Advancement Council
Amanda Blount
Owner & Operator, Plough Monday Farm
Non-profit Advisor & Public Speaker
Amanda grew up on a 300+ acre peanut and tobacco family farm in Mackeys, NC. She is the owner of Plough Monday Farm, a 1.5-acre micro-farm, and advocates for rural and urban micro-farms. Amanda retired after 20 years in the US Army and TNNG in 2014 as an ordinance and logistics 1LT and from DOD as a Contract Specialist. In recent years, Amanda has served as the Grant and Funding Committee Chair of both the Friends of Dunbar Cave and the Clarksville-MOCO Mayor’s Exit Beatification Program, as a PICK TN Conference board member, and the Region 2 Coordinator of FVCTN. Amanda runs a nonprofit education group that helps leaders and citizens at the local level and has also won grants for her community work. Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in Business and Behavioral Science, with graduate studies in sustainability, emergency and disaster management, government contracting, and grant management.
Damon Cleaton
Owner, Cleaton’s 4E Farms
Damon Cleaton is a disabled 23-year Army Veteran with two combat tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. After retiring in 2016, Damon returned home to Central Texas and opened a produce farm and nursery, with his wife and four children. Damon mentors Veterans, youth, and first-time farmers in the BattleGround to Breaking Ground Project, the Texas Farm Bureau Homeschool Garden program and Texas 4-H. He is a National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operator Program Instructor and develops and instructs farm health and safety training. Damon supports agricultural education and rural health as an advisor, instructor, and board member for other organizations such as Texas AgrAbility, Central Texas College, the AgriSafe Network, and the National Association of Rural Mental Health. He served as an Army Medical Service Corps Officer and holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a MA in Healthcare Administration from the University of the Incarnate Word.
Michael O’Gorman
Founder, Farmer Veteran Coalition
Michael began farming in 1970. After 20 years Michael was hired to run the first organic farm in Salinas, California. Over the next five years TKO Farms became the country’s leading grower of packaged salad greens. In 1996 he became the first Farm Manager for Mission Organics, growing for the Earthbound label and newly formed Natural Selection Foods. In 1998 Michael began a 10-year stint developing 1,600 acres of intensive organic vegetable and herb production
in the northern half of Baja, California, for Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo, including 30 acres of indoor tomatoes. In 2009 he began the Farmer Veteran Coalition out of the back of his pickup truck.
Jose Silva
Owner, Papa Joe Farm
Jose Silva was born and raised in Oakland, California and received a bachelor’s degree in economics and business from St. Mary’s College of California. Mr. Silva is a disabled Marine Corps Veteran that served in the logistics and supply field. His duty stations consist of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego (MCRD) where he interacted with recruits for 2 years. He also served in Japan and South Korea with 3rd Marine Expeditionary Forces, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and 1st Marine Expeditionary Forces, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in El Toro, California. He was also briefly stationed in Barstow, California. Mr. Silva is a retired corporate executive in the medical industry. His area of influence was California, Nevada, and Arizona. His team consisted of over 300 medical professionals and administrative staff members. His farming experience originated from growing fruit and vegetables in his Oakland family home of ¼ acre. Mr. Silva started Papa Joe farm on a 1-acre farmland, which he currently resides with his wife, Elizabeth.
Peter Scott
Founder, Fields 4 Valor Farms
Peter Scott is a disabled U.S. Army Veteran that served as a Counterintelligence agent with multiple overseas deployments in the Global War on Terrorism. After service he started with culinary school and ended up working his way back into food production with gardening, beekeeping, cheesemaking, butchery, and beer brewing. Eventually, founding Fields 4 Valor Farms as an effort to combat food insecurity in the military community and connect Veterans to agriculture through a mixed CSA style farm. Pete is now growing honeybees and is an active advocate for Veteran farms in Maryland. He holds an Associates in Culinary Arts from Stratford University and Certificate in Business Administration, Georgetown University of Continuing Studies.
Bill Peterson
Managing Partner of TOPSPORT SOLUTIONS and BLLT Technology
William H. Peterson is a seasoned executive and strategic advisor with decades of leadership across professional sports, entertainment, and technology sectors. Currently Managing Partner of TOPSPORT SOLUTIONS and BLLT Technology, he has led major organizations including the North American Soccer League and NFL Europe, and he held senior roles with AEG and Centerplate. A lifelong advocate for teamwork, service, and innovation, Bill is a proud member
of the Farmer Veteran Coalition Advancement Council. Raised in Western Pennsylvania, he has had many great experiences growing up there, including working on a dairy farm, hunting, racing, and showing horses – experiences that shaped his deep respect for agriculture and rural values. As the son of a Vietnam Veteran and nephew to several Army servicemen, he is committed to supporting Veterans’ transitions to civilian life. An Ironman finisher, former professional athlete, and executive mentor, Bill brings passion, experience, and purpose to every endeavor.
Lynn Miller
Director, WRAP
Lynn Miller is the Director for the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), an evidence-based program that has been instrumental in transforming the lives of individuals around the world. Lynn has led initiatives in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Pennsylvania Department of Health & Human Services and with the Pennsylvania Behavioral Health & Aging Coalition. Lynn’s career spans over 2 decades in behavioral health advocacy focused on Veterans, peers, families, and those in recovery from behavioral health diagnoses. Lynn advocated to develop a Veteran peer support curriculum, created in partnership with Drexel University, focused on ensuring Veteran peer supporters were equipped with skills they needed. Also, Lynn advocated to have the 1st PA State Veteran Focused Suicide Prevention Conference. Lynn is a certified peer specialist and family member and proudly contributes WRAP to her ability to not only maintain her personal recovery journey but as the roadmap to fulfilling her career goals and personal goals of ensuring that people worldwide continue to benefit from WRAP.