Operation Song Leadership

Bob Regan

FOUNDER

Bob Regan is a Grammy and Dove Award-nominated songwriter with more than 200 songs, including 11 ASCAP Most Performed Awards. His songs have been recorded by internationally acclaimed artists such as Keith Urban, Billy Ray Cyrus, Roy Rogers, Hank Williams Jr, Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, Rick Trevino, Andy Williams, Trisha Yearwood, Jake Owen, Randy Travis, and Reba McEntire.

Regan has also been a studio musician, a guitarist on the Grand Ole Opry and was a three-term President of the Board of the Nashville Songwriters Association International as well as their Legislative Chair. In that role in 2006, he helped pass the Songwriters Capital Gains Tax Equity Act. Regan also taught as an adjunct professor at Belmont University in the inaugural year of their songwriting program.

In 2012, Regan founded Operation Song®, an innovative charitable program that brings professional songwriters together with veterans and active-duty military to help them tell their stories in song.

jON fOTI

CEO

Jon is the CEO of Operation Song, based out of Nashville, TN. In the Army, Jon served as an Aviation Officer and Blackhawk Helicopter Pilot. Jon is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan where he both flew combat missions and served as a regional battle captain.

After the Army Jon has worked in both private aviation and the federal government, including a position as a Wounded Warrior Fellow for the U.S. House of Representatives. Jon began his service in the veterans non-profit community in 2020 as the CEO of the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation where he led a team of over 100 in the service of 5,000 veterans per year, mostly in the VA claims and benefits application process. There Jon also fundraised millions of dollars for veterans programs, allowing for the continued expansion of veterans services nationwide.

Mike Byer

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF VETERAN ENGAGEMENT

Mike Byer is the Executive Director of Veteran Engagement for Operation Song®, as well as a retired Army First Sergeant, OIF/OEF Veteran, musician, and songwriter. He is also an alumni of Operation Song®.

Byer served in the Army for 21 years; 14 years with the Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. His tours of duty include Operation Desert Storm Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Chase Armstrong

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Chase is not a newcomer to the Nashville scene, he served as the creative coordinator at Liz Rose Music Publishing, and the operations manager for the Listening Room. Chase brings experience and new energy to the team that will no doubt, help us achieve greater success in the coming year. Please join me in welcoming Chase to the Operation Song Team.

Patricia E.

EVENT COORDINATOR

Patricia is the Event Coordinator for Operation Song, where she collaborates closely with the Operation Song team to unite veterans, songwriters, and the community. With years of experience as a Flight Inspector and Unmanned Aircraft Operator, Patricia brings a keen attention to detail and strong organizational skills to her role. She excels in coordinating events and fostering community engagement, always valuing the importance of teamwork and community. Patricia and the Operation Song team are dedicated to expanding the organization’s outreach and ensuring the success of their meaningful programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics Engineering and Unmanned Aviation Systems from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Pilot License. Patricia is fluent in English and Spanish and brings a warm, collaborative spirit to her work, helping Operation Song thrive. She is deeply passionate about the military community. She is devoted to honoring and preserving the legacies of American service members, always moving onward with a mission of hope and remembrance.

meg maddalena

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Meg Maddalena is the administrative assistant for Operation Song, partnering with team members to serve veterans and their families nationwide. Meg handles detailed planning and coordination for both programs, development, and administrative tasks including those for veterans, songwriters, and artists. Meg holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and Management from Alfred University, where she played collegiate volleyball.


  • Bob Leonard is a U.S. Navy Desert Storm Veteran and a 20-year healthcare executive, clinician, and entrepreneur. Leonard served as Military Police in the U.S. Navy from 1987 to 1992. His skill set includes management, startups, strategy, marketing, and business development having worked for GE Medical Systems and several national and regional healthcare organizations during his career.

  • Dennis Buchanan served in the U.S. Army and is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, which he earned while serving in combat in Vietnam. Buchanan continued serving his country with a 20+ year career in law enforcement with the Mt. Juliet, Tennessee police department. He also currently serves as a Board Member for The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (founded by the late country music legend Charlie Daniels, of whom Buchanan was also a personal security guard for many years) and is an alumni of Operation Song.

