Board Meeting Minutes — April 2026

Minutes - LEAD Foundation Board Meeting

25 April 2026

Meeting called to order by Board Vice President at 1336.

Present at Meeting: David Arbogast, Rhonda Baker, Lani Cahill, Marc Cohen, Belinda Contreras, Grace Edinboro, Will Hicks, Shawnie Livera, Roni Lopez, Ken Parris, Jacob Rodriguez, Casandra Smith, Mike Smith, Denise VanLoo, and Dan Word. This constitutes a quorum of voting members. Non-voting members present: Dustin Dionne, Kennen DeRenard, Chris West, Andrew Roach. Quorum

Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the 14 MAR 2026 meeting were reviewed and approved as published. Move to approve minutes as published: Ken Parris; Seconded: Will Hicks. Approved: 100%.

Treasurer’s Report:

Current balance $312,719.19 as of 25 APR. New voting members as of today (4/25/26): None. Status of Monthly Reconciliation process: Current through MAR 2026.

Move to accept the Treasurer’s Report made by Casandra Smith; Seconded: Ken Parris. Approved: 100%

Old Business:

1. CAT-T Tourniquets: CACC failed to issue the tourniquets to Brigade Advisors. Will Hicks will come up with a plan. No change.
2. Update on the MOU between LEAD and CMD: Pending response from Mike Smith, then response from CMD. No change.
3. Microsoft is ending its Office E1 skew for non-profits. May get Business Basic. 300 accounts free or Business account for $11K. 365 days to make a move. Status on IRS website could be a problem that costs full price. Basic Business accounts don’t get Teams, keep email. IF the IRS status is fixed. Consensus is that we need to put our issues with the IRS in writing. We are still waiting on a path forward. It might be cadet.org, which is grandfathered at the higher numbers of accounts. But Matt Kus who controls access has been unresponsive. Matt Kus heard from – owns the domain. May not be available to us as anticipated. Tech people will meet with Matt and try to work it out. There likely is a workaround giving individuals access to ShareDrive and Tools without email. Update: S6 requesting a meeting on way ahead. Starting in 60 days we get charged over 300 members. The meeting should include COL Smith and LTC Dewbre. COAs discussed to include CACC adults who may not need CACC email addresses.

We have received a 1 JUN suspense for Microsoft loss or payment. Over 300 accounts will be $15 per account per month. Currently about 370 accounts. This is a CACC issue, not LEAD (unless asked to fund this in the future). Commander will meet with S6, Deputies, and COS on 4 MAY at 1730.

1. New ID Card printer. Printer and software received. Need to schedule training for Dana Hicks, SSG Ochoa, and SSG Lee.
2. Plaques shown. Move forward making CSLO DFAC and PX and CSLO Billeting and CSLO command. Also looking at Achievement Award for NACF staff. Update: The UK Staff Ride was cancelled, so no awards are pending. Lani Cahill took plates to be engraved for the DFAC, PX, Billeting and CSLO Command. Will add a plaque for JTFB Command. COL Smith needs to get verbiage for the plaques to Lani. No change.
3. Still pursuing certification for high ropes course. Probably $5-6000 for a 40-hour course. Also 1-day Rappel Master for $1000. Grace Edinboro moves to authorize up to $10,000 to pay for this training if we can make it happen. Seconded by Belinda Contreras. Passes 100%. Still working on scheduling, no change at this point.
4. Lani Cahill moves to authorize to purchase 100 laptops for $50,000 for required training support, especially during encampment. Rhonda Baker seconded. CACC doesn’t support computer purchase through J6. Belinda Contreras recommends only buying 50 and then more later. Andrew Roach seeking a bulk purchase to reduce the price. Lisa Cherry asks what they’ll be used for. Will tablets work for what they need? Andrew Roach says some of our needs will be satisfied with tablets. CACC may be able to set up a learning center during encampment. Use life probably not 10 years. Several members would like to see a written proposal. Mike Smith moves to table the motion pending receipt of a written proposal. Seconded by Ken Parris. Approved 100%
5. Belinda Contreras moves to authorize purchase of restaurant buzzers for the CACC Drill Competition. Ken Parris seconds. About $1000 for 144 devices. Approved 100%. Buzzers received (not used). Closed
6. Marc Cohen proposes seeking a donation from Cutco for knife blocks. Mike Smith moves to authorize Marc to solicit this donation. Susan Sirkin seconded. Approved. 100%

New Business:

1. On 3-23-26, Grace Edinboro made a motion via email to add $100 to the existing motion to authorize $7400 for a new ID Card Printer. It was seconded by Jacob Rodriguez and eventually received 13 Aye votes. The motion passed.
2. On 23 March, Grace Edinboro moved via email to authorize $2500 to rent porta-potties for the CACC Drill Competition at JFTB Los Alamitos. It was seconded by Terry Baker and eventually received 11 Aye votes. The motion passed.
3. On 8 April, Lani Cahill made a motion via email to authorize up to $400 to purchase breakfast foods for cadets staying overnight during the CACC Drill Competition at JFTB Los Alamitos. Grace Edinboro seconded the motion. It eventually received 15 Aye votes. The motion passed.
4. The Vice President invited Andrew Roach to present information on a using an AI Agent to improve the website. It’s much faster. It uses tokens to go faster. $200 a month would allow our IT support to complete work much faster. The $200 would be a cap per month. Rhonda Baker moves to authorize up to $1800 for the remainder of this current budget year to reimburse Andrew Roach and Zak Lara for tokens purchased. Seconded by Ken Parris. Approved 100%
5. Is payment for the SLOWA Range included in the Encampment budget? Yes, it’s part of the overall encampment budget.
6. Andrew Roach submitted a written proposal to spend up to $50,000 to purchase laptop computers to support encampment and other cadet activities. Lani Cahill moves to authorize up to $50K for purchase of laptops. Roni Lopez seconds. Windows will be included. Approved. 100%

The meeting was adjourned at 2:20.

GRACE E. EDINBORO

LEAD Board Secretary

25 APR 2026