STAFF

Jay Kopelman, Executive Director

Jay Kopelman is a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel who served in combat in Iraq - where he earned the Combat Action Ribbon - as a liaison officer with an Iraqi Army battalion during the November 2004 Battle of Fallujah. He also served as the I Marine Expeditionary Force SOF Liaison Officer. His last assignment was as the Deputy Director for advisor training at Camp Pendleton. He is a sought-after speaker and radio and television guest and co-host. He has been the featured speaker at The Clinton School of Public Service, the Reserve Officer Leadership Symposium, the Veterans Health Administration annual conference and the 2008 Cyber-Therapy Conference, an international conference attended by physicians, psychologists and therapists from 28 countries. Mr. Kopelman is seen regualarly on television news as an expert on military issues. He is the author of two books, The New York Times and international bestselling memoir, From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava; and From Baghdad to America: Life Lessons From a Dog Named Lava. Since retiring from the Marine Corps, Mr. Kopelman has become an advocate for veterans and their numerous causes. He brings his passion for these causes to Freedom Is Not Free in an effort to create greater awareness of the issues our veterans and their families face and to champion those causes to the American public. Mr. Kopelman serves as a member of the advisory board at the Virtual Reality Medical Center, a San Diego-based facility with offices in Los Angeles and Palo Alto, CA, that uses VR to treat patients with a variety of phobias and is a leader in the use of VR to treat returning veterans suffering from TBI and PTSD by the process of graded exposure therapy. Mr. Kopelman held numerous positions of leadership at a variety of commands during his 20-year military career. He earned his Naval Aviator wings on September 25, 1987 and his Naval Parachutist wings in 1995. Mr. Kopelman has 100 carrier arrested landings on a variety of aircraft carriers. He is a 1982 graduate of the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.

Cathy Pratt, Development Director

Cathy Pratt has been a Marine spouse for over 26 years. She is an adjunct college Biology professor for the last fifteen years, has volunteered her time to several Officers’ Wives’/Spouses’ Clubs, Key Volunteer Networks, and Family Readiness Programs, and has raised three children in between thirteen military moves. She heard about Freedom Is Not Free at a charity golf tournament, and volunteered to help. She chose to pursue the opportunity to assist Freedom Is Not Free in fundraising, event planning, and execution. She has been trained as a Key Volunteer, Key Volunteer Coordinator, Key Volunteer Advisor, in Command Team Training, and in L.I.N.K.S. She received her Bachelor of Science in 1988 and her Master of Arts in 1994 from East Carolina University. Her email is: cathyp@FreedomIsNotFree.com.

John Winslow, Grants Coordinator

John Winslow developed a deep respect for those who serve in the military as he spent his early years growing up on an Army base. He has also spent time studying abroad in China and volunteering at a high school in Nepal, which cultivated a healthy appreciation for the privileges and opportunities afforded to him by being an American citizen. He heard about Freedom Is Not Free through a friend, and was very interested in the cause and the versatility of the organization. He assists Freedom Is Not Free with grant request intake and processing, as well as helping coordinate outside events. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 2009 from the University of California, San Diego. His email is: johnw@FreedomIsNotFree.com.

Beverly Bratek, Volunteer

Beverly Bratek is a retired registered nurse and patriotic American. When approached to come aboard FREEDOM IS NOT FREE she instantly and enthusiastically replied, "Yes!" Through her experiences as a nurse, Ms. Bratek has seen first-hand the difficulties many families have dealing with the illness, injury and death of a loved one. Furthermore, through her own experience with the loss of a son in an aviation mishap, Ms. Bratek brings a profound sense of empathy to the mission for those parents of fallen soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen. She also has a deep appreciation and understanding of the military medical system and community -- Ms. Bratek was a civil service nurse at Camp Pendleton during the Vietnam War. We are pleased and grateful that Ms. Bratek has joined us here at FREEDOM IS NOT FREE and value the experience and empathy she brings to helping wounded veterans, their families and the families of fallen soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen. Her email is: beverlyb@FreedomIsNotFree.com.

Erika Zehm, Volunteer

Erika Zehm is a recent graduate from Sonoma State University, graduating in May, 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. During her tenure at Sonoma State, she was on the Dean's list. She also was an active member of her department. She was active during the election of 2008, and traveled to Washington D.C. in January, 2009. She was a political correspondent for Sonoma County Radio Station, Froggy 92.9 and a voter educator on campus. After graduation, Erika moved back to her home town of San Diego and decided to join Freedom Is Not Free in March, 2010. She enjoyed being part of the team that organized their first charity golf tournament. Erika has a great admiration for the men and women who serve and have served our country and is honored to be a member of the Freedom Is Not Free team. Her email is: erikaz@FreedomIsNotFree.com.

Business phone: (858) 847-9999

Fax: (858) 793-5357

E-mail: info@FreedomIsNotFree.com