Alison Lighthall, RN, BSN, MSN, Founder: Alison Lighthall, RN, BSN, MSN, Founder.  Alison is a former Captain in the US Army Nurse Corps and has been providing training to civilian clinicians on how to care for the combat veteran since 2004.  While serving with the 7302nd Medical Training Support Battalion, she provided psychosocial training throughout the Midwest to units preparing to deploy.  Mostly recently, she served as the Coordinator of Fort Carson's Urgent Psychiatric Care Response Team, providing emergency psychiatric care to their most emotionally wounded.  She also created Evans Army Community Hospital's Mental Resiliency Training, and gave that training to over a thousand health care employees.  Prior to that she was the Clinical Coordinator for Easter Seals' Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Pilot Program.  A popular national speaker at conferences and a frequently used military consultant, Alison is the consummate teacher. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious, as she engages her audience in the discussion, encourages their questions, helps them problem-solve, and provides guidance on how to care for this unique patient population--our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen.  

COL Kathy Platoni, Psy.D.:COL Platoni, who is currently deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, has been a practicing clinicial psychologist for 27 years. During a six month tour of duty in Operation Desert Storm, COL Platoni created combat stress debriefings and crisis management programs which have been utilized throughout the U.S. Army. In response to 9/11, she voluntarily deployed to New York City on two occasions in order to provide disaster mental health and critical incident stress debriefing to members of the New York City Police Department. She served as commander of the 1972nd Medical Detachment (Combat Stress Control) at Guantanamo Bay Cuba from 2003-2004. COL Platoni volunteered to return to active duty within weeks of her return, and deployed to Iraq in support of OIF, holding the position of Deputy Commander of Clinical Services for the 55th Medical Company (CSC) in Baghdad and seven other locations. She became Officer in Charge of Team Ar Ramadi. After her return from Iraq, COL Platoni reported to Fort Benning, GA, at the commander's request, for an additional six month mission in order to provide reintegration assistance. COL Platoni holds appointments as Assistant Clinical Professor with the School of Professional Psychology and Wright State University. She is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievment Award from her alma mater, Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY.As a graduate of the Army's Command and General Staff College, she is presently assigned to the 307th Medical Group, based in Blacklick, OH.

LTC Cynthia Rasmussen, RN, MSN, CANP: LTC Rasmussen is the full-time Combat and Operational Stress Control Officer and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for the 88th Regional Readiness Command Surgeon General's Office, in Minneapolis, MN. She conducts both military and civilian training, debriefings, seminars, and community presentations nationwide.