Richard Brookshire
Co-CEO + Co-Founder
Richard Brookshire is a multi-hyphenate storyteller and reparationist working at the intersection of politics and culture. A nationally recognized political communications strategist, writer, director, and filmmaker, he's held previous leadership roles in communications strategy at Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Human Rights Campaign, and The New School. He is a former U.S. Army Combat Medic and a veteran of the War in Afghanistan. He is an alumnus of Fordham University, Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs, and New York Film Academy's Documentary Filmmaking School.
Kyle Bibby
Co-CEO + Co-Founder
Kyle Bibby is one of the co-founders of the Black Veterans Project. He also serves as the Chief of Campaigns at Color of Change, and as a Political Partner with the Truman National Security Project. As a former Marine Corps infantry captain and Afghanistan War veteran, Kyle is a proven leader dedicated to equal rights, social justice, and ending wars. Prior to his role at Color of Change, Kyle served as a Deputy Political Director for Common Defense, the largest grassroots membership organization of progressive veterans. Previously, Kyle was a Director at the New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC), a non-profit agency with a social mission to remove all barriers to employment for citizens returning from incarceration. He’s served as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) assigned to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Executive Office of the President during the Obama Administration. In November of 2016 he transferred to the Office of Congressional Affairs for the US Agency for Global Media. He finished his fellowship as a legislative liaison to Congress. Kyle has received a Master in Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the United States Naval Academy.
Zella Vanié
Co-Founder + Board Chair
Zella Vanié is a multidisciplinary artist and designer whose work is at the intersection of strategy and design. Zella has spent their career helping organizations build inclusive products, craft stories, and push creative ideas to their highest potential. Most recently they worked as a Staff Product Designer at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Zella is a veteran of the U.S. Army and earned an MFA in Interaction Design from the School of Visual Arts.
Daniele Anderson
Co-Founder & Board Member
Daniele D. Anderson is the Co-Founderof the Black Veterans Project. A native of Oklahoma City, OK, she graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in 2013. She then commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy where she served for over five years serving onboard two guided-missile cruisers, the USS Normandy and USS Leyte Gulf. In 2018 she resigned her commission to pursue an interdisciplinary Master of Arts focusing on issues of race and ethnicity in Latin America and the United States. She is a member of the National Historical Association, National Naval Officers Association, and Black Veterans Project.
MaCherie Dunbar
Board Member
MaCherie Dunbar brings her policy and legislative background to advance organizational objectives. She holds a B.A. in Communication with a Minor in Military Security Studies. She has used her education and personal experience to advocate for and lobby on behalf of military and veteran families. MaCherie is a retired Air Force veteran, having served as a combat engineer with two tours to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. She was featured in Google Doodle’s military voices initiative, has been a contributing author for VA budget recommendations, and has served on the steering committee for the White House-designated Task Force Movement to Trucking. She has also served as a keynote speaker for VA’s first LGBTQ+ Veteran Town Hall. She is also a political appointee, serving on the Washington DC Mayor’s Advisory Committee for LGBTQ Affairs, and serves on the board for the Veteran Multi-Service Center, working to expand initiatives for women and LGBTQIA+ veterans across PA, DE, and NJ. In her spare time, she operates as an independent consultant, owns an apparel brand, and is an artist."
Mary L. Tobin
Board Member
Mary L.Tobin is the Director of Brickyard Chapters and Programs, where she manages all of the volunteer Brickyard leaders and leadership development programs at More Perfect Union. Most recently, she served in the Biden-Harris administration as the Senior Advisor for Wounded Warrior, Veteran, and Military Family Initiatives at AmeriCorps. She is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the New York Institute of Technology. Mary is a proud combat Veteran, having served 10 years in the United States Army as a communications officer, including two combat tours in Iraq. In her spare time, Mary serves as the Vice President of the West Point Women Alumni Organization, Committee member for the West Point Alumni Organization’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Co-Founder of the West Point African-American Alumni Association. She is a proud Godmother and an avid sports fan.
Dr. Ravi K. Perry
Board Member
Dr. Ravi K. Perry is a Professor of Political Science at Howard University and holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan and a M.A. and Ph.D. from Brown University, each in political science. An expert on Black politics, minority representation, urban politics, American public policy, and LGBT candidates of color. Currently, Dr. Perry is finishing a book that introduces the lives and campaigns of Black, and openly lesbian and gay elected officials in the United States.The proud son, grandson, great grandson, and great nephew of generations of family members on the Armed Forces, including but not limited to Army and Air Force; and the following conflicts: World War I, World War II, Korean and Vietnam Wars, and formerly recommended by his hometown Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur to the Air Force Academy in 2001.
