Our Team
Director of Health and Wellness
Meghan Kelley, co-founder of Wellness for Warriors, is a 500 Hour Certified Registered Yoga Teacher. She holds an MBA and a Masters in Meditation, Mindfulness, and Sleep Recovery. A ten year owner of Peace of Mind Yoga Studio, Meghan began practicing yoga & meditation as a way to heal from breaking free from the bonds of narcissistic abuse that was her family unit. As her practice deepened, she recognized that this was not only her true passion, but also a way for her to fulfill her lifelong dream of helping people to heal, rise and live beautifully in response to hardship. Wellness for Warriors furthers her dream to give back, not just to others, but to those and their families who not only saved her life more than once, but sacrifice selflessly for the safety of others everyday.
Director of Communication and Administration
Ashley began her career in financial services immediately after graduating from Pepperdine University in 2014. Coming from an active military and first responder family, Ashley runs the Southern California Division of Capital Edge Financial, an insurance and financial services firm that specializes in retirement and financial planning for first responders. In her role, she currently serves over 253 police and sheriff’s departments, 82 CHP locations and over 3,000 clients in public safety. Her significant daily involvement with first responders led her to become a passionate advocate for their mental health, always finding ways to support them and give back. She is proud to passionately help those who protect and serve our communities every day. Ashley also speaks both Spanish and Armenian.
Director of Apparel & Swag
Andrea has worked in the first responder field for over seventeen years. She began her extensive EMS career as an explorer before completing the fire and science academy, then working as an EMT and paramedic. After receiving advanced level clinical training, she has worked as a Flight Medic in a busy 911 system for the past four years. Andrea is the wife of a Law Enforcement Officer and the mother of three children. As a highly trained medic transporting injured patients by helicopter, she understands the stress of a high acuity environment. As a result, Andrea is passionate about supporting other first responders and their families through Wellness for Warriors.
Director of Peer Support, Fitness and Nutrition
Jeanna Marie, co-founder of Wellness for Warriors, has an extensive education and experience working with trauma victims and their families. Prior to becoming a police officer, she worked as a clinician in the field of mental health for ten years, in outpatient, in-patient and residential settings. Jeanna Marie has a Masters in Forensic Psychology and is an NYS LCSW. As a Westchester Law Enforcement Officer, she understand first hand the traumas first responders experience on a daily basis, the stigma attached to mental health and the dire need for services to address the trauma. Wellness for Warriors is the collision and culmination of her passion to help those in need live the best and most fulfilling lives possible. Jeanna Marie provides peer support, and nutrition and fitness coaching to first responders and their families through Wellness for Warriors.
Director of Graphic and Web Design
Nicole holds a BSBA and has a background in data analytics, digital design and fundraising. She has pursued more rewarding and philanthropic work in recent years, working in the non profit sector with the goal of using her technical experience to make a greater social contribution. She enjoys intentional design work and helping others visualize the importance of a cause. Nicole believes our communities thrive when the people responsible for protecting them are well. She is happy to have found a way to advocate for the mental health of first responders through her work with Wellness for Warriors.
DJ Dolan
Director of Tactical Athlete, Performance and Leadership Training
DJ is a High-Performance + Leadership Coach, Social Impact Entrepreneur, Mindfulness Teacher, Mental Performance Director for veterans and first responders, former collegiate and professional athlete, former state & federal special operations member- Tactical Team & Violent Fugitive Detective. DJ is the co-captain of “Team Dolan” with his wife and teammate Jenn, fun dad to three children, best friend, novice comedian, fierce competitor, servant leader, lover of life, & fanatical present moment advocate (if not here then where?) Also, despiser of complaining and victim mindsets (although compassionate toward those enslaved by them and committed to helping liberate them from these unhelpful thought patterns).
DJ holds an MS in Positive Psychology, ICF Trained Performance + Leadership Coach and certificates in Science of Happiness, Neuroscience , Resilience , Performance Psychology and a teacher certification in Mindfulness Meditation. DJ is currently earning a doctorate in Neuropsychology and is working toward a professional certificate in Appreciative Inquiry Facilitation.
