Jackie Garrick
As the founder of Whistleblowers of America, Ms. Garrick is a policy and program expert with 30 years of service to the military/veteran community. She was a political appointee at the Pentagon for eight years, setting up personnel programs for Wounded Warriors and the Defense Suicide Prevention Office. She established a crisis hotline in Afghanistan and later investigated issues related to diversity and inclusion and NO FEAR Act violations. While working for the Defense Department that Ms. Garrick blew the whistle on fraud, waste, and abuse and suffered retaliation. Before that, she worked for the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Disability Assistance, and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, drafting legislation to assist disabled veterans and their families. Ms. Garrick is a former Army social work officer. She has used her clinical knowledge to inform her advocacy and intervention work with The American Legion as the Deputy Director for Health Care and then with the Veterans" Disability Benefits Commission. She has several prestigious awards, including the Lincoln Award and a Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Ms. Garrick has published books and several articles and has appeared worldwide as a health and resilience expert. She founded the FAR Group after 9/11 and continues to offer consulting services. Her MSW is from Temple University.