​President - Chelsea Davenport

​Chelsea is a first responder and military family member and started working several years ago building a program to help first responders and their families. She created a company called Peak 1 Wellness to provide better options and support for preventative solutions to the many issues they face throughout their careers. Prior to starting Peak 1 Wellness, she began her career in the medical industry in 2009. Four years of that was spent in the lab industry studying different types of testing and learning about the important information that can be provided through diagnostics. Here is where her knowledge and experience was gained to help promote change for in the first responder industry. She was compelled to start Healthy Hire Healthy Retire after witnessing the different barriers that keep first responders from getting the help they need. Spreading awareness and and educating on the importance of preventive physical and mental wellness has become her mission. Having family members that are first responders helps to fuel her passion to make a difference in the lives of those that risk their lives to protect us.

Vice President - Senior Master Sergeant Thomas F. Lemere

Senior Master Sergeant Thomas F. Lemere is a Section Chief, 514th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. His service to the unit involves the analysis of maintenance data reports and he apprises the Commander on personnel decisions, actions and evaluates EPRs, awards, decorations, and training programs.

Sergeant Lemere grew up in Saratoga Springs NY and enlisted in the Air Force in September 1998. His roles included Lead tech, acting First Sergeant, as well as, Physical Training Leader, flightline expediter, EPR Monitor, and Awards and Decorations Monitor. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as an Air Reserve Technician before moving onto his current career with the Department of the Navy (NAVAIR) working Logistics on a Foreign Military Sales program handling support for a number of platforms and partner countries.

Sergeant Lemere has been deployed on numerous occasions to include Balad Iraq in 2009, Thumrait Oman in 2014 and most recently Bagram Afghanistan in 2020. His Duty stations have included Keesler Air Force Base, MS, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., Balad AB Iraq, Thumrait AB, Oman and Bagram AB Afghanistan. He has also participated in numerous joint, enroute operations for the C-17A to include Yokota, Japan, Spangdahlem and Ramstein Germany, Rota Spain and Incirlik Turkey and have been a paramount lead as team chief for numerous other enroute locations setting up all aspects of the trip for team members.

When it comes to Healthy Hire Healthy Retire Thomas was intrigued from the get go when he attended the Casino Night fundraiser. He spoke with numerous folks and loved the entire cause. He comes from a family where there are first responders even losing a brother-in-law from being murdered on the job as a police officer. 

​Executive Director - Leticia Brito

​Leticia is an entrepreneur that has over 20 years in the construction and contracting industry. She has experience working with military personnel on different bases both in Florida and Georgia. Leticia grew up in a military family in South Florida. Her father is a Vietnam Vet and humble recipient of a Purple Heart. After his active duty years he also helped those in the reserves. As a young adult, she recognized that both her father's experience and his fellow patriots' experiences in the military resulted in substantial PTSD. The results from his military career was not healthy for him or his quality of life. During a construction project with the Marines in 2002 she had a chance to meet and speak with many of them on a personal level. Those intimate conversations were a clear sign that something or someone had to do something for these amazing patriots. The effects of PTSD on her father and so many more that serve truly needed to be addressed. After learning about what Healthy Hire Healthy Retire is looking to accomplish she was drawn to the cause. Not only are veterans in desperate need of healing but also our first responder community. Healthy Hire Healthy Retire is dedicated to helping the very people that Leticia loves and respects. She is honored to be part of this organization and to achieve our mission to bring better healthcare to first responders and veterans.

Director of Law Enforcement - Mike Anger

Michael Anger joined the Army National Guard in 2007, later serving a tour in Iraq. After getting home from Iraq and still serving in the Army National Guard, he attended the law enforcement academy at Withlacoochee Technical College. In 2012, he began his career at the Dunnellon Police Department, where he served as a Field Training Officer and a Proactive Patrol Unit. Due to his persistent work and community policing tactics he was paramount with dismantling the flow of drugs in his community leading to multiple large narcotic seizures. During his tenure at the Dunnellon Police Department he received many awards for his dedicated police work to include his vital role in winning the Florida Law Enforcement Challenge. While working as a police officer he spearheaded community projects to include coaching local Special Olympic athletes, participating in Cops for Kids, assisting with women’s self-defense classes, and teaching firearm safety.

