Meet the Team

Jeremy Harrell

Jeremy Harrell is a U.S. Army Combat Veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Global War on Terrorism. Jeremy served honorably for nine years and was a Non-Commissioned Officer before getting out of the Army. After leaving the Army, Jeremy went to school at Mid-Continent University studying Business Management. Jeremy went on to become involved in Operations Management with companies such as UPS.
In 2017, Jeremy founded Veteran’s Club INC, which is a premier nonprofit that assists Veterans in healing from PTSD, TBI, Substance Abuse, and to assist homeless Veterans with housing and programs to get them back on their feet. Jeremy’s organization Veteran’s Club INC has a nationally recognized Equine Facilitated Mentoring Program for Veterans and their families as well as Kentucky’s first and only Tiny Home Community for Homeless Veterans.
Jeremy is often called upon by both local and national media outlets to speak on Veteran issues, Social Issues, PTSD, Homelessness, Suicide Prevention, Foreign Policy, and more. Jeremy has been featured on Fox and Friends, CNN Prime Time with Chris Cuomo, 700 Club, History Channel, and more for his leadership and advocacy.

AFFILIATIONS:
Co-Chair - Veterans Community Alliance of Louisville
Team Lead- Governor’s Challenge Team -Suicide Prevention
Community Influencer-City of Louisville Synergy Project
Supervising Team Leader- Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs
Member - VA Mental Health Summit Planning Committee
Advisor- VA Whole Health Steering Committee
Advisor- Mayor’s Week Of Valor Planning Committee
Security / Men’s Ministry- Southeast Christian Church

AWARDS:
2018 Kentucky Veteran of the Year
2018 and 2020 Commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel
2019 Patriot Award Winner ( National ) D.C.
2020 Business First Elite Forty Under 40 Award
2020 Humana Boots on Ground Award
2020 Amazon and Kentucky Derby Festival Community Champion
2021 Community Ambassador Award Sec of State KY
2021 Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame Inductee

SSG Emily Hernandez is a US Army Combat Veteran and served in Afghanistan as Military Police. She is currently an Active Duty Recruiter for the Kentucky National Guard and is the University of Louisville on-campus recruiter.

Emily leads our nationally recognized Women Warrior Program serving Women Veterans and First Responders.

Kathy Scott

Kathy is a retired Chief Financial Officer for a large insurance and investment firm. She plans to spend more time with her grandchildren and traveling with her husband.
She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Spalding University with a B.S. in Accounting. She has served on the boards of universities, sports clubs, and elementary schools.
She has long had a mission for dedicating her time to supporting veteran causes once she retired. Among her brothers and husband, they have served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corp. When she was young, she suffered a vicious canine attack and months later her brother was killed in action in Vietnam. She has recently trained and certified her dog as a Therapy Dog. Her goal is to combine these two events into something positive, focusing her volunteer work as a Certified Therapy Dog Team toward veteran causes.

Troy Logsdon

Troy Logsdon is a Christian, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and soon-to-be retired Command Sergeant Major. He served in the Kentucky Army National Guard for the last 28 years, and has conducted missions in various parts of Central America, South America, and various islands. He served in Iraq from 2004-2005, and once again in 2007. He also serves as a volunteer firefighter and EMT with Shelbyville Fire Rescue. After he retires, he plans on continuing to serve his fellow brothers and sisters in whatever way he can, just as he has done for the past 28 years.

Corey Bowlin

Corey lives in Louisville, KY. He joined the Marine Corps in 1993 and was stationed at Camp Lejeune NC with 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines. While living the Grunt life Corey had deployments to the Mediterranean Region, England, France, Greece, Somalia, Bosnia, Kenya, and Okinawa Japan. After serving in the Marine Corps, Corey joined the Army National Guard as a Medic.
Corey is involved with several Veteran Organizations and is a member of VFW Post 1170, MCL Detachment 729 and American Legion Post 180. A member of Veteran’s Club since its early stages, Corey feels passionately about service to our veteran community. He leads many of Veteran’s Club’s programs with a servant’s heart. Corey has one son Caleb who is a Freshman at the University of Kentucky. They enjoy playing golf together and attending sporting events in their free time. Corey enjoys the cycles, riding motorcycles and bicycles in any extra time that he can squeeze out.
Semper Fi! God Bless the USA.

