Kevin Gadd is a serial technology entrepreneur and retired Chief Master Sergeant with 23 years of Air Force and Air National Guard service. Chief Gadd served in various technology and leadership roles during his distinguished career including Communications Superintendent, Combat Communications Team Leader, Unit First Sergeant and program director for the national Mission Driven Mentoring program. Kevin also served as Commercialization Director for the Central Ohio region’s IT startups while working at Tech Columbus. He then went on to start Venture Highway, a technology platform for teaching entrepreneurship. He has written several online textbooks on entrepreneurship and taught entrepreneurship at Ohio State, Columbus College of Art and Design, and Dar Al Hekma University. He has an undergraduate degree in German from Ohio State and an MBA from Franklin University. Kevin currently serves as the state director for Apprenti, a national nonprofit helping veterans, women, and people of color get into technology careers through registered apprenticeship.

Leslie has always been fascinated with the human animal bond and began volunteering with various animal shelters and shadowing in veterinary clinics long before being old enough to work. She has also volunteered with several Equine Assisted Therapy programs. In her early professional life, she worked as a veterinary technician. Her first focus was in large animal medicine at several Veterinary Teaching Hospitals followed by working as a surgical technician in a small animal specialty practice.
Leslie is the spouse of an Air Force Veteran and spent 8 years supporting her husband in his military career. They were stationed at Elmendorf AFB (now Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson) in Anchorage, Alaska and at RAF Mildenhall just outside Cambridge in the United Kingdom. The demands of military life led to a career change for Leslie and she is now a Technology Consultant with Accenture.
Outside of work, Leslie has a horse named Smudge, two dogs, and three cats. She loves to get outside and do anything active.

Bill Hammond currently is the Managing Director of a boutique consulting firm focused on helping companies streamline operations. In his most recent engagement, Mr. Hammond served as an interim-COO of a Luxury Italian Footwear company. Prior to his consulting journey, he served as Senior Vice President & COO of ascena Retail, the parent company of Loft, Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, Justice, dressbarn, Maurices and Catherines. Mr. Hammond was the senior leader responsible for Ascena’s Shared Service functinos such as Distribution, Logistics, Merchandise Operations, Trade and Customs Compliance, Indirect Procurement and Engineering teams.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Hammond served as Vice President & CFO for ascena Brand Services, the shared service function providing back-office services including end to end Supply Chain, Information Technology, Indirect Procurement, Asset Protection, Real Estate and Merchandise Planning & Allocation for acena’s 9 Portfolio Brands from August 2015 to May 2019. During this time, he also was the Board Chair for ascena’s Global Innovation Center headquartered in Bangalore India.
Prior to joining ascena, Mr. Hammond served as an elected officer for Nationwide Insurance as Associate Vice President from 2011 to 2015, where he served as IT Chief Finance Officer as well as various management roles within Nationwide Insurance from 2004 to 2011, including Director of Corporate Planning.
Mr. Hammond spent the first 8 years of his career with International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation where he held various roles including Business Development Manager responsible for Merger and Acquisition models, transitional service agreements and was the World-wide Operations Lead responsible for Global Inventory Management within IBM’s server group.
Bill is originally from Southeastern Indiana (Westport), graduating High School from South Decatur. He earned multiple degrees while attending Rose-Hulman and Indiana University (Bloomington). He lives in Galena Ohio with his wife, Christy raising 4 daughters. Mr. Hammond served in local government as a Vice-Chair of Kingston Townships Board of Appeals from 2013 to 2017.

Melinda Small is an accomplished attorney and passionate advocate for children, families, and underserved communities. She currently serves as Board Secretary for Veteran Companion Animal Services (VCAS), where she brings her legal expertise, organizational insight, and deep commitment to service to support the mission of connecting veterans with rescue dogs and building community through compassion and care.

Melinda is an Assistant Family Advocacy Attorney at Nationwide Children’s Hospital through the Lawyers for Kids program, where she provides legal support to families navigating complex social and systemic challenges. Prior to this role, she spent over 14 years at Wolinetz, Horvath & Brown, LLC—first as a paralegal and later as an attorney—working in estate planning and family law.

