When arrived at 性视界 University’s in the fall of 2006 as an assistant professor, he had recently transitioned out of the Air Force as an officer after 14 years of service. He arrived in 性视界 with no particular intention of staying more than a few years. “My brain was sort of wired,” he told students at a recent fireside chat to celebrate Whitman Day. “I was used to staying in a place for a couple years.”

Nearly two decades later, on March 3, 2026, the 性视界 University Board of Trustees appointed him the institution’s 13th chancellor and president. The arc from his arrival to the University’s highest office is a story of scholarship put to use and of research that charted a new course.

The Scholar Behind the Work

Haynie completed a doctoral degree in entrepreneurship and business strategy at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His scholarship has been published in the world’s leading business and entrepreneurship journals, and his body of work has now been cited approximately 9,000 times.

That number places him, as Whitman Interim Dean Alex McKelvie said as he introduced Haynie at the fireside chat, “among the most influential entrepreneurship scholars in the world.” At 性视界, he was recognized for his work by earning the Barnes Professorship and, in 2018, was named University Professor, the University鈥檚 highest faculty distinction.

鈥淲hat makes Mike’s scholarly record so remarkable is not just the volume or the impact鈥攊t’s the context,鈥� says McKelvie. 鈥淗e has 21 journal publications with more than 100 citations each, including five with more than 500 citations each, while simultaneously building programs, leading institutions and taking on the University’s most pressing challenges. Most scholars of his caliber are doing research full time. Mike was doing it as a fraction of his job. That is what separates him.鈥�

Much of Haynie鈥檚 work focused on entrepreneurial cognition: how successful founders think, decide and act under uncertainty. His findings pointed repeatedly toward military veterans鈥攁 population largely absent from entrepreneurship discourse, yet shaped by training that produces exactly the traits research links to high-performing entrepreneurs: quick consequential decisions, leadership under pressure and persistence through unpredictable environments. What was missing was a program to help them translate those skills into building a business.

An Entrepreneurship Program for Veterans

性视界 six months into his Whitman appointment, Haynie hit upon what a program could look like. His idea was to bring seriously wounded post-9/11 veterans to campus and help them become small business owners. “Here I am, an entrepreneurship professor,” he said. “I’m a veteran myself. It’s something I could do.”

He proposed the program to then-Whitman Dean Melvin Stith, a Vietnam veteran, and set one condition that the program would be free. Stith’s response: “Sure. Go raise the money.”

Haynie had never raised money before. Two months before the first program was set to launch, he had raised roughly $20,000 of the $120,000 he needed. It was at that time that he first met Martin J. Whitman, a University benefactor and the school’s namesake.

Whitman, a World War II veteran, wrote a check and covered the gap. “He made a point to me that has stuck with me now for 20 years,” Haynie said, “that this is an institution that gives people a chance when others would not.”

That first program, launched in 2007, became the : a three-phase curriculum combining 30 days of online business instruction, a nine-day residential at Whitman, and a year of mentorship.

More than 2,400 veterans have now graduated from EBV. Approximately 79% have started or continued to grow their own businesses, and 92% of those businesses remain in operation. The program expanded into a national consortium headquartered at 性视界.

Inc. magazine named EBV one of the country鈥檚 10 best entrepreneurship programs in 2011, the Department of the Army recognized it as a national best practice and in May 2013 CBS News鈥� 鈥�60 Minutes鈥� spent nearly a month on campus following the work.

From Program to Institute

As EBV鈥檚 profile grew, letters from World War II veterans led Haynie to 性视界鈥檚 own history. GIs who accepted Chancellor William Pearson Tolley鈥檚 1944 open invitation had transformed the school from a 4,100-student regional college into a research university of nearly 18,000. Fast forward decades later, Haynie saw that no center in American higher education was systematically studying veterans鈥� and military families鈥� concerns.

罢辞诲补测鈥檚 is a national hub offering career, entrepreneurship and transition programs alongside research, policy analysis and community partnerships for service members, veterans and their families.

