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Elizabeth Rocha

  • Congressional Staff Member, Congressman Lou Correa
  • Leader, OC Veterans and Military Families Collaborative’s Women Veterans Program


Elizabeth demonstrates significant scope by rebuilding and expanding the OC Veterans and Military Families Collaborative Women Veterans Program into a structured, trauma-informed, multi-partner model that fills a long-standing gap in Orange County. Her creation of “Operation Harmony,” a 10-month cohort-based peer support program built with U.S. VETS and Cypress College, reflects coordinated systems design beyond typical program duties.


Elizabeth's reach is strengthened by her dual congressional and community leadership, allowing her to elevate women veterans’ needs in federal and regional policy spaces while engaging disconnected veterans directly. Her innovation lies in blending grassroots insights with policymaker access to produce scalable, replicable models for gender-responsive care

Dr. Kathy Cash

  • State Chaplain, The American Legion Department of California
  • Commander, Jackie Robinson Post 252
  • Certified Peer Support Specialist, Department of Veteran Affairs
  • Founder, Strategies 4 Hope


Dr. Cash demonstrates broad scope as the State Chaplain for The American Legion Department of California, where she leads crisis response, peer-based care, and community engagement across one of the country’s largest veteran service organizations. As Commander of Post 252, she expands organizational capacity and develops targeted supports for women veterans, well beyond typical expectations for chaplaincy or post leadership.


Dr. Cash's reach extends statewide, including in remote communities, where she provides trauma informed peer support and mentorship. Through Strategies 4 Hope, she strengthens resilience and leadership skills in both veterans and practitioners.

Teresa “Tess” Banko

  •  Community Development Director, The Veterans Collective
  • Former Executive Director, UCLA/VA Veteran Family Wellbeing Center
  • Commissioner, LA County Mental Health Commission


Tess demonstrates exceptional scope through her leadership in redeveloping more than 80 acres of the West LA VA campus into what will be the largest permanent supportive housing community for veterans in the nation. Her previous leadership the UCLA and VA Veteran Family Wellbeing Center demonstrates her ability to operationalize national best practices in community environments.


Tess' reach includes countywide and statewide service across multiple commissions, boards, and collaborative networks. Her innovation is evident in how she integrates infrastructure development, service delivery, and policy advocacy to create scalable community-based models.

Jesica Davenport

  • Director of Veteran Wellness and Community Engagement, Military Women’s Collective;
  • Volunteer Leader, Team Red White and Blue Inland Empire
  • Volunteer, Wounded Warrior Project, PGA HOPE, Travis Manion Foundation


Jesica demonstrates meaningful scope by building holistic wellness programs through Military Women’s Collective that address isolation, depression, and identity loss among women veterans. Her recurring mental health walks and peer support events provide consistent community-based care.


Jesica's reach extends across multiple veteran organizations where she provides mentorship, connection, and community reintegration support.

California Department of Veterans Affairs | 1227 O Street | Sacramento, CA 95814 US

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