Board Members

Diane is the daughter of Dolores Basilone Hawkins, the youngest sister of Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone. Raised in Raritan, New Jersey, Diane grew up surrounded by the memories of her Uncle John and accompanied her family to numerous Marine Corps award ceremonies in his honor. A health and fitness reporter for the New York Daily News, Diane ran three Marine Corps Marathons, competed in ultra-marathons — earning Women's National Champion honors and being named Ultra-Marathoner of the Year three consecutive years by the New York Road Runners Club — and trained at Gleason's Gym, going undefeated in 10 amateur boxing bouts. About ten years ago she became a dedicated yogi, experiencing firsthand the healing power of yoga for mind, body, and spirit. When her cousin Jerry Cutter asked her to lead the Foundation, Diane knew yoga and holistic movement had to be the avenue to connect veterans with the theme 'Movement is Medicine.'

Sophie Kay is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. She is passionate about working with veterans and military families and brings her knowledge and experience to the Foundation. Ms. Kay has been a board member since 2014.

Dennis Covert has served his country and fellow veterans since 1967 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 18. He served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Saint Paul (CA-73), including 12 months in the coastal waters off Vietnam, and separated in 1969 as Petty Officer Third Class. After graduating from Ball State University on the G.I. Bill, he spent 43 years at Merrill Lynch in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 2010 Dennis joined Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, eventually serving as President for five and a half years and as guardian on 31 Honor Flights. His passion for WWII Pacific battle sites led him to Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and beyond — and it was at Iwo Jima's 65th anniversary commemoration that he first met Diane Hawkins, who later recruited him to the Foundation's board.

Chris Randazzo retired from the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 2010 after 22 years of service, which included two combat deployments. He has been practicing yoga since 2011 and has participated in yoga sessions at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence on the campus of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In 2017, Chris became a certified yoga teacher, having completed 200 hours of teaching training in the LYT Yoga method under Lara Heimann, a physical therapist and 500-Hour Experienced Yoga Teacher.