Our Mission

Saving Lives by providing 

HOPE , RECOVERY, & RESILIENCE

for America’s Finest.

History

Founded in 2008, Project Hero is a groundbreaking national non-profit organization dedicated to helping Veterans and First Responders affected by PTSD, TBI and injury achieve rehabilitation, recovery, and resilience in their daily lives and increasing awareness to combat the national mental health emergency posed by PTSD and TBI. 

Project Hero programs including Ride 2 Recovery events and Project Hero HUB Community Centers produce positive outcomes at lower costs and reduce drug-based therapies.  The organization also builds and provides adaptive bikes to physically-challenged and injured Veterans and First Responders and founded the Project Hero Institute for Mental Health to support clinical research programs in 2016. 

Ride 2 Recovery started when a recreational therapist with the Veterans Administration thought cycling would be an effective alternative therapy for PTSD and TBI treatment as well as physical injury rehabilitation. 

The organization's first Challenge event was held in 2008 with fourteen riders and no support staff.   By 2010, Ride 2 Recovery was producing six Challenges events across the US with an average of 170 participants per ride and a full support staff. Seven Challenge events highlighted 2011 including The Normandy Challenge, the first European Challenge event, which toured the historic locales of D-Day. In 2012, The Battle of the Bulge Challenge featured147 riders in Belgium and Luxembourg.  In 2016, to better serve the needs of America's healing heroes and integrate community and research programs, under the leadership of the Board of Directors, the organization was re-named and re-branded as Project Hero.

Veterans ride for free in Project Hero Challenge events and they have become so popular the organization established a limit of 200 participants per event, attesting to the power of Project Hero and its programs.

In addition to the popular Challenge events, Project Hero also hosts more than a dozen single-day Honor Rides in major markets throughout the nation inviting communities to ride with America’s Finest and special events including the innovative Project Hero Women’s Initiative and Project Hero Mountain Bike Experience in Las Vegas.   The organization also hosts community-based HUB programs inviting Veterans and First Responders to connect and ride together in more than 45 cities throughout the US.

 

Leadership

Board of Directors

John West

John West

Maj. Gen. Camille Nichols (Ret.)

Maj. Gen. Camille Nichols (Ret.)

Rob Paddor

Rob Paddor

Bill Spurgeon

Bill Spurgeon

Rear Adm. Mike Stocks (Ret.)

Rear Adm. Mike Stocks (Ret.)

Tom Abraham

Tom Abraham

PH Team (Staff, Support, & Volunteers)

Todd Setter

Todd Setter
Tsetter@weareprojecthero.org

Jayme Brown

Jayme Brown
jbrown@weareprojecthero.org

Ray Clark

Ray Clark
Rclark@weareprojecthero.org

Noele Wayne

Noele Wayne
nwayne@weareprojecthero.org

Peter Bylsma

Peter Bylsma
pbylsma@weareprojecthero.org

Dani Dowiak

Dani Dowiak
ddowiak@weareprojecthero.org

Steve Wendorf

Steve Wendorf
swendorf@weareprojecthero.org

Hannah Smith

Hannah Smith
Honor Ride and Challenge Series

Donna Ragan

Donna Ragan
donnar@weareprojecthero.org

National Event Volunteers

Jaimie Lynch

Jaimie Lynch
Alumni Staff Support

Jack Shepard

Jack Shepard
Alumni Staff Support

Michael Manning

Michael Manning
Alumni Staff Support

Tina Ray

Tina Ray
Alumni Staff Support

Sam Short

Sam Short
Alumni Staff Honor Ride Series

Beatriz De Los Santos

Beatriz De Los Santos
Alumni Staff Support

Charlie Joerger

Charlie Joerger
Honor Ride Chair

Joe Green

Joe Green
Honor Ride Series

Dave Hahn

Dave Hahn
Challenge Series

Sandy Hahn

Sandy Hahn
Challenge Series

Mitch Lee

Mitch Lee
Honor Ride Chair

Michelle Arroyo

Michelle Arroyo
Challenge Series

Mikey Arroyo

Mikey Arroyo
Challenge Chaplain

Dovi Goren

Dovi Goren
Challenge Kinesiology

Jimmy Stivers

Jimmy Stivers
Challenge Photographer

Vaughn Corden

Vaughn Corden
Challenge Motorcycle Support

JR Dye

JR Dye
Challenge Motorcycle Support

Sarah Stevens

Sarah Stevens
Challenge Nurse

Eva ZobianWolf

Eva ZobianWolf
Challenge Nurse

Kathy Dye

Kathy Dye
Challenge Series

Jeff Sheffield

Jeff Sheffield
Challenge Series Ride Leader

Joe Coddington

Joe Coddington
Alumni Staff - Challenge Series Ride Leader

Byron Prestridge

Byron Prestridge
Alumni Staff - Challenge Series Ride Leader

Jen Goodbody

Jen Goodbody
Alumni Staff - Challenge Series Ride Leader

Jason Wittman

Jason Wittman
Alumni Staff - Challenge Photographer

Dalton Thibodeaux Jr.

Dalton Thibodeaux Jr.
Challenge Motorcycle Support

Ken Cullwell

Ken Cullwell
Challenge Motorcycle Support

Todd Sandlin

Todd Sandlin
Challenge Motorcycle Support

Ann Williams

Ann Williams
Challenge Series

Paul Wolf

Paul Wolf
Challenge Series

Media Room

Project Hero Press Releases:

Mike's Carwash Veteran's Day Fundraiser Giving Total

2018 Women’s Initiative Presented by Pritzker Military Institute 

Mike's Carwash Giving Away Free Basic Car Washes on Veteran's Day for Veteran's and Active Military

Project Hero Announces HUB Opening For Indiana National Guard

Project Hero Announces Multi-Million Dollar Partnership with Optum

Project Hero to Open New HUB Center in Miami with Camillus House Veteran Homeless Facility

2017 Project Hero Honor Ride New Hampshire Announcement

Wounded Veterans Cycle 500-plus Miles to Virginia Beach in UnitedHealthcare Memorial Challenge

Project Hero HUB Center at Xavier University Opens May 18

Project Hero Announces ProShift Racing Fundraising Sponsorship

2017 Project Hero Honor Ride Rolls into New Hampshire June 3

2017 Project Hero Honor Ride Rolls Into Sacramento May 13

Veterans and First Responders to Cycle from San Antonio to Houston in UnitedHealthcare Texas Challenge

Project Hero Launches Innovative HEROTrak PTSD Monitor with Texas A&M 

Veterans and First Responders to Cycle from Jacksonville to Atlanta in UnitedHealthcare Beaches to Peaches Challenge

2017 Project Hero Honor Ride Rolls Into San Diego

Matt Moore Partners with Project Hero to Strike Out PTSD

2017 UnitedHealthcare Honor Ride Rolls Into Tampa-St. Petersburg

2017 Project Hero Mountain Bike Experience Rolls Into Las Vegas

2017 Project Hero Launches New Era for Veterans and First Responders

Matt Moore Teams Up with Project Hero to Raise Funds for PTSD Research

Download HEROES Magazine

Click on a logo for pdf download:

 


For all media inquiries please contact: pbylsma@weareprojecthero.org
Peter Bylsma, Director of Marketing Communications

Office: 619-738-2210
310-795-8532 cell| pbylsma@weareprojecthero.org

Project Hero Photography, Logos and Artwork
Tiffini Skuce tskuce@weareprojecthero.org 

Project Hero Partners — Who make it all possible