Phyllis DiGioia, CEO/Founder

Phyllis DiGioia is the Founder and CEO of Honor Wellness Center, an outpatient mental health, addictions and trauma treatment center for public safety first responders, military and their families.

Phyllis has been a Social Worker for 30+ years and earned her licensure to practice Clinical Social Work in the state of Connecticut in 2005. She has specialized in public safety first responder and military clinical mental health, addictions and trauma treatment and case management for 20 years.

Phyllis is a certified POST instructor and earned her CISM certification in 2003. Phyllis is also a Certified Employee Assistance Professional and is clinically trained in providing Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) parts 1 and 2, as well as many other clinical treatment modalities.

Phyllis thoroughly enjoys serving as a Clinical Supervisor for Bachelor's and Master's level student clinicians. She is also passionately dedicated to facilitating numerous peer support, critical incident stress management, mental health, trauma and addictions trainings throughout the country. Phyllis remains diligently focused in promoting the growth of a rich and extensive resource network to serve public safety first responders, military personnel and their families throughout the country.

Phyllis loves spending time with her family and friends, being outdoors, listening to music and comedy and playing with the family German shepherd and two cats!

Christopher McKee, Vice President

Christopher M. McKee retired from over twenty-eight years of law enforcement service, most recently as Captain for the Town of Suffield, Connecticut Police Department, having been appointed in October 2016. Prior to this appointment, Christopher M. McKee served as a Police Lieutenant with twenty-four (24) years of service with the Windsor, Connecticut Police Department, serving a jurisdiction of over 29,000 residents.

Captain McKee (Ret.) serves as an instructor providing professional development to police officers, juvenile court officials, youth mobile crisis clinicians, school faculty, and child welfare staff throughout the country on youth crisis intervention, de-escalation, communication techniques, and police-school relationships through the Crisis Intervention Team-Youth (CIT-Y) and the Adolescent Mental Health Training for School Resource Officers (AMHT-SRO) curricula of the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, Policy Research Associates (PRA), and the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO). Captain McKee also serves as an instructor for both the Connecticut Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement (CABLE) on CIT-Y and other youth mental health topics and the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (CT JJAC) Effective Police Interactions with Youth and Effective School Staff Interactions with Students and Police curricula. Chris is in the process of completing his Master’s Degree in Leadership in Justice.

Peter Rockholz, Executive Director

Peter earned his Master's degree in Social work from Columbia University in New York. He is a highly accomplished social work professional with 45 years of experience in the behavioral health field, including 25 years providing a wide range of consulting services in both the public and private sectors. He served as a Governor-appointed senior State agency official responsible for community-based substance abuse and mental health services in Connecticut. Peter is a national consultant in 30 States specializing in the assessment and development of effective behavioral health programs and systems in community and correctional settings; and engagement management and delivery of technical assistance and training projects. Peter has developed and implemented an innovative protocol for institutional culture assessment for the U.S. Department of Justice. He is a nationally recognized expert in evaluating public and private systems of care for addictions; institutional culture assessment and change; and adolescent substance use disorder treatment. His recent consulting specializations include orchestrating new facility start-ups, successfully obtaining a certificate of need (CON) awards, State licensure, and Joint Commission accreditation while providing operational and clinical start-up oversight and guidance, and arms-length corporate compliance services; and providing national training /technical assistance on behalf of Federal agencies (e.g., SAMHSA). Peter is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Connecticut and now serves as the Executive Director of Honor Wellness Center, Incorporated.

Jeffrey Ward, Secretary

Sergeant Ward is currently in his 20th year in law enforcement.  He began his police career with the Ansonia Police Department in 2002, where he received his certification as a Field Training Officer (FTO).  Jeff transferred to Southington Police Department in 2007 and he currently works as a Patrol Supervisor.  Jeff’s other assignments include FTO/PTO Program Coordinator and Instructor, Accident Investigation Team (AIT) Supervisor, Human Relations and De-escalation Instructor, STARS Peer Support/Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Coordinator, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coordinator and Honor Guard member.

With the assistance of the Connecticut State Police STOPS program, Connecticut Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement (CABLE), Honor Wellness Center, Believe 208, and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), Jeff designed and implemented Southington’s Peer Support/CISM Team in 2017.  In addition to teaching and training, the Southington Police peer team has assisted over twenty police and fire agencies in setting up their peer support programs, providing CISM work and offering peer support and resources.

In 2018, Jeff was the recipient of the Officer Paul Buchanan Memorial Peer Support Officer of the Year Award.  The following year Jeff received of the Connecticut Police Chief’s Association “Serve Well, Be Well” Award.

Through Jeff’s time volunteering for Honor Wellness, he had become very passionate about helping other first responders cope with the continued and cumulative stressors they face day to day, on and off the job. This type of work has motivated Jeff to return to school and pursue a Master’s Degree in social work to continue supporting first responders and veterans.

