The Cooperative
The Cooperative is our dedicated team of volunteer life resilience coaches with peer support experience, here for current and former first responders.
We’re committed to offering this service to help bridge the gap for those who need support—whether it’s for navigating life’s toughest moments or simply managing the stresses of day-to-day life on the front lines. Our team understands firsthand the challenges of the job, and we’re here to provide guidance, support, and access to the resources you need.
Please remember that our team is made up of volunteers, not employees, and they will make every effort to respond when needed. If you do not receive a response in a timely manner, please reach out to another peer or contact emergency services if immediate assistance is required.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please dial 988 or, if this is an emergency, call 911.
Law Enforcement
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👤Name: Anthony
🚔 Service History: Former SWAT Operator, K9 Handler, Field Training Officer, Crime Scene Technician, and Patrol Officer
🎓 Background: Raised in the Bay Area, trained in ACEs, certified in peer support, and an MBA graduate.
📋 Bio: With over a decade of experience as a decorated police officer, Anthony served in diverse roles like SWAT, ERT, K9, and FTO. Managing the aftermath of a critical incident heightened his awareness of the urgent need for specialized support services for first responders facing similar challenges.
📍 Location: Bay Area, CA
🟢 Connect: Email
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👤Name: Alex
🚔 Service History: 20-Year Veteran Police Officer, Field Training Officer, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Crimes Against Persons Detective
💡Background: Critical Incident & Trauma Recovery Advocate, Peer Support Specialist
📋 Bio: Alex served as a police officer for 20 years, primarily in patrol, where he trained new officers as a Field Training Officer and Defensive Tactics Instructor. He also spent five years as a Crimes Against Persons Detective, investigating homicides, suicides, fatal collisions, and critical incidents, including officer-involved shootings and line-of-duty deaths.
Alex is no stranger to how the cumulative physical and mental stress of multiple traumatic events have impacted first responders everywhere. Alex was also greatly impacted but learned how to work through his trauma and continues to work toward being a better version of himself each day. Alex is highly motivated and dedicated to giving back to the first responder community by helping others realize they are not alone in their journey, and they too can work their way through the darkness and back towards the brightest version of themselves.
📍 Location: Bay Area, CA
🟢 Connect: Phone (call or text)
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👤Name: Paul
🚔 Service History: 17-Year Law Enforcement Veteran, Volunteer Reserve Officer, Patrol Officer, Reserve Training Officer, Field Training Officer, Corporal, Watch Commander
📈 Background: Former Workers' Compensation Representative, CalPERS Disability Retiree, Peer Support Advocate
📋 Bio: With 17 years in law enforcement, Paul served in a range of roles, from reserve officer to Watch Commander, responding to countless high-stakes incidents, including pursuits, suicides, fatal wrecks, and critical incidents. A fatal officer-involved shooting (OIS) became a defining moment, exacerbating pre-existing trauma and forcing a confrontation with unresolved struggles. When denied necessary treatment for work-related injuries, Paul experienced administrative betrayal, culminating in a fitness-for-duty evaluation that led to medical retirement.
Finding support through anonymous first responder peer groups was life-changing, allowing Paul to process the darkest moments in a trusted space. Combined with culturally competent therapy and alternative treatment modalities, this journey led to healing and a renewed mission: helping others navigate their own recovery. Now dedicated to first responder mental wellness, Paul is passionate about ensuring others don’t suffer in silence.
📍 Location: Southern California
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👤 Name: Luis
🚔 Service History: Retired Sheriff’s Deputy, Former K9 Handler, Field Training Officer, and Peer Support Team Member
📖 Background: State of California Certified Peer Support Specialist, First Responder Retreat Participant
📋 Bio: A law enforcement veteran, Luis served with the Sheriff’s Office as a deputy for two decades, specializing as a K9 handler and Field Training Officer. Throughout his career, he faced multiple critical incidents that led him to attend a first responder retreat twice, deepening his understanding of the mental and emotional toll of the job.
With formal Peer Support Specialist training through the State of California and experience as a member of his former agency's peer support team, Luis is committed to helping struggling first responders navigate their own challenges. Drawing from both his personal and professional experiences, he provides a trusted space for support, understanding, and recovery.
📍 Location: Bay Area, CA
🟢 Connect: information coming soon
Fire Services
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👤 Name: Jason B.
🎖️ Service History: Active Firefighter/Paramedic, Hazmat Team, Former Technical Rescue Team, Former Fire Department Honor Guard, Union Safety Committee
🧠 Background: Mental Health Advocacy, Peer Support Trained
📋 Bio: With nearly 30 years in the fire service, Jason has dedicated his career to both emergency response and firefighter safety. His experience spans hazmat operations, technical rescues, and honoring fallen firefighters as part of the department’s honor guard. After attending a week-long mental health experience, he saw firsthand the importance of reaching out for support and now strives to help others navigate the challenges of the job.
📍 Location: Northeast Ohio
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👤Name: Kenny
🚒 Service History: Firefighter/Paramedic Lieutenant, 26-Year Fire Service Veteran
💡 Background: Peer Support Coordinator, Firefighter Cancer Prevention Advocate, NIOSH Firefighter Program Specialist
📋 Bio: Since 1996, Kenny has dedicated his career to the fire service, currently serving as a Firefighter/Paramedic Lieutenant with a strong commitment to firefighter health and safety. He is passionate about cancer prevention, mental health, and peer support, ensuring that first responders have access to critical resources to safeguard both their physical and emotional well-being.
