Meet the Team

  • Tara Newell brings a unique blend of strategic leadership, innovation philanthropy, and a deep personal connection to the military community to her role as Executive Director of QL Plus. She leads the organization’s national expansion, guiding efforts that pair top university engineering talent with injured veterans and first responders to design life-changing assistive technologies.

    Before joining QL Plus, Tara served as Director of Development for Strategic Initiatives at Florida International University (FIU), where she launched FIU Ventures—the university’s first pre-seed venture fund—and oversaw major projects like the Trish and Dan Bell Multifaith Chapel. She also helped pioneer new models in philanthropy, from donor-advised funds to venture giving.

    Tara’s 25+ years supporting military families include co-founding TEAM SOUTHCOM, a readiness group that served U.S. personnel across 24 Latin American and Caribbean embassies. She holds degrees from FIU, is completing an MA in Religious Studies, and is a graduate of the FIU Women Leaders Program.

  • A longtime caregiver and seasoned government affairs leader, Steve McMillan brings both personal empathy and policy expertise to his role at QL Plus. As Program Manager, he supports collaborative engineering projects across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, working with universities like Norwich, Rowan, George Mason, and the U.S. Naval Academy.

    Steve spent decades in Washington leading public policy and advocacy efforts for companies like Coloplast, Eisai, AstraZeneca, and Takeda. His work has driven millions in revenue through expanded access, legislative reforms, and cross-sector partnerships. Early in his career, he served on Capitol Hill and as VP of Legislative Affairs at the Animal Health Institute.

    He holds a BA in Political Science from Penn State and completed graduate coursework in public administration at George Washington University.

  • Scott Huyvaert understands the challenges wounded veterans face because he’s walked alongside them. As Program Director at QL Plus, he leads national program operations and mentors a team of regional program managers, ensuring students, universities, and veterans and first responders are set up for success.

    A former U.S. Army healthcare specialist, Scott deployed twice to combat zones and was stationed in Germany for four years. He served in the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Carson, working directly with service members navigating complex recovery. Even while on active duty, he built partnerships with nonprofits to expand outreach across Colorado and the Midwest.

    Scott holds dual bachelor’s degrees in English Literature and Human Biology, and a master’s in Healthcare Administration. He is also a board member of Victory Service Dogs, a nonprofit supporting veterans through service animal training.

  • Whether coordinating adaptive cycling rides or photographing disaster relief operations, Jason Whitman has built his career around empowering others. As Program Manager at QL Plus, he draws on lived experience as a veteran and a decade of nonprofit work to support assistive technology projects with Trine University, the University of Dayton, the University of Cincinnati, Rose-Hulman University, Grace University, Duquesne University, and Ohio University in the Midwest.

    Jason served as a medevac crew chief and flight instructor in the U.S. Army before being medically discharged after a combat injury in Afghanistan. He went on to manage programs at Ride 2 Recovery, contribute as a photographer for Team Rubicon, and build his own photojournalism business, Whitfoto.

    He is currently pursuing a degree in Communications with a focus on digital information and film technology at Xavier University, where he also studies graphic design.

  • Throughout her career, Susanne Kohl-Parker has focused on lifting those too often overlooked—especially veterans, people with disabilities, and young people experiencing adversity. At QL Plus, she leads grant writing efforts that fuel assistive tech projects built by students for injured veterans and first responders.

    Susanne has raised more than $30 million for causes spanning legal aid, education, and veteran services. She’s supported organizations such as Washington National Cathedral, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Save Ellis Island and the Army War College Foundation. Whether crafting development strategies or securing multi-year foundation gifts, she brings a passion for equity and access to every partnership. 

    Susanne holds a Doctor of Psychology from Breyer State University, master’s degrees from The Ohio State University and Central Michigan University, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago

  • Kristie Yelinek has always believed in the transformative power of education—and at QL Plus, she channels that belief into student-led innovation. As Program Manager, she supports adaptive design projects at partner universities across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, including Bucknell, VMI, Virginia Tech, and Florida Atlantic University. She also leads QL Plus’s annual National Design Competition.