Sandra Quinonez, Treasurer

Sandra joined the Bridgeport Police Department 17 years ago, and after graduating the academy, went to work in the Housing Unit for the Bridgeport Police Department. She has also served in the Tactical Narcotics Units (TNT) for an Undercover Officer (UC) and later worked for the Connecticut State Police State Wide Narcotics Unit. She has also been assigned to the Neighborhood Enforcement Team (NET), a strategic enforcement street team where we specifically worked for the Chief of Police and the Mayors office in high crime areas.

She is a current member of the Bridgeport Police Honor Guard Unit as well as the Leader of the Unit. She was the Lead instructor at the Bridgeport Police Academy and Adjunct Instructor at the Connecticut State Police Academy/ POSTC and has taught Constitutional Law, Interview and Interrogation at the first ever Bridgeport Military Academy High School (Explorer High School).

Trish Buchanan, Advisor to the Board of Directors

Trish Buchanan is the widow of East Hartford, Connecticut Police Officer Paul S. Buchanan, Badge Number 208, who died by suicide on March 12, 2013. She seeks to bring light to the subject of police suicide by talking about it. Trish is an executive assistant in a Hartford Connecticut suburb and the proud mother of two sons. Her current passion is working on "BELIEVE 208" in collaboration with the Connecticut Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement (CABLE) to enhance awareness and support law enforcement officer mental health.

She is also a writer and shares her journey at www.lawenforcementtoday.com She established the 5K "Believe 208- Run for the Brave and Finest" for all first responders which is held each September.

Brando Flores

Brando Flores began his career at the age of 18 when he joined the US Army as an infantryman in Fort Benning, Georgia, on November of 1997. After he completed his active duty commitment, he continued serving in the US Army reverse and US Navy reserves in CT until 2010. Brando worked for the State of Connecticut Corrections as an officer until he became a Hartford Police Officer in 2008. He worked as an officer in Patrol, and Community Response Unit. In 2011 Brando was promoted to the rank of Detective and was assigned to the State of Connecticut Shooting Task Force, Homicide Division, Major Crimes, and Vice Intelligence and Narcotics Division before joining the Wethersfield Police Department in 2021.  

Brando Flores is an adjunct instructor for the State of Connecticut Police Officers Standards and Training Council, serves as an Field Training Officer, Honor Guard, Wellness Task Force, Uniform Committee, and Public Information Officer with the Wethersfield Police Department.  

Brando prides himself for going out of his way to help anyone, but military and police have a very special place for him.  

Brando’s favorite quote is from President Abraham Lincoln 

“Nearly any man can stand adversity, but if you want to know a man’s character, give him POWER”

Kelly Grant

Kelly Grant is a veteran of law enforcement having begun her career in 1995 as a Naugatuck Police Officer before joining the Connecticut State Police in 2001. After 25 years of dedicated service, Kelly retired in 2021.

After graduating from the Connecticut State Police Training Academy, Kelly was transferred to Troop A in Southbury. Throughout her career as a trooper, Kelly was also assigned to the Southbury Resident State Trooper’s Office, Governor’s Security Unit, Connecticut State Police Training Academy, and the Recruitment and Selection Unit where she helped recruit new troopers and guide applicants through the hiring process.

In 2009, Kelly was assigned to the public information office where she spent nine years speaking on behalf of the Connecticut State Police as a public information officer, then spokesperson. 

Upon retirement from the Connecticut State Police, Kelly began her second career as the Associate Program Chair for the Criminal Justice Program at Post University in Waterbury, CT and continues her volunteer work with Girls Future Firefighter Camp, a summer camp that introduces girls to careers in public safety.

Kelly is a life-long Connecticut resident, having earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Public Relations from Sacred Heart University.

David McNeice, Advisor to the Board of Directors

Dave has more than 20 years in law enforcement. He was an officer for East Windsor Police Department for sixteen years, with duties that included patrolling the town and investigating reports of crimes and motor vehicle accidents. He also worked on the Human Trafficking Task Force (Homeland Security), as a Field Training Officer, the Information Technology Administrator, Sex Offender Registry Liaison, a Negotiator with the Capitol Region Emergency Services Team (Team Leader), a member of the Hartford Auto Theft Task Force, as the Metro Traffic Services Coordinator, the EMS Coordinator, a Peer Support Coordinator, and as a K-9 Handler. Prior to the East Windsor Police Department, Dave was a police officer at Southern Connecticut State University. Dave holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Debra Rodrigues Sousa

Debra has been a Mental Health Probation Officer for the State of Connecticut since 2008. She is trained and certified in Mental Health for Offenders, Peer Support, CIT and Cultural Competency. She is the Peer Support contact for her office. She graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2021 with a business degree in Organizational Leadership and also has a Masters certificate in Latino Community Practice. Debra is Multilingual speaking both Portuguese and Spanish. Her goals are to build an extensive Peer Support Program within Court Support Services.