L I F T   A   V E T   -   E x e c u t i v e   S t a f f

Raul E. Rosas is a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico and a graduate of Cacique Agüeybana High School. He retired from the U.S. Navy with 20 years; and is a service-disabled; combat-zone veteran and a veteran of Operation Ernest Will, Pentagon 9/11 and Iraq War (OEF/OIF).

On October 2, 2017, Raul was appointed by the Honorable David J. Shulkin, M.D., Secretary of VA to serve a two-year term as a Special Government Employee member to the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans, Washington, D.C. The appointment ended the summer of 2020.

Raul also serves as a Commissioner with the Maryland Veterans Commission (non-paid position), a distinguished appointed position advising the Maryland VA Secretary on issues impacting Iraq/Afghanistan veterans and on the development of initiatives and strategies to further the Maryland VA outreach, advocacy, and awareness to the over 450,000 veterans residing in Maryland. Raul is a Security Engineer SME in the private sector and have supported the DOJ Justice Management Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, and other Federal Agencies.

Mr. Rosas’ mission is to advocate for the needs and benefits of veterans living in the United States, Puerto Rico, and abroad. He has established a consortium of professionals to propose revitalizing the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico with the goal of creating new and much-needed jobs for Veterans and local communities in Puerto Rico. He and his team have also been involved in the recovery assistance efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and have already evacuated a Navy Active-Duty member and his injured mother off the island and have assisted many other veterans there.

He served at following Sea and Ashore Commands: USS Doyle (FFG-39); USS Yosemite (AD-19); Argentinian Corvette ARA Granville (TF-120); NAVCOMMSTA Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE), MacDill AFB FL; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Site-R Complex; NCTS Bahrain; National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda; USS Tempest (PC-2), USS Thunderbolt (PC-12); USS Typhoon (PC-5) and USS Firebolt (PC10).

He is entitled to wear the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign medal and numerous other campaign and unit awards. Other achievements include selection as the 2000 Joint Chiefs of Staff Sailor of the Year: 2006 Patrol Coastal Crew Sailor of the Year and nomination for the 2006 Vice-CNO Shore Sailor of the Year.

Raul has attended the University of Maryland (Cyber Security), Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, FL (Networking), Howard Community College MD (Computer Forensics) and the University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business (Nonprofit Management Program). George Washington University Cybersecurity Boot Camp Program.

Alan Yarusevich II, Vice President of Operations

Alan Yarusevich has over 25 years of leadership and management experience that spans across both the public and private sectors. He has expertise in a diverse range of technologies within multiple industry settings. Mr. Yarusevich has extensive experience in program management, process management, product delivery and team building.  His outstanding accomplishments have been recognized by U.S. Air Force and other top government agencies.

Mr. Yarusevich served with distinction in the U.S. Air Force during the Iraq War.  After his military service, he was responsible for leading and motivating individuals to maximize levels of productivity while forming cohesive team environments. At the U.S. Government, he successfully led a team that designed, implemented, secured, and streamlined critical data networks.  At a leading storage solution integrator, he researched and tested leading-edge storage-related technology as well as managed customer deployments.  Mr. Yarusevich has also managed teams of pre-sales, product, and R&D engineers where he indirectly increased revenue through leadership, mentoring, and process development.

Alan Yarusevich brings an extensive set of leadership, team building, and delivery expertise to LIFT A VET. His experience and skills will be used to drive our programs.

Dr. Macri, a retired U.S. Navy Captain, Medical Corps with over 35 years of active military service; served as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations for Diversity during her last tour of duty; directly advising the CNO on matters of diversity and inclusion. She is a native of Hawaii and she’s a Board Certified OB/GYN and Board Certified Gynecologic Oncology. Dr. Macri specializes in program development – STEM pipeline; low or no cost programs for high school students of diverse backgrounds; college counseling for these students; developed S2M2: Science, Service, Medicine, & Mentoring program to promote science/medicine careers among disadvantaged high school students. She is a graduate of Temple University School of Medicine and Lehigh University. Dr. Macri brings a wealth of expertise to LIFT A VET to help us deal and assist with the medical needs of veterans.