Melinda earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Capital University Law School, with a concentration in Children & Family Law. She also holds a B.A. in Political Science from The Ohio State University, where she was named an Ohio Academic Scholar and a recipient of multiple academic scholarships.

In addition to her legal career, Melinda has a long-standing history of civic engagement, having interned at the Ohio Statehouse and contributed to research and advocacy efforts in both public and private sectors. Her background reflects a unique combination of legal precision, policy knowledge, and a heart for community-based work.

At VCAS, Melinda plays a key role in governance and board leadership, helping ensure strong operations and mission alignment. Her passion for animal welfare and her deep respect for the veteran community drive her commitment to the organization’s continued success.

Outside of her professional work, Melinda enjoys spending time with her family, staying active in the Columbus community, and supporting causes that uplift those who serve and protect others.

Becca Yuncker joined the VCAS board in 2023. Professionally, she has worked in Field Finance for Chipotle since 2020, and previously has a background in International Finance and Inventory Planning for multiple Fortune 500 corporate retailers. Originally from the Cleveland, Ohio area, she studied Marketing and International Business at Kent State University where she received her Bachelor’s degree, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Personally, she is active in multiple community organizations with the intent to always better herself and positively impact those around her. She is an avid animal lover with four fur babies at home and is proud to be using her passion to support the veteran community.

Cameron is a seasoned entrepreneur, strategist, and community advocate who serves on the Board of Directors for Veteran Companion Animal Services (VCAS). With a strong background in marketing, research, and organizational development, Cameron brings both insight and innovation to support VCAS’s mission of strengthening the lives of veterans through the power of companion animals.

Cameron is the Founder and CEO of Stratovation Group, a Columbus-based strategic communications and research firm serving clients across the nation. He is also the Co-Founder and CEO of My Two Cents, LLC, a public affairs and polling company that delivers real-time data to inform decision-making and shape public opinion.

Over the course of his career, Cameron has held key leadership and consulting roles at organizations including Nationwide, FLM Harvest, and Aimpoint Research. With a passion for solving complex problems and helping organizations grow, he has worked across sectors to create meaningful impact through strategy, storytelling, and data.

Cameron earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Marketing and Leadership & Management from Capital University. His dedication to veteran causes is driven by a deep respect for service and a belief in the healing power of connection—values that align closely with the mission of VCAS.

Outside of his professional work, Cameron enjoys spending time with his family, staying involved in local initiatives, and helping build stronger, more compassionate communities.

Michael (Mike) McNett comes to VCAS as a 30-year Army veteran (retired in 2012) and active member, leader, and connector in various veteran service organizations since 2012. Mike held numerous senior leadership positions in Team Red, White, and Blue (Team RWB) from 2013-2024, served as a Board Member and as the Executive Director of Bunker Labs Columbus from 2017-2019, and as a mentor in The Overwatch Partnership from 2024-2025. Mike’s network-building and leadership abilities have greatly impacted veteran support services across our community in the past years, and he looks forward to advocating for veterans here at VCAS.

As a son of a military father who retired as Sergeant First Class after a 21-year career in
the Army, Terry has a deep connection for those who serve and those who support
those who serve. Terry’s father, Roosevelt Scales, fought courageously in the Korean
war and two tours of duty during the Vietnam war. Witnessing the psychological and
emotional toll that troops endure during and after their time served during their military
careers, Terry developed empathy and more importantly a drive to help those with
similar experiences as his father.

Terry has over 25 years of finance and accounting experience spanning across
distribution, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and retail. Being a native of
central Ohio, Terry has held a variety of finance leadership roles at Ashland Distribution,
Roxanne Laboratories, Nationwide Insurance, Ascena Retail Group and Cardinal
Health.

Terry is currently employed at Grunt Style, a patriotic apparel company with the mission
of instilling pride in self, in our military and in our country. Terry’s role is Director of
Financial Planning and Analysis where he leads all aspects of forecasting, budgeting,
financial modeling, and reporting for the organization.

