Board of Directors

Current Board

Dennis Joyner

President

Dennis Joyner, a combat-disabled veteran of the Vietnam War, was appointed board president for the Disabled Veterans’ Life Memorial Foundation in 2015. Prior to his appointment, he served on the board as secretary from 2008 to 2015.

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Barry A. Jesinoski

Vice-President

Barry A. Jesinoski, a service-connected veteran of the Persian Gulf War era, was appointed national adjutant for the nearly 1 million-member DAV in June 2023. That same year, Jesinoski was elected vice-president of the Disabled Veterans’ Life Memorial Foundation, a separate, affiliated entity of DAV.

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David W. Gorman

Secretary/Treasurer

David W. Gorman, a combat-disabled veteran of the Vietnam War, was appointed executive director of DAV’s Washington Headquarters in 1995, holding that position until his retirement in 2011.

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Daniel Contreras

Director

Daniel Contreras, a service-connected disabled Army veteran, was elected national commander for the nearly 1 million-member DAV at the organization’s 2024 national convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

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David W. Riley

Director

Riley is a veteran of both the Army and the Coast Guard. In the Army (1976-82), he served as a radar repair technician with tours of duty including Korea.

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Donald L. Samuels

Director

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Samuels served in the Marine Corps from 1960 to 1969, when he was discharged due to injuries sustained in the Battle for Hill 881N near Khe Sanh, Vietnam.

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Nachee Miller

Director

A native of Chicago, Nachee Miller began his military service in 1978 and served more than 30 years with time in both the Army and the Illinois Army National Guard. He retired from the Army in 2009.

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Arthur H. Wilson

Ex-Officio Member

Arthur H. Wilson, a service-connected Vietnam veteran who served in the Air Force, was co-founder of the Disabled Veterans’ Life Memorial Foundation in 1998 and served as president of the board until 2015. He currently still serves as an ex-officio member.

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Founding Board Members

  • Lois B. Pope – Co-Founder and Chairman
  • Arthur H. Wilson – Co-Founder and President
  • Eugene A. Murphy – Treasurer
  • Dennis A. Joyner – Secretary
  • Allen F. “Gunner” Kent – Director
  • Diane Musselmann – Director
  • Roberto “Bobby” Barrera – Director
  • The Late Jesse Brown – Co-Founder and the Foundation’s First Executive Director
  • The Late Kenneth G. Musselmann – Director
  • The Late Gordon H. Mansfield – Director