MEET OUR TEAM

Eric Basek | Co-Founder & President

Eric Basek is the co-founder of the Stay Safe Foundation. He is a gym owner, former law enforcement officer, and current military reservist. Eric is the author of "Lessons in Cadence", a book highlighting the shared difficulties of Post Traumatic Stress and the commonalities of recovery efforts. He is also the husband of our charity's director, Amanda Basek, and the father to their 8 year old boy, Logan.

Amanda Basek | Executive Director

Amanda is the Executive Director of the Stay Safe Foundation since its inception, though she has been serving the military community since 2008. She's led literally thousands of volunteers and coordinated hundreds of programs and events for veterans. One of her greatest assets is to utilize local resources to drive fundraising efforts for a national impact. In her day job, Amanda appreciates the opportunity to be an accountability coach, guiding over 100 clients to lead healthier, happier lives. At home, Amanda is a total foodie, adores her son, Logan and snuggling her German Shepherd, Rajah.

Justin Burnash | Vice President

Justin Burnash is the founder and CEO of Remarkbl Inc. He has spent the last 20 years of his life building businesses which include a gym, a custom car shop and multiple seven figure e-commerce brands. He has generated over $10 million in revenue in just the last few years leveraging his expertise in running incredible sweepstakes where people get a chance to win something remarkable (see what we did there?) as a bonus for supporting their favorite brands and content creators.

After becoming disillusioned with most of the current social media platforms and their hold on so many amazing brands and creators, he set out to build something better. Something… remarkable. Here he could partner with amazing brands, influencers and content creators to help them create a new income stream and an amazing way to give back to their community all by simply doing more of what they do best… creating.

He is also on the board of his favorite charity, The Stay Safe Foundation, which helps wounded military veterans and law enforcement officers through fitness. In his free time (which is hilariously scarce), he enjoys racing in the 24 Hours of Lemons with some of his friends. He has been featured in multiple Youtube channels, podcasts and magazine articles.

Jenn Montgomery | Website & Graphic Design

Jenn served in the U.S. Army Reserves as a Military Police Officer for 6 years. Starting her military journey in ROTC, she went on to complete her basic officer training at Ft. Leonard Wood. While she was never presented with the opportunity to deploy, she did her platoon leader time in Phoenix, AZ, commanded two military police officer units in Nashville, TN, and worked with a Mobilization Support Brigade in Lawton, OK. She was also certified as a Master Resilience Trainer.

Jenn is the founder of Jemoy Creative, and has been a graphic designer since 2010. Her passion for design is deep-rooted and comes from a lifetime of appreciating creative work – art, music, food, architecture, handmade pieces, sunsets. The work she does as a designer comes from a place of flow and joy, and it calls her to work with people who are forging their own path – the hustlers, the people chasing their daydreams, the kitchen table solopreneurs. She’s chosen to specialize in working with these kinds of people because they’re often the ones that can’t afford to work with a large agency yet, but they still need the same level of creativity and expertise an agency can provide.

Jenn is a veteran, a military spouse, and a Navy brat - she's spent her life around military service members. She has been a lifelong maker, and enjoys quilting, sewing, cooking and woodwork. She finds great joy in traveling, immersing herself in new cultures, and trying new foods. In her downtime, Jenn enjoys spending time with her husband and their cats, reading a book curled up in the sun, and connecting with family and friends.

John Parris | Veteran Blogger

John Parris is an Army veteran who served for ten years and completed four combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his service, he was exposed to years of intense combat interactions with the enemy, and the threat level of being killed was high on a daily basis. John's service in the Army was challenging, and he faced many obstacles and difficult situations during his deployments.

John was constantly under high levels of stress and experienced numerous traumatic events during his deployments, leading to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and survivors' guilt. These mental health issues made it challenging for him to adjust to civilian life after his honorable discharge from the military.

John's transition from active duty to civilian life was not an easy one, and he struggled with finding his purpose and a sense of belonging in society. He struggled with both drugs and alcohol. His mental health issues made it difficult for him to establish relationships, trust people, and get along with others. It was a challenging time for John, and he felt isolated and alone, struggling to cope with his emotions and feelings.

Fortunately, John was able to receive the help he needed to manage his PTSD and anxiety. He sought help and eventually found that through his faith, family, and fitness. With their help, he was able to regain a sense of purpose and belonging and became an advocate for other veterans struggling with similar issues.

John's experiences in the Army have shaped his life, and he now works tirelessly to raise awareness of the challenges faced by veterans returning from combat. He speaks at events and helps with a service dog organization, sharing his story and advocating for better mental health support for veterans. John's commitment to helping other veterans has earned him numerous accolades, including the Purple Heart, and he continues to inspire those around him with his courage and resilience.

In his free time, John enjoys spending time with his family and participating in outdoor activities. He enjoys hiking, fishing, camping, going to the gym. and finds that doing these things are a great way to manage his stress and anxiety.

In conclusion, John Parris is an Army veteran who has faced many challenges during his service and transition to civilian life. His struggles with PTSD, anxiety, and survivors' guilt have shaped his life, and he now works tirelessly to raise awareness of the issues faced by veterans returning from combat. John's dedication to helping others is an inspiration to those around him, and he continues to make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families.