The MCON Gameday Finale (Part III)
American Superhero (Rudy Reyes) + War Room to Board Room (Ryan del Grosso) + Ending Suicide (Wendy Lakso + Keita Franklin) + Education (Joshua Prado) | Veterans Exploration Therapy (Deke Letson)
CTV Crew,
This week is our final installment in the MCON Gameday series. Thanks again to Waco Hoover for inviting us to such a unique event, to everyone who sat down with us, and to you all for tuning in to hear their stories.
This week we meet another remarkable lineup. We spoke with:
A modern day superhero who plays himself on screen and online
An entrepreneur helping vets heal through the power of the outdoors
A multi-faceted entrepreneur helping commercial and nonprofit organizations reach their potential through the power of brand and story
Two dedicated mental health advocates fighting to end suicide with a simple set of questions
A true believer in education and the right of every American to lift themselves up
Thanks for taking the time to check this out - enjoy!
Rudy Reyes (Actor, Entrepreneur): At 17, Rudy Reyes emancipated himself and took custody of his two younger brothers, after which he moved to Kansas City, Missouri. There, he continued to study and teach kung fu with his brothers. In 1998, Reyes joined the United States Marine Corps. He served in Afghanistan and Iraq, where he was a team leader within the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. As an actor, Rudy has played himself in Generation Kill (2008) and the TV series Apocalypse Man, Ultimate Survival Alaska, and Spartan Race. He is also one of the interviewees of the 2020 documentary series Once Upon a Time in Iraq; and in 2022, he became the lead instructor on SAS: Who Dares Wins. He also portrays the playable character “Enzo Reyes” in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II multiplayer.
Ryan del Grosso (IMPCT Group): After graduating from the US Air Force Academy, Ryan progressed through key leadership roles within Special Tactics, SOCOM’s tactical air-ground integration force and the Air Force’s premier special operations ground force. After leaving the service, he advised the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, led Brand Purpose & Social Impact for Cotopaxi, and graduated Harvard Business School. He’s served as Chief of Staff & Special Projects for Canopy Aerospace & Defense, Head of Investment Strategy for Black Lab X, is an Operator In Residence for Saturn Five, and is now the co-founder of IMPCT Group.
Wendy Lakso & Keita Franklin (Columbia Lighthouse Project): Wendy Lasko is the Director of Partnerships and Military & Veteran Initiatives at the Columbia Lighthouse Project. She previously served as the Director, Partnerships, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention at the Department of Veterans Affairs and as the Deputy Executive Director of the PREVENTS Task Force in the Executive Office of the President. Dr. Keita Franklin is the Chief of Behavioral Health at Leidos where she focuses on advancing mental health, suicide prevention, and wellness initiatives. She previously served as Specialist Executive at Deloitte, where she was the lead for the government and federal practice on topics related to mental health, suicide prevention and substance abuse matters. Dr Franklin is also the co-director of the Columbia Lighthouse Project.
Joshua Prado (Western Governors University): Growing up in California, Josh joined the military out of high school, serving as a F/A-18 C/D Hornet Avionics Technician and Plane Captain. He’s gone on to become a technical trainer, recruiter, entrepreneur, and lifelong advocate for the military community. He founded VETD Talent Network, and today serves as the Military Relations Manager at Western Governors University. He’s a die-hard believer in the power of education to uplift and change lives.
Deke Letson (Veterans Exploration): Deke Letson served 10 years in the army, including two deployments in Iraq, where he says he suffered a traumatic brain injury. Five years after he was honorably discharged, Deke started having flashbacks and found out he had delayed onset post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Deke enrolled at Red Rocks Community College, where he took a small business entrepreneur class. For a class project, he came up with Veterans Exploration Therapy. Three and a half years later, VetX has served over 750 veterans and family members, with each adventure giving way to an opportunity for healing.
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