Manny Lopez is a highly accomplished senior level executive leader with over 25 years of management consulting in the public and private sectors. Manny is a results-driven Enterprise Risk and Operations Management professional serving Federal clients across the Civilian, Health, DoD, and Intel communities. He is a strategic and analytical thinker with excellent creative problem solving and interpersonal skills. He is a proven leader and new market building developer, demonstrating professional agility, flexibility, and discretion with the ability to handle competing priorities and multiple stakeholders effectively.

His experience began with the U.S. Navy as a Telecommunications Technical Control operator with the National Security Agency (NSA) supporting Cybersecurity and Information Operations in support of the Cold War, Operations Dessert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. He completed his service honorably in 2006, transitioning into private industry supporting top five consulting firms like: Booz Allen Hamilton, Keane, SAIC, LEIDOS, and SRA, International as a Sr. Principal Security consultant in support of Enterprise Information Security, Risk Management and Business Continuity programs centralizing and integrating people, processes, technology and budgets in the range of $100 Million.

Manny is a Department of Defense certified Chief Information Officer (CIO) with demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity, systems engineering, program management and acquisition of information and business systems. He holds a Master of Science in Business Administrations (MBA) from DeVry University, and a Master of Science in Management Information Systems from Bowie State University. As a board member and Professor, he pioneered Bowie State University’s Management Information Systems Department’s framework for the Cybersecurity “Center of Excellence.” He is a current ISACA member and industry certified information system security manager (CISM). He is a John Maxwell certified leadership speaker, trainer, and coach. Manny worked as Director, Federal Cybersecurity for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Office of the CIO, Cybersecurity Information Operations, Governance, Risk, and Compliance and National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency, Office of the CIO Risk Management office. Mr. Lopez is responsible for the reengineering, standardization, and transition of DTRA’s 45 Platform Information Systems from the current Defense Information Assurance Certification Program into the new Risk Management Framework (RMF); and NGA’s Digital transformation to Cloud FEDRAMP and DevOps programs.

His personal awards include two Commander Awards for Excellence in Civilian Service, various Navy awards; which include: Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy Commendation Medal, three Navy Achievement Medals, Iraqi Freedom Medal, NATO Medal; and five Good Conduct Medals.

Jose brings an incredible and diverse background to LIFT A VET. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army. A professional who strives and understands the work that needs to be done and effectively use resources available in the most effective manner. Jose has great ability understanding workers, identifying their weaknesses and strengths and sue them to accomplish the goal. Jose’s patience and ability to focus on the issues at hand are key to his negotiation skill sets and has gained extensive experience about Latin America’s multicultural environment due to his extensive travels to the region as a representative of the U.S. Government as a Civil Affairs Officer. LIFT A VET is thrilled to have Jose as a Director of Operations for Puerto Rico. Jose is a graduate of the Inter American University School of Law where he obtained his Doctor of Law (J.D.) in Civil Law and Intellectual Property; a Bachelor from University of Puerto Rico (Pre Law); and a graduate from the American Military Academy – General Studies. Jose was also a member of the ROTC.

L I F T   A   V E T   -   B o a r d   o f   D i r e c t o r s

Javier is currently a NASA Chief Engineer with over 34 years of experience at the Goddard Space Flight Center(GSFC) in engineering and management of projects and personnel for the design, development and operation of spaceflight systems that include: Observatory Manager in the Projects Directorate, and Engineering Supervisor in the Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate. Twice awarded NASA's Exceptional Achievement medal for notable achievement of excellence for Landsat 5 and X-Ray Timing Explorer Satellites. Received various NASA and GSFC awards on the Cosmic Background Explorer project, Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (2012-present), Solar Dynamics Observatory, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, Mars Observer Laser Altimeter, and The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System. Professional Publications: TDRS KU-BAND Gateway; Design, Development and Testing of the X-Ray Timing Explorer High Gain Antenna System; and An Airborne Conical Scanning Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer. Hold a Bachelor's of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PR, and a Master's of Science in Control System Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

Ms. Loss has over 20 years of international and national experience working across multiple industries providing technical, sales and operational expertise. She has an extensive background in cyber security, insider threats, strategic planning, business development, partner management, analytics, intelligence analysis, and secure information sharing.

