MEET OUR TEAM
Tracy Ojakangas, AMFT
Tracy is a Marriage and Family Therapist and in training to become a Certified Trauma Therapist. She formerly worked as a Forensic Interviewer, Coordinator of the Children’s Grief and Bereavement Program, and UC Davis Staff Research Associate. She comes from a family of first responders and says she has seen and felt the heaviness of the honorable purpose of serving. She states, "Carrying Heroes provides a needed service to those who have risked their lives for the safety and freedoms of others.
Robert Balke
Robert is the President of United Shasta and has served on numerous nonprofit Boards for the past 7 years. He was the very first person to become part of the Carrying Heroes team before the organization even existed. Robert has family and friends who are active duty, veterans, and first responders and states, "They are the backbone of this country and I support them 100%."
dana blair, RN
Dana comes from a military family and has worked in emergency medical services as a Certified Emergency Nurse (RN) and a Paramedic for over 30 years. She is a Lifetime Member of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), California Narcotic Officer’s Association (CNOA), Calif. State Firefighter’s Association (CSFA), and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). She has experienced the ultimate sacrifice of losing her husband, a L.A. County Deputy Sheriff, who was shot and killed in the line of duty.
Traci Allen, MA
Traci has a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology and works in the counseling profession where she has the privilege of serving multiple individuals and families who have military or first responder experience. She has several family members of her own who have served in the military and believes in the mission of Carrying Heroes. She says, "To be able to give back in some way and extend a taste of the peace and joy that these heroes have offered so many is a gift I do not take lightly."
Kelsi Halvarson, MSL
Kelsi is a Business Owner, Nonprofit Consultant, and Corporate Trainer. She has a Master's degree in Strategic Leadership and runs a Leadership Development Program using horses to train and develop leaders. She served on the City of Redding Community Development Advisory Council for 7 years and has volunteered with at-risk youth for over 12 years. She also volunteered as a dispatcher for animal rescue/evacuation during the California wildfires in 2018-2020.
LEE CRIBBS
Lee served in the Army during The Vietnam War and chose to be part of Carrying Heroes because he knows first-hand the sacrifices and struggles of those we serve. He is a lifetime member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, American Legion, and Disabled American Veterans. His grandfather was a World War I Veteran of the U.S. Cavalry and taught Lee to ride a horse when he was 4 years old. Lee has volunteered with horse ministries and horse rescues for the past 40 years.
Vint Stevenson
Vint served in the United States Marine Corps for 8 years, including 2 tours and 2 deployments. He has served his community as a volunteer firefighter and on several Boards and Committees including the VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, Shasta County Veterans Affiliated Council (President), and the Bureau of Land Management Advisory Board for Northern Nevada and Northern California. He has witnessed first-hand the impact Carrying Heroes has made and believes it has the capacity to help many more.
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