Our Team

President & CEO

Stephen Holley

Stephen L. Holley, Jr., graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2000. He graduated Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL Class 234 and served as a SEAL officer at SEAL Team 5 for five years and completed four deployments to Iraq and Southeast Asia. Following his military service, Stephen continues to be a leader in the Dallas area by co-founding Carry The Load with fellow Navy SEAL, Clint Bruce. Stephen has served the Dallas community as a member of the Touchdown Club, the Elizabeth Toon Charities, as a Board Member for the Goodwill Industries of Dallas, and as the Chairman of Pete Sessions Service Academy Advisory Board for the 32nd Congressional District. He has been recognized by the Dallas Business Journal through the 40 under 40 Award and has received the Dallas Foundation’s Good Works Under 40 Award.

Treasurer

Craig Couch

Craig Couch is a financial advisor and partner of Clear Financial Network in Burleson, TX. After graduating from Baylor University and completing his Master’s degree, he spent ten years working with students and their families in Texas and Colorado. Craig is also active in his community. In addition to serving on the board of Carry The Load, Craig has previously served on the board of directors for several civic and non-profit organizations, including the Burleson Chamber of Commerce, the Burleson Opportunity Fund, and NFM. Craig loves to travel and is also a diehard Texas Rangers fan! He enjoys staying active through fitness classes and hiking. He is the proud father of two beautiful and wonderful children and two grandsons.

Board Member

Mike Devlin

Mike Devlin was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado and raised in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. He attended the University of Washington and graduated from Washington State University. Mike also obtained a Master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York. Prior to attending Columbia, Mike served as the assistant press secretary for U.S. Senator Warren Magnuson in Washington, D.C. Nearly all his professional career was spent in local television. He retired in early 2018 as President and General Manager of WFAA-TV. He began his broadcast career in Huntsville, Alabama as a reporter and followed that with reporting stints in Richmond, Virginia, Nashville, Tennessee and then at WFAA in Dallas. He entered station management in Portland, Oregon serving as news director and relocated to Houston in the same position. He returned to Dallas and became General Manager in 2007. Three years later WFAA became the television sponsor for Carry The Load. During his broadcasting career, Mike and the staff he supervised received numerous national awards including the duPont gold baton award from Columbia University. This marked the first time a local television station received a gold baton for news coverage. Mike has served on the advisory boards of SMU’s school of journalism department and the U.S. Army D/FW Community board. For nearly ten years he was a member of the ABC Affiliates Advisory Board where he also served two years as the board’s chairman.

Board Member

Hallie Johnston

Board Member

John McCaa

John McCaa retired from television news broadcasting in 2019. He worked at WFAA-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth for 35 years. He rose from Reporter in the Fort Worth Newsroom to News Manager all while anchoring newscasts… first on the weekends and then from 1992 until retirement, on the station’s Monday through Friday evening broadcasts. His assignments sent him to multiple states and around the world to Hong Kong, Honduras and Rome. Before coming to WFAA, John worked for 7 and a half years in Omaha, Nebraska at WOWT as a reporter and news anchor. His interest in news started when he was a high School student and interned at the American Forces Radio station at Torrejon Air Base near Madrid, Spain. He has served as President of the Press Club of Dallas, President of The Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators and on the Board of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. John has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Creighton University in Omaha, a Masters Degree in Politics from The University of Dallas, and a Ph.D. In Humanities-History of Ideas from The University of Texas at Dallas. John has been actively involved with Carry The Load since 2012.

Board Member

Ismael “Junior” Ortiz

Ismael “Junior” Ortiz is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Marines and former Acting Assistant Secretary for Veterans Employment. His career spans over 30 years of working in government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. His responsibilities ranged from leading thousands of Marines to managing fiscal budgets of millions of dollars, building communities, and passing critical legislation. He served as an enlisted man before being accepted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland where he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Marines. His twenty-seven-year career in the Marines encompassed many diverse assignments ranging from Administration, Communication, Counterdrug Operations, Recruiting, Marketing, and Advertising for the Marine Corps to professor and coach at the Naval Academy. Today, as a Research Professor of Leadership at the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership, Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University, he conducts workshops to help students focus on personal leadership and management of human talent while developing strategic plans used to recruit, hire, and work with diverse populations. He has served on many Corporate Boards and national organizations and has participated in numerous White House Task Forces and public policy initiatives. He is a Life Member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, the Military Officers Association of America, the American Legion, Carry The Load volunteer, and Ambassador.

Board Member

Aaron Rigby

Aaron Rigby is a 1998 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. While on active duty, Mr. Rigby completed two deployments to the Middle East, including as a security team leader for the USS COLE immediately following her terrorist attack in the Port of Yemen in 2000 and as a member of the strategic planning team that developed plans in Afghanistan and Pakistan that lead to the introduction of the first ground forces in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Mr. Rigby received his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and is currently a partner with Sidley Austin LLP. Aaron has been recognized for his practice and was named a “Texas Rising Star” by Super Lawyers for multiple years. Aaron is also a board member of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas.

