"Fighting Mental Health Stigmas"
Board of Directors
Dr. Buddy Thornton - Co-Founder / Behavioral Advisor
Buddy Thornton, the “Positive Social Change Agent Pro,” is an inspirational speaker, ongoing International best-selling author, mentor, and prosocial advocate for change through education and crushing barriers in the behavioral health space. As a parent coach, Buddy has influenced the lives of countless people.
Buddy is a Vietnam-era Hospital Corpsman (US Navy 1972-1976) who earned his BS in Allied Health Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1984), certifications in Mediation and Paralegal Studies from Lakewood College (2012), a certificate in Life Coaching from UDEMY (2014, recertified in 2019), and MA in Human Services Counseling and Executive Leadership from Liberty University (2014).
Buddy was honored to be past president of the Doctoral Learners Cohort at GCU (2017-2018), where Buddy completed his doctoral journey (2020). Buddy was a PBA member from 1984 to 2011 and the owner of two successful supply chain companies from 2003 to 2014. Buddy currently owns BCT Mediations PLUS (2011-present) and is a co-owner and course creator for Path 2 Knowing Academy. Buddy founded Fighters for Hope, a coalition of 501c3 non-profits delivering events and answers in the Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention behavioral space across the US and Canada due to my extensive mentoring of the at-risk.
Robert Thornton - Co-Founder / Executive Director
Robert Thornton, the Information Technology Director here at Fighters for Hope, with multiple courses in CompTIA Network Administration at Kaplan College from May 2002 to August 2002 and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Programming at Grand Canyon University from March 2018 to June 2019. Although I did not finish either program, I have real-world experience from March 2003 to March 2009 as the network administrator for Best Courier Team, LLC, and IT Manager/Web Designer for Courier Logistics Specialists, LLC from March 2009 to August 2014.
Living a life with cyclical depression is my inspiration for engaging in the behavioral care space. Without significant and meaningful support systems in place, I know I would end up in a very dark place, and I am eternally blessed to be working with a team of passionate experts who live to save others.
Developing an awareness of stigmas and conversations for mental health is crucial when it comes to seeking or providing help.
Appropriate support and being vulnerable make a difference! Being a survivor of a failed suicide attempt in 2016, prompted by the depression that I have dealt with since I was thirteen, makes the fight against the stigmas of mental health number one!
Lindsey Scholta - Program Administrator
Lindsey Scholta has worked in the education world for 16 years. She started her passion for teaching and learning back in 2008 when she taught high school mathematics to an underserved population who struggled with the topics.
From there, Lindsey educated students in many different settings, from project-based and alternative schools to traditional schools and, finally, colleges and universities. She graduated with a B.S. in 2008 and an M.S.E. in 2013. Lindsay left the K-12 world in 2015 and moved into higher education, where she developed the skills to design courses for all students across different universities.
At some institutions, she was able to be more creative since the teams were much smaller, causing her to have to take on a more holistic design role. There, Lindsey was able to create different interactive learning environments for distance learning and bring learning into people’s lives through her passionate approach. Having the ability to better someone's life brings Lindsey great joy. She feels passionate about suicide prevention, having lost friends to suicide. Lindsey wants to make sure that everyone out there knows there is another way to get the help they need and that their lives are valuable.
Dr. Isaiah Drone III - Fiscal Sponsor
Isaiah Drone III, also known as ID3, is an educator, poet, and speaker through education and prosocial advocacy in America. He is locally esteemed in Dallas, Texas, amongst his community, nationally, and by world-renowned leaders. ID3 is a trusted voice linked to inspiration and resilience through his ongoing podcast “The Impact of Educational Leadership.” Isaiah has worked with a diverse array of world leaders, educators, and groups, from Bishop T. D. Jakes, General William Ward, Tito Puente Jr., and NEA Dallas.
Isaiah founded the Brokenness toHealing Foundation and the 100 and Beyond Schools Program, a mentoring platform that has uplifted at-risk youth in his District since 2018, currently showing a better-than-80 percent success rate. Isaiah Drone III is a charismatic voice that must be heard. He is a prosocial warrior who prides himself in positive performance outcomes for the socio-economically disadvantaged through positive youth development.
In his role as the Dallas-Fort Worth Ambassador for Fighters for Hope, Isaiah will bring our programs to schools and community events across Northeast Texas and beyond. His passion and drive to succeed for the oppressed among us make Isaiah a force on our team. His addition will expand our reach and make a difference!
Robert W. Jones - Business Advisor
Robert W. Jones is a Multi-Time Bestselling Author, Radio Show Host, Publisher, and Owner / Founder of the iNETrepreneur Network, Art of Connection 365, and Network Together. Robert served in the USMC, was a Youth Minister, and is a Recovering Coder and Programmer of several well-known brands. His goal is to provide a space where entrepreneurs and business owners can have a safe place to go, so they can grow. In today’s world, business professionals must earn, learn, AND learn how to earn to create a competitive advantage for their success.
Through his non-profit affiliations, most recently with BizELIFE and Petsmart, Robert has personally raised over 1 million dollars for not-for-profits, including United Way, Helen's Hope Chest, Jose's Closet, Saint Mary's Food Bank, and Make-a-Wish Foundation. His attention now focuses on raising awareness for youth and military organizations that provide inspiration, hope, and support for families of those suffering from mental health issues. Being on the Board of Fighters for Hope gives Robert the opportunity to complete his chosen mission of dismantling mental health challenges from the inside. With his successful body of work, Robert brings exceptional professionalism to this fight!
Leann Coakley - Ambassador
Leann Coakley is an Independent Financial Specialist who has spent more than a decade working in the hospice field. As an experienced health advocate, Leann brings a broad range of skills to the Fighters for Hope Coalition. She is an end-of-life care consultant, health education expert, medical industry leader, international best-selling author, wealth and risk manager, and so much more. Leann can keynote on a range of health-related topics and has authored educational resources for hospice and home health; in short, she has the chops to stand in and fight this fight with our team.
As the Phoenix Ambassador, Leann will facilitate and uplift events targeting at-risk groups who face mental health challenges and the potential for suicide ideation on a daily basis. Leann is committed to attracting sponsors and advocates to support Fighters for Hope and be a prosocial agent, a role she has embraced in most of her adult career choices.
Leann believes mental health starts with self-care and includes a cascade of markers, such as financial well-being, a healthy support system, and a life-long journey of education. “If I can make a difference, then I should make a difference.”
Working Hours
Monday-Friday: 8am to 6pm
Saturday: 10am to 4pm
Sunday: Closed
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