Tracey Nazarenus
Tracey Nazarenus, Board Chair, Adapt A Vet
Who is responsible for making a difference in this crazy world? Who should stand-up and be accountable for the person to the left and right of us? Who should fight for those that defended our Country, and society seems to have forgotten?
Tracey’s heart belongs to meeting the challenging questions head-on with vigor, and enthusiasm. She valiantly goes forward in taking a stand on her values, and beliefs, regardless of their popularity, all while sharing her endearing love of horses and the desire to help our Veterans.
Freedom isn’t free, and we can never give enough to those that gave so much of themselves for our country. Adapt A Vet works with community members and businesses to improve a Veteran’s quality of life by adapting their homes to accommodate their challenges, needs, and service animals. Collaborating together, Adapt A Vet meets their mission by rehabilitating a Veteran-owned home to give back or supplement independence and self-sufficiency. Modifications may be as simple as installing grab bars in a shower, or as extensive as building a bedroom on a ground floor to accommodate a Veteran using a wheelchair.
Adapt A Vet team members use their combined years of construction, oversight, and budget experience to get the most out of donor dollars. The application review and construction process is compassionate and respectful, ensuring the Veteran and/or family are engaged in the project. The outcome is for the Veteran and their family to have less stress in their life related to daily living activities, which significantly improves quality of life.
Tracey is also President of Crusaders Equestrian Team and Founder of “Valor For Veterans®,” experiences that will complement moving Adapt A Vet forward in their mission.
Crusaders Equestrian Team (CET) is a Christian Conservative program that caters to the unrelenting and multitude of challenges faced by youth today, They say “Cowgirl” is a condition of the heart, the Crusaders believe this to be true. The Cowgirls come from all over, with different backgrounds, making up a team: girl, horse, faith. They use their God-given strengths, talents, and hearts to help their communities and those in need. These incredible Cowgirls fight for those individuals that no one else will fight for, and since 2011, CET has been involved with a variety of charities.
Valor for Veterans focuses on helping Veterans cope with the ills of suffrage endured while serving our nation proudly. The program’s ultimate goals are helping Veterans find peace and creating healthy resiliency within their family units.
Some other causes Tracey supports include:
- Adult and childhood cancer research and support with the Teal Trotters Ovarian Cancer horse therapy program
- Youth and Veterans suicide prevention education and awareness
- Influencing / Inspiring others to “Pay It Forward”
Tracey has over 17 years of working with nonprofits, helping them reach their goals, and making a difference. Adapt A Vet is honored and excited she is leading the Board to the next level, positively changing the lives of Veterans one at a time.
Bobby Henline
Henline is a retired Army Staff Sergeant, last serving with the 82nd Airborne Division. He spent 13 years in the Army, completing four tours. While on his fourth tour in Iraq, three weeks after his arrival, an IED exploded under his Humvee – April 7, 2007 is a day he will never forget. The four soldiers with him were killed. As Henline stumbled out of the wreck, a human torch, he was extinguished by the soldier he had replaced in the Humvee. With burns covering almost 40% of his body, fractured bones in his face, and his head burned to the skull, Henline was put into a medically induced coma for two weeks and was flown back to the states.
During his initial six-month hospital stay, Bobby remained upbeat, positive, and relied on humor to get him through each day. Putting nurses in headlocks, trying to keep other wounded soldiers’ spirits up by telling them jokes, and singing a ditty over and over garnered the attention of his occupational therapist. She challenged him to go to an open mic night and try his hand at comedy, making him promise with a pinky swear. He kept his promise, and that experience started a new chapter in his life. Comedy helps Bobby keep his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Anxiety at bay, and allows him to share his story and healing with others in a positive way.
Today, Henline continues his quest to make people laugh in a variety of venues. He has performed professionally as the “Well-Done Comedian” at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club (Las Vegas, NV), Laugh Factory (Chicago, IL), and Hollywood Improv (Los Angeles, CA) to name a few.
Henline’s story and lived experiences have been featured in numerous media, including the documentaries “Comedy Warriors: Healing Through Humor”, “Healing Bobby”, and “Weight of Honor”; on CNN, PBS KET, NPR, Today.com, and Time.com; Time Magazine, People Magazine, The Huffington Post, Guideposts, and The Nipawin Journal; as well as television, radio, and podcasts around the world.
His other experience includes modeling, acting, writing poetry, and songwriting. In September 2016, Henline co-founded Bravo748 Military and Combat Speaker Consortium, an organization that invests in speakers with military experience who continue to give back to their communities through their experience, stories, comedy, music, and more.
As a Motivational Speaker/Comedian/Emcee, Henline is comfortable speaking with one person or 1,000’s. He collaborates with and performs for military and military-related organizations to inspire soldiers, veterans, and their families, spreading his message of life, love, joy, and resilience; he visits middle and high schools across the country to inspire young people; and speaks at mental health and other healthcare organizations, sharing his story of resiliency, hope, and healing. In addition, Henline speaks/performs for Law Enforcement and First Responders, Organized Athletics, Universities, Charities, Fundraising Events, and more.
Michael Cotugno
Mike recently retired from MJC & Associates, General Contractors, a San Antonio based commercial and residential construction company that he started almost 38 years ago. He now consults for the business on an “as needed” basis. During his extensive career in construction, Mike has built countless commercial and residential projects, in addition to a stellar reputation both personally and professionally.
Over the years, he has been very active in the community. He contributed time, effort, and money to several charitable organizations and has been an integral part of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. He is a Life Member of the association and has served for more than 20 years in several positions such as Director of S.A.L.E., Vice Chairman and Chairman of one of the many Committees, just to name a few.
In December of 2014, Mike retired from MJC & Associates in order to pursue his lifelong passion to help veterans with disabilities using his skills and expertise. In June of 2015, he decided to use his knowledge and skills, as well as the many connections in the industry to impact his local community. He is a Founder of Adapt A Vet.
Mike and his wife Roxann, also a Founder of Adapt A Vet, have raised four children. Roxann is currently President / CEO of MJC Construction Services, Inc. In addition to running a successful business and being parents, Mike and Roxann rescue injured whitetail deer (both mature and orphaned fawns) and provide bottle feeding services when called upon.
Today, Mike and Roxann are committed to make a difference in the lives of many of our Veterans thru compassionate and respectful home adaptations.
Roxann Cotugno
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