Mindful Memorial Foundation
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Foundation Directors
Noah Steurer l President & Co-Founder
Noah Steurer is a founding board member and has been a part of Mindful Memorial Foundation (previously Mindful Memorial Day) since its inception. His great friend and college roommate, Ben King, went off to war in Iraq. Luckily, he returned; thousands of his peers did not. Noah has remained involved with the Mindful Memorial Foundation over the years to pay respect for the sacrifice of the fallen. As a special events professional, Noah brings production experience and resources to the Mindful Memorial Foundation's annual installation at Arlington National Cemetery. As the event has grown, Noah has been instrumental in increasing organizational visibility. |
Ben King l Founder & President Emeritus
Ben King is a veteran of the Iraq War. After returning to civilian life and experiencing some of the same stress-related difficulties endured by so many returning veterans Ben decided to try mindfulness. Seeing post-traumatic growth from the use of the practice Ben endeavored to create a way to make mindfulness more relatable to the military mindset. Ben helped create the Mindful Memorial Foundation with the twin goals of honoring the sacrifices of our fallen and promoting the increased use of mindfulness based practices to help those still suffering from the traumas of war. |
Lynn MacGregor l Director of Event Planning & Management
Lynn has served on the board of Mindful Memorial Foundation since 2015 after being introduced to Ben by a mutual friend. As the spouse of a previous active-duty airman for more than 20 years, Lynn possesses an intimate understanding of the challenges faced by service members and their families. Lynn's career has afforded her extensive experience with fundraising and event management which she has brought to the foundation in several capacities. Between coordinating volunteers for the Memorial Day weekend activities at Arlington National Cemetary to planning and executing the Friday night Gold Star Family Dinner, Lynn's dedication to the foundation has ensured successful yearly Mindful Memorial Day observations. Honoring service members and their families who have given the ultimate sacrifice is a passion of Lynn's. She is committed to remembering them mindfully. |
Meg McDonald l Director
After a chance encounter with Ben King in 2013, Meg immediately recognized his drive and passion and knew she wanted to commit to his mission. As a founding member of MMF, Meg was integral in the creation and execution of the foundation's first annual installation at Arlington Memorial Cemetery. Meg provides data expertise year-round and annually travels from the West Coast to Arlington to provide instrumental on-the-ground support for the Mindful Memorial Foundation's installation at the cemetery over Memorial Day Weekend. |
Susan Colladay l Director
Susan is a CPA specializing in nonprofit organizations. She began assisting with the financial reporting of the foundation at its inception, and became a board member in 2018. Susan provides invaluable experience and knowledge related to non-profit governance. Her involvement with the Foundation - as both a board member and a donor - is motivated by her gratitude for the service provided by all members of the military. |
Dan Pence l Co-Founder, Director
Dan Pence was raised in Michigan. He earned a BSE and an MS in systems engineering from the University of Michigan, after which he served six years of active duty as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, including 18 months in Vietnam. Upon completing his military service, he returned to the University of Michigan, earned an MBA in finance, and entered private industry. He is now retired following a 39-year career in marketing and project management in the information technology services industry, having worked primarily for federal government contracting firms. Dan met Ben King in 2007, shortly after Ben returned from service in Iraq. Dan was looking for a new personal trainer. Ben coached Dan's workout regimen for about eight years wherein conversation often, but not always, centered on war stories and veterans issues. Ben used Dan as a sounding board when he began forming some of his ideas that ultimately led to establishing the Mindful Memorial Foundation. Dan's primary role on the board is to keep Ben humble by reminding him that nine out of ten times Navy is going to beat Army on the gridiron come December. Dan continues to stay involved with Mindful Memorial Foundation because Ben is an inspirational leader and compassionate human being who has dedicated his life to honoring the sacrifice of fallen warriors and to assisting veterans struggling with the transition from a life of stress and combat fatigue into the civilian world. |
The Mindful Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.