Desiree Gonsiewski
Colorado Springs
Summary
Dynamic mental health professional with a passion focused on reducing veteran suicide rates.Extensive experience at Wounded Warrior Project as a Project Odyssey Specialist, specializing in veterans' mental health and workshop facilitation. Proven track record in curriculum development and community outreach, enhancing participant engagement and outcomes. Skilled in training delivery and collaborative teamwork, successfully co-facilitating over 31 workshops for 500+ warriors and families. ASIST and safeTALK Trainer certified.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Project Odyssey Specialist
Wounded Warrior Project
Colorado Springs
11.2021 - Current
- Supports Wounded Warrior Project’s Mental Health and Wellness programs by serving wounded service members dealing with invisible injuries (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat stress) through 90-day adventure-based mental health workshops.
- Plan, manage, and execute all aspects of Project Odyssey, providing support and resources to warriors and their families to enhance their resiliency and psychological well-being.
- Develop in person Project Odyssey mental health workshop agenda with intentionally planned activities focused on enhancing the mental health of attendees.
- Learn and implement various modalities to execute on Project Odyssey and during follow-up, including a Learning Management Systems (LMS), Experiential Learning Models, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Gottman Couples Therapy, and FOCUS for families.
- Lead groups of warriors and family support members through five days of experiential learning using approved and trained evidenced based mental health curriculum, with limited to no supervision.
- Volunteered to become safeTalk and ASIST trainer certified to provide suicide awareness and prevention classes to warriors, their families, fellow teammates, and community members with direct interaction to our supported population.
- Selected to become Trainer certified for ASIST in FY 25.
- Completed seven safeTALK classes, post-certification, to teammates, warriors, family support members, and members of other veteran service organizations throughout the East Region of the United States.
- Co-facilitated 31 Project Odyssey workshops serving over 500 warriors and family support members through adventure-based mental health workshops.
- Assessed participant feedback to continuously improve workshop content and delivery methods for optimal impact.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive mental health resources for service members and their families.
- Engaged in community outreach to promote mental health awareness and resources available to veterans and their families.
- Nominated for the Allan O’Keefe Leadership and Passion Award; finished in the top 4 of 10 nominees.
- Provided psychoeducation and support to adults facing various mental health challenges, improving overall client outcomes.
Mental Health Clinician
Turning Stone Counseling
Pasadena
01.2020 - 11.2021
- Use an integrative approach to counseling through a combination of talk and experiential therapies to address client trauma, depression, anxiety, and other life struggles they are facing.
- Monitored client progress and adjusted treatment plans as necessary to ensure effective interventions.
- Developed personalized treatment plans based on comprehensive client assessments and ongoing evaluations.
- Conducted individual and group therapy sessions for diverse client populations to foster mental health improvement.
- Maintained detailed documentation of client interactions and treatment progress for compliance and quality assurance.
Chief, Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy
Defense Intelligence Agency
01.2021 - 11.2021
- Responsible for the oversight and management of a Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy school supporting 24 Department of Defense (DoD) components, including services, major command, combatant commands, support elements, etc.
- Certified DoD instructor and senior instructor for the schoolhouse; Led a team of five government and ten contract employees, ensuring effective training delivery and resource allocation for 6 specialized courses at 6 locations nationwide and internationally.
- Managed a budget exceeding five million dollars, ensuring optimal resource utilization and financial accountability.
- Developed curriculum using approved adult learning models and based on needs-based assessments from the supported DoD elements, with updates based upon service delivery metrics.
- Performed program evaluations to assess training impact and inform continuous improvement efforts.
- Utilized video teleconferencing technology to expand training reach and reduce costs for DoD components.
- Provided mentorship and guidance to junior instructors, fostering professional development within the training team.
- Established strategic partnerships with external organizations to enhance training resources and opportunities.
OPSEC Program Analyst
Department of Defense, GG-14
06.2020 - 01.2021
- OPSEC Program Analyst for J32M of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
- Served as the Program Protection Analyst in the Program Assurance, Management Support Office, DLA with responsibility for the development of signature management, program protection strategies and support to specified government components under all conditions.
- Served as a program protection expert responsible for the development and execution of a variety of program protection efforts in support of DoD operations.
- Serves as a subject matter expert (SME) in interpreting information (policy, law, plans, and orders).
- Responsible for the training of all DLA J32 personnel on matters related to OPSEC and program protection.