Melissa Smith

Melissa received her Bachelors of Science in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville and her Masters of Science in Counseling from Campbellsville University in 2012.
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Kentucky, certified as an online therapist through Interactive CE Training, and a Certified First Responder Counselor (CFRC) through Academy Hour. She has worked with juvenile and adult offenders for more than 20 years. She loves to work with married couples and her passion is helping Public Servants and their families. She uses Bowenian Family Theory, CBT, Solution Focused and Structural Theories
Melissa is married to the love of her life, Jason and is an avid UK fan.

Ashley Childs, LCSW

Ashley Childs is a U.S. Air Force Veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Global War on Terrorism. Ashley Served four years enlisted in the Security Forces career field where she deployed to Iraq and the middle east from 2001-2005. After leaving the Air Force, Ashley pursued her education to continue her service in helping others; graduating with a Masters of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville Kent School in 2012. Ashley has since continued her practice specializing in mental health and working with the veteran population that she sincerely refers to as her brothers and sisters. Ashley focuses in the area of trauma and severe mental illness. Ashley’s training has focused in psychoanalytic, and EMDR therapeutic techniques. Ashley is constantly training and learning to ensure she can provide the most effective evidence-based therapies in her practice.
Personally, Ashley is loving her life with her husband, three kids and a dog. You can find her outdoors often living in the sun as she loves sports and being in nature. She is her family’s biggest cheerleader at various sporting events. When she does seclude to her home she is listing to an audiobook (only non-fiction) or a podcast, decorating, gardening, and figuring out the next wood working project she can consume herself with. Ashley is a self-proclaimed introverted extrovert. She dreams of traveling more, living on a bigger piece of land, growing plants all year long and simply wandering this world to her heart and soul is content.

Erin Harrell

Co-founder of Veteran’s Club, INC. She provides case management services including intake, needs assessment, service planning, and monitoring and evaluation. Erin is also Lead facilitator for Veteran's Club's nationally recognized Equine Facilitated Mentoring program. She is the Community Outreach Volunteer identifying and coordinating outreach events and activities. She is currently pursing a Masters of Social Work at the University of Kentucky and she is an active volunteer for Southeast Christian Church.

Benjamin F. Adams III, BG, U.S. Army (Retired)

Brigadier General Benjamin F. Adams III, served as the 5th Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs and through 40 years of service in the U.S. Army, Brig. Gen. Adams served with honor and distinction, culminating in his positions as Deputy Commanding General US Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Assistant Adjutant General, Kentucky National Guard.

General Adams received his Regular Army Commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Mississippi in 1978. He earned a Master’s of Business Administration Degree from Xavier University and Masters of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. He has commanded at the company, battalion, and brigade level and served as Deputy Commanding General of the United States Aviation Center of Excellence. His significant active duty assignments include tours at the United States Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama; the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Army Reserve Personnel Center, Saint Louis, Missouri and the Combined Forces Land Component Command, Kuwait and Baghdad, Iraq.

He has earned numerous awards and decorations to include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters) and Air Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and numerous other awards and decorations. He is a Master Aviator and is Airborne and Air Assault qualified.

General Adams is a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, member of the board for the Lexington VA Fisher House, Habitat for Humanity and numerous other professional organizations. He is a past president of the National Guard Association of Kentucky and the Bluegrass Chapter of the Army Aviation Association of America, and the current Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Kentucky National Guard Memorial. He is married to the former Shelley Barney with 4 grown children and 3 grandchildren.

Dean Stoops, CW5, U.S. Army (Retired)

Retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Dean E. Stoops was appointed as the Chief of Staff for the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs on 11
June 2018 by Commissioner Benjamin F. Adams, III then served as Deputy Commissioner from 1 February 2019 through 28 February 2021. Prior to joining the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, CW5 Stoops was the State Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Kentucky Army National Guard. He was appointed to this position in January 2014 by Major General Edward W. Tonini and served as a member of the Command Group until his retirement on 1 February 2018 following 40 ½ years of military service. The son of a U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran and grandson of two U.S. Army Air Corps WWII veterans, Mr. Stoops is a fourth-generation career servicemember.