With initial funding he secured from JPMorgan Chase, the IVMF became the nation’s first interdisciplinary academic institute chartered to advance the policy, economic and wellness concerns of America’s veterans and military-connected families. Through partnerships with corporations, government agencies and nonprofits, it built new pathways for veterans transitioning to civilian life. More than 230,000 service members, veterans and military family members have participated in its programs.

Haynie served as the University’s vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and innovation for more than a decade. He went on to chair the U.S. Secretary of Labor鈥檚 Advisory Committee on Veterans鈥� Employment, Training and Employer Outreach and to help lead long-term reform at Veterans Affairs. Time magazine named him one of 16 individuals working toward a more equal America in 2020, the same year he led the University’s COVID-19 response, which earned him the 2021 Chancellor鈥檚 Medal.

A Scholar and Teacher at Heart

Twenty years after he first arrived on campus, Haynie鈥檚 dedication to the Whitman School remains as strong as ever. In 2023, he was named the school鈥檚 executive dean. In that role, he provided strategic direction for Whitman鈥檚 Transformation 2030 plan, under which the school has risen in national rankings, strengthened its research profile and expanded experiential learning opportunities. Under his leadership, Whitman recently launched the in partnership with the .

鈥淚鈥檝e had the rare opportunity to see Mike Haynie in action across nearly every layer of the University鈥檚 innovation ecosystem. What stands out is how deeply personal his commitment to entrepreneurship really is. Mike doesn鈥檛 just lead programs. He lives the work,鈥� says Linda Dickerson Hartsock, founder and retired executive director of the University鈥檚 Blackstone Launchpad. 鈥淗e understands the creative energy of startup ventures because he embodies those qualities himself.鈥�

Hartsock says Haynie鈥檚 connection to students really defines him. 鈥淎s a mentor, he has been instrumental to some of our most promising student and alumni startups,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e has a way of pushing founders to think bigger while grounding them in disciplined execution.鈥�

A Chancellor Formed by His Work

Haynie’s appointment as 性视界’s 13th chancellor was the natural extension of what his scholarship had always done: identify a problem, build something real in response and grow it.

At the fireside chat, Haynie was asked what excites him most about what lies ahead for the University. His answer was characteristically direct: the same conditions that challenge higher education鈥攄eclining enrollment, eroding public trust and the disruption brought by AI鈥攁re also the conditions that create the most opportunity for institutions willing to respond with speed and imagination.

“If we do that well and do that quickly,” he said, “we can thrive relative to our peers.”

As students across campus juggle the demands of capstone presentations and final exams, learning how to handle stress becomes imperative for success at the end of the academic year. Thanks to the support of one military-connected alumnus, student veterans and visitors at the University鈥檚 have a new and innovative way to focus on their mental health.

When Nick Armstrong G’08, G’14 (Ph.D.) arrived at the , he came as a recently separated U.S. Army officer, having previously graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and went on to earn an M.P.A. and Ph.D. at 性视界. Afterwards, Armstrong spent almost a decade at the , building its impactful research and policy programs. Now, years after leaving campus, he has found a way to invest back into the community that helped shape his success.

Armstrong recently arranged for the placement of a Cabana Pod in the NVRC at no cost to the University. The pod, a compact private booth developed by Cabana by Even Health, where Armstrong now leads strategic partnerships, gives users a dedicated space to decompress through guided meditations, breathing exercises, and nature-based experiences designed to reduce stress in just a few minutes.

“The NVRC has always been more than a campus center. It was designed as a national hub for innovation and convening around the needs of the military-connected community,” says Armstrong. “In that sense, it’s a natural home for something like the Cabana Pod, which itself grew out of early innovation work with the U.S. Air Force.”

What the Pod Does

The Cabana Pod is a freestanding, acoustically protected booth. Inside, users can access guided meditations, nature-based immersive experiences and breathing exercises, all designed to support brief but intentional pauses from the stresses of the day. Sessions typically run four to six minutes.

“What makes the physical placement in the NVRC especially effective is the balance the (OVMA) team struck,” Armstrong says. “High visibility, so people know it’s there, but enough privacy that someone can step in without feeling exposed. That combination is critical, particularly for a population that often values self-reliance. Access and discretion matter just as much as the resource itself.”