  • Kevin Doherty practices law in the area of insurance regulation and captive insurance. He serves as President of the Tennessee Captive Insurance Association, Inc. Doherty also practices music law and entertainment law and represents recording artists, songwriters, and record and music publishing companies in connection with music business agreements.

  • Joe Forte is a seasoned technology leader and professional musician. He currently serves as Senior Vice President at NICE (Nasdaq: NICE), and has more than 25 years of consulting with the U.S. DOD and State / Local Governments. During his career, Forte worked closely with the U.S. military including several assignments in the Middle East and Afghanistan. He has also been a professional musician and songwriter for 30 years with USO touring experiences.

  • Danielle Lauber received her doctorate in Human Performance from Middle Tennessee State University. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist with more than 13 years of experience working in healthcare and mental health settings, eight of which were spent at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her master’s thesis looked at identifying the qualitative experience of Operation Song and her doctoral dissertation expanded on these results.

  • Cindy Morgan is a contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. Her 1992 debut album, “Real Life”, earned her six Dove Award nominations. Her follow-up, “A Reason to Live”, garnered her another Dove Award nomination. Overall, Morgan has earned 13 Dove Awards.

  • Debbie Radish-Respess is an executive coach and business consultant with 30 years of experience in the manufacturing and supply chain management industries. Her expertise includes global human resources strategy, M&A, talent acquisition, retention, and succession planning, policy and procedure compliance, organizational development, employee relations, and benefit plan design.

  • Jeff Rice is a senior financial executive with more than 35 years of experience building companies from the ground up. He has a diverse business background with a unique blend of military and civilian experience. Rice is a CPA and has a broad range of accounting experience with an emphasis on startup companies and developmental stage entities. He earned his B.S. degree in Business from Eastern Illinois University.

    Rice was also a Colonel in the Air National Guard / U.S. Air Force where he served 39 years until his retirement in 2020. During his military career, he was deployed numerous times assisting our nation during times of natural disaster as well as serving three overseas wartime deployments for Operations Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He has led at all levels of command including Squadron, Group and Wing.

  • Jason Rose has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare technology. He is a healthcare IT entrepreneur, focused on launching products that drive digital health innovation and value-based care outcomes. Rose is currently CEO of AdhereHealth, a nationwide healthcare technology company headquartered in greater Nashville, TN.

  • Andy Sale has been in Healthcare Commercial Leadership for nearly 25 years. His experience includes senior leadership positions at Intuitive Surgical, Invuity, and now serves as VP Commercial Market Development at iRhythm Technologies. Sale grew up in New Orleans and is a graduate of LSU. He has a passion for helping the military and has assisted with past organizations including The Boot Campaign.

  • Mike Sistad has worked on both the creative and business sides of the music industry. As a musician, he has performed across most of North America, including stops at the Houston Rodeo and Calgary Stampede, as well as radio and TV performances including Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” and the Grand Ole Opry. Sistad has worked with legendary Muscle Shoals producer/musician Barry Beckett; as an A&R executive for Tim DuBois and Mike Dungan with Arista Records Nashville; and as a band member for two-time ASCAP Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Phil Vassar. In 2001, Connie Bradley enlisted Sistad to join the ASCAP Membership team.

    In his current role as Vice President of Nashville Membership, Sistad continues to work with all aspects of the music industry as it pertains to songwriters, artists and publishing companies. Successes include Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce and many others. He has previously served as both a Board Governor and Chapter Advisor for the Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy in addition to being an AIMP Nashville Board member, CMA, ACM member and Leadership Music alumni. He graduated from Belmont University with a BBA in Music Business.

  • Storme Warren is an American TV and radio broadcaster best known as the host of the “Storme Warren Morning Show” on Sirius XM’s channel, “The Highway.” Storme currently serves as brand ambassador for “Wherever TV.”

BOARD MEMBERS

Our Board of Directors includes veterans of Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, professional songwriters, and others dedicated to serving the military.