Nancy Preston is a U.S. Army Veteran and entrepreneur who founded and runs Milk Money Kitchens. Nancy originally enlisted out of Texas and soon commissioned after being accepted to West Point Prep. She served multiple combat deployments, and decided on her last deployment in Iraq to leave and create opportunity for her community.
Milk Money Kitchens began in 2015 with the idea to provide a facility and business services to food startups in New York City. Since then, she has helped and even saved multiple businesses, as well as partnered with numerous other Veteran-run organizations to keep Veterans employed while producing healthy food for the community.
Thank you Nancy for all of your effort to help Veterans thrive in NYC!

J. Alexander Martin Ph.D, is a U.S. Navy Veteran, Co-Founder Exec VP & Creative Director of FUBU, a Brand Strategist, Equity Fund Managing Partner, TV Host, Public Speaker, Business Consultant, and accomplished author.
Today, Dr. Martin's ventures include a clothing line, a non-profit, and a consulting firm. In addition he serves on the Board Member of the National Black Chambers of Commerce, is the President of the New York State Black Chamber of Commerce and a Representative of the Urban League Young Professionals.
Thanks to Dr. Martin for all of the work he has done and continues to do for our Veterans!

Our first Veteran Community Changemaker Honoree of 2024 is Ryan Graham! Ryan served in the Air Force for 6 years, enlisting after witnessing 9/11. After deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he returned home and has been an active member of the VFW, Community Board 10, and currently serves on the Veteran Advisory Board as a City Council appointee.
Thank you for all of the work you've done and continue to do for our Veterans!

September Honorees

September's Veteran Changemaker Honorees are Mercedes Elias and Wilfred L. Cotto. Mercedes Elias served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2007 to 2016, completing a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2011. Afterwards, she quickly found her place in finance, becoming CEO of AmeriVet Securities–a service disabled, Veteran-owned broker-dealer on Wall Street. In 2020 she was appointed by the Mayor to serve a 3-year term on the Veteran Advisory Board. Wilfred L. Cotto served in the Navy from 1977 to 2005 completing multiple deployments in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM. Currently he serves as the Manager of Borough of Manhattan Community College's (BMCC) Veterans Resource Center coordinating outreach, recruitment and retention efforts, programs and services for the college's student Veterans population.

June Honorees

This June, our Changemaker Honorees are Elizabeth L. Hillman and Matt Butler. Elizabeth L. Hillman served in the Unites States Air Force as a space operations officer and history instructor at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Hillman is currently the President and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, President of Mills College in California, and serves as an appointed chair of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Justice Review Panel. Matt Butler is a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant and is the current Director of Military and Veterans' Services at Fordham University. In his work at Fordham, Butler mentors, advocates on behalf of, and organizes a robust ensemble of student Veterans who have been repeatedly nominated for excellence at the national level by Student Veterans of America(SVA).

May Honorees

For May, our Changemaker Honorees are Chaplain Marisa Estrella and Sharon Sweeting-Lindsay. Chaplain Marisa Estrella served in the U.S. Army from 1997 to 2006, and began focusing on helping Veterans who are or at risk of becoming houseless. With her passion, she founded Bronx-based Worldwide Veterans and Family Services, which aims to empower and provide Veterans with an array of services like: emergency funds, job training and placement, counseling, and housing assistance. Sharon Sweeting-Lindsay served 26 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, becoming a Major and retiring. For the past 5 years, she has operated a Veteran food pantry out of the Rosedale American Legions Post in Queens, striving to ensure Veterans are not subjected to food insecurity.

April Honorees

April's Veteran Changemaker Honorees are Viviana Decohen and Rev. Dr. Jacob Kelly. Viviana DeCohen, affectionately called "Mama V", became the Director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services in December of 2021, which has now officially become a full agency as NYS Department of Veterans' Services. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Mama V has dedicated her time and talent to assisting veterans by ensuring they have: food, shelter, clothing, education, employment, and a little motivation. Rev. Dr. Jacob Kelly served over 25 years on reserve and active duty as an Army officer in the military. After his service, he was hired as the Senior Army Instructor for the cadet leadership program at Eastside High School located in Paterson, NJ. After growing the program to the largest cadet leadership program in NJ, he was hired as the Senior Army Instructor for the prestigious St. Francis Xavier High School’s leadership program in New York City.

March Honorees

Let's take a moment to congratulate our March Veteran Community Changemaker Honorees—Wendy McClinton and John Rowan. A decorated Army Veteran—Wendy served during the Desert Storm Persian Gulf Era and is now the President/CEO of Black Veterans for Social Justice. John is an Air Force Veteran who served as a linguist during the Vietnam War and served eight terms as the National President of the Vietnam Veterans for America. Both Honorees are also members of the NYC Veterans Advisory Board and wholly committed to making sure those who serve our country receive the care and respect they have earned.

February Honorees

For the inaugural edition of our Honoring Veteran Community Changemakers series, we are celebrating two of our own—Donee Smalls and Terrance Holliday. A former supply sergeant for the U.S. Army, Donee now serves the New York City Veteran community as a Community Coordinator for our agency. Terrance a.k.a. Terry is a retired Air Force Colonel and the former Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs. Please join us in congratulating them as our inaugural Veteran Community Changemakers!