Terry earned his undergraduate degree in accounting and finance from the University of
Cincinnati and an MBA from Capital University. Demonstrating a passion for volunteering and mentorship, Terry spent many years as a member of the Junior Achievement program helping students shape their professional future. Additionally, Terry was the Treasurer of Corporate Connections, an employee resource group at Nationwide Insurance dedicated to fundraising efforts in support of
offering college scholarships for high school students exceling in the classroom. During his spare time, Terry enjoys watching sports, traveling, riding his motorcycle, and
trying new restaurants with his fiancé Beth.

Andy Topetzes joined the VCAS Board in 2025. A proud graduate of The Ohio State University and Capital University Law School, Andy brings over 20 years of experience and leadership in the insurance industry to VCAS, and currently works as Litigation Counsel for Grange Insurance Companies. His professional experience spans the fields of risk analysis and mitigation, regulatory compliance, process improvement, and litigation management. Andy also knows personally the challenges that veterans can face upon the conclusion of their service. A United States Marine Corps Reserve veteran, Andy served as a Military Policeman and deployed to Iraq in 2003. His wife Michelle is also a Marine Corps Reserve veteran. Together, they are passionate about supporting veteran and animal rescue causes. They live in Dublin, Ohio with their two daughters, Abbey and Bella, and share their home with their beloved black lab/retriever, Daisy.

Judd Beam is a seasoned investment professional and dedicated community advocate who serves on the Board of Directors for Veteran Companion Animal Services (VCAS). He brings over a decade of experience in portfolio management and financial planning, combined with a deep personal passion for supporting veterans and rescue animals.

Judd is the Founder and Portfolio Manager of Beam Capital Partners, a Columbus-based investment firm focused on serving private clients through a momentum-based strategy that blends qualitative bottom-up research with Elliott Wave Theory quantitative analysis. He also serves as a Portfolio Manager at Stratos Wealth Partners and previously held senior financial planning and investment strategy roles at Lincoln Financial Advisors and Granite Capital Management.

A Cleveland native, Judd earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, with a specialization in marketing. He holds Series 7 and 66 registrations with LPL Financial and has earned both the Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor (APMA) and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designations.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Judd is deeply committed to giving back. At VCAS, he leverages his skills and compassion to help guide the organization’s growth and impact. His love of dogs and his respect for the veteran community make his service on the VCAS board especially meaningful.

In his free time, Judd enjoys spending time with his wife and their two dogs, vacationing at the lake, and playing music—both guitar and piano.

Joe Onesto brings decades of leadership, service, and operational expertise to the Board of Directors of Veteran Companion Animal Services (VCAS). A U.S. Air Force veteran with over 20 years of combined military and private sector experience, Joe is deeply committed to supporting fellow veterans and building stronger communities through purpose-driven service.

Currently serving as an Operations Supervisor at LERETA, LLC, Joe oversees performance and workflow in the property tax servicing space, leveraging his deep experience in operations management, business analysis, and team development. Prior to this role, he spent a decade with JPMorgan Chase, where he led initiatives to improve the customer experience in escrow services and helped coordinate veteran-focused programs through the company’s VETS Business Resource Group.

Joe’s military service spans more than 11 years with the Ohio Air National Guard, where he held leadership roles including Base Services Manager and Sustainment Services Flight Superintendent. He was nationally recognized as the Air National Guard’s Base Honor Guard Program Manager of the Year in 2009 and served as a subject matter expert for the Survivor Assistance Program. His Air Force background also includes expertise in food service, fitness, recreation, and mortuary affairs—critical services that support both home-station and deployed missions.

Joe holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management from Park University, an Associate’s Degree in Restaurant, Hotel, and Fitness Management from the Community College of the Air Force, and a Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Leadership for Veterans from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University.

A passionate advocate for veterans and companion animals, Joe finds purpose in helping bridge the gap between rescue dogs and the veterans who need them. His service on the VCAS board is a reflection of his lifelong dedication to service, leadership, and healing through connection.