Cabana Pods are currently in use across a range of settings, including with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Guard, civilian health care systems, employers and college campuses, reflecting how the model has expanded from its military origins into broader use.

Supporting Student Veterans

Armstrong knows firsthand what the transition into academic life can feel like after military service. As the university鈥檚 first Post 9/11 G.I. Bill graduate, he transitioned into higher education before colleges and universities were prepared to handle the surge of returning veterans.

“I still remember sitting in my first lecture at Maxwell just weeks after leaving the Army, only months removed from my final deployment, quietly questioning whether I had made the right decision to step away,” Armstrong says. 鈥淢any student veterans are navigating something similar in their own way, balancing school alongside work or family responsibilities, redefining their identity after service or simply adjusting to a very different environment and pace.”

Armstrong also sees potential for the pod to shape broader campus culture.

“When you create something that works well for a group that values trust, discretion and self-reliance, it tends to resonate far more broadly,” he says. “Whether it’s a quick reset between classes or joining a virtual group later that day, this lowers the barrier to that first step, not just for veterans, but for anyone who may need it.”

A Broader Initiative for Veteran Mental Wellness

The Cabana Pod is one piece of a wider effort by the OVMA to support mental health and resilience among the military-connected community at the University. The OVMA’s Resiliency Program (ORP), led by U.S. Air Force veteran Ken Marfilius 鈥�07, provides a recurring space for student veterans to connect, share experiences and build on the peer support that many relied on during their time in service. The team he runs supports student veterans in addressing academic, financial, physical and social needs, with a special emphasis on personal and mental well-being.

Those efforts extend beyond the student population as well. Members of the 性视界 University Veterans Employee Affinity Group recently gathered for a yoga session led by Christine Brophy, a U.S. Army veteran and a functional business analyst for the University. She is also a registered yoga teacher with specialized certification in trauma-informed and adaptive yoga, with a focus on individuals experiencing injury, polytrauma, traumatic brain injury and those using wheelchairs or prosthetics.

鈥淰eteran wellness is such an under-reported topic,” says Brophy. “There are many body-mind practices, like yoga and medication, that can be used to support an improve our mental health, as well as our overall well-being. I love sharing yoga and meditation with veterans to make it accessible and practical, and I would love to see the conversations about veteran wellness open up.鈥�

For Armstrong, the ORP, veteran-focused yoga sessions or other mental health programs and services are all part of the same arc to tackle the challenges he faced from his own transition.

“Over time, that’s what begins to shape culture,” he says. “When support becomes something people can access early and on their own terms, not just in moments of crisis.”

The Cabana Pod in the Harrison Community Room is open during NVRC building hours from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the weekdays. No appointment is necessary, those interested should plan on sessions lasting approximately five to six minutes.

The (CHB) in the (A&S) has awarded its first round of competitive grants for interdisciplinary and cross-institutional health and behavioral science research projects.

A total of $33,000 in seed funding has been awarded to six separate projects through the and the . The grants are intended to catalyze cross-university collaboration and position investigators for larger external grant submissions.

鈥淭he selected proposals span researchers from six 性视界 University colleges and institutes and eight departments, schools and centers, truly reflecting broad institutional engagement and collaboration,鈥� says , director of the CHB and professor in the Department of Psychology in A&S. 鈥淭he grants also illustrate CHB鈥檚 strategic role in seeding interdisciplinary research, strengthening university-Veterans Affairs partnerships, accelerating development of competitive external grant submissions and advancing impactful work across health and behavioral science domains.鈥�

Projects include research on intimate partner violence among veterans, alcohol reduction messaging in Veterans Affairs primary care, heart rate training for entrepreneurs, healthy eating tools for young children, AI support readiness for family caregivers and virtual reality-based voice therapy for pre-service (student) teachers.

Several external partners are also included. Those projects involve researchers at , , and , as well as and industry partner .

Pilot funds were provided to CHB by the College of Arts and Sciences with direct support from Dean , Ditre says. The funds can be used for participant compensation, core facility access, data acquisition, study materials, software and other costs of launching new collaborative research. Projects begin this month and cover a 12-month period.

