It’s neither an easy nor a small feat to pick up the mantle and dig in for a road of hard work. For a community to grow and prosper, a solid foundation must be built first, and our Brickyard leaders aim to do just that. We are delighted to introduce our 2025 cohort for the +MPU Fellowship convening July 16-20 at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana.
14 Fellows across 12 states will aim to start new Brickyard chapters or join the leadership team of existing chapters in their area. They come from diverse backgrounds, including veterans and service-minded individuals. They lead with indomitable spirits and have the tenacity to inspire change in their local communities, bringing together people who would not have had a chance to meet before.
We applaud and thank them for their journey and eagerly await what Brickyard events they’ll host upon graduation!
Here is a first look at the Fellows! We will add their Brickyard Chapter profiles and full bios after the Fellowship.
Allen Blair (📍San Antonio, TX) serves as the Project Coordinator of Capacity Building & Strategic Projects for the San Antonio Area Foundation. Prior to arriving at the San Antonio Area Foundation, Allen established the first Young Adult Drop-In Center in San Antonio for homeless young adults between the ages of 18-24. Allen also established Knowledge to Action Communications to educate in the areas of sexual assault, suicide, resilience, and mental health. He served 22 years as active-duty in the Air Force and worked as a civilian in the Department of Defense.
Kobi Ammons (📍St. Louis, MO) is a life-long learner and social entrepreneur, dedicated to her belief in the power of connection. She is a facilitative visionary, consistently cultivating a culture of kindness, teamwork, engagement, and collaboration, both personally and professionally. Her curiosity in people and love of service has led her to a long career in non-profit administration, with 25 years of leadership experience. Today, she channels her experience into her role as Program Manager on the National Red Cross External Relations Team, supporting the creation and implementation of initiatives to strengthen partner mobilization in disaster impacted communities, as well as her own consulting project, Advanced Mindset Partners, Inc., where she specializes in facilitating discussions and navigating conflict to help teams work better together and build meaningful connections.
Ray Kennedy (📍Morongo Valley, CA) has been a leader in the field of international electoral assistance since 1990. He has held senior leadership and advisory positions with the United Nations in East Timor, Mexico, Afghanistan, Liberia, Sudan, Jordan, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea, leading large and small teams in the design and implementation of electoral assistance projects, observing elections, planning and managing election activities, mentoring election observer groups, training election staff and political party agents, drafting election laws and regulations, and serving on an election commission. He currently serves as a member of California’s Citizens Redistricting Commission, which passed its new maps unanimously in December 2021.
Justin Rigdon (📍Jacksonville, FL) is born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he served with distinction as an aircrew egress mechanic, where he developed technical precision, resilience, and a profound sense of duty. Justin sought meaningful ways to serve and found purpose serving as a “greyshirt” and wildland firefighter with Team Rubicon, supporting disaster response and humanitarian missions across the country. That spirit of service ultimately led him to the classroom, where he discovered a deep calling to education. Beginning as a high school teacher and later serving as a dean of students, Justin found fulfillment in mentoring young people and fostering their personal and academic growth. Now pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership, he is preparing to transition into school administration, where he aims to create inclusive, student-centered environments and lead with integrity, vision, and a servant leader’s heart.
Janette Kautzman (📍Cleveland, OH) is deeply dedicated to public service, with a distinguished career that spans both military and civilian sectors. Most recently, she completed a field internship with the City of Cleveland’s Department of Public Health, where she contributed to an effort to strengthen the city’s crisis response system. During her first year in graduate school, she worked as a case manager with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, supporting individuals and families in transition to life in Cleveland. Janette attended the United States Military Academy and went on to serve in the U.S. Army for 24 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Today, Janette remains active in the community as a peer supporter with the Veterans Affairs Hospital and the Lewy Body Dementia Association.
Leslie Allen (📍Bozeman, MT) enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1989, where she served as an aircraft firefighting and rescue specialist. At the tender age of 19, she deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Storm. Leslie worked as an outreach scientist for University Nevada Cooperative Extension and the US Geological Survey before starting her own business in 2014. She now operates a small fitness gym where she helps ordinary folks achieve extraordinary physical fitness. She started the Montana Mighty Rucks GORUCK Club in 2021 and is the Commandant of her local Marine Corps League Detachment.
Jasmine Black (📍Indianapolis, IN) is a dedicated public health professional with a passion for creating safe and healthy spaces, programs, and communities by dismantling systemic barriers and addressing health disparities. With over a decade of experience in public health leadership, she thrives on developing creative solutions to complex challenges in the field. Jasmine currently serves as the Vice President of Community Health at Black Onyx Management. In this role, she leads initiatives focused on building stronger, healthier communities by partnering with healthcare systems, policy makers, government programs, and grassroots efforts. She also serves as the Board Treasurer for the RAI Equity Impact Lab, Board Secretary at NAESM, and a board member at Indy Black Professionals.
