We ensure that our nation’s veterans, service members, and their families — those who stood for us — have stable and successful futures.
Bob and Lee Woodruff’s Story
The Woodruffs seemed to have it all.
In 2006, Bob was reporting on the transfer of power between US and Iraqi security forces for ABC’s “World News Tonight.” Bob’s armored vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb, and he sustained a life-threatening traumatic brain injury.
Due to quick actions of brave soldiers, medics, and military medical professionals, Bob’s life was saved. Within days, he was transported to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
There, Bob spent 36 days in a medically-induced coma. Lee got to know the families of service members dealing with the impact of hidden injuries such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression.
As Bob recovered, the Woodruff family resolved to raise awareness about the tough challenges veterans and military families are facing, and invest in solutions to help support them in the next chapter of their lives.
Today the Bob Woodruff Foundation complements our government’s work, and ensures that our veterans are thriving long after they return home.
Our 2023 Focus Areas
Community Building
Emergency Financial Assistance
Employment
Food Insecurity
Housing
Legal Support
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Our 2023 Focus Areas
Community Building
Emergency Financial Assistance
Employment
Food Insecurity
Housing
Legal Support
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Impact Stories
How does our work ensure that our veterans and service members are supported and successful?
KC Footprints, a well-respected organization in Kansas City, cherishes veterans’ stories and experiences of veterans and actively engages with them through community service initiatives. By providing meaningful opportunities for veterans… Read More
If you or someone you know is experiencing feelings of isolation or contemplating suicide, reach out to someone at the Veterans Crisis Line. Dial 988, then press 1, or text… Read More
Craig Newmark Philanthropies’ Craigstable initiative is combating food insecurity through community empowerment and sustainable solutions, making a significant impact in the fight against hunger.
Just east of the big city of Manhattan, Long Island, New York, is home to more than 7.5 million people, including 109,000 veterans and the United Way Long Island. With… Read More
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, known as HUD-VASH, is a program that provides affordable housing and supportive services to homeless veterans and their families. The… Read More
We often forget that our veterans have a hard time re-acclimating to civilian life after their service, and the veteran housing issue is no exception. On a given night in… Read More
Hailed as the most significant expansion of care in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ history, the PACT Act made it law that veterans must no longer prove that their illnesses… Read More
The NFL, Little Caesars Love Kitchen, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) hosted a Salute to Service event during the 2023 NFL Draft week to raise awareness… Read More
The Got Your 6 Network
National Reach. Local Impact.
The Bob Woodruff Foundation’s Got Your 6 Network includes our best-in-class grantees and our national network of locally-based community veterans’ organizations. With partners across the country, our growing network reaches millions of veterans and their families where they live and work.
With our continuing efforts in veteran fertility assistance, scientific research partnerships, and community collaboration, we identify, pursue and champion areas of need that are most critical to the population we serve.
With our continuing efforts in veteran fertility assistance, scientific research partnerships, and community collaboration, we identify, pursue and champion areas of need that are most critical to the population we serve.
Bob Woodruff Foundation’s leadership team brings experience from defense, media, healthcare, philanthropy, business, and government.
Anne Marie Dougherty
Chief Executive Officer
As Chief Executive Officer of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, Anne Marie Dougherty oversees and funds the nation’s largest nongovernmental network of veteran service providers, which, according to Forbes, helps veterans not only navigate the 40,000+ organizations that provide services to them, but also helps veterans heal from the physical and psychological wounds of war. With A-list celebrities and philanthropic institutions at our side – Bruce Springsteen, the NFL, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, MacKenzie Scott, Jon Stewart, Lee Ann Womack, Mickey Guyton – and our country’s highest-ranked military and national security leaders, we have invested more than $100 million in best-in-class veterans programming across the country. Our product is peace of mind – for veterans, for veteran-serving organizations, and for philanthropists looking to invest efficiently and effectively in veteran services.
As a military spouse, Anne Marie’s connection to the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s mission is personal. She has lived experience as a Marine spouse during war time combat deployments and through multiple duty station moves. When she tells veterans, their families, and their caregivers that the Bob Woodruff Foundation has “Got Your 6,” she means it. She regularly speaks to media outlets ranging from ESPN, to NPR, TIME, CBS, and Fox to raise awareness for veteran needs.
Anne Marie is active with her two young boys in their local community, including through their sports teams and schools. She serves on the Board of Directors of the UN Women for Peace Association, as an Advisory Board Member for Game Changers Institute, and as a NationSwell Council Member. Anne Marie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communications from Drexel University.
