Elizabeth Dole Foundation Announces 2025 Class of Dole Caregiver Fellows
Media Contact: Tessa Miller
Elizabeth Dole Foundation
tessa@elizabethdolefoundation.org
202.249.7177
Washington, D.C. (May 6, 2025) – The Elizabeth Dole Foundation today announced the 20 military and veteran family caregivers from across the country who will make up its 2025 Class of Dole Caregiver Fellows. The Fellowship is a highly selective program that empowers those caring for a service member or veteran to serve as leaders in their local communities while also representing their peers in national advocacy initiatives. The new Fellows are the first to be selected since the release of the Foundation’s landmark RAND study, America’s Military and Veteran Caregivers: Hidden Heroes Emerging from the Shadows, which revealed a threefold increase in the number of military and veteran caregivers in our country—now totaling 14.3 million—underscoring the immense contributions they make to our economy and society and the complex challenges they often face.
“This year’s Dole Caregiver Fellows will play an integral role as the Elizabeth Dole Foundation confronts the growing magnitude of the caregiver crisis in America,” said Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “Our Fellows are our first line of support and connection to the millions of loved ones caring for someone who served, and their insights, perspectives, and experiences enrich the programs and services we provide to caregivers, veterans, and their families.”
The Fellows will begin their two-year term this month by traveling to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Foundation’s 10th Annual National Convening on Military Caregiving on May 20, featuring Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins. Fellows will also receive training from the Foundation to serve as community builders in their home states and share their experiences with elected officials, including those in their local areas and national leaders in the White House, Congress, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and other government agencies.
Fellows are available for media interviews about their experiences and perspectives on how communities can better support their local military and veteran caregivers. The 2025 Class represents 16 states and includes, for the first time, two fellows caring for friends (rather than family members); a young mom caring for her husband with early onset Alzheimer’s disease; a spouse caring for both her veteran husband and severely disabled daughter; family members caring for loved ones suffering from toxic exposure; a brother caring for his sibling with PTSD; and a grown daughter who has helped care for her dad since she was three years old.
The 2025 Dole Caregiver Fellows are:
- Debra Anzalone – Lighthouse Point, Florida
- Maame Bassaw – Dupont, Washington
- Kylie Briest – Yankton, South Dakota
- Katherine Chih – Oceanside, California
- Patricia Cullum – Amherst, New Hampshire
- Gabriela Headen – Brownsville, Texas
- Joseph Kavanagh – Tahlequah, Oklahoma
- Michael Korman – Glenview, Illinois
- Jacqueline Larsen – West End, North Carolina
- Oddise Lundy – Rosenberg, Texas
- David Meyer – Denver, Colorado
- Heidi Munro – Boise, Idaho
- Lisa Musselman – Daphne, Alabama
- Kasandra Padilla – Magnolia, Texas
- Dara Parker – Ronan, Montana
- Liana Redshaw – Algonquin, Illinois
- Mozella Richardson-Kamara – Dover, Delaware
- Anna Smith – Chesterton, Indiana
- Liz Wright – Cheshire, Connecticut
- G.R. Zuniga – Temecula, California
If you are interested in conducting an interview with a 2025 Dole Caregiver Fellow, or with a spokesperson from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, please contact Tessa Miller tessa@elizabethdolefoundation.org.
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About the Elizabeth Dole Foundation
The Elizabeth Dole Foundation is the preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring our nation’s 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers – the spouses, parents, family members, and friends — who care for America’s wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans at home. Founded by Senator Elizabeth Dole in 2012, the Foundation adopts a comprehensive approach in its support and advocacy, working with leaders in the public, private, nonprofit, and faith communities to recognize military caregivers’ service and support their well-being. The Foundation’s Hidden Heroes Campaign brings vital attention to the untold stories of military caregivers and provides a network for military caregivers to connect with their peers and access carefully vetted resources. Visit elizabethdolefoundation.org for more information.