Jared Novak (📍Portland, OR) joined the U.S. Marine Corps and over the next ten years, the Corps opened a world of opportunities: he met his wife, learned foreign languages, earned his undergraduate degree, and traveled across the globe. After transitioning out in 2024, he joined CrowdStrike as a Security Researcher and now serves as a Team Lead. Today, he is currently pursuing his MBA at Portland State University and expects to graduate in spring 2026.
Brandon Thornton (📍Hume, VA) is an Air Force officer scheduled to retire in August 2025 after 23 years as a special operations aviator and strategist. His career includes multiple deployments, overseas contingencies, and successful command tours. Most recently, he served at the Pentagon as the Chief of Air Force Strategy, where he advised senior military leaders on force transformation and resource allocation decisions. In his post-military career, he seeks to leverage his leadership and strategic insights to increase transparency and cohesion in our local communities.
Justin Hurst (📍Folsom, CA) is a dedicated community leader, public engagement advocate, and educator. Professionally, he has a strong background in government affairs, budgeting, policy and data analysis, and local civic engagement. His experience includes roles as a Senior Consultant at KHK Solutions, Budget Analyst for the California Department of Finance, and previous roles with both the California Department of Transportation and the California Department of Conservation. He is involved with his local Chamber’s Young Professionals group and serves on the city’s Planning Commission. He also holds concurrent roles as the President of the Hornets Policy and Politics Alumni Chapter and President of the ASUCD Alumni Network of CSU Sacramento and UC Davis. Justin is particularly proud to be the Founder and CEO of Citizen Advocates Network, a non-profit focused on data-driven policy and civic engagement education. With this platform, Justin seeks to connect local advocates with their governments – giving them the tools to pursue the change that they seek to make.
Candice Karako (📍Hampton Roads, VA) is a communication strategist and organizational leader with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of leadership, education, and employee development. Her work focuses on advancing clarity, connection, and equity in the way individuals and institutions communicate and lead. She is the Co-Founder of Talk Tactics Communication Consulting, assisting organizations to design and implement strategic communication initiatives that support growth, cultural alignment, and transformational change. Drawing on a background that includes executive roles in operations, business ownership, and over 10 years of experience in higher education, Candice is committed to developing leadership that is intentional, and sustainable.
Cassie Farrelly (📍Hershey, PA) is Senior Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Pennon, Inc. and WITF, a public media organization in Harrisburg, PA. A native of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, she has 25 years of experience leading strategy, operations, program development, and leadership development with a variety of public service and non-profit organizations. Prior to joining Pennon and WITF, Farrelly held a leadership role at the Penn State University College of Medicine, where she was appointed their first Chief Operating Officer. She has previously held senior positions within the British Consulate General in New York, the New York City Department of Education, and the investment banking division of Bear Stearns, Inc (now J.P. Morgan). More recently, Farrelly was a Presidential Leadership Scholar, where her project work focused on access to financial services for unbanked households.
Carl Reid, III (📍Americus, GA) has worked as a community organizer, campaign manager, addiction/mental health recovery counselor, and career services coordinator for individuals with disabilities. He serves on several boards that focus on community, youth, and workforce development within disenfranchised populations.
Carl is a “soldier for humanity” who seeks the greater good of all people. “My passion is illuminating all the valuable and positive aspects of humanity through sharing my own experiences and knowledge and empowering those who suffer by being a beacon of light toward peace and empathy for all.” He has done much work within his community as Co-Founder of an organization that focuses on bringing mental health/addiction recovery services to the underserved as well as community empowerment and human engagement through the arts.
Jeremiah Mollman (📍Salt Lake City, UT) is the CEO of Mission: THRIVE, a veteran-owned public benefit corporation dedicated to helping individuals, teams, and organizations create the conditions to thrive using evidence-based tools and programs. With over 21 years of military service in the U.S. Air Force and Utah Air National Guard, Jeremiah retired as a Senior Master Sergeant and Operations Superintendent. Through his military service, he developed expertise in bringing diverse teams together to accomplish challenging missions. Jeremiah also serves as a Prevention Coordinator at Davis Behavioral Health, facilitating resilience training and mindfulness workshops for first responders, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. His extensive nonprofit experience includes roles as Board President of Allies with Families, founder of Salt Lake Soccer Academy, and Compliance Officer at The INN Between, a homeless services nonprofit organization in Salt Lake City.