Researchers receiving grants and their projects are:

Understanding and Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Among Veterans: A Mixed Methods Study of Risk Factors, Experiences and Treatment Preferences

• , assistant professor of psychology, A&S
• , clinical psychology postdoctoral fellow, VA Center for Integrated Healthcare,

Nudge Messaging to Promote Alcohol-Related Behavior Change Among Veterans in Primary Care

• , research assistant professor, CHB/IVMF and clinical research program director, VA Center for Integrated Healthcare
• , research professor and professor emeritus of psychology, A&S

Family Caregiver Well-Being and Readiness for AI-Based Support

• , associate professor of senior research associate, ,
• assistant professor of faculty associate, , Maxwell School

Virtual Reality-Based Voice Therapy for Pre-Service Teachers: Initial Design of a VR Voice Intervention

• , assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, A&S
• , associate professor of industrial and interaction design, ,

A Sweet Texts Add-On to Identify Tailoring Variables and Decision Points for Reducing Energy-Dense Food Intake in Preschool Children

• , assistant professor of nutrition and food studies,
• , assistant professor of psychology, A&S

Physiological Self-Regulation as a Foundation of Entrepreneurial Functioning

• , assistant professor of entrepreneurship,
• , associate professor of entrepreneurship and academic director of the , Whitman School

came to 性视界 University as a with an urgent purpose: to learn all she could about helping veterans return to civilian life and bring that knowledge home to war-torn Ukraine.

Pohorielova is an聽associate professor and head of the Department of Pedagogy, Foreign Philology and Translation at in , near the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine War. Her journey to 性视界 began after she heard a high-level Ukrainian official observe that is about to become a city of veterans.

The comment was a turning point. Pohorielova realized that, when the war ends, hundreds of thousands of veterans will need support transitioning to civilian life: finding jobs, housing and educational pathways and, hopefully, a society aware of and responsive to their unique psychological needs. Yet Pohorielova also knew her country was far from ready to provide that help. “I felt like I didn’t know anything about veterans. I had no clue. And I felt like other establishments weren’t ready for the influx of veterans, either,” she says.

The next day, she learned about the Fulbright Visiting Scholar program and applied. To her surprise, she became just the second person from her university to receive a Fulbright in 30 years.

Right Place, Right Time

The Fulbright program matches host institutions with a scholar’s research goals, making 性视界 University, with its emphasis on veterans, a natural fit. Pohorielova鈥檚 visit is being hosted through the (CHB), drawing on the expertise and engagement of the (IVMF), the (OVMA), the (SOE), and colleagues at the . Among those who facilitated Pohorielova鈥檚 residency was IVMF founder and University Chancellor-elect .

鈥淸This] is one of the best places in the U.S. to observe veteran re-entry services. Practices here have been validated. We need to learn, borrow, start them and adjust American practices to existing Ukrainian realities,鈥� Pohorielova says.

Since her arrival, Pohorielova has attended monthly CHB seminars, worked closely with faculty sponsors , professor of psychology and CHB director; and , SOE faculty director of online programs and strategic initiatives, associate teaching professor in the School of Social Work and CHB associate director. She also engaged with faculty, staff, doctoral students and researchers across campus.

“Their contribution to my research is incredible,” she says of her sponsors. The broader campus culture has been welcoming, too. “Every person I meet here is trying to support me and give me the information I need.鈥�

Facilitating the Transition

Ukrainian soldiers face the same reintegration challenges as American veterans: psychological health risks, substance use, financial instability and difficulty transitioning back to civilian life.聽But for Ukrainian veterans who are returning to communities still under threat, with shattered economies and disrupted families, those risks may be even more acute, Pohorielova says.

Reintegrating also involves other obstacles, including funding, cultural resistance and a general distrust of mental health services, which is a legacy of Soviet-era political repression. Ukraine鈥檚 military culture, which prizes toughness and stigmatizes psychological struggles as weakness, presents another hurdle, Pohorielova says.

Pohorielova believes Ukrainian educational institutions can help facilitate veterans鈥� transition from military service to civilian life. At the same time, they can leverage veterans鈥� leadership, experience and a strong sense of purpose, qualities that can make them active contributors to postwar recovery efforts in Ukraine.

