2025 Board Candidates

Veteran Members

Josh Shurley

Fresno CA - Chapter 180
Army (1990-2001)
Member since:  Apr 16, 2019
Current board position: Vice President

Joshua Shurley is a lifetime member of Veterans For Peace and is the lead organizer and co-founder of VFP Chapter 180 in Fresno, California. After his time in the US Army during the 1990s and early 2000s, Joshua pursued higher education, earning degrees in anthropology, security studies, and political science, culminating in a PhD in international relations from The University of Manchester in the United Kingdom—which included extensive field research in East and Central Africa, focusing on the impact of US special operations activities on local civilian populations. This research profoundly influenced his transition into peace activism. Additionally, Josh teaches political science at Fresno City College, serves as a board member of the Fresno Center for Nonviolence, and hosts both a radio show and podcast highlighting various topics related to peace and social justice. Within VFP, Joshua chairs several committees, including Bylaws, Resolutions, Awards, and Membership, and currently serves as the national vice president of Veterans For Peace.

Windsor Wade
Current board position: None

Having experienced first hand the tragic effects and legacy of our country's misguided military missions I feel compelled to be apart of this organizations mission. There appears to be an historical amnesia syndrome effecting our society. NOTHING was learned from the legacy of Vietnam !! Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Afghanistan and now the genocide in Gaza that are taxes are supporting. There is so much that can be done to with the billions of dollars that the Pentagon budget consumes. We are a war mongering nation and I need to do my part to correct this travesty. My participation in PeaceWalk2024 was transformative for me. It would be an honor to be able to show the world through my agency with VFP this madness of war is not acceptable and must be STOPPED.

As a member of the Board of Directors I will bring my many years as an educational leader with 34 years as a teacher and an administrator in public schools. There is no "I" in a team. I experienced this as a member of an elite combat unit in my Vietnam tour of duty. As the Vice Principal for recruitment and placement for my high school, I had multiple short and long range goal settings that encompassed communicating with parents, students and teachers. As a Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence I serve on the Public Relations committee
which is responsible for outreach to the greater community for financial support to improve and expand the institutes visibility and effectiveness. In my duties as an Geneva board member I serve on the DEIB committee and on public relations task forces and activities.

If selected to the VFP Board of Directors I will bring a plethora of skill sets and life experiences to advance its mission and goals. 

Brian Earley

Cape Cod MA - Cpl Jeffrey M. Lucey Chapter 041
Army (2001-2021)
Member Since:  Feb 25, 2016
Current board position: None

I am a member of several boards at the local level and have been since my retirement in 2011, and have a great deal of management experience as well as executive forays which may lend themselves to the specific needs of Veterans for Peace, i remain a practicing christian yet expand upon faith humanistically, leaving any judgement to the Almighty, less my human frailty. Visions of total peace are not beyond us as mortals, but adherences may as well be difficult, on these roads of existence. Peace is a Divine concept so humbly I refer to that Divine in hopes that we may arrive in Peace in our time, vanquishing what is presently preventing this occurrence just now, not an easy slog but to fail in the efforts is at least inhumane, and very likely, worse.

Alex "Lexi" Prochaska
Chicago IL - Jane Adams/Joe Powers Chapter 026
Army 
Member since:  May 20, 2022
Current board position: None

I was infantry that saw too much blood for capitalist American greed. Seeing people homeless is a UN International Law violation. America became the same Nazi facist party that it tried to kill. I have petitions to change that on my linktree on my Instagram page @lexiprochaska. I was lied to and I will do everything to achieve the freedom and equality that I was lied to about using irrefutable modern psychosocial biochemistry. The food in America is 9 to 15 times more addictive than illegalized cocaine, but the money made from the (SAD) Standard America Diet is incalcuable from everything from the purchase of the food to the synthetic drugs used to counter the side effects without eliminating the root cause. It will take time and education for people to choose healthy food over what they've been addicted to since birth. Using soldiers an children as science experiments in the military and schooling system is truly pure evil that scientist have created but easily refutable with modern biochemistry. On another note, I'd prefer to use an alternative to Google since that company funds genocide, but I have not found a replacement yet.