April Brown, LTC, U.S. Army (Retired)

April Brown began her service with Kentucky Department of Military Affairs (DMA) on July 16, 2020 and serves as the Director of the Administrative Services Division.
April retired from the Kentucky Army National Guard with 30 years of service with the occupational specialties of Military Police and Human Resources. She has held numerous leadership positions to include multiple company commands and battalion command. April deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina for Operation Joint Forge/SFOR 9 and Guantanamo Bay Cuba for Operation Enduring Freedom. Her awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Army Commendation Award (2nd Award), Army Achievement Medal (4th Award), and the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (6th Award) and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
April retired as a Police Sergeant from the Lexington, KY Division of Police with 20 years of service (1994-2014) and served as a School Law Enforcement Officer with Fayette County Public Schools (2014-2016).
April is a board member for the New Life Day Center for the Homeless in Lexington, KY, and the Kentucky National Guard Memorial. She is a current member with the National Guard Association of KY, VFW Post 4075, the Association of the United States Army, the Kentucky Peace Officers Association and FOP Bluegrass Lodge 4. She is also a member and volunteers with Southland Christian Church.
Lieutenant Colonel Brown is married to Chief Warrant Officer Three (retired) Barry Brown and they have two teenage sons, Eli and Gabe Brown.

Karl Truman, LTC, U.S. Army (Retired)

Karl Truman initially enlisted in 1981 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant from the University of Kentucky ROTC in 1983. He was assigned reserve forces duty to attend law school where he graduated in 1987 and earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Louisville's Brandeis School of Law.
His legal career began as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, then promoted to Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Clark County, Indiana.
In 1991 he started the Karl Truman Law Office which serves clients from the greater Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana areas.
In addition to being licensed to practice in both Indiana and Kentucky, Mr. Truman is also admitted to practice before the US District Court for the southern District of Indiana, The US District Court for Northern District of Indiana, the US district for the Western District of Kentucky and the US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Mr. Truman is certified as a Civil Trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and has also received certification in civil pre-trial procedure by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He received his diploma from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and is accredited to represent veterans before the department of Veterans Affairs. He is licensed and has office locations in both Indiana and Kentucky.
His passion has always been in the field of personal injury litigation, helping those injured by others to be accountable for their bad decisions. He practices in the areas of personal injury litigation: automobile accidents, Worker's Compensation claims, Social Security disability, premise liability, veterans’ disability, and maritime claims on the Ohio River. He serves on the board of directors for the Indiana trial lawyers Association and is a member of the Kentucky Justice Association, American Association for Justice, Indiana and Kentucky Bar Associations, and the American Bar Association.
He is the recipient of the Indiana trial lawyers Association consumer advocate of the year award for recognition of his pro bono work with the 9/11 victim’s compensation fund.
He retired as Lieutenant Colonel after 28 years of service. He was commissioned as an Armor officer through Army ROTC with assignments ranging from all levels of command. Duty assignments include Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader, Mortar Platoon Leader, Commander of an Armor Training company, Instructor with the Command and General Staff College, Chief of Operations for Assistant Professor of Military Science and Deputy Chief of Staff for the 100th Division (Institutional Training). He served as the Brigade Training and Operations Officer for Task Force 100 when the unit was mobilized in direct support of operation Desert Storm.
Military education includes graduate of the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Course, M1 Transition Course, Total Army Instructor Training Course, Airborne School, Air Assault School, Anti-Terrorism Instructor Course at the JFK Center for Special Warfare, NBC Defense Operations Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the Command and General Staff College and the Reserve Component National Securities Issues Seminar with the Army War College.
Awards include the Army Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Service Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal and Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
He has been recognized for his work supporting veteran causes by the Clark County Red Cross Recipient 2017 Humanitarian Award and the. Personal counseling service Less and Virginia Albro for profit business award. He was inducted into the Corridor of the Century by the !00th Division Association of the Century.
He is a member of the American Legion, Post 204 (Life Member), AMVETS Post 61 (Life Member) Military Officers Association of America (Life Member)
He is an avid sailor and holds a Merchant Marine Credential by the United States Coast Guard.