Veterans Empowerment Fund: Our Mission

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Founded in 2025, the Veterans Empowerment Fund (VEF) is dedicated to providing advocacy for veterans by offering guidance, resources, and VA benefits assistance to ensure they receive the benefits they have earned. We envision a country where every veteran has access to comprehensive veteran support services, allowing them and their families to live with independence, dignity, and well-being after their service.

I have been married to a Marine Corps veteran for 25 years. After a 12-year hiatus to raise our two sons, I returned to the legal field with renewed passion and dedication. I currently work as Knowledge Management Counsel for a global labor and employment law firm. Before my current role, I held positions as Senior Counsel for a national litigation firm and Of Counsel, specializing in litigation support for a national product liability litigation firm.

I hold both a law degree and a master's degree in French literature from the University of Kansas.

In my free time, I enjoy reading and knitting. I am also deeply committed to the community, volunteering as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate and an Education Advocate for children in the foster care system, as well as participating in veteran support services initiatives.

Understanding the challenges veterans face, I’m committed to helping them access the support and opportunities they deserve. Serving on this board allows me to give back to those who have given so much, ensuring their journeys toward earned benefits are a little easier.

I graduated from Creighton University with a BSBA in Finance, focusing on financial analysis. After college, I began working in Real Estate Private Equity, concentrating on affordable multifamily housing and am responsible for deal sourcing, underwriting, market research, and asset management.

I have extensive experience working with various multifamily loan facilities, including HUD 223(f), Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Private Placement Bonds, and short-term bridge loans. I have been responsible for underwriting over $4.3 billion in multifamily projects, leading to the acquisition of over $103 million in total property value over the last three years. Additionally, I played a key role in the $60 million refinancing of a four-property stabilized assets portfolio, facilitating the loan process and closing four HUD loans totaling over $97 million.

Moreover, I completed an internship with a local Omaha charity, Partnership for Kids, where I worked in their accounting department. I was responsible for cash management, bank reconciliations, and recording donation and expense items. My commitment to community service includes an advocacy for veterans, ensuring they receive the necessary support through VA benefits assistance and veteran support services. 

I'm a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served at Wurtsmith Air Force Base as a B-52 Aircraft Commander and at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as an NT-39A Instructor, Research Pilot, and Senior Acquisition Manager. In 2007, I deployed for Iraqi Freedom as an Air Operations Officer, overseeing the air travel and protection of the top 7 Iraqi leaders. Although I did not fly during this mission, I played a crucial role in the strategic execution of the entire operation.

I hold a bachelor's degree in chemistry, an MBA, and a law degree.

My journey to advocate for veterans began as I worked to expose toxic chemicals in the military:

Craig Minor (Lt Col ret.), a decorated B-52 bomber pilot, never imagined the nightmare awaiting him at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. In 1989, his son Mitchell was born with severe disabilities, including cerebral palsy, microcephaly, seizures, and quadriplegia. Doctors provided no clear answers, and for 30 years, Mitchell endured unimaginable suffering before tragically passing away in 2020.

Craig uncovered a disturbing truth: the base where he was stationed during his son’s conception was contaminated with PFAS chemicals—those infamous 'forever chemicals' from firefighting foam—linked to cancer, birth defects, and immune disorders. As a chemist and lawyer, Craig connected the dots between PFAS exposure during his wife’s pregnancy and his son’s devastating condition.

Craig’s advocacy for veterans has reached a national audience, shedding light on the hidden dangers that veterans and their families face. His story is featured in the documentary No Defense, which highlights the severe consequences of PFAS contamination, and in two PBS NewsHour segments that aired in 2025, revealing how military mishandling of these toxins has harmed countless families. Through his efforts, he also emphasizes the importance of VA benefits assistance and veteran support services for those affected. PBS NewsHour Segment 1 | PBS NewsHour Segment 2

After six years in Air Force Intelligence and more than 25 years leading IT security, IT platform development, business processes, and professional services, I conceived what would become Operation Beacon.

I remember the day I filed my first VA disability claim. I sat at my kitchen table, surrounded by paperwork I barely understood, facing a system that felt like it was built to keep me out. I thought to myself, “If it’s this hard for me — how many other veterans are getting lost in this maze?”

That question stayed with me. It sparked late-night conversations with fellow veterans, stories of frustration, of benefits denied, of families left waiting. And in those stories, I saw a mission bigger than myself.

Every veteran deserves a clear path to the benefits they’ve earned — and too many are getting lost in a system designed to serve them. I founded Operation Beacon to change that.

As the Founder and CEO of Operation Beacon, I’m driven by one mission: to make the VA disability claims process simpler, fairer, and faster for veterans. Like many others, I’ve navigated the confusing and frustrating maze of process, paperwork, and denials, and I knew there had to be a better way. So, we built it.

At the heart of it, I’m a veteran helping veterans. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who’ve served, committed to honoring their sacrifices by ensuring they and their families thrive after service. Through Operation Beacon, we’re not just fixing a broken system — we’re transforming lives.

This isn’t just my job. It’s my life’s work. Every veteran we help is a life changed, a burden lifted, a family given hope. This isn’t about paperwork -- it’s about outcomes. It’s standing arm-in-arm with veterans and their families, ensuring they get every dollar, every resource, and every opportunity they’ve earned through serving our country.

If you’re a veteran, you’re not alone. Operation Beacon and the Veterans Empowerment Fund are here to light the way. 

With more than 30 years of experience in strategic communications and integrated marketing, I’ve built my career on turning big-picture vision into measurable results. I’ve had the privilege of leading initiatives for a diverse range of clients — from nonprofits, hospitals, health systems, and academic medical centers to associations, physician practices, restaurants, healthcare startups, and consulting firms.

Throughout my career, I’ve led teams, built brands, and guided organizations through change with a focus on clarity, purpose, and results. My work spans every facet of strategic communications — from executive and thought leadership to brand strategy, corporate identity, and cross-platform digital marketing. I’m passionate about translating vision, mission, and values into strategies that truly resonate with audiences and drive organizational growth.

I’m particularly drawn to projects that make a difference — helping nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and purpose-driven brands communicate their impact, strengthen relationships, and achieve meaningful outcomes. This includes my commitment to advocacy for veterans, ensuring they receive the VA benefits assistance they deserve, and promoting veteran support services that enhance their quality of life.

For more than 10 years, I've been a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), supporting children in foster care in my community. I served for six years on the Board of Directors for CASA of Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, including a term as board chair. I have also served as a board member and special advisor for a nonprofit supporting children with chronic health conditions who are immunosuppressed.

As the spouse of a military veteran, I'm passionate about helping every veteran get access to the benefits they have earned. It's the least we can do for their service to our country. I'm privileged to lead VEF and support our veterans in a very life changing way.

Through education and experience, Operation Beacon has helped every eligible veteran maximize their VA benefits. 

• Average backpay received: $12,000. 
• Average increase in benefits percentage: 75%

 
Read Toby's story.