I intend to defend the people of America against terrorism both foreign and domestic. As a psychosocial biochemical researcher, I and other researchers have deemed the FDA an incompetent domestic terrorist organization that is complicit in American biochemical slavery in consistent violation of UN law and in consistent with the Nazi science division that the US killed but came to this continent as energy cannot be created or destroyed (along with operation Paper Clip). The food that is given to active duty and veterans is biochemical terrorism according to my and other scientists research, President Putin, and over 30 other counties. It is truly evil that can be changed and stopped with what I and other scientists have researched. UN International Law Article 25 says that the human race are entitled to healthy food, clean water and shelter without money. The American Military Industrial Complex is in constant violation of that and other UN Laws.

Mike Tork
Eastern MA - Smedley Butler Chapter 009
Member Since:  Jan 27, 2013
Current board position: Treasurer

Currently, I am a VFP Board member and the Treasurer. A job I have taken seriously. If re-elected I would be willing to run for VFP Treasurer again. Because of the effort of board members, we have come from a place where we had depleted all of our savings and weren't sure if we could even make payroll, to where we are now with close to 220K in savings, and we were able to recently give our entire staff a moderate raise. This is what we can do when we work as a team. Shelly and I created the 2024 budget. I regularly monitor the budget making sure we stay in our lane. Normally creating the next year's budget is not the job of the Treasurer, but I was happy to step up and help out. Although it was a whole lot of work, I now have a much better understanding of VFP's finances. I initiated the move, with Shelly's help, of most of VFP's money to a bank that is far more socially responsible than the bank(s) we were using. This is an ongoing project that I would like to complete by the first of 2025. But for now, VFP is on the road of divesting from banks that aren't in line with who we are! As mentioned, I am willing to run for Treasurer again. I am committed to VFP and excited to work with a board that is engaged and respectful of each other. 

Eric Wasileski
Springfield MA - Wally Nelson Chapter 095
Member Since:  Mar 27, 2015
Current board position: None

Eric Wasileski (M.Div) is a peace activist and lifetime member of Veterans for Peace for over 20 years. Waz (as his buddies call him) was a through walker with Peace Walk 2024 from Maine to DC this past summer, and hopes to keep on peace walking. He is a Persian Gulf Veteran of Operation Desert Fox (98) and of Europe in Yugoslavia, Operation Joint Endeavour (96). He lived his first few years as a dependent on an Air Force base in Scotland, his father enlisted after getting a low draft number during Vietnam. In 91 Eric enlisted in the Army National Guard (11B) and later joined the Navy (advanced electronic Aegis systems maintenance and operations, FC). He was in the military for over 8 years and has an honorable discharge. He is a client of the V.A. and lives with moral injury. He is an active Quaker and also works in UU and Buddhist settings. He's also a Warrior Writers facilitator and has published various writings including children's books, poetry books and essays in various journals and locations, most recently published in Peace and Planet News. He is a former DAV chapter service officer and Chaplin of VFW chapter 8503. He is a lifetime activist, father, homeowner, holds advanced degrees, published books and is a man of conscience.

I was born into the veterans peace movement. My father would have been drafted, and enlisted instead. I lived on a base for my first two years. My parents divorced and my mother remarried another Vietnam era veteran, who committed suicide in our house, I found his body as a 15 year old.

After enlisting in the Army National Guard as an Infantryman as a teenager, (local unit was a grunt unit and offered a bonus) I ended up enlisting in the Navy active duty, to get out of the Army.  

Willie Hager
Jacksonville FL - Jacob George Chapter 174
Member Since:  Jul 18, 2012
Current board position: None

I am a past Board Member 2013-2016 and 2019-2021 I am a Life Member and currently serve as Project Coordinator for VFP Deported Veterans Advocacy Project

I am impressed with the progress of the Board since Susan Schnall became president and began reforming VFP's business model, I wish to be a part of further growth for our organization.