Board Member

Dill Driscoll

Mark “Dill” Driscoll is from a family of people who served through each generation. Dill has always given back to others personally and through his many business enterprises. He founded one of the largest experiential marketing companies in the world, Momentum, and as an encore with his wife, Susan, founded ignition, a global experiential marketing company. As well as an entrepreneur, Dill has served as co-Dean, with his wife, of the Stafford School of Business within the University of Georgia System. Jack Furst called Dill in June 2011 and asked that he come to Dallas to meet Clint Bruce and create a National Program for Carry The Load. The National Relay was born and in May 2012, Dill and the team stepped off from West Point and for 27 days made their way walking to Dallas. For the first five years, Dill walked for the month of May with the team. Today Dill continues to provide support and helps recruit and train the great young people that work each year on the now National Relay. Dill lives with Susan in Osierfield, GA and Lake Placid, NY when he is not Carrying The Load.

Chief Operating Officer

Kathie Wood

Kathie Wood serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Carry The Load, where she passionately leads initiatives to honor and remember our nation’s heroes. With a wealth of experience and a genuine commitment to the cause, Kathie works to ensure that Carry The Load’s mission resonates across communities nationwide. Kathie holds a BS from UT Southwestern Medical School of Allied Health and a Certificate in Fundraising Management from Indiana University. Prior to joining Carry The Load, Kathie made a significant impact at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, dedicating years to fostering growth and community engagement. Her transition to Carry The Load reflects her unwavering dedication to driving Carry The Load’s mission forward. Kathie is supported by her loving family. Her husband Alan, who is in commercial real estate, and their daughters. Madeline and Meredith are graduates of the Naval Academy and are currently serving in the USMC. Marleigh, their third daughter, resides in Washington, D.C., and works in defense and security consulting.

Operations & Events Director

Matt Fryman

Matt Fryman is the son of a USAF veteran who enlisted during the Vietnam Era. He was raised outside of Atlanta, GA and graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Matt has been involved with Carry The Load since 2014 when he first volunteered as a Relay team member before deciding to take a full-time position with Carry The Load in 2015. Throughout his time with Carry The Load, Matt has worn multiple hats, most prominently as National Relay Director where he created and grew 4 of the 5 Relay routes bringing Carry The Load’s National Relay to 48 states, covering 20,000 miles to provide the opportunity for thousands of Americans honor our nation’s heroes. Matt now serves as Carry The Load’s Operations & Events Director where he continues to enjoy the privilege to humbly honor the sacrifices of our military, veterans, first responders, and their families.

Sponsorship Engagement Director

Dana Sider

Dana Sider grew up in Anoka, Minnesota as the proud daughter of a Korean War veteran.  She moved to Texas during her high school years and after graduation from International Aviation and Travel Academy began her 30-year career in organizing events, traveling across the country and ultimately volunteering to serve Veterans. As the mom of three amazing children, she had no idea how including her children in volunteering to serve veterans would lead to her son becoming a United States Marine.  During her 9 years at Carry The Load, Dana has developed numerous community events across the country during the Memorial May awareness campaign.  She has created Volunteer opportunities for corporate partners, non-profit partners and provided opportunities for youth to learn about service and sacrifice while earning service hours.  Working side-by-side with the VA National Cemetery Administration, Dana has created opportunities to clean headstones in 65 national cemeteries on Patriot Day annually to honor those who served.  Dana has developed long standing relationships with Ambassadors who are key supporters of Carry The Load and who share their experience and stories to help further the mission. Dana has shared stories with families of the fallen while walking hundreds of miles every year with an open heart and passion to serve.

Events Manager

Madison Woodson

Madison Woodson grew up in South Georgia in a family filled with military connections. She began volunteering with Carry The Load in 2016 while a student at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and went on to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in Business in 2018. Madison’s volunteer role developed into a full-time position in 2021, when she joined the Carry The Load team in expanding the National Relay and year-round events. Now serving as the Events Manager, Madison is dedicated to creating impactful events across the nation, offering opportunities for Americans to honor the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Strategic Partnerships & Operations Manager

Kaitlin Bonner

Kaitlin Bonner grew up in Tuscaloosa, AL, and is a proud graduate of The University of Alabama – Roll Tide! Influenced by her sister and grandfather, both of whom served in the United States Air Force, she is dedicated to supporting those who serve our country. After gaining valuable experience at the APOSTC Law Enforcement Academy in Tuscaloosa during her time in college, she now works with Carry The Load, where she focuses on building partnerships with nonprofit organizations to enhance services for military members, veterans, first responders, and their families. Kaitlin’s commitment to uplifting those who protect and serve reflects her passion for making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who give so much.

Events Coordinator

Hunter Lovelace

Hunter Lovelace is the grandson of a US Army veteran who enlisted during the Korean War. Hunter grew up in Northern Kentucky until he and his family moved to Greensboro Georgia just in time for him to start high school. Hunter went on to attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College which is where he was first introduced to Carry The Load. For Hunter, his experience with Carry The Load started as an internship on the Midwest Relay team back in 2021. Since then Hunter has been a part of two other Memorial May Relays where he was a Co-Manager of the West Coast Relay in 2024. As event coordinator, Hunter will be working with an amazing team to coordinate events across the country to honor the sacrifices made by our active military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their families to make sure they are never forgotten.