Clinical Mental Health and Addiction Junior Clinician
Sandstone Care
North Bethesda
05.2019 - 05.2020
- Treat clients with chemical dependency on narcotics, including alcohol, THC, opiates, etc., as well as co-occurring mental health diagnoses by identifying the root cause of abuse and assisting them with progression to sobriety.
- Conduct individual therapy sessions for patients to determine the motive behind their substance abuse condition, as well as the situations that are triggers of the abuse.
- Develop treatment plans to deal with addictive behavior, while also teaching clients coping mechanisms and healthy behaviors that can replace the use of alcohol or drugs.
- Responsible for running partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and general outpatient sessions for three hours per session as a means of education and to help reduce the overwhelming feeling of being alone in their situation.
- Collaborate with the family of clients to monitor and track patient recovery process and assist the Family Therapist in cases that need a more integrative approach to treatment.
- Maintain an up-to-date patient profile and recording of all treatment sessions.
- Developed and implemented comprehensive treatment plans based on needs assessments for 50 individual clients (adolescent, young adults, civilians, and veteran populations) to overcome addiction and manage mental health diagnoses.
- Responsible for running and managing the General Outpatient Program at Sandstone Care, which included clients from the adolescent and young adult programs who have stepped down from their respective intensive outpatient programs.
- Completed more than 300 hours as the group leader for Intensive Outpatient and General Outpatient groups, while also providing more than 100 hours of partial hospitalization group therapy and 150 hours of individual therapy; in doing so have directly supported the treatment of over 150 clients.
- Provided psychoeducation to patients in areas such as coping mechanisms and best ways to prevent relapse especially when dealing with trauma and stress.
- Liaised with clients’ families to develop strategies effective in dealing with addiction problems.
- Motivated individuals to discontinue addictive behaviors and accept treatment.
- Assist clients in maintaining, reestablishing, or finding a job, housing, volunteer work, or education.
- Helped clients develop a comprehensive relapse prevention plan that includes setting up a post-programming support network required in overcoming an addiction.
- Track clients’ recovery process to identify the need for treatment plan adjustment; provided biweekly treatment plan reviews for each client throughout their programming at Sandstone Care.
- Participated in educational workshops to identify new techniques of resolving substance abuse.
Deputy, Sensitive Support Division
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
11.2016 - 09.2019
- Deputy to the Director of Defense Sensitive Support, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)).
- Responsible for management and oversight of the DoD SR (SR) Program.
- Directly coordinates and liaisons with senior leadership within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Joint Chiefs of Staff, DoD Components, NDFDAs, for the oversight of SR support activities.
- Responsible for managing the planning, coordination, validation, procurement, implementation, and oversight of SR strategies and programs for the DoD.
- Directly supporting 20 DoD components as well as NDFDAs by reviewing, staffing, briefing and advising senior leaders, planners, and federal interagency SR approval authorities on DoD mission requirements and support requests.
- Provides direction, technical guidance, and policy interpretation, to DoD, joint, and interagency costumers regarding the use of organic and inorganic SR Support.
- Responsible for the management of program level training for all DoD supported elements.
- Adjunct instructor to DoD schoolhouse supporting SR operations.
Clinical Mental Health Intern
St Francis Academy
Baltimore
01.2019 - 05.2019
- Worked as a clinical mental health intern for students in 9th -12th grade.
- Managed and supported a client list of up to six clients per week while also being the primary intern responsible for intakes of students.
- Provided clients support in resources for future as well as working with the immediate needs presented by adolescents from low socioeconomic families.
- Provided crisis counseling to clients who were facing the daily realities associated with the inner-city Baltimore area, to include the death of friends and loved ones often due to gang related violence.
- In addition, provided after school tutoring and counseling services to the football and basketball teams to help the students reach the academic requirements set forth by the NCAA to continue playing sports and receive much needed scholarships for college.
Volunteer, Phase II
Jubilee, Association of Maryland
Kensington
11.2014 - 12.2016
- Worked with retirement-aged adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities to determine what their retirements would look like after they stopped working or no longer participated in Jubilee’s day programming.
- Met weekly with the group to do group activities and take outings.
- Also supported clients at the Jubilee homes by helping with getting ready, cleaning, or just providing companionship.
- Responsible for the Jubilee Gala silent auction for three years as a fundraiser to support Jubilee’s housing and programming for the supported population.