Most recently, Ms. Loss was responsible for driving over 80 million dollars in revenue at Forcepoint, a Raytheon Company. She has been directly involved in every aspect hiring, training and managing teams that provide technical, management and partner expertise throughout the entire sales life-cycle.

Ms. Loss earned a Cybersecurity Strategy Certification from Georgetown University and is Six Sigma certified. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from George Mason University.

Jennifer is currently the eHealth Exchange Program Director for The Sequoia Project in Washington, D.C., and a native of Baltimore, Maryland. The eHealth Exchange Program is a group of federal agencies and non-federal organizations that came together under a common mission and purpose to improve patient care, streamline disability benefit claims, and improve public health reporting through secure, trusted, and interoperable health information exchange. The Sequoia Project is a non-profit 501c3 chartered to advance implementation of secure, interoperable nationwide health information exchange. Jennifer is a graduate of Keller Graduate School of Management where she obtained her M.P.M in Project Management and from the University of Maryland Baltimore County where she obtained her B.A. in Political Science & German.

Dr. Espina is Lead Geophysics Research at the National Geospatial Agency (NGA). A native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Pedro served as the Executive Director, National Science and Technology Council at the White House, where he managed the interagency process of developing science and technology policy for the Executive Office of the President by overseeing the collaboration among more than 1000 government executives across 56 interagency policy groups. Pedro was the International Science and Standards Advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In addition, Pedro served as the Senior Science and Technology Advisor with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); there, Dr. Espina strengthened the FBI Science and Technology interactions with academia (including NSA), other Federal agencies, and the Industry. Dr. Espina is a Member is an Adjunct Professor at West Virginia University, and a graduate of the University of Maryland where he obtained his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering (Computational Fluids Dynamics) and also his Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering. He is also a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez where he obtained his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering. Pedro was a member of the Air Force ROTC.

L I F T   A   V E T   -   A d v i s o r y   C o u n c i l

Roger M. Natsuhara was the acting United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment).

Roger M. Natsuhara was born in Stockton, California. He was educated at the University of California, Berkeley, receiving a B.S. in civil engineering.

Upon graduating, Natsuhara took a job as an engineer with Boeing in Renton, Washington. He was a senior engineer on the Boeing 757 Flight Test Integration Group.

In 1982, Natsuhara attended Officer Candidate School at Naval Station Newport and was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. His first posting was as a Surface Warfare Officer on the USS Harold E. Holt (FF-1074). During this assignment, he was selected to become a member of the Civil Engineer Corps, and he would spend the next 22 years as an engineer with the Civil Engineer Corps.

After retiring from the Navy at the rank of Captain, Natsuhara attended the Executive Program at the Ross School of Business in 2003. He then took a job at the Battelle Memorial Institute as Navy Market Sector Senior Market Manager. He later joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as Director of the Real Property, Facilities and Logistics Office.

In August 2009, Natsuhara was appointed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment). Since the office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment) was unfilled, he was the acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment) until March 5, 2010, at which time Jackalyne Pfannenstiel assumed office.

Vice Adm. Van Buskirk, a native of Petaluma, Calif., graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1979. He served as the Navy’s 56th Chief of Naval Personnel from Oct. 11, 2011 to Aug. 2, 2013. He served concurrently as the deputy chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education) (N1), and was responsible for the planning and programming of all manpower, personnel, training and education resources for the U.S. Navy. He managed an annual operating budget of $29 billion and led more than 20,000 employees engaged in the recruiting, personnel management, training and development of Navy personnel. His responsibilities also included overseeing Navy Recruiting Command, Navy Personnel Command, and Naval Education and Training Command.

