Board Meeting Minutes — May 2026

Minutes - LEAD Foundation Board Meeting

16 May 2026

Meeting called to order by Board Vice President at 1410.

Present at Meeting: David Arbogast, Rhonda Baker, Terry Baker, Lani Cahill, , Belinda Contreras, Grace Edinboro, Will Hicks, Shawnie Livera, Roni Lopez, Mike Mizner, Ken Parris, Dennis Sirkin, Susan Sirkin, Casandra Smith, Mike Smith, , and Dan Word. This constitutes a quorum of voting members. Non-voting members present: Dustin Dionne, Sarahy Barrera

Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the 25 April 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 $291,725.65 as of 15 MAY. New voting members as of today (5/16/26): Michelle Breig, Andrew Roach. 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. Closed.
2. Update on the MOU between LEAD and CMD: Pending response from Mike Smith, then response from CMD. More attention needs to be paid to this soon. No change for now.
3. Microsoft email issue continued. 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’s way ahead includes identifying and deleting email addresses that have been dormant for a year or more. This brings us under 300. We’ll need to develop a process to have a personal email list. Closed.
4. New ID Card printer. Printer and software received. Need to schedule training for Dana Hicks, SSG Ochoa, and SSG Lee. Need to transfer the old database. Closed.
5. 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. LTC C. Smith will now give verbiage for the plaques to Lani.
6. 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. No change.
7. In April we approved purchase of 100 laptops for $50,000 for required training support, especially during encampment. CPT Roach has identified a source, but it needs work through Tech Supe, but we need to work to make this happen. Andrew Roach working this.
8. Donation from Cutco for knife blocks approved in April. No update on whether we’ll get the donation. No change.

New Business:

1. Dave Arbogast moves to authorize up to $750 to support BNCOC in June. Seconded by Belinda Contreras. Approved: 100%
2. Andrew Roach brings up costs for Starlink and Remind at encampment. Should be covered by encampment budget.
3. Andrew Roach moves to increase the authorized amount for AI Tokens from $200 to $400 per month. Great force multiplier, and they’ve doubled the software engineers working it. Belinda Contreras seconds. Tokes for using Anthropic/Claude. 4 abstentions. Rest Aye. Motion passes.

4. A lot of new equipment needs asset tags. The asset tags have been misplaced. Logistics is still looking for them. Will Hicks moves that we purchase another roll of asset tags if we don’t find them by 19 MAY. Up to $200. Seconded by Rhonda Baker. 1 abstention. Approved.

5. 15th Brigade raised $1725 as part of their dining in. Given to Grace Edinboro; will deposit and Zelle to Cahills.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:40.

GRACE E. EDINBORO

LEAD Board Secretary

16 MAY 2026