Kenny is actively involved in multiple peer support and health-focused initiatives, serving as:
Team Coordinator for a First Responder Peer Support Team
Team Coordinator for a First Responder Pet Therapy Support Team
Board Member for a Regional Peer Support Team
Board Member for a Firefighter Cancer Prevention Initiative
As a leader in firefighter cancer prevention, Kenny is dedicated to raising awareness, providing education, and advocating for proactive health measures in the fire service. Most recently, he began working with NIOSH as a Firefighter Program Specialist for the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, where he focuses on increasing enrollment and educating first responders on occupational cancer risks.
📍 Location: Northern Kentucky
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👤Name: Trevor
🚒 Service History: Active Firefighter/Paramedic (Bay Area), 17+ Years of Experience (EMS, Wildland, Prevention, Special Operations)
💡 Background: Peer Support Specialist, First Responder Wellness Alumni
📋 Bio: Trevor is an active Firefighter/Paramedic in the Bay Area, beginning his career as an AMR Explorer and accumulating over 17 years of experience supporting state and local government missions. His assignments have included EMS, Wildland firefighting, Prevention, and Special Operations.
Having navigated his own experiences with addiction, PTS, and childhood trauma, Trevor has found strength and healing through peer support fellowship. His approach emphasizes creating a safe, non-judgmental environment—whether through a phone call or text—to ensure others feel comfortable, heard, and understood. He is committed to the belief that no one is alone in their journey, and it's never too late to reach out and ask for help.
📍 Location: Placer County, CA
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👤 Name: Jason C.
🚒 Service History: Fire Truck Mechanic
🫂 Background: Peer Support Advocate, Family of First Responders (Police, Fire, Military)
📋 Bio: With nearly a decade of experience as a fire truck mechanic and a family deeply rooted in public service, Jason has been surrounded by the first responder community his entire life. Over the past 10 years, he has been actively involved in various forms of peer support, helping others navigate the unique mental and emotional challenges of the job.
Having faced trauma and mental health struggles firsthand, he understands the importance of having a strong support system and is committed to providing judgment-free guidance
📍 Location: Bay Area, CA
🟢 Connect: information coming soon
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👤Name: Brian G.
🎖️ Service History: Marine Corps Infantryman (Veteran), Volunteer Firefighter (All-Hazards, EMS, Rescue, Wildland, Structure)
🏗️ Background: Business Manager, Construction Foreman
📋 Bio: Brian began his service career as a lifeguard in 2002, igniting his passion for EMS. He later enlisted in the Marine Corps as an infantryman, serving 4.5 years on active duty with three deployments, including two combat tours in Iraq. After a decade in small business and construction, he returned to service as a firefighter. Brian serves as the Construction Foreman at Runestone Ranch and is officially peer support trained through WiseU. Additionally, he has provided peer support to his veteran network for over 15 years. His trauma recovery journey has been shaped by faith, self-reflection, community building, and nature therapy. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys fly fishing, off-roading, and dirt bike adventure riding.
📍 Location: Eastern Oregon
🟢 Connect: Email
Emergency Medical Services
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👤Name: Danny
⛑️ Service History: 20+ Years in Public Health, International Humanitarian Relief, Inner-City Emergency Medicine, EMS, Trauma OR & ER
📖 Background: Director of Peer Support at Runestone Ranch, Trauma-Informed Practitioner, Peer Support Advocate, LGBTQ & HIV Support Specialist
📋 Bio: Danny’s education spans conservatory to Harvard to trade school, but his greatest lessons have come from real-life experience: from patients, colleagues, and the depths of emergency medicine. With two decades in public health, international humanitarian aid, and inner-city trauma care, Danny became an expert at creating safety in absolute chaos. He has worked in EMS, trauma ORs, and ERs, building the resilience and capacity to hold space for even the heaviest experiences.
Whether it's the weight of an unspeakable event or the slow burn of accumulated stress, he believes that you’re not broken, you don’t need to be fixed, and you’re not doing it all wrong.
📍 Location: Mexico
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👤Name: Robert
⛑️ Service History: Paramedic Lieutenant, Mental Health Advocate, Public Speaker
🌟 Background: First Responder for 24+ Years (17 as a Paramedic), Founder of Skulls For Hope, Treatment Director for Next Rung
📋 Bio: Raised in New Mexico, Robert has dedicated over 24 years to the first responder community, with 17 of those years as a paramedic. Throughout his career, he battled PTSD, depression, and alcoholism, struggles that nearly consumed him. With the support of family, friends, peers, and a renewed faith, Robert entered treatment and has been sober since February 2020.
Now a passionate mental health advocate and public speaker, Robert shares his story to raise awareness about mental health, suicide prevention, and addiction recovery, reminding others that they are not alone, and it’s okay not to be okay. His mission is to show that PTSD can affect anyone, regardless of their background, and that a supportive community exists to help them heal and grow.
📍 Location: Albuquerque, NM
Dispatch
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👤Name: Cristina
📟 Service History: Public Safety Dispatcher, Former Police Cadet
🧠 Background: Peer Support Advocate, Mental Health Awareness & PTSD Support
📋 Bio: Cristina began her public safety career in 2017 as a police cadet before transitioning to dispatching in 2019, where she has since played a vital role in managing critical incidents and supporting first responders in high-stress situations. Having personally navigated the challenges of PTSD and the emotional toll of public safety, she is deeply committed to helping others cope with the mental and emotional demands of the job.
A compassionate listener and dedicated advocate for mental wellness, Cristina channels her experience into peer support, ensuring that first responders and dispatchers alike have a trusted space to process their struggles. She is passionate about creating a culture that prioritizes mental health, resilience, and connection in the public safety community.
📍 Location: Bay Area, CA