Ashore he received his master’s degree at the Naval Postgraduate School and served tours in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, Bureau of Naval Personnel, and Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

At sea, he served on board USS Seawolf (SSN 575), USS Salt Lake City (SSN 716), USS Tunny (SSN 682), and USS Georgia (SSBN 729) GOLD, and commanded USS Pasadena (SSN 752) and Submarine Development Squadron 12.

As a flag officer, he has served as commander, Task Force Total Force; deputy to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Effects (MNF-Iraq); commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine; assistant deputy, Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5B); deputy commander and chief of staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and the 47th commander of the U. S. 7th Fleet, forward deployed in Yokosuka, Japan.

He is entitled to wear the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (seven awards), and other various personal, unit and service awards.

Rear Admiral Earl L. Gay is a native of Atlanta, Ga., and 1980 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He completed flight training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola in 1981. He earned his Master's degree in Financial Management from Troy State University; he is also a 1995 graduate of the U.S. Air War College. Additionally, he attended the Joint Forces Staff College in 2005 and University of North Carolina Flagler School of Business in 2009.

Gay's initial sea assignments included deployments aboard the USS Fletcher (DD 992), USS Cook (FF 1083), USS David R. Ray (DD 971) and USS Crommelin (FFG 43). He commanded the Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 43 BattleCats, deploying the Navy's first Armed Helo/Hellfire missile detachments. He also served as “Air Boss”, USS Boxer (LHD 4), deploying with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in 1999.

Assignments ashore include search and rescue pilot in the High Sierra Mountains at NAS Fallon, Nev., instructor pilot in the SH-60B aircraft at HSL-41, Joint Plans officer at U.S. Forces Command and U.S. Atlantic Command and Commanding Officer of HSL-41, training squadron for all west coast SH-60B pilots and aircrewmen.

Gay commanded the USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) from March 2003 until November 2004, deploying twice with the 11th MEU in combat support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Following this tour, Gay was assigned as the Navy's Director of Congressional liaison, U.S. House of Representatives.

Gay was next assigned as the 86th Commandant of Naval District Washington and Deputy Commander, Joint Force Headquarters, National Capital Region.

Gay served as Deputy Chairman of the Armed Forces Inauguration Committee, Washington, DC from July 2008 until March 2009.  In his next assignment, Gay served as Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3, San Diego, CA from July 2009 until June 2011.

He assumed his current assignment as commander, Navy Recruiting Command in August 2011.

Rear Admiral Gay is honored to have served with numerous operational units that have been awarded the Battle Efficiency "E" Award.

Rear Admiral Arthur Johnson graduated from the United States Naval Academy in May 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Security Affairs. He earned his naval aviator wings of gold in February 1981.

He has served in command and various staff positions in Hawaii, California, Keflavik, Iceland, Guam, Japan and the Pentagon. He has deployed extensively throughout the Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean, and Pacific regions. Afloat, he served as operations officer, administrative assistant, as well as sea and anchor detail officer of the deck onboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), where he earned Third Fleet’s Shiphandler of the Year honors for 1990.

In June 1994, he graduated with a master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government where his studies focused on U.S. Business and Government Relationships and Third World Politics. He is also a member of the Millennium Class at the National War College in Washington, D.C. and was awarded a master’s degree in National Strategic Studies in June 2000.

Johnson has completed command tours at Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii, where he commanded the “Golden Swordsmen” of Patrol Squadron 47, and at Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, as commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5. He also served as the assistant deputy director for Politico-Military Affairs-Asia in the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate of the Joint Staff.

Johnson’s first flag assignment was as commander, United States Naval Forces Marianas, and U.S. Pacific Command Representative Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of Palau. Following that assignment, he commanded Patrol and Reconnaissance Forces 5th Fleet, Patrol and Reconnaissance Forces 7th Fleet and Fleet Air Western Pacific. Johnson served as commander, Naval Safety Center from 2007 to 2011. He reported as director, Assessment Division OPNAV N81 in July 2011.