Colleen Bushnell

About Colleen Bushnell

Record military sexual assaults are] a fundamental breakdown in the culture – it’s about translating the core values of the military into the actions of leadership. There will be many solutions, and it may take many years for the culture to transform,” Colleen Bushnell— Anna Mulrine, The Christian Science Monitor (2013)I am a subject matter expert on military sexual trauma (MST), military justice reform, and military workplace culture. My work focuses on systemic accountability, leadership ethics, and institutional responses to interpersonal violence within the armed forces.The American public deserves transparency regarding risks to active-duty servicemembers and the policies that govern their safety and well-being. Military culture should reflect shared civic and moral values. The often-overlooked sacrifices of young Americans in uniform—and the military’s broader impact on society—remain central drivers of my work.I consult at the intersection of military culture, justice policy, civil rights, and media, advising stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels. My work centers on translating lived experience, data, and policy analysis into reforms that strengthen accountability and trust within military institutions.Since 2010, I have been a nationally recognized expert on military justice policy and workplace culture. My work has included consulting filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering on The Invisible War, which catalyzed national awareness and reform efforts; completing a cross-country advocacy effort in 2013 supporting Rep. Buck McKeon’s petition that led to the Lackland Hearings on sexual assault in U.S. Air Force basic training; contributing to national discourse following the Fort Hood crisis after the murder of Vanessa Guillén; and advising on issues involving military sexual assault, suicide, and homicide.My current focus is “true prevention”—a theory and applied protocol for preventing interpersonal violence through experiential education that accelerates emotional maturity, strengthens unit cohesion, and equips leaders and peers with tools to prevent harm and promote resilience.My work has been featured by The Christian Science Monitor, Politico, USA Today, Psychology Today, Air & Space Magazine, Le Monde, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, and Newsday. I have appeared on Current TV, Viceland, ARISE TV, HuffPost Live, and PBS’s After Action, Episode 7

Experience

1. Alumni Ambassador

   Warrior-Scholar Project

   Sep 2023 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Here’s Warrior Scholar Alumni Ambassador main objectives, in addition to ambassadors who will seek to warm welcome academic institutions to host these boot camps on Scholar Project Ambassadors are expected to:Directly support outreach efforts by encouraging friends and colleagues to apply for an upcoming academic boot camp.Advocate at their local college(s) and universit(ies) to promote WSP academic boot camps to their student veteran population.Attend local college fairs and conferences on behalf of WSP.Represent WSP in social media campaigns, info sessions, media interviews, and alumni panels.Support and mentor future applicants leading up to and through their academic boot camp, where appropriate.

Education

• Harvard Extension School

  Non Matriculated, Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

• University of Nebraska at Omaha

  Liberal Arts

  2001 — 2001

• Hudson Valley Community College

  Liberal Arts

  1995 — 1997

• Catholic Central High School

  Diploma, General

  1987 — 1991

• Defense Information School

  Instructor, Military Public Affairs

  2005 — 2006

• Offutt AFB James F. McCoy Airman Leadership School

  Non Commissioned Officer, Leadership Education

  2001 — 2001

• Harvard University

  Warrior Scholar Project, Humanities/Humanistic Studies

Skills

• Supervisory Skills
• Top Secret
• Organizational Leadership
• Military Training
• Military Experience
• Community Outreach
• Humanitarian Clowning
• Microsoft Excel
• Public Affairs
• Military Affairs
• Blogging
• Spokesperson
• Organizational Development
• Leadership
• Counterterrorism
• Photography
• Case Management
• Command
• Social Media
• Crisis Communications
• Team Building
• Proposal Writing
• Media Relations
• Air Force
• Journalism
• Operational Planning
• Army
• Government
• Critical Thinking
• Tactics
• Special Operations
• Digital Media
• Dod
• National Security
• Military Operations
• Fundraising
• Counterinsurgency
• Strategic Communications
• Military
• Security Clearance