Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) continues to enhance its board of directors with the addition of Cari DeSantis, President and CEO of Melwood®. DeSantis becomes the ninth member of the board of directors – all of whom bring strong backgrounds in sectors including business, nonprofit, government, military, and education.

DeSantis joined Melwood in 2013 and has grown the organization to now employ 1,600 people in Washington, DC and Maryland. The nonprofit provides opportunities and jobs to people with differing abilities, including wounded warriors. Melwood supports children, youth, and adults working and playing how they choose.

One of the ways the organization helps the community is through its Melwood Veterans Services LLC, which assists veterans in their transitions to civilian life. It helps with career exploration, job training, and job support and offers a week-long program known as Operation Tohidu® that helps veterans and active-duty military overcome obstacles to their recoveries. That gathering is similar to WWP's multi-day, outdoor, rehabilitative mental health workshops. Both use challenges and educational opportunities to work through symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

"Cari DeSantis' leadership and experience offer incredible benefits to Wounded Warrior Project as we serve warriors around the country," said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington. "Cari will greatly assist the board of directors in guiding the organization."

Before Melwood, DeSantis served in consulting roles helping government and nonprofit organizations. DeSantis was the Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications for Casey Family Programs Foundation – an organization dedicated to helping vulnerable children. She served as Cabinet Secretary for Department of Children, Youth, and Families in Delaware. DeSantis is the recipient of the SmartCEO Magazine's Brava Award, which celebrates high-impact female business leaders, and was recently named one of the Top 100 Women in Maryland. She is also the author of three books, including Of Hope & Charity, which won the 2000 National Independent Publishers Book Award.

WWP's board of directors helps the organization fulfill its mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors through guidance and leadership. Learn more about the board at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/mission/board-of-directors.

About Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.