Dave Woodruff
Chief Development Officer
Dave Woodruff
Chief Development Officer
Dave Woodruff is co-founder and Chief Development Officer of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, having joined the organization professionally in July of 2020.
Dave co-founded the BWF with his brother Bob and sister-in-law Lee Woodruff and served as Chairman of the Board until joining in his current capacity. Woodruff is committed to helping to grow the Bob Woodruff Foundation into an even more influential nationally recognized military charity.
Woodruff had a decades-long career in advertising and media before joining the Bob Woodruff Foundation. He started his career working for several Detroit and New York based advertising agencies, including W.B. Doner, Campbell-Ewald and Saatchi & Saatchi. Some of his key clients included Chevrolet, Little Caesars, and The Detroit Free Press.
He moved into media sales and marketing in the early 90’s and worked at a number of media companies, including Times Mirror (Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, SKI and Skiing), National Geographic as Detroit Director, Ziff-Davis and Gruner & Jahr as National Automotive Lead, Hearst Magazines and Bloomberg Media as Detroit Director, and most recently as Midwest Director for Entrepreneur Media.
During his career he also served in several industry positions, most notably as the 101st President of The Adcraft Club of Detroit, the oldest advertising club in the nation. He was also the first third-generation President of prestigious Orchard Lake Country Club in 2013 and is a Eucharistic Minister in the Episcopal Church.
In addition, Woodruff founded the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Jeep Claybird Classic charity sporting clays tournament which ran for over 10 years and raised nearly $1,000,000, establishing an endowed chair in Pediatric Rehabilitation at Wayne State University and Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
Dave and his wife Lee Ann live in Birmingham, Michigan, the Woodruff family’s hometown.
Dr. Margaret “Meg” Harrell is the Chief Program Officer at the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF). Prior to BWF, she was the Executive Director, Force Resiliency, for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and was responsible for the OSD offices and policy pertaining to sexual assault prevention and response, suicide prevention, diversity management, equal opportunity, drug reduction, and personnel safety. She was also responsible for Department of Defense collaborative efforts with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Prior to her Pentagon appointment, Dr. Harrell was a senior social scientist and Deputy Director of the RAND Arroyo Center where she researched military manpower and personnel, military families and quality of life, and veterans’ issues.
She led or co-led projects addressing officer career management; the promotion and management of generals and admirals; assignment policies for military women; the health and wellness of veterans; resiliency of military families; and sexual assault prevention and response policy. Her research portfolio includes approximately 70 publications. Concurrent with her time at RAND, Dr. Harrell was a presidentially-appointed commissioner on the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force, 2013-2014. From July 2011 to August 2012, Dr. Harrell was Senior Fellow and Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security, where her research focused on military veteran suicide prevention and response, veteran wellness, and veteran employment.
She is a prior voting member of the Army Science Board, and has briefed international audiences, testified before Congress, spoken extensively at conferences, and guest lectured at the United States Military Academy. She holds a B.A. with Distinction from the University of Virginia, a M.S. in Systems Analysis and Management from the George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Virginia, where her dissertation focused on military culture.
Harrell resides in Lake Ridge, Va., with her husband, a U.S. Navy veteran.
Todd Duso is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF). Prior to joining BWF, he spent 7 years working in the Middle East in various executive leadership positions in the United Arab Emirates, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Todd brings over 30 years of strategic operations and organizational experience to the BWF team from both the public and private sector. Prior to his move to the Middle East he worked in the Pentagon with senior Army leadership.
Todd served as the lead subject matter expert for the Director, US Army Office of Business Transformation. This high-profile work required expert technical knowledge and experience in the areas of best business practices, portfolio management, strategic communications, business transformation and change management. He also served as the Program Manager for the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Leadership Development Program for General Officers and Senior Executive Civilians. This project required day to day interaction with the Army Staff and Secretariat to develop educational objectives, course curriculum, and marketing strategies for all levels of executive education. Along with developing and executing courses Todd coordinated and collaborated with Fortune 500 CEOs, leading scholars, journalists, government officials, and guest speakers for participation in the program.
In addition to his private sector operations experience Todd is an Army veteran who served as a commissioned officer and enlisted soldier. With both combat and noncombat deployments, he has a special place in his heart for veterans, military members and their families.
Todd and his wife Kristin are very glad to be living and working in New York City.
Kelly Lugbill Clark is the Chief of Staff at the Bob Woodruff Foundation. She previously worked as a management consultant for public and social sector clients at McKinsey & Company and as a program associate and election observer at The Carter Center. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in history and French from the University of Virginia and a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University. Kelly lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband Danny, a Lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve.