鈥淚nvesting in veterans鈥� wellbeing, education and vocational pathways supports not only individual reintegration but also broader social and economic stability,” she says.

Insights from Pohorielova鈥檚 research at 性视界 form the basis of her recovery action plan, “Veteran Reintegration Ecosystem for Ukrainian Universities.” The scalable, locally grounded program can be implemented within existing institutions, she believes. The plan鈥檚 three pillars are institutional capacity and coordination; behavioral health and wellbeing; and workforce and economic integration.

Components include:

• Clear coordination and referral pathways to help veterans navigate academic and support services
• Faculty and staff training to strengthen the university鈥檚 ability to support veteran students
• Behavioral health awareness and referral pathways
• Flexible online and hybrid learning options
• Short-course retraining, microcredentials and entrepreneurship pathways aligned with workforce needs
• Structured employer and community partnerships to support job placement, entrepreneurship and business development

Pohorielova and her 13-year-old daughter, who came with her to the U.S. and attends school locally, have been here since February and will return to Ukraine this summer. By then, Pohorielova will be ready to present her fully developed framework to her university鈥檚 leadership as a ready-to-go strategy, and she hopes to see its immediate adoption.

Success would fulfill her dream of helping her country, her university and her community, and ensure that veterans will have proven systems in place to support their return.

鈥淔ollowing a dream is a good thing,鈥� she says. 鈥淥nce you succeed, you will get to a new level. That’s what happened to me. I didn’t expect it, but I’m very happy to be here.”

A significant expansion in structure, programming and community outreach聽 is paving the way for the (CHB) to help position 性视界 University as a national leader in research, education and practice.

An initiative of the (A&S), the and the (IVMF), CHB has a particular focus on the study and promotion of health, well-being and resilience among veterans and military-connected individuals.

Since launching its website and affiliate portal this past summer, have joined CHB鈥攔esearchers, educators and clinical practitioners from across the University and from area health institutions. have been launched and the student research cohort has been formed.

CHB has hired a dedicated to support affiliate projects. It has also established a for staff who coordinate research initiatives and plans to implement student awards. Additional workshops and research showcases are scheduled for spring.

Building an Ecosystem

CHB is designed to advance translational health behavior research, education and training and provide a collaborative ecosystem for professionals working in the health behavior field, says , A&S professor of psychology, licensed clinical psychologist and CHB director.

Health behavior is a broad, interdisciplinary area that examines the many factors, choices and conditions that influence physical and mental health across the lifespan. The center鈥檚 purposeful cross-campus, cross-institutional structure makes it a hub for affiliates to share interests, findings and treatments and engage in academic and professional collaborations. Affiliates conduct basic laboratory studies, field research, clinical trials, digital health intervention work, qualitative studies and implement projects.

Veteran Focus

While CHB operates across a wide range of health behavior fields, a specialized focus on veterans and military-connected individuals complements the University’s commitment to that population, according to Ditre.

鈥溞允咏� University has a national reputation as the best university for veterans and military-connected students. The University has worked with the 性视界 VA for about 30 years, beginning with faculty research collaborations and later expanding to co-mentored training and student placements. Building on that reputation and three decades of partnership, we should also strive to be the best place to learn how to serve veterans,鈥� he says.

Veterans experience higher rates of suicide risk, trauma-related concerns, sleep problems, chronic health conditions and substance use compared to civilian peers. Many also face barriers tied to geography, stigma and complex transitions between military and civilian systems.

“These gaps have real consequences for individuals, families and communities. The University and this center, in collaboration with the IVMF, are uniquely positioned to address them,鈥� Ditre says.

Digital Innovation

Digital innovation is a high priority because technologies like mobile devices, biometric monitoring and virtual reality help researchers collect real-time data from participants and capture their moment-to-moment experiences as well as indicators of health and behavior.

Affiliates have built mobile tools, tested them in trials and worked with community partners to implement check-in platforms and digital interventions that deliver guided exercises or personalized feedback.