    Kristie’s background spans over a decade in curriculum development, DEIJ partnerships, and student mentorship. At Colorado State University, she helped create inclusive teaching strategies and launched a sustainability initiative for first-generation BIPOC students. She has also taught at the University of Colorado Boulder and Oberlin College.

    She holds an MA in English from Colorado State, an MS in Geology from the University of Colorado Boulder, and a BA in Geology from Oberlin College.

Board of Directors

  • Dr. Bob Wolff is a nationally recognized civil engineer and retired U.S. Army officer with more than six decades of leadership in military engineering, infrastructure policy, and nonprofit organizations. He previously served as Executive Director of the Society of American Military Engineers where he initiated Engineering and Construction Camps for high school students, a Small Business Conference that now has over 4,000 attendees, and established the organization’s annual Joint Engineer Training Conference.  He served as the Executive Director of QL Plus and remained on the board following his retirement. A Fellow of SAME and ASCE, Bob has held senior roles across the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Air Force, bringing unmatched experience in water resources planning, military and facilities engineering, and veteran advocacy. He is a graduate of West Point and earned a PhD in Civil Engineering from Stanford University.

  • Jonathan Grier is Principal of Grier Forensics, which produces advanced cyber technology for government and industry, and a nationally recognized expert in cybersecurity and insider threat detection. He pioneered the field of stochastic forensics and has led research for DARPA, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and the U.S. Air Force. His work has been featured in SC Magazine, InformationWeek, and Forensic Magazine, and he has delivered training for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Department of Defense. Jonathan holds multiple patents and is a frequent speaker at leading cybersecurity conferences, including Black Hat and RSA, bringing cutting-edge technical insight to the Board.

  • Michael Phelps is a veteran news media executive, strategic advisor,  and former publisher ofThe Washington Examiner. He has held leadership roles across journalism, advertising, and nonprofit governance, including service on the boards of the USO, university and hospital foundations and media startups. A retired U.S. Navy and Air National Guard officer, Michael brings decades of experience in public affairs, leadership coaching and communications strategy. He holds degrees from Miami University and Michigan State University and remains active in veteran support and civic causes, helping the organization grow its reach through storytelling, partnerships and public engagement.

  • Julie Chase is President and CEO of Chase Strategies, a Washington, DC-based national media and marketing firm. A veteran communications leader, she previously founded Chase Communications and led corporate strategy at LEVICK. Her diverse career spans financial services, healthcare, real estate, crisis management, and civic engagement. Julie serves on the board of the V Foundation for Cancer Research and is a minority owner of DC Power FC. A Georgetown graduate, she’s a longtime supporter of causes at the intersection of innovation and community, and brings strategic insight and national visibility.

  • Anthony Leketa is a nationally respected leader in engineering, federal construction, and project delivery. He previously served as Executive Vice President at Parsons, where he oversaw multi-billion-dollar government infrastructure programs including the Salt Waste Processing Facility. A former Senior Executive Service (SES) civilian and retired U.S. Army Colonel, Tony spent over 35 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He continues to advise firms navigating the federal contracting space. A graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the U.S. Army War College, Tony brings deep expertise in mission-driven engineering to the Board.

  • Dr. Joe Manous is a Professor of Practice in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. He retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2025, where he last served as Chief Information Officer and previously as Director of the Institute for Water Resources. A 29-year Army engineer officer, he has taught at West Point and George Mason University. Dr. Manous is a professional engineer in Virginia, a board-certified water resources engineer, a Distinguished Member of ASCE, and a Fellow of SAME. His interests include infrastructure resilience, water resources, and engineering ethics. He brings decades of military, academic, and federal leadership to the Board, with a commitment to long-term engineering solutions that support veterans, first responders, and communities.

Ambassadors

  • Scott Grabill, D.O.

    Scott Grabill, D.O.

    Navy Veteran and Orthopedic Surgeon

  • Greg Jolissaint

    Greg Jolissaint

    Federal and Non-Profit Physician Leader and Health Care Executive

  • Kevin Wensing

    Kevin Wensing

    Navy Veteran and Veterans Community Leader