Veterans and Mental Health: A Coffee Chat with Valley Cities

Description

Valley Cities invites you to a special Coffee Chat at the Renton Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, November 6, 2025. This event will feature a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities in serving veterans and their families in King County.

Our panelists bring a wealth of experience in behavioral health, housing, case management, and veteran transition services.

• Robert Wilson, LMHC, SUDP, Clinical Services Manager for Veterans Services at Valley Cities. A retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer and Desert Storm veteran, Robert has served as a school counselor, case manager, chemical dependency counselor, and clinician in the King County and Seattle Veterans Courts.

• Sarah Faison, BS, Housing Navigator at Valley Cities. Sarah is a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom with a background in psychology from Central Washington University. She supports homeless veterans in King County to secure stable and safe housing.

• Bryan Fry, Program Manager, King County Veterans Program. A U.S. Navy veteran with more than 20 years of experience in mental health and criminal justice, Bryan leads a team of case managers delivering comprehensive support, financial assistance, and community connections for veterans and their families.

• Joshua Wheeldon, Transition Coordinator, U.S. Army Soldier Recovery Unit (JBLM). Josh served five years in the Army with deployments to Korea and Iraq, later supporting veterans through the Veterans Benefits Administration and now coordinating transition services for recovering soldiers.

This panel will explore how local organizations are addressing the behavioral health, housing, and transition needs of veterans, while also making space for audience questions and resource sharing.