Honorees - 134th Continental Congress

Evening Ceremony Honorees

Chuck Leavell, sometimes known as “the fifth Rolling Stone,” is a musician and environmentalist. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and music director for the Rolling Stones since 1982. His piano and keyboard performances have been heard in the works of Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, The Black Crowes, George Harrison, The Allman Brothers Band, and many more. Leavell is a published author, long time tree farmer, co-founder of the website The Mother Nature Network, and a staunch advocate for the conservation of our nation's forests and environment. His lifelong commitments to music and the environment are showcased in the award winning 2020 documentary Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man. He lives in Georgia with his wife, Rose Lane, where they oversee their forestland.

Kali Reis is a professional boxer, actor, and advocate. Originally from Rhode Island, Reis is a two-time world boxing champion for her weight class and is also an exemplary kick boxer and martial artist. In her acting career, she has most notably appeared in True Detective: Night Country alongside Jodie Foster, for which she received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress, one of the first two Indigenous women to ever be nominated. As a proud indigenous woman, Kali uses her roles in the ring and on camera to advocate for Indigenous women.

Jeff Callaway is the founder of Ethan Almighty’s Blessings Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to animal welfare. His journey began in 2021 when he rescued Ethan, a starving dog abandoned at the Kentucky Humane Society. Ethan’s recovery captured national attention and inspired “Ethan’s Law,” making the torture of cats and dogs a felony in Kentucky. Named American Humane’s 2022 Shelter Hero Dog, Ethan now joins Jeff in advocacy through speaking, media, and their podcast. They also support veterans’ causes, including the Roll Call Foundation. A feature film is in development, highlighting their powerful story of compassion and second chances.

Rosie Rios is Chair of America250, the United States Congressional Commission working to lead celebrations for the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independance in 2026. She served as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States and was the CEO of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the U.S. Mint. She also initiated and led the efforts to place a portrait of a woman on U.S. currency for the first time in over a century. Following her tenure as Treasurer, she was appointed as a Visiting Scholar at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Rosie is a graduate of Harvard and was selected as the first Latina in Harvard's 382-year history to have a portrait commissioned in her honor.

The Queen Sofía Spanish Institute (QSSI) was founded in 1954 to stimulate interest in the United States in the culture, art, literature and history of Spanish-speaking countries, and to promote among Spanish-speaking people knowledge and understanding of the ideals, culture and customs of the people of the United States.

The QSSI is named after its patroness, Her Majesty the Queen Sofía of Spain, mother of the current King of Spain, Felipe VI. The QSSI is governed by a Board of Trustees and, as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit New York-based charitable organization, is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations.

The Washington Tattoo exists to serve and empower veterans and military-connected communities through the healing, unifying, and transformative power of music and cultural heritage. Founded by veterans, for veterans, this organization blends the disciplines of military music, community arts, and trauma-informed programming to create meaningful opportunities for reflection, reintegration, and purpose after service.

The Washington Tattoo also serves as a platform for national and international recognition of military tradition and public service. Their public events serve as both tributes and calls to action, inviting audiences to better understand and support those who have served.

Dr. Jennifer Bratyanski, a high school educator at Providence Day School, Charlotte, North Carolina, will be honored as the 2025 National Outstanding Teacher of American History. She holds her Master of Arts in American Studies from the University of Alabama, and her PhD in History from University of North Carolina Greensboro.

With a robust teaching career spanning several decades, Dr. Bratyanski works tirelessly to inspire her students in a variety of classes that center around civic engagement, civil rights, and all aspects of American History. She inspires her students to serve their community through service trips and is constantly advancing her own learning through programs and certifications.

Education Awards Night will celebrate outstanding students and educators from across the nation. Honorees include the American History Essay Contest winners: Andrew Pellathy (5th Grade), Marlowe Teel Barnes (6th Grade), Dheer Mehrotra (7th Grade), and Clara Tanzie (8th Grade); and the American History Video Essay Contest winners: Odelia Milligan (5th/6th Grade), Charlotte Riou and Olivia Karno (7th/8th Grade), Meital Zayats (9th/10th Grade), and Addison Goins and Kimberly Whitaker (11th/12th Grade).

Addison Elizabeth Lee will be honored as the recipient of the DAR Good Citizen Award, and Sanjana Diddige will be recognized as the Patriots of the American Revolution Essay Contest winner.

Additionally, the State and National Outstanding Junior Members will be recognized. Entertainment will be provided by the DAR All-American Chorus.

