Our Team

Executive Committee

Paul DeCecco

paul.dececco@pikespeak.edu

About

Hometown: Pennsylvania

Military & Veteran Student Support Service:

  • 29 Year Army Veteran
  • Director, Military & Veterans Programs: Pikes Peak State College since 2017
  • VP/Interim President: CO-ACME (2018-2022)

Education:

  • MA, University of New Mexico
  • BS, Pennsylvania State University
  • AA, Monterey Peninsula College

Leona Lopez

leona.lopez@ucdenver.edu

About

Hometown: Pueblo, CO

Military & Veteran Student Support Service:

  • Director of Veteran & Military Student Services: University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Assistant Site Director/Student Services Coordinator: Troy University, Fort Carson
  • Program Manager, Air Force/Space Force Programs, Department of Military & Veterans Programs: Pikes Peak State College, Peterson Space Force Base
  • Advisor, Department of Military & Veterans Programs: Pikes Peak State College, Fort Carson

Education:

  • PhD, Educational Leadership, Research, & Policy, University of Colorado Colorado Springs Dissertation: The Veteran Perception: Exploring the Role of Veterans Benefits on the Transition from Service Member to Civilian.
  • M.S., Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati
  • B.S., Mass Communications, Colorado State University Pueblo

Heather Despain

heather@milvetnavigator.com

About

Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO

Military & Veteran Student Support Service:

  • Chief Product Officer: MilVet Navigator
  • Director of Military and Veteran Services, Red Rocks Community College
  • VA Benefit Coordinator, Pikes Peak State College
  • PLA Officer and JST Transcript Evaluator, Pikes Peak State College

Education:

  • B.S., Johnson & Wales University
  • M.Ed., Regis University

Jessica Roeger

jessica.roeger@csuglobal.edu

About

Hometown: Littleton, CO

Military & Veteran Student Support Service:

  • Associate Director of Student Accounts & Military Services: Colorado State University Global
  • Manager of Student Billing Services/Military Benefits: Colorado State University Global
  • Military Benefits Specialist: Colorado State University Global

Education:

  • B.S., Sports Management, United States Sports University