Board of Directors
Molly Brooks RN-BC, CHPCA
Molly Brooks is a registered nurse with over 23 years experience with specialty certifications in gerontology and hospice and palliative care. Throughout her professional and personal life, she has dedicated herself to caring for others, especially aging veterans.
Molly is the daughter of a Marine Corps Vietnam veteran and is married to an Army Desert Storm veteran. Her personal knowledge of the military life helped her discover many unmet needs in the aging veteran population. Molly also witnessed, first-hand, the devastating medical effects Agent Orange had on her father. The idea behind Hero’s Bridge stemmed from her desire to assist older veterans. She collaborated with others in her industry and veterans to solidify the plan for the organization, which ultimately led to Hero’s Bridge’s inception.
Molly’s guiding principle is “No RED TAPE” which is why she is so focused on providing quick, effective help to those Hero’s Bridge serves. To Molly, helping those in need is a passion, not simply a profession. She believes these heroes are national treasures and this is Hero’s Bridge’s duty is to fight for them. Molly, her husband, and four boys are all involved with Hero’s Bridge and are longtime residents of Southern Fauquier County.
Rick Heppard, SCPO/USN (ret.)
Rick Heppard is a Navy Veteran having served 22 years of combined Active and Reserve Duty, retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer in 2013. He was mobilized twice after 9/11 serving at the Pentagon in 2001 supporting the Joint Staff’s Targeting Division, and then in 2010 he was mobilized again for a tour in Afghanistan supporting a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Farah Province. While in Afghanistan he provided intelligence support for over 300 combat missions and cultural engagements.
Rick is also a Lead Associate for Booz Allen Hamilton having worked for the firm for over 20 years, supporting numerous National Agencies as a Senior Operations Intelligence subject matter expert.
Rick supports the community a member of Warrenton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9835, and volunteers as an Assistant Scout Master for Warrenton Troop 161 as an advisor for Scouts working on their requirements for Eagle Scout.
Rick became aware of Heroes Bridge through his connection with Molly Brooks’ husband who he met through their Son’s Scout troop. They would talk about Veterans issues while camping, and or while running through the county as they trained for numerous long distance races. Coming from a family of military veterans, and being an Afghanistan Veteran himself, he realized that there were numerous Veteran efforts focused on current Veteran’s but agreed not enough help and attention was being paid to our older Surviving WW II, Korean or Vietnam War Veterans.
He lives in Warrenton, VA with his wife and two children.
Stanley Parkes, U.S. Army
Stan hails from the great state of Mississippi but considers Virginia his adopted home having lived in the Commonwealth for almost 30 years.
Growing up the son of a career law enforcement officer and farmer, he learned the value of discipline, perseverance, and hard work early in life.
After high school Stan attended Mississippi State University, obtaining a degree in Geology. During college he went through Army ROTC and received his Commission as 2nd Lieutenant, Military Intelligence. Shortly thereafter he began Graduate work, but the U.S. Army had different plans.
Stan’s first tour of duty was with the 1/68 Armor Battalion in Wildflecken, West Germany. Later assignments included tours in the Middle East during the Gulf Conflict and North Africa.
For the last 28 years Stan has been a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments.
He lives in Culpeper Country, VA with his wife Sandi and their 3 Yorki-Poo dogs.
Stan will be serving as Secretary on the Hero’s Bridge Board of Directors.
Eric Maybach
Fauquier County Commissioner of Revenue, Eric Maybach is a lifelong Fauquier resident. He brings a strong work ethic, out-of-the-box thinking, open communication, and dedicated leadership to the Hero’s Bridge board where he was appointed Treasurer.
Maybach graduated from Fauquier High School in 1995 before attending West Virginia University. In 2019, he succeeded Ross D’Urso as the Commissioner of the Revenue. In this role, he strives to provide efficient and effective taxpayer services through diligent and careful maintenance of taxpayer records. To this position he brings over 15 years in the financial industry, managing six teams across five states.
Maybach is emphatic about giving back to the community that helped to raise him. He has a long history of community and civic involvement including the Warrenton Ruritan Club; The American Cancer Society; St. John The Evangelist Catholic Church; Fauquier Chamber of Commerce; Fauquier Unit, and the NAACP.
Col. John Lesinski USMC (ret.)
Rappahannock County businessman, John Lesinski, brings entrepreneurial drive, leadership, and military experience to the Hero’s Bridge board.
Lesinski is a 1980 graduate of Santa Clara University, California, and served 26 years in the Marine Corps. After leaving active duty in 1985, Lesinski continued his career in the Reserves and retired as a colonel in 2006. Today he is a Executive Vice President at Colliers, specializing in industrial tenant and owner representation in addition to land and building disposition services in the Shenandoah Valley.
He believes strongly in public service and has served on the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors, has been the Chairman of the Rappahannock County Public School’s Board of Education, and is on the Board of Trustees of Warren Memorial Hospital Foundation in Front Royal, Virginia.. Lesinski currently serves as Chairman of the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation board and is a trustee on the Virginia Board of Veterans Services. Both appointments were by the governor in 2014 and 2018, respectively.