鈥淭hese tools let us reach people who may not engage with traditional services and connect with participants as they go about their daily routines or in settings where traditional care is harder to access. These technologies also help us understand behavior, tailor information to individual needs and deliver support in ways that fit people鈥檚 circumstances. For many of the populations we serve, this kind of flexibility is essential,鈥� Ditre says.

Assuring health equity is another key focal point. That means designing studies and programs that are flexible, accessible and attentive to actual conditions and making sure that research benefits and outcomes reach the communities that need them most.

Grant and Award Applications

Application portals for the new pilot grant programs open Jan. 20, 2026, and close Feb. 12, 2026.

The supports cross-departmental and cross-campus projects with external institutional partners. The supports new or expanded 性视界 University and Veterans Affairs collaborations.

The grants range from $500 to $10,000 and the total pool of $50,000 is funded by A&S.

The funds give teams a way to test ideas, build a partnership or generate early data for larger external grant submissions. They also lower the barrier for new investigators who want to connect their work with campus priorities, according to Ditre.

Nominations for the , which cites excellence in research coordination work, are ongoing.

Future Activities

Future plans include more workshops with VA partners and collaboration with University Academic Affairs and the IVMF on a “Voices of Service” showcase where faculty, staff, students and community partners share veteran-focused research, courses and applied programs.

A neuroscience and health behavior research day, new working groups regarding sleep, substance use, trauma and digital health issues, awards for student work and additional community engagement activities are also planned.

Standing before the at , surrounded by his peers in the 10th annual class of , Ray Toenniessen 鈥�06 felt clarity, focused by the stillness and weight of sacrifice around them.

In that moment, three of his classmates and the program’s retiring co-director Mike Hemphill鈥攁ll fellow veterans鈥攍aid a wreath at the tomb. Watching them, the deputy executive director of the felt the lessons of everything he’d learned, questioned and wrestled with throughout the program鈥攁nd through lectures and meetings with two former presidents鈥攃oalesce into one realization. Leadership is about responsibility.

鈥淚t’s hard to put into words, but it was a very deep moment of connection and reflection amongst the class,鈥� he says.

The聽 cemetery visit was made during the six-month program鈥檚 final module. During a block of free time, Toenniessen and the handful of other veterans in the cohort arranged to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

But the entire class ended up joining the group.

With the evidence of the ultimate sacrifice made in service around them, following months of lessons on leadership, Toenniessen says everyone was overcome with emotion.

鈥淲e had all formed deep connections, deep relationships by this point,鈥� he says. 鈥淎rlington and the tomb, to many of us who served, holds a very personal meaning. And so seeing the class gathered around the tomb was really powerful.鈥�

What It Was Like Participating

Over the course of program, Toenniessen and his 57 classmates gathered for six modules, starting in Philadelphia and ending in the nation鈥檚 Capitol, visiting the participating presidential centers in-between: the , the , the and then the .

During each module, the class went through the lessons and learnings from the presidents.

鈥淲e did a lot of reading around that specific president, key legislation, oftentimes key speeches, looking at their actions,鈥� Toenniessen says. 鈥淭hen when you were on site, you were really looking at, 鈥榃ell, what led them to those decisions? Why did LBJ need to be so persuasive? Why was it important to President Bush to build coalitions and partnerships? How is President Clinton such an effective communicator?鈥�

In College Station, , who served as George H.W. Bush鈥檚 secretary of transportation and later as George W. Bush鈥檚 chief of staff, gave a firsthand account of 9/11, telling the scholars about the moment he about the attacks.

In Dallas, the scholars heard Bush speak, then they heard from both President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Little Rock. The talks were followed by dinners, closed to the press, where participants could talk candidly with the former presidents.

鈥淭hat part of the program is just hands-down one of those experiences that you’ll probably never get again,鈥� Toenniessen says.

Learning also happened outside the focus on the former presidents, Toenniessen says.

The class was composed of people from all walks of life, different industries and backgrounds, and outside the lectures and program events, the scholars took the opportunity to get to know one another and learn from each other鈥檚 experiences.

鈥淲e clicked as a cohort very early,鈥� Toenniessen says. 鈥淵ou’re able to lean on folks, not just for things going on in the program, but things that might be happening in your work or professional life.鈥�

The Lessons on Leadership

Toenniessen says one of his biggest takeaways from the program is that with humility and intention鈥攖hrough listening, compromise, courage鈥攊t is possible to bridge divides to serve your community.