This year's DAR Patriot Award will be presented to Gina Bennett, a counterterrorism expert whose more than 30-year career in the U.S. Intelligence Community includes authoring the first warning on Osama bin Laden. A former CIA Senior Analyst, she’s been featured in Spymasters (Showtime), Manhunt (HBO), and PBS’s Makers: Women Who Make America. She holds degrees from UVA and the Marine Corps War College, where she was a Distinguished Graduate.

Bennett is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and George Washington University, and she serves on the Board of Directors for Girl Security, championing young women in national security careers. Her work continues to shape policy and inspire future national security leaders.

Colonel Edna W. Cummings, (Ret.) served 25 years in the U.S. Army, holding senior posts at the Pentagon, Georgetown University, and NORAD. In retirement, she has championed the history of the WWII-era 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The 6888th Battalion was the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas during World War II. Cummings has spearheaded efforts to erect a monument, produce a documentary, and secure the Congressional Gold Medal for the unit. As an Army Reserve Ambassador for Maryland, COL Cummings continues to support ROTC programs and mentor future service members. She is a Hall of Fame inductee of the Army Women’s Foundation and author of A Soldier’s Life: A Black Woman’s Rise from Army Brat to Six Triple Eight Champion.

Master Sergeant Elizabeth Helm-Frazier, (Ret.) served over 25 years in the U.S. Army, earning distinction as a personnel specialist and career counselor. Her many honors include being named U.S. Army TRADOC Career Counselor of the Year and induction into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame. Since retiring in 2006, she has remained deeply engaged in community service, with a special focus on preserving the legacy of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The 6888th Battalion was the first and only all-Black, all-female unit deployed overseas during World War II. Helm-Frazier was instrumental in fundraising for the unit’s monument at Fort Leavenworth, helped produce the documentary No Mail, Low Morale, and advocated for national recognition of the 6888th Battalion, including their recent Congressional Gold Medal.

The Margaret Cochran Corbin Award for distinguished service by women in the military will be presented to Chief Master Sergeant Tiffany Zaloudek . Zaloudek made history on November 1, 2024, as the first female SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) specialist to reach the Air Force’s highest enlisted rank.

In her 18-year career, she’s trained Airmen to survive in the world’s harshest environments and became the first woman in Air Force SERE to qualify as both a Military Free Fall Jumpmaster and Test Parachutist. Once nicknamed “Combat Barbie,” Zaloudek overcame doubt with grit and grace. Today, she’s a powerful advocate for authenticity, showing that strength and femininity can thrive side by side in the toughest military fields.

The Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee Award will be presented to Colonel Wendy G. Woodall. Woodall is the Director for Nursing Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where she leads a team of 2,000 nurses serving over one million beneficiaries annually. Since entering the Army in 1998, Woodall has held leadership roles across the Army Nurse Corps, including Medical-Surgical Nursing Consultant to the Army Surgeon General.

She holds nursing and strategic studies degrees from the University of Kentucky, UNC Chapel Hill, and the U.S. Army War College. Her many honors include the Bronze Star and seven Meritorious Service Medals.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ron Wroblewski has dedicated his life to serving his country and its veterans. He enlisted following the Cuban Missile Crisis and served in Vietnam as a field radio operator. Upon returning home, Wroblewski became a tireless advocate for veterans, founding the Tri-State Chapter 949 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and the West Virginia Marine Corps Coordinating Council. For more than 50 years, he has organized free community events to honor service members, including parades, patriotic concerts, and one of the region’s largest annual military appreciation picnics. The honors bestowed upon him over the years are numerous, including being named the “Marine of the Year” by the Marine Corps League twice and receiving the Ford Oval of Honor in 2024.

Jacob Weber began his service at age 15 by founding Treats for Troops, an initiative delivering donated Halloween candy to VA hospitals. He later launched Stockings for Soldiers, Cards That Care, and T-Shirts for Troops, each aimed at supporting hospitalized veterans and spreading encouragement. Weber was inspired by his grandfather’s service in Vietnam and his family’s military legacy. Now a student at Michigan State University, he is studying supply chain management and committed to a lifetime of service, using his education and talents to improve care and dignity for veterans.

Judi Rotar is the First Vice Regent of the Norwalk-Village Green chapter in Connecticut. She has been a DAR member for 7 years and began her service for veterans in her initial year as a Daughter. She initially participated in chapter activities such as donating shelter items at Christmas at Homes for the Brave, A Private First-Class Madaras House, the only shelter in Connecticut for women veterans and their children.

Through this work, Judi became acquainted with how shelter-insecure veterans live. A professional chef, she began cooking meals for the veterans and their families. Judi’s long-term ambition, after she retires in a few years, is to raise funds to build better housing for the homeless veterans so that they will have private spaces with standard beds instead of bunk beds.

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