About Us
Behind the Scenes at Vets Prevail
By January 2008, over one-third of our nation's heroes were affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other mental health issues caused by deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan. Recognizing the urgent need to address a national mental health care epidemic, two friends from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business—Richard Gengler, a combat veteran, and Roger Sweis, a mental health care administrator—created Vets Prevail.
"The current mental health care crisis facing our service members is a very real problem with very real consequences. As a veteran-owned company, we have a personal stake in the matter and intend to help all veterans that are in need while without ever charging a veteran or military family member," says Richard Gengler, CEO of Prevail Health Solutions LLC, the parent company of Vets Prevail.
Bringing together the expertise of leading mental health care professionals and the latest in Web 2.0 technology, they developed an innovative solution built specifically for vets, by vets. The interactive training is delivered online, to reach the modern warrior, providing a convenient and completely confidential approach to treating deployment-related effects of combat such as PTSD, depression and anxiety. Prevail's cutting-edge technology will assist our Veterans during the reintegration process, just as the best military hardware has supported our Veterans in combat.
To help provide this training to all Veterans in need, Vets Prevail has received financial support from the National Science Foundation's Small Business Innovation Research Program. Additionally, the McCormick Foundation (http://www.mccormickfoundation.org/), has supported this effort through a grant to the Veterans' Corporation, Inc.
America leads the world in defense spending and maintains the most technologically advanced and capable military in history. We owe it to our returning warriors to lead the world in mental health technology to help those men and women return to civilian life after deployment.
Our Team
At Vets Prevail we are proud to be a veteran-owned and operated company. Many of the mental health professionals we work with are Veterans as well, creating an effective and customized training for the Veteran community.
Meet a few Vets from our Team
Richard Gengler served in the United States Navy for nine years as an F/A 18 Aircraft Carrier Pilot, Operational Test Pilot, and Operational Test Director. Before leaving the service he was awarded the Distinguished Air Medal as well as the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Richard currently serves as the CEO at Prevail Health Solutions LLC.
Justin Savage deployed to the streets of Mosul, Iraq for all of 2004. He told the Soldiers' story with a video camera in one hand and a rifle in the other. Justin's work with military e-training and transition programs like Troops to Teachers helped him in developing the Vets Prevail program.
Brock Hokenson served five years in the Navy as a Submarine Officer after receiving his commission from Officer Candidate School in 2002. After two patrols on the USS Alabama (SSBN 731), he was stationed on the USS Michigan (SSGN 727) for three years. Following his military experience, Brock received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Brock joined Prevail in June of 2009.
Brett Thurman deployed in 2003 to the Horn of Africa region to perform special operations support missions. Upon his return in 2004 he was released from active duty and joined the Illinois National Guard where he now serves in the 341st Military Intelligence Battalion.
Meet a few of the Vets Prevail Training Advisors
Benjamin Van Voorhees, M.D., M.Ph. joined the United States Navy in 1982. After attending OCS, he served in the Pacific at Ensign to Lt. on USS Sterett and USS Lockwood from 1982-1986. Dr. Van Voorhees is currently a researcher at the University of Chicago who, for the last six years, has been developing and refining the internet-based depression intervention "Catch-It." He serves as an independent Principal Investigator for a clinical study funded by Prevail Health Solutions.
Eric Proescher, Psy.D. is the Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Outreach Psychologist at the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center since August 2006. He served as a military psychologist for the U.S. Navy. Dr. Proescher served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as chief of Behavioral Health Services at Guantanamo Bay Cuba from December 2003 to March 2004. After leaving the military, Dr. Proescher began his VA career in August 2005 at Zablocki (Milwaukee) VA Medical Center.
Jacqueline Gollan, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Northwestern University, where she is the Director of the Stress and Depression Lab. She completed medical school at the University of Washington School of Medicine and is a board-certified clinical psychologist. Dr. Gollan is a particular expert in Behavioral Activation, a component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and has consulted with Prevail on the design of the Activator component of its online mental health care delivery platform.