Director of Spousal and Familial Peer Support
Emelie Nimtz is the Spousal and Familial support Director for Wellness for Warriors. She is the widow of fallen Deputy Benjamin Nimtz, E.O.W. 7-21-2019, and the mother of two young, surviving children. She is also the girlfriend of a sworn Officer serving in Indiana. Jokingly, she calls herself the wife, the widow and the girlfriend, claiming all three roles. Em is the Founder and President of The Benjamin Nimtz Hero Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting law enforcement officers and bridging the gap between LEOs and the communities they serve. She is an advocate for mental wellness and believes in the importance of communication for all members of Law Enforcement families. It is Em’s greatest hope that her life experiences, her own trauma, grief and personal growth will assist others in navigating the daily struggles that come with loving someone in this profession.
Peer Support
Peer Supporter, Project Sapient Founder, Partner
Ayman has worked in the patrol division, in a plainclothes anti-crime unit, as a Metro-SWAT operator, and as a detective in a major crimes unit, as a narcotics task force detective with the DEA and as an operator with the DEA Special Response Team (SRT). He also helped organize SRT operations in Southern New England. As an assistant team leader, he assisted and coordinated the planning of operations as well as conducted various aspects of training. He has investigated high-level drug traffickers, gang members, and conducted numerous operations. His current position is the Officer in Charge of the Problem-Oriented Policing Unit.
Ayman is a law enforcement firearms instructor, a less-than-lethal weapons instructor, a certified use of force instructor at his police department Ayman’s hands-on experience with law enforcement operations at many different levels coupled with his compassion to save lives has brought him to coordinate "Project Sapient."
This initiative is a joint effort comprised of law enforcement professionals of all levels combined with the Special Forces philosophy of winning hearts and minds. Ayman has found that to reach more officers and departments, it is important to share his experience with media outlets that reach law enforcement. He regularly contributes to The Havok Journal, writing articles that provide insight into current law enforcement trends and methodologies to help officers become better equipped to handle an ever-changing work environment. At this time Project Sapient is a Podcast. Ayman's vision of Project Sapient is to eventually train other law enforcement officers and civilians alike in stress inoculation. Something that is sorely needed in the Law Enforcement profession.
In his writing, Ayman draws from his hands-on experience as both a law enforcement professional and from his military service. For years, Ayman has seen the trend in lack of training policing. Whether it’s budget cuts, political enemies, or ineffective policy, Ayman has made it his mission to bring innovation, unconventional policing methods, and to have those tough conversations and instruction to assist law enforcement to better relate with and advise communities. He sees firsthand the need for better training and tools for law enforcement to most effectively serve their communities. A better-trained officer is what policing a free society needs and requires.
Peer Supporter, Project Sapient Founder, Partner
Peter was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts and has over 18 years of law enforcement, entrepreneurial startup and property management experience. At a young age, he became a police cadet to begin pursuing his dream of becoming a police officer. That stalled for a short period as Peter moved to experience a new city and venture. Peter moved to New York and became an account executive in the financial sector. Civic duty was still calling his name and he soon returned to Boston at the age of 24 to begin his career in law enforcement and his entrepreneurial ventures.
Peter has been a police officer for 16 years and has worked in every sector of a major city police department, including an 8 year assignment with full time SWAT / special operations units. He has trained with the best and worked with the best. He has protected top dignitaries, served on countless task forces and effectively taken down HVT high risk offenders including but not limited to international terrorists and drug cartels, weapons dealers and drug traffickers, all while being a serial entrepreneur.
Peter holds many simultaneous positions. He currently manages real estate ventures and projects and is a managing partner of two successful retail companies. He is an executive director of a business development related nonprofit, a podcast host , a full time police officer, dad, brother and 100 percent patriot.
Peer Supporter, Better Blue Founder, Partner
Merritt Cassell is the founder of Better Blue. With over two decades of experience in law enforcement and private security, Merritt understands the balance of being mentally, spiritually, and emotionally well while working in this sector.
Serving in a myriad of positions - from a patrol officer on a neighborhood beat, to a role on a specialty unit devoted to crimes involving narcotics and prostitution, to a supervisory role managing a gang unit in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Merritt Cassell has firsthand experience facing and resolving complex situations within the community. Realizing that trauma and tragedy transcends patrol areas - impacting the lives of officers - Merritt is devoted to providing mental health and well-being support for current and former law enforcement officers.
While experiencing personal adversity, Merritt realized the lack of mental health resources available within agencies and departments. The lack of support for mental wellness served as a catalyst for change - prompting and leading to the creation of Better Blue. Merritt Cassell understands the importance of healing through shared connection and hopes the group support network of Better Blue can help to heal and save lives.