenges facing our country and communities.
In 2018, thanks to the generosity of the NFL and our sponsors, more than 140 Tillman Scholars attended the Pat Tillman Leadership Summit in Chicago. Tillman Scholars led panels about the impact they are making in their fields and communities.
As part of the event programming, Tillman Scholars participated as moderators and presenters in a series of panels that spanned the topics of the opioid crisis, sexual assault in the military, the invisibility of our country’s Indigenous communities and military transition stress.
TEAM TILLMAN 2018
Team Tillman is keeping Pat’s passion and intensity alive while inspiring others to live up to their potential. A community of everyday athletes, more than 500 members have participated as a team or individually in marathons, half-marathons, triathlons, cycling and other athletic events to honor Pat. To date, the team has raised over $1.5 million to fund scholarships.
Register now to join Team Tillman and participate in one of our 2019 events.
$1.5 million
raised to date
Team Tillman Member: Dan Mucciolo
A longtime supporter of PTF and the work of the Tillman Scholars, Dan Mucciolo has been one of the most active members of Team Tillman. After running his first marathon in Phoenix in 2015, Dan accepted the challenge of running on behalf of Team Tillman in the 2016 and 2017 TCS New York City Marathons. In 2018, Dan added an eighth marathon to his resume as captain of Team Tillman: Chicago. To date, Dan has raised more than $15,000 for the Tillman Scholars Program through his involvement in Team Tillman and continues to advocate for those who serve our nation in the armed forces.
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS, INTERVIEWS AND OP-EDS
