CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER- LORELEI HORSE STANDS WAITING: Lorelei is a former ESL teacher mentoring international students. She assisted processing and resettling indigenous refugees from Central America seeking asylum. She also worked at domestic abuse and homeless shelters in New Mexico and South Dakota, and is familiar with many of the issues that ARU is addressing in its programs. Lorelei devotes much of her time to supporting and assisting veterans who have been left behind.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- BRYAN BREWER: Bryan is a Vietnam Combat veteran who served in the U.S. Navy Seabees, earning a Purple Heart. He is also a past Tribal President of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and founder of the Lakota Nation Invitational. Bryan also taught Lakota Culture at Pine Ridge schools, was a coach, athletic director, principle and dean of students. He is current president of the Oglala Lakota County School District .
DIRECTOR DEPORTED VETERANS-RODOLFO MOLINO JR. : "Rudy" is a Vietnam Combat Veteran who earned a Silver Star saving the life of his squadron commander in the Battle of Mai Loc in Vietnam. Rudy also had a career in the U.S. Border Patrol/INS (Immigration Naturalization Service). He lives in El Paso, Texas and travels to Juarez to meet with our deported veterans. He is currently sponsoring a veteran for Humanitarian Parole to the U.S.
DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY:-RAUL RODRIGUEZ. Raul is a Navy Veteran who served nearly 20 years as a Customs and Border Protection officer in the Rio Grande Valley. Raul received our nation's highest award in Washington DC for his service. After discovering that he was not actually born in the U.S. he fought deportation for five years before finally being allowed to remain in the U.S. but without citizenship.
DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH- DUKE COOPER: "Duke" is a Vietnam War Veteran and former CEO/Founder of American Veterans First, a "community-based support center for our Military, Veterans, and First Responders." Duke built American Veterans First into a highly successful organization. He lives in Oakdale, California and travels to El Paso and Juarez to meet with and assist our veterans who have been deported and those repatriated.
Y'DUEN BUONDOP: Y'Duen is a Dega/Montegnaard Veteran from the Central Highlands of Vietnam who is in exile from his homeland. He currently resides in the United States. Y-Duen is the Director of the Dega Central Highlands Organization and is a strong advocate in Washington DC, to the United Nations, and to the Vietnamese government concerning human rights abuses and genocide of the Dega/Montegnaards people in Vietnam.
JOSE FRANCISCO LOPEZ: Francisco is a Vietnam Combat War veteran who was deported from the United States. He is currently living in Juarez, Mexico and is director of the Deported Veteran's Support House-Juarez Bunker. Despite his service to our country, Francisco was deported 17 years ago and struggles to survive in Juarez where he is assisting other deported veterans with temporary housing and food.
BILL MEANS : Bill is Founder of the International Indian Treaty Council. During his 9 years as Executive Director, he was responsible for the establishment of a system for documenting human rights violations against Native Americans. He is Co-founder of the United Nations working group on Indigenous Populations and an expert on U.S. & Indian Treaty relations.
SCOTT ROBERTSON: Scott worked for the Family Addiction Treatment Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico and the Sexual Assault Unit in El Paso. He supports and maintains traditional Native healing and cultural practices including working with traumatized youth using the sweat lodge as treatment. His efforts were instrumental in bringing long-term healing to vulnerable youth.