Bob Woodruff Foundation’s leadership team brings experience from defense, media, healthcare, philanthropy, business, and government.
Anne Marie Dougherty
Chief Executive Officer
Anne Marie Dougherty is the Chief Executive Officer of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. She is an award-winning marketer, industry thought-leader, and passionate champion for our nation’s veterans and their families. Under her dynamic approach to leadership and management, the Foundation has grown from a small regional organization to a top-tier, nationally recognized brand and market leader. Dougherty has disrupted the traditional fundraising approach, leveraging metrics, relationships, and results to maximize the foundation’s $80 million investment impact. She utilizes an entrepreneurial approach in moving the foundation forward. She has established a standard of excellence that permeates the entire organization.
Since she took on the role in 2011, Dougherty transformed the Foundation’s annual Stand Up for Heroes event. Today, the event is a sustainable business model and growth engine that has raised over $66 million. Dougherty has broken new ground in programming and partnerships, establishing the Foundation as an innovative hub for collaboration among partners. These include the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Football League, the Embassy of the State of Qatar to The Royal Foundation in the United Kingdom.
Dougherty was named The Nonprofit Times and American Marketing Association “Nonprofit Marketer of the Year” in 2012. She has received multiple awards on behalf of the Foundation’s industry-leading impact. She is a Leadership Council member of Nationswell, and a member of the Board of Directors for the UN Women for Peace Association. Dougherty has appeared on broadcast outlets including ESPN, Cheddar TV, Fox News, MSNBC to discuss the Foundation’s work. She has been featured in articles in USA Today, CBS News, Forbes, TIME Magazine, the Military Times. Dougherty has been a keynote speaker at industry events on topics including veterans, military families, high impact grantmaking, philanthropy, and women in leadership.
Dave Woodruff
Chief Development Officer
Dave Woodruff
Chief Development Officer
Dave Woodruff is co-founder and Chief Development Officer of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, having joined the organization professionally in July of 2020.
Dave co-founded the BWF with his brother Bob and sister-in-law Lee Woodruff and served as Chairman of the Board until joining in his current capacity. Woodruff is committed to helping to grow the Bob Woodruff Foundation into an even more influential nationally recognized military charity.
Woodruff had a decades-long career in advertising and media before joining the Bob Woodruff Foundation. He started his career working for several Detroit and New York based advertising agencies, including W.B. Doner, Campbell-Ewald and Saatchi & Saatchi. Some of his key clients included Chevrolet, Little Caesars, and The Detroit Free Press.
He moved into media sales and marketing in the early 90’s and worked at a number of media companies, including Times Mirror (Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, SKI and Skiing), National Geographic as Detroit Director, Ziff-Davis and Gruner & Jahr as National Automotive Lead, Hearst Magazines and Bloomberg Media as Detroit Director, and most recently as Midwest Director for Entrepreneur Media.
During his career he also served in several industry positions, most notably as the 101st President of The Adcraft Club of Detroit, the oldest advertising club in the nation. He was also the first third-generation President of prestigious Orchard Lake Country Club in 2013 and is a Eucharistic Minister in the Episcopal Church.
In addition, Woodruff founded the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Jeep Claybird Classic charity sporting clays tournament which ran for over 10 years and raised nearly $1,000,000, establishing an endowed chair in Pediatric Rehabilitation at Wayne State University and Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
Dave and his wife Lee Ann live in Birmingham, Michigan, the Woodruff family’s hometown.
Dr. Margaret “Meg” Harrell is the Chief Program Officer at the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF). Prior to BWF, she was the Executive Director, Force Resiliency, for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and was responsible for the OSD offices and policy pertaining to sexual assault prevention and response, suicide prevention, diversity management, equal opportunity, drug reduction, and personnel safety. She was also responsible for Department of Defense collaborative efforts with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Prior to her Pentagon appointment, Dr. Harrell was a senior social scientist and Deputy Director of the RAND Arroyo Center where she researched military manpower and personnel, military families and quality of life, and veterans’ issues.
She led or co-led projects addressing officer career management; the promotion and management of generals and admirals; assignment policies for military women; the health and wellness of veterans; resiliency of military families; and sexual assault prevention and response policy. Her research portfolio includes approximately 70 publications. Concurrent with her time at RAND, Dr. Harrell was a presidentially-appointed commissioner on the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force, 2013-2014. From July 2011 to August 2012, Dr. Harrell was Senior Fellow and Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security, where her research focused on military veteran suicide prevention and response, veteran wellness, and veteran employment.
