The unTAPped Change Forum / ZeroMils

The unTAPped Change Forum

March 25

9:00 am

- 3:00 pm ET

Marriott Georgetown

1221 22nd Street Northwest

Washington, DC 20037

ZeroMils will lead a bold, solutions focused dialogue on how we create the necessary cultural change to help transitioning service members, Veterans, military spouses, and their families thrive. Through panel discussions with leading stakeholders from the private sector and communities across the country, participants will speak candidly about the changes we know are possible. When military members and veterans are effectively connected to the right resources at the right time, the result is an immediate and lasting impact. This event connects leaders from the public and private sectors committed to improving employment and VA benefit outcomes for transitioning service members, Veterans, and military spouses.

Agenda

9:00 am to 9:30 am: Morning Fireside Chat – It’s Transformation Not Transition: Jason Redman, Navy Seal, Herb Thompson, Green Beret; moderated by Kevin Schmiegel, USMC

9:30 am to 10:15 am: Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship: Pathways No One is Talking about at TAP

Donnell Johns, Sr. CEO and Founder of Veterans Growing America
Rob Holmes, CEO, ForgeNow
Meg O’Grady, SVP of Military and Veterans Affairs, National University
James Rodriguez, Former Assistant Secretary, DOL VETS

10:15 am to 11:00 am: Empowerment Outside of Education, Employment, and Entrepreneurship

Vic Lance, Chief of Staff, FourBlock
Andia Dinesen, Senior Director, Transition & Member Services, MOAA
Gena Pirtle, Military Thriving Action Coalition, Moderator

11:00 am to 11:15 am: The Impact of AI, Technology and Innovation on the Future of Healthcare and Transition: Sanjay Patel, Chief Technology Officer, Mediflix

11:15 am to 12:00 pm: Health and Well-Being: Taking Control of Your Own Health

Dr. Lynda Davis, Chief Veterans Experience Officer
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, Former Director of DHA
Dave Lee, CVS Health
Kevin Schmiegel – Moderator

12:10 pm to 12:30 pm: Lunch Fireside Chat – Changing the Broken Veteran Narrative: Dr. Sherman Gillums, Jr., Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

12:40 pm to 1:20 pm: Families Are In Transition Too

DASW Stephen Simmons, Office of Military Community & Family Policy
Verenice Castillo, CEO, Military Spouse Advocacy Network

1:30 pm to 1:50 pm: Fireside Chat – A National Veterans Strategy: David Shearman, Staff Director, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm: Afternoon Workshops – Identifying the gaps, barriers and opportunities ahead for County VSOs and our nation’s Veterans. Creating a list of priority agenda items for advocacy informing NACVSO leaders for Hill Visits on 3/26/2026

Our Speakers

David A. Lee

Lead Director

CVS Health

Gena Pirtle

Founder and Principal

Gena Pirtle Consulting LLC

Dr. Lynda C. Davis

Chief Veterans Experience Officer

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Meg O’Grady

Senior Vice President for Military and Government Programs

National University System

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Telita Crosland, MD, MPH

Stephen B. Simmons

Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Military Community and Family Policy

U.S. Department of War

Andia Dinesen, AFC®

Senior Director, Transition and Member Services

MOAA

Jason Redman

Chief of Business Development

TurboVets

Rob Holmes

Co-Founder & President

ForgeNow

Vic Lance

Chief of Staff

FourBlock Foundation

Herb Thompson

Dr. Sherman Gillums, Jr.

Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

Verenice Castillo

Founder and CEO

Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN)

David Shearman

Staff Director

Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

Donnell E. Johns Sr.

Founder and CEO

Veterans Growing America

The Honorable James D. Rodriguez

President and Co-Founder

The Rodriguez Group, LLC

Sanjay Patel

Co-CEO/CTO

Mediflix

Harrison Bernstein

Founder and CEO

Soldiers to Sidelines

About Us

ZeroMils is a term of both science and art, used in the military to describe a state of perfection that accounts for accuracy and effectiveness. Once attained, ZeroMils allows you to achieve maximum impact on a target.

Our mission as social impact consultants to corporations and nonprofit organizations is to create Military Thriving cultures and communities. Our vision is to use our experiences to make our history every Veteran’s and Military Spouse’s future—with a focus on small business owners like us.

We are intentional in our efforts to serve alongside organizations and leaders who focus on what we know to be true: that although Veterans and their families face unique challenges, the vast majority of us overcome them and thrive as a result of our service and not in spite of it.

Our Founders

Kevin Schmiegel
CEO

Kevin Schmiegel is CEO at ZeroMils. A retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, Kevin is a mission-focused leader with a proven track record for rapidly scaling nonprofits and a reputation for delivering significant results. Kevin founded Hiring Our Heroes at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was CEO of two other national nonprofits. Raising $100 million for these causes over a decade, Kevin and his teams have impacted millions of Americans, in and out of uniform. He is a proud husband to Laura and a father of five.

Paul Cucinotta
President & COO

Paul Cucinotta is a retired Marine Corps colonel who after serving on active duty for almost three decades followed his passion for service to the non-profit space to help individuals thrive, while strengthening communities and bridging the civilian service divide. This ultimately led him to founding ZeroMils with fellow Marine Veteran and long-time friend, Kevin Schmiegel where they are creating Military Thriving® cultures and communities with their clients and partners in the places where they live, work and serve. Paul and his wife Beth have four children and three grandchildren, and when not serving their community can be found enjoying the beach on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina.

ONLY CONNECTED,

CAN WE THRIVE.

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