Tillman Scholars in the News

We’re proud of these Tillman Scholars for continuing to make an impact on their communities. Read on to see how they continue to lead through action.

Theresa Jones, 2020 Tillman Scholar

Theresa Jones was recently featured in a PBS interview regarding her service at the Travis Manion Foundation.  Theresa discusses her passion for service and the different opportunities she has had to impact several underserved missions.  

As an avid volunteer, Theresa found purpose in service, which included leading family readiness groups at each squadron throughout her husband’s deployments.  Tragically, Theresa’s husband was killed while deployed in 2013, leaving her to be the sole provider for their two children.  

While receiving support from several organizations after her husband’s passing, Theresa was again drawn to contributing to the organizations that had given her so much.  Earning her MA in nonprofit leadership and management, Theresa will be joining the Pat Tillman Foundation this month as its newest development manager. 

Matt Miclette, 2016 Tillman Scholar

Matt Miclette, representing NeuroFlow, accepted the Vetty Award for Mental Health from the Academy of United States Veterans. The digital health company combines workflow automation, patient engagement solutions and services, and applied AI to promote behavioral health solutions in population and physical health settings.

Beginning his career at Walter Reed Medical Center, Matt often received patients within days of their initial injuries.  Witnessing the upclose tragedy war, Matt learned that it was the invisible injuries that were often overlooked and particularly challenging for those in his care.  This led Matt to the next phase in his career in 2013 as he started his career as a behavioral health nurse, working with patients suffering from PTSD.

Now with his Master of public health and Master of Science in social policy, Matt is leading clinical initiatives at NeuroFlow working with organizations such as Stop Soldier Suicide, Wounded Warrior Project, US Naval Academy, and US Air Force. Matt is also leading the implementing the evidence-based integrated behavioral health models, such as psychiatric collaboartive care, into major health systems across the country.

Gretchen Klingler, 2016 Tillman Scholar

Gretchen Klingler has been appointed to the Board of Veterans’ Voice of America, a national 501(c)(3) focusing on VA benefits and the eight dimensions of wellness in the veteran community. 

Following her time at Ohio State, with the narrowing of national resources and funding allocated to welcoming immigrants to the United States, especially between 2017 through early 2021, Gretchen turned to a career in a passion equally important to her – the Veteran community.  She is actively involved in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion, and is a member of AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA).

Gretchen continues to strive to provide opportunities for both the stories of Veterans and immigrants’ and refugees’ to be shared with and understood by more Americans.  She believes that building stronger intercultural understanding in the United States and beyond will help us all embrace the beauty in our collective diversity, whether that be the stories of immigrants who leave their homes, or the experiences of military service being shared with those who desire to support our returning service members.

Haliehana Stepetin, 2020 Tillman Scholar

Haliehana Stepetin was recently interviewed about the new Unangam Tunuu — the Unangax̂ language — language course at the University of Alaska Anchorage. This will be the first time Unangam Tunuu, instructed by Haliehana, will be taught on a regular basis at the university. 

Haliehana’s story of service is different from most. Inspired by her experience in a military academy program for delinquent youth, Haliehana enlisted at 17 to stand among the ranks of those who serve this country.  Like many Indigenous people, Haliehana enlisted due to the limited options for success and chose to fight against the odds with hopes to one day provide a financial foundation to care for her father one day.  

After four years in the U.S. Navy, Haliehana developed her leadership skills and a desire to never stop learning.  Upon her honorable discharge, she became her father’s legal guardian and continues her pursuit of higher education.  Fulfilling her lifelong passion of perpetuating her Unangax̂ culture, Haliehana pursues a Ph.D. in Native American Studies at the University of California, Davis. 

Socrates Rosenfeld, 2012 Tillman Scholar

Socrates Rosenfeld was featured in MG Magazine discussing the innovation and success of the company he co-founded, Jane Technologies.  Through empowering the supply chain and consumers, Socrates turned his vision into a $3-billion ecommerce powerhouse.

 Socrates earned his commission in 2004 from the United States Military Academy.  As a graduate of the US Army Ranger School, Socrates flew Apache Longbow helicopters and commanded an attack company in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  

Upon leaving the military, Socrates received his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management as a Dean’s Fellow and began working as a management consultant in Silicon Valley.  Inspired by how mobile software can connect people and provide access to places previously unreachable, Socrates is the co-founder and CEO of Jane Technologies Inc., the cannabis industry’s first online marketplace.