Volunteer Leadership
100% Volunteer-Led. Mission-Driven
Each member of our volunteer leadership brings lived experience, professional leadership, and an unwavering commitment to healing the invisible wounds of war. Together, we stand for restoration, service, and purpose.
TONY MEROLA
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Tony Merola is a combat-decorated Army Ranger who served with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment from 2001 to 2005. He deployed five times to Afghanistan and Iraq, including Operation Rhino in October 2001—one of the first missions of the Global War on Terror.
After leaving the military, Tony faced a long, personal battle with the invisible wounds of war: traumatic brain injury, PTSD, addiction, and suicidal ideation. In 2023, everything changed when he connected with Defenders of Freedom and entered Resiliency Brain Health’s intensive TBI treatment program. That healing experience was a turning point—and a new beginning.
With DOF’s support, Tony launched the Oklahoma chapter to bring that same hope to other veterans. His recovery journey is rooted in a holistic lifestyle: gardening, fitness, breathwork, journaling, nutrition, and mental discipline. Now, he’s building a healing retreat where veterans can recover from trauma, reconnect with purpose, and rediscover the joy of family, community, and service.
KEITH CLARK-HOYOS
TREASURER
LIZZ PINCHEIRA
SECRETARY
“It’s an honor to serve an organization helping those who served.”
Keith Clark-Hoyos brings a depth of financial and nonprofit leadership to his role as Treasurer of DOFOK. As the founder and CEO of Church Training Center, he works with churches and nonprofits across the U.S. to align leadership, finances, and mission.
With experience in church governance, accounting, and board development, Keith provides DOFOK with sound fiscal oversight and strategic vision. He approaches his role as both steward and advocate, helping ensure the organization remains strong and mission-driven.
Keith holds a Master’s in Ministry, Leadership & Service from Claremont School of Theology and studied Business Administration and Church Ministries from Simpson University. He lives in Topeka, Kansas, with his wife and business partner, Zulima.
“Every veteran deserves a space to feel safe, seen, and supported.”
Lizz Pincheira proudly served in the U.S. Army’s Military Police Corps, stationed at Guantánamo Bay. After transitioning from the military, she found renewed purpose through Defenders of Freedom—volunteering for over a decade before helping launch the Oklahoma chapter.
Lizz brings nearly 10 years of leadership experience in property management and financial technology, with a focus on operations, systems optimization, and client service. She’s also a devoted advocate for veteran healing, inspired by the transformation she’s seen in her own family and fellow warriors.
At DOFOK, Lizz helps foster a community where veterans feel safe, seen, and supported. As a proud mom of two, she lives a life rooted in love, service, and connection—whether it’s on the water, around the table, or in the heart of the DOFOK mission.
KEITH CLARK-HOYOS
TREASURER
“It’s an honor to serve an organization helping those who served.”
Keith Clark-Hoyos brings a depth of financial and nonprofit leadership to his role as Treasurer of DOFOK. As the founder and CEO of Church Training Center, he works with churches and nonprofits across the U.S. to align leadership, finances, and mission.
With experience in church governance, accounting, and board development, Keith provides DOFOK with sound fiscal oversight and strategic vision. He approaches his role as both steward and advocate, helping ensure the organization remains strong and mission-driven.
Keith holds a Master’s in Ministry, Leadership & Service from Claremont School of Theology and studied Business Administration and Church Ministries from Simpson University. He lives in Topeka, Kansas, with his wife and business partner, Zulima.
LIZZ PINCHEIRA
SECRETARY
“Every veteran deserves a space to feel safe, seen, and supported.”
Lizz Pincheira proudly served in the U.S. Army’s Military Police Corps, stationed at Guantánamo Bay. After transitioning from the military, she found renewed purpose through Defenders of Freedom—volunteering for over a decade before helping launch the Oklahoma chapter.
Lizz brings nearly 10 years of leadership experience in property management and financial technology, with a focus on operations, systems optimization, and client service. She’s also a devoted advocate for veteran healing, inspired by the transformation she’s seen in her own family and fellow warriors.
At DOFOK, Lizz helps foster a community where veterans feel safe, seen, and supported. As a proud mom of two, she lives a life rooted in love, service, and connection—whether it’s on the water, around the table, or in the heart of the DOFOK mission.