- Awarded the Governor's Volunteer Service Certificate on 14 June 2015.
Human Intelligence Officer
United States Army
09.2008 - 11.2016
- Technical expert in Human Intelligence Operations.
- Responsible for training Soldiers in job specific tasks as well as health and welfare topics such as financial security, mental and physical health, and various other life skills.
- While deployed, responsible for providing all combat forces in the AOR with tactical questioning training, as required by law.
- Responsible for providing management, certification, training, mentorship, and guidance to junior Soldiers.
- Ensured the professional development, health, and welfare of the Soldiers and their families.
- Responsible for accountability and serviceability of over $365, 000 of equipment.
- Served as Company training officer; developed and implemented training plans and training exercises in support of deployment operations.
Signals Intelligence Specialist, Linguist
United States Marine Corps
06.1996 - 09.2008
- Served as the Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, and Lead Reporting Officer and Analyst for the Emerging Threats Branch for the National Security Agency – Georgia, which included over 75 personnel from all branches of service, and civilians.
- Conducted liaison with deployed elements of EUCOM, CENTCOM, and USMC operating forces to provide direct indications and warnings to forward-deployed U.S. and Allied Forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Provided quality control of technical and serialized reports based on analysis and provided training to all incoming reporters.
- Operated as the Public Affairs Officer as well as the reenlistment officer for Company D, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion.
- Deployed two times as the senior analyst and Officer in Charge for a multinational collection platform in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
- Served as an Arabic Cryptologic Linguist responsible for collecting, reporting, and disseminating Signals Intelligence.
- Responsible for the maintenance and accountability of over $1,000,000 of Alpha Company communications and electronic gear.
- Issue and receive gear in support of all I and III Marine Expeditionary Forces deployments in the Middle and Far East.
- Completed two deployments: BRIGHT STAR and BOLD VENTURE.
- Analyzed intelligence data to support operational planning and mission execution.
- Developed briefings for senior leadership on emerging threats and intelligence assessments.
- Collaborated with various agencies to enhance information sharing and coordination efforts.
Education
Master of Business Administration - Business – Program Management
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO12.2025
Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC05.2020
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Maryland University College
Adelphi, MD12.2014
Associate of Applied Science - Intelligence Operations
Cochise College
Douglas, AZ12.2012
Skills
- Curriculum development
- Training and mentoring
- Community outreach
- Workshop facilitation
- Veterans mental health
- Training delivery
- Collaborative teamwork
Honors And Awards
- Bronze Star
- Purple Heart
- Joint Service Commendation Medal (3)
- Army Commendation Medal (3)
- Joint Service Achievement Medal
- Army Achievement Medal
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (3)
- National Defense Service Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Afghanistan campaign Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Army Service Ribbon
- Overseas Service Ribbon
- NATO Medal
- Combat Action Badge
- Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
References
- Mr. Kevin Harty, U.S. Air Force, Director, (703) 695-4773, kevin.w.harty.civ@mail.mil
- Ms. Meg Louk, Wounded Warrior Project, Manager, (904) 465-3450, mlouk@woundedwarriorproject.org
- Mr. Joe Fox, Wounded Warrior Project, Regional Director, (904) 914-1552, jfox@woundedwarriorproject.org
Certification
ASIST T4T
Affiliations
Board Member - Secretary - Combat Veteran Motorcycle Association
Timeline
Project Odyssey Specialist
Wounded Warrior Project
11.2021 - Current
Chief, Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy
Defense Intelligence Agency
01.2021 - 11.2021
OPSEC Program Analyst
Department of Defense, GG-14
06.2020 - 01.2021
Mental Health Clinician
Turning Stone Counseling
01.2020 - 11.2021
Clinical Mental Health and Addiction Junior Clinician
Sandstone Care
05.2019 - 05.2020
Clinical Mental Health Intern
St Francis Academy
01.2019 - 05.2019
Deputy, Sensitive Support Division
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
11.2016 - 09.2019
Volunteer, Phase II
Jubilee, Association of Maryland
11.2014 - 12.2016
Human Intelligence Officer
United States Army
09.2008 - 11.2016
Signals Intelligence Specialist, Linguist
United States Marine Corps
06.1996 - 09.2008
Master of Business Administration - Business – Program Management
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Wake Forest University
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of Maryland University College
Associate of Applied Science - Intelligence Operations
Cochise College