In late 2015, he decided to serve overseas in Afghanistan with the Department of Defense, where he was responsible for ensuring the safety of both military and civilian personnel in a variety of security roles. Some of his primary duties included being a member of a quick reaction force, mobile security patrols, and training of foreign nationals.

Upon returning home, he continued his law enforcement career with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, where he currently serves in the Criminal Investigation Division, as a behavioral health detective. Prior to his current assignment he was on the agencies Intelligence Led Policing Unit, where he was responsible for proactive police work to combat known criminal enterprises that operated within the county. He has been paramount in his overall contributions to not only his agency but the community he serves. His awards and accomplishments include the ASIS International Law Enforcement Officer of The Year, Phillip P. Royal First Responder of The Year, and CCSO's Deputy of The Year. He is also a member of the Crisis Negotiations Team, where he has been recognized for his work during numerous high risk situations working directly with the agencies SWAT team to ensure a successful outcome during hostage and armed barricaded situations. He’s a certified instructor teaching crisis intervention to new recruits and advanced classes to seasoned officers.

During his time in service he has experienced the effects of stress which led to him having two heart attacks while on duty. After recovering from his heart attacks he found a purpose to serve his fellow first responders by raising awareness of the debilitating effects of stress both mentally and physically. He wants to use his combined experiences and knowledge to assist Healthy Hire Healthy Retire, with their journey to creating a healthy working environment for all first responders.

Director of Dispatch - Jen Leininger

Jen has been a dispatcher for almost two decades in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. In that time she has trained the next generation of dispatchers, served on the dive team, become CISM certified and also helped form the peer support group at her center. Jen has felt the effects of first responder mental health as she lost her husband; a firefighter/paramedic/Lieutenant, in 2017 to suicide. Since then she has been on her own path to better mental health. During her journey she found a passion in reaching out to help others and has started public speaking in hopes of making a difference and breaking the stigma and culture of mental health with first responders.

Director of Mental Health - ​Andrea Cuva

​Dr. Andrea Cuva is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), masters certified addictions professional (MCAP), a certified member of the Florida Crisis Response Team (FCRT), and she is the founder of Phoenix Therapeutic Solutions in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Andrea comes from a family of military and first responders. Seeing the struggles her family and friends have carried through out the years has driven her passion to help & she has devoted a large focus of her practice to working with military/first responder personnel as a result. In addition to providing therapy for military/first responders, Andrea has also been conducting mental health, critical incident, crisis response & deescalation trainings for first responders throughout Florida for the past 11 years.

Jonathan West

Jonathan was born and raised in Virginia in a small town named Staunton, nestled in a valley between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. He made the decision to become a firefighter after hearing his uncle talk about aspects of being a firefighter himself. After hearing stories about the work he did and being able to help people he was inspired to make the move from Virginia and join the fire academy. After graduating high school he moved to Florida to attend the state Fire College in Ocala, Fl. He started his fire career in Lehigh Acres Fl in 1993 and in 1996 moved to the Iona McGregor Fire department where he has been for almost 26 years. He is a member of the Water Ops Dive Team and former member of the Technical Rescue Team. Like many other firefighters he felt this occupation was a calling.

After everything he has experienced on the job and seeing signs of the effects, he experienced an awakening that made him reevaluate what is important in his life. From a personal experience in his youth, Jon connected the dots to the life he was leading and the impact on his daughter and family that affected his decision making process. Realizing that this status quo of the job was impacting his family, he wanted to make a change. Jon didn't want his daughter to be affected by the experience of being a young child that cannot change the way her dad is. Instead, Jon developed a new perspective of how to change the shape of his mentality towards accepting mental, emotional and physical outlets that provide a healthier environment for him and his family. 

Jon was compelled to get involved with Healthy Hire Healthy Retire because the current culture and the stigma associated with the industry needs to change. He wants to see his colleagues have resources that allow them to process through their work experiences and not be stifled by the lack of support from the current system.