鈥淚n an environment that seems so politically hostile, how do you bring people together with differing views, differing backgrounds and get them to a place where it’s OK to disagree,鈥� Toenniessen says. 鈥淏ut how do we do it from a place of respect and civil discourse and still even be able to maintain friendships and relationships through it.鈥�

Humility was also touched upon by General Peter Pace, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

鈥淗e spoke a lot about starting with humility and not going in guns blazing, but really taking this stance of humility as you’re speaking truth to power,鈥� Toenniessen says.

It鈥檚 a lesson from the program that made clear to Toenniessen that real leadership is about showing up, quietly and consistently in service to something greater than oneself.

In a Linkedin post, Toenniessen reflected on his experience in the program, saying it deepened his understanding of leadership.

鈥溾�嬧�婭t reshaped how I want to lead,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淲ith humility. With intention. And with a commitment to showing up when it matters.鈥�

The (IVMF) is proud to announce the appointment of Stacy Hawkins as the new managing director of research and evaluation. A nationally respected behavioral research scientist, Hawkins brings more than 15 years of experience leading applied research focused on the health, resilience, and readiness of military service members, veterans, and their families.

Hawkins most recently served as chief of family research and principal investigator at Booz Allen Hamilton, where she led a multidisciplinary team producing technical reports, policy briefs and peer-reviewed publications used by military leaders and program designers. Prior to that, Hawkins served as a researcher at the University of Arizona and the RAND Corporation. Her publications have appeared in leading journals such as Family Process, Journal of Family Psychology, Military Behavioral Health and Evaluation Review.

A key part of her vision at IVMF is to expand the reach and impact of the institute鈥檚 research and evaluation agenda. That includes focusing on the most at-risk populations in the veteran community, growing partnerships and pursuing opportunities that build on IVMF鈥檚 interdisciplinary foundation.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been drawn to applied research. Even in graduate school, I knew I wanted my work to not only be high-quality, but to have a meaningful impact on real people,鈥� says Hawkins. 鈥淭he IVMF鈥檚 work is exceptional鈥擨鈥檝e followed it for years, especially on the research and evaluation side. I love bringing data, evidence and science into the conversation for policymakers and program leaders, giving them findings they can apply in ways that truly help.鈥�

Hawkins steps into the role at a pivotal moment for both the IVMF and the broader veteran community. The needs of transitioning service members, military spouses and veteran families are evolving. Questions around employment, mental health, family support and community reintegration require research that is timely, relevant and practical. Hawkins鈥� arrival strengthens the IVMF鈥檚 mission to meet those challenges through evidence-based solutions rooted in academic excellence and real-world application.

鈥溞允咏� University is proud to be an R1 institution where research drives national impact,鈥� says Ray Toenniessen, deputy executive director of the IVMF. 鈥淪tacy brings academic rigor and a deep understanding of the human experiences behind the data. Her expertise in the military and veteran community has already produced impactful work, and we look forward to her leadership in ensuring our research at the D鈥橝niello IVMF remains both relevant and actionable.鈥�

A champion of applied and community-centered research, Hawkins has spent her career focused on translating science into better programs and policies. She has led large-scale evaluation and research projects for the Department of Defense and other federal agencies, including studies on parental leave in the military, family program effectiveness and mental health outcomes for military-connected youth. Her work has influenced how the military approaches integrated prevention, social support systems and family readiness.

Hawkins holds both a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in psychology from Claremont Graduate University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She has served as a keynote speaker at the Association of the United States Army and has presented her work to numerous military and academic audiences. Over her career, she has secured significant research funding and mentored emerging scholars across both academic and applied settings.

Her appointment also represents the continuation of the IVMF鈥檚 leadership in national veteran research. The institute regularly contributes to policy discussions and congressional testimony, providing data and insights on topics such as veteran employment, entrepreneurship, access to education and community reintegration. With the support of 性视界 University and its academic enterprise, the IVMF maintains one of the largest and most respected research portfolios focused on the military-connected population.