She is a prior voting member of the Army Science Board, and has briefed international audiences, testified before Congress, spoken extensively at conferences, and guest lectured at the United States Military Academy. She holds a B.A. with Distinction from the University of Virginia, a M.S. in Systems Analysis and Management from the George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Virginia, where her dissertation focused on military culture.
Harrell resides in Lake Ridge, Va., with her husband, a U.S. Navy veteran.
Todd Duso is the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer at the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF). Prior to joining BWF, he spent 7 years working in the Middle East in various executive leadership positions in the United Arab Emirates, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Todd brings over 30 years of strategic operations and organizational experience to the BWF team from both the public and private sector. Prior to his move to the Middle East he worked in the Pentagon with senior Army leadership.
Todd served as the lead subject matter expert for the Director, US Army Office of Business Transformation. This high-profile work required expert technical knowledge and experience in the areas of best business practices, portfolio management, strategic communications, business transformation and change management. He also served as the Program Manager for the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Leadership Development Program for General Officers and Senior Executive Civilians. This project required day to day interaction with the Army Staff and Secretariat to develop educational objectives, course curriculum, and marketing strategies for all levels of executive education. Along with developing and executing courses Todd coordinated and collaborated with Fortune 500 CEOs, leading scholars, journalists, government officials, and guest speakers for participation in the program.
In addition to his private sector operations experience Todd is an Army veteran who served as a commissioned officer and enlisted soldier. With both combat and noncombat deployments, he has a special place in his heart for veterans, military members and their families.
Todd and his wife Kristin are very glad to be living and working in New York City.
“Transparency is where confidence begins, the foundation of trust, where problem-solving starts.” – General Martin Dempsey, U.S. Army, Retired; Bob Woodruff Foundation Board Member
As a 501(c)(3) public charity, the Bob Woodruff Foundation relies upon the support of generous donors to fulfill our mission and we hold ourselves to the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
The Bob Woodruff Foundation consistently earns top marks from charity watchdogs. Our long-standing 4-star rating from America’s premier independent charity evaluator, Charity Navigator, places us in the top 1% of all charities in the US, and we are an Accredited Charity Seal Holder with the Better Business Bureau and a GuideStar Platinum Seal Recipient.
We’re also on CharityWatch’s top-rated charities list with an “A” rating, and earned the top spot on DonorBox’s list of Top 10 Best Veteran Charities That Serves Military Service Members and Families.
We will pursue opportunities to ensure that veterans and service members have access to the same quality of recovery support that Bob Woodruff and his family received.
We will meet veteran needs no matter how intractable a problem seems. If a solution doesn’t exist, we will create one.
We will remain steadfast in our commitment to meet veterans’ evolving needs through the impactful and effective programs.
We will devote as much diligence to raising funds as we do to allocating them. We will maintain the highest commitment to transparency and highest standards for stewarding the funds entrusted to us.
We will maintain industry-leading subject matter expertise on veterans’ needs and the programs that support them. In doing so, we will rely on local and national data and input.
We will share our expertise to do more good for more veterans.
We will emulate the generosity of spirit that our founders and military families demonstrate each day.
Press Room
Get the latest on how we’re investing to ensure our service members and veterans thrive.
Gretchen Wilson, Brian Kelley, The War and Treaty, Briston Maroney and Ashley Cooke to perform For the second consecutive year, the Bob Woodruff Foundation chose Nashville to host its Got… Read More
Recognizing the seriousness of military children’s mental health issues and the importance of addressing them, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has published a related issue brief: “Stand SMART for Heroes: Spotlight… Read More
NEW YORK, March 28, 2023 — Craig Newmark Philanthropies today announced a $3 million grant to the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF), once again demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the military/veteran… Read More
Bob Woodruff Foundation and United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County Host Summit Feb. 14 (San Antonio, Feb. 2) In partnership with the United Way of San Antonio and… Read More
Gretchen Wilson, Brian Kelley, The War and Treaty, Briston Maroney and Ashley Cooke to perform For the second consecutive year, the Bob Woodruff Foundation chose Nashville to host its Got… Read More
Recognizing the seriousness of military children’s mental health issues and the importance of addressing them, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has published a related issue brief: “Stand SMART for Heroes: Spotlight… Read More
NEW YORK, March 28, 2023 — Craig Newmark Philanthropies today announced a $3 million grant to the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF), once again demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the military/veteran… Read More
Bob Woodruff Foundation and United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County Host Summit Feb. 14 (San Antonio, Feb. 2) In partnership with the United Way of San Antonio and… Read More