Board of Directors

Foundation Chairperson

Alexia Palacios-Peters is an attorney who holds a specialization in Child, Family, and Elder Law. While her passion is nonprofit and government work, she also has worked with military veterans, victims of domestic violence and immigrants. Alexia has been licensed to practice law in California, Texas, Virginia, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

As a military spouse, Alexia has served on several boards including the Naval Officers’ Spouses Club of San Diego and San Diego Family Justice Center Foundation. She has volunteered with local little leagues, church organizations, and community groups. Ms. Palacios-Peters is married to a Naval Aviator and together they have three children.

Foundation Co-Chair

Christina Bagaglio Slentz, is both a Navy Veteran and Spouse. She was the first female in history to serve in Carrier Air Wing ONE, deploying aboard the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) as a Naval Intelligence Officer. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and holds a PhD in International Studies from Old Dominion University.

Christina currently works as a consultant with Blue Star Families. Locally, she has served as a community volunteer as well as a Navy Spouse mentor and advocate, for which she has been recognized with the Meritorious Public Service Award, presented by Commander, Naval Air Forces. Her husband, Tim, served as the 49th Commanding Officer of Naval Base Coronado.

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Founder

Former NBC News foreign correspondent Brad Willis is an author, filmmaker and award-winning journalist who worked around the world during his career. As a war correspondent, he covered Afghanistan, Iraq, Asia, the Middle East, Central & South America and Africa. In 1990 he accompanied Senators John McCain and John Kerry as they returned to Vietnam for the first time since the war to begin resolving the POW/MIA issue.

Brad has lived for three decades in Coronado with his wife, Laura Plumb, served two years as Coronado Commissioner of Public Art and produces videos on community lifestyle, politics, government and the arts.

Foundation Secretary

Cathy McJannet has an extensive career in nursing education at the community college and university level. She has served as nurse administrator of nursing and health occupations programs at Southwestern College, CA. She combines her love of academia with a passion for patient care and continues to work as an emergency department nurse for Sharp Coronado Hospital. She served in the military, has received several awards for teaching, as an administrator, nursing leadership and for her community service. She is an active member of the Soroptimist, Association of California Nurse Leaders and Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

Foundation Treasurer

Mari Fries is a US Navy Veteran and a US Marine Corps Spouse. After 23 years of moving from overseas and coast to coast, Mari, her husband Tom, and their 4 children chose to make San Diego home. Mari continues to serve our San Diego community as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Enrolled Agent, and Accredited Financial Counselor. She is a staunch advocate and volunteer for financial literacy programs for all stages of life, especially for those in underserved communities.

Foundation Historian

Heath Hardage Lee is a museum curator, historian and the award winning author of The League of Wives, The Untold Story of the Women Who Took on the U.S. Government to Bring Their Husbands Home. Her curated exhibition on The League of Wives has traveled to museums throughout the country.

Foundation Publicity

Grace Kording is an active duty EA-18G Electronic Warfare Officer and Seapower & Maritime Affairs instructor at San Diego State University. After learning more about Prisoners of War during Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training in San Diego, a passion for this facet of American history was ignited in her. Grace maintains our social media, newsletter, and website.

Honorary Board Chairs

Our honorary Board Chairs are Sid & Kit Stockdale and Taylor & Anne Stockdale. Sid and Taylor are sons of League of Wives Founder Sybil Stockdale and Admiral James Stockdale.