Matt Southworth

Hartford/Windham Chapter 042
Army (2001-2021)
Member Since:  Mar 22, 2016
Current board position: Member

Matt is a fundraising professional with two decades of experience in organizing, peace and justice lobbying, and fundraising. Over much of the last decade, he has worked mainly in Leadership and Major Gifts at Trinity College, Wilmington College, the American Red Cross, and the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) in Washington, DC. While at FCNL, Matt worked first as a grassroots organizer and peace lobbyist, leading FCNL’s advocacy on Afghanistan and U.S. drones policy, before he then transitioned to working as a Major Gifts Officer.

Presently, Matt is the Senior Associate Director of Development at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. He enjoys helping direct philanthropy in ways that best reflect donor goals and values.

Matt joined the U.S. Army as an intelligence analyst after high school. He is a veteran of the Iraq War. After being honorably discharged, he attended Wilmington College (Ohio) and graduated magna cum laude in 2009 with a BA in Political Science and History.

Matt has previously served on the Board of Directors for Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, Board of Directors of Veterans for Peace, Board of Directors of Quaker House (Fayetteville, NC) and on the President’s Advisory Council at Wilmington College. Matt is a member of Veterans for Peace. Matt is passionate about learning, he is a Quaker, a brown belt in Brazilian Jujitsu, an avid hiker, a decent gardener, and he loves spending time with his wife Kathy and his daughters Addy and Alana.

I'm grateful to run among the many talented and passionate people of VFP. I hope to continue to help us develop our resources to push for the better world we want to build together.

Nyamekye "Enya" Anderson
Alburquerque NM Chapter 63
Member Since:  Aug 9, 2021
Current board position: Member

I was born and raised in California and went to Silver Creek High School in San Jose. After graduating at age 18, I joined the Marine Corps in 1995 because I wanted to better myself and have a positive impact on the world. I was stationed in Okinawa with the USMC 5th Force Reconnaissance Company and eventually transferred to Camp Pendleton in California and then deployed with the USMC 1st Force Reconnaissance Company to Iraq. I saw things I didn’t like over there and came close to getting killed by not only locals but my own team for speaking out. Mike Hanes, another Veteran for Peace, was my closest teammate. I got out in 2003 as a Sergeant E5 and spoke out for peace and against the war. After the Marines, I went to college and received a Master's in Aeronautical Science, a Master's in Business Admin, a Masters in Project Management and a Masters in Science Management, all from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I also received my degree in Curriculum Development from Southern Illinois University.

During this time Mike Hanes, a fellow Marine veteran introduced me to Veterans for Peace in 2016.

In 2016 I participated in a Delegation with Veterans for Peace to Tijuana Mexico to learn about the border, the history and culture between Mexico and the US and the veterans that are returned to Mexico after being discharged and not knowing or having any family members in the country.

In 2017, along with Mike, I went to Okinawa with a Veterans Peace Team delegation to stand with local Okinawans who were protesting the destruction of Oura Bay in Henoko to build another Marine base. In 2019 I traveled to Ireland with Mike Hanes, Ray McGovern, Mike Ferner, Ken Mayers, Tarak Kauff and Ellen Davidson to speak out and protest the US military flying through Shannon Airport on their way to and from wars in violation of Irish neutrality. I knew they had weapons on board, which is in direct violation of Irish law, because I flew through Shannon myself with weapons while in the military.

In 2014 I started a non-profit called Veterans and Community Global to help vets get resources. I was also on a veterans committee that did oversight on veteran's services provided by the Veterans Administration.

In 2023 I sailed with the Golden Rule crew on its voyage from Key West Florida to Havana Cuba on a delegation to learn from the people about the culture, history and sanctions put on the Cubans. Also had the opportunity to see what the ocean passage to get to the states from Cuba was like.

In 2023 I also participated on a delegation to Managua Nicaragua to learn about the history and sanctions and learn from the Nicaraguan people.

I now live in Albuquerque and provide housing on my ten-acre property for veterans who need a place. I have two wonderful daughters, one six years old and the older one, 26.

I currently participate with the Big Brothers and Big Sister and Scouts of America to help teach the Youth about Peace and safety in the culture around them.

I have served on the VFP Board of Directors for the past three year and if I am elected again that will give me the opportunity to use this experience and my education from my military service and civilian life, to serve the mission of Veterans for Peace.