Gordon Sumner Ph.D., on puppies, veteran transition, and serving as DASD for two administrations

Gordon Sumner, PhD, is the President & CEO of Veterans Moving forward, a nonprofit providing service and emotional support dogs to veterans at no cost. He is also the founder of Gordon Sumner Consulting, a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and American Indian Small Business. A member of the Santee Tribe, Dr. Sumner has supported various veteran supportive nonprofits, small veteran owned, and service-disabled veteran owned small businesses.

Dr. Sumner previously served as the National Director for the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). As a presidential appointee and member of the Senior Executive Service serving at the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense level, he provided executive leadership to the largest volunteer organization within the Department of Defense comprised of over 5000 uniformed military, government civilians, defense contractors and volunteers.

During his military career, Dr. Sumner served in a variety of Infantry and Aviation command and staff positions around the world. After retiring from the US Army as a Colonel select in 1997 as the Division Chief, Army Training, Pentagon, Washington, DC, Gordon served as Managing Director, SYColeman.

Gordon currently serves as a Member, Graduate School Advisory Council, Auburn University; a Senior Fellow and Affiliate Faculty, George Mason University; Scholar, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and, Senior Fellow, George Mason University.

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Adult Education from Madison University, MBA from Auburn University, a Master of Education from Boston University and a BS, Music Performance and Music Education, Jacksonville State University. He is also a Graduate at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Dr. Sumner, a decorated combat veteran, is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal (V), Purple Heart Medal, and Air Medal. He also holds the Army Master Aviator badge, the Master Parachutist badge and the Ranger Tab.