Our Foundation’s Mission
We invite you to stand up for heroes so that we can find, fund, shape, and accelerate equitable solutions that help our impacted veterans, service members, their families, and their caregivers thrive.
The Bob and Lee Woodruff Story
Fifteen years ago, the Woodruffs seemed to have it all. But when Bob’s armored vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq, life changed in an instant.
Bob was reporting on the transfer of power between U.S. and Iraqi security forces for ABC’s “World News Tonight,” Jan. 29, 2006, when he sustained his life-threatening traumatic brain injury. Lee was on vacation with their children when she received the call — and was soon thrust into the role of caregiver. Thanks to the quick actions of brave soldiers, medics, and military medical professionals, Bob’s life was saved. Within a few days, he was brought to the Naval Hospital at Bethesda, Md.
There, Bob spent 36 days in a medically-induced coma, and 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 experience inspired their family to do one thing: Ensure that our nation’s impacted veterans, service members, and their families have access to the highest level of support and resources they deserve, for as long as they need it. That wish became our mission. Today the Bob Woodruff Foundation complements the work of our government, ensuring that our veterans are thriving long after they return home.
Our 2022 Focal Areas
- Food Insecurity
- Housing
- Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Employment
- Legal Support
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Community Building
Impact Stories
See how our mission has directly and indirectly impacted veterans and their families, helping them thrive after service.
Making an Impact in the Compton Community
Expanding Assistance to Veterans Experiencing Homelessness
Spring 2022 Cohort
“The Hardest Part Was Accepting Help”
For One Army Couple, a New Mission: Find a Surrogate
To expand their family, high school sweethearts overcome exceptional odds
“She Was Meant To Be Ours”
Miami Dolphins join Bob Woodruff Foundation and partners for veterans food distribution
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 collaboratives of community veterans’ organizations. With partners across the country, our growing network reaches millions of veterans and their families where they live and work.
Our Ongoing Initiatives
With our continuing efforts in veteran fertility assistance, scientific research partnerships, and employments collaboration, we identify, pursue and champion those areas of need that are most critical to the population we serve.
Our Ongoing Initiatives
With our continuing efforts in veteran fertility assistance, scientific research partnerships, and employments collaboration, we identify, pursue and champion those areas of need that are most critical to the population we serve.
The BWF Team
Bob Woodruff Foundation is led by a distinguished group of leaders from diverse areas of influence, including defense, media, healthcare, philanthropy, business, and government.
Anne Marie Dougherty
Anne Marie DoughertyChief 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 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.
Margaret Harrell
Chief Program Officer
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
Chief Operating Officer
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
Chief of Staff
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.
The BWF Team
Bob Woodruff Foundation is led by a distinguished group of leaders from diverse areas of influence, including 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, 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 and establishing 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 into a sustainable business model and growth engine that has raised over $66 million. Dougherty has also broken new ground in both programming and partnerships, establishing the foundation as an innovative hub for collaboration among partners ranging from 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 and has received multiple awards on behalf of the Foundation’s industry-leading impact. Dougherty is a Leadership Council member of Nationswell, a member of the Board of Directors for the UN Women for Peace Association, and has appeared on a range of broadcast outlets including ESPN, Cheddar TV, Fox News, MSNBC to discuss the Foundation’s work, and has been featured in articles in USA Today, CBS News, Forbes, TIME Magazine, the Military Times, and 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 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.
Margaret Harrell
Chief Program Officer
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
Chief Operating Officer
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.
We Pride Ourselves on Transparency
“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.
Our Core Commitments
- We will pursue ways to provide service members and their families with equitable access to the same quality of support through their recovery that Bob Woodruff and his family received.
- We are committed to meeting 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 enduring commitment to meet veteran needs, over time, and as they evolve, through the most impactful and effective programs.
- We will devote as much diligence to how we raise funds as we do to how we allocate them, maintaining the highest commitment to transparency and the 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 – with a continuing reliance on data and input from every level, local to national.
- We will share our expertise to help do more good for more veterans.
- We will emulate the generosity of spirit that our founders and military families demonstrate each day.
Press Room
Keep up with the latest news and announcements in our drive to make life better for our veterans.
Bob Woodruff Foundation Invests $3.9 Million in 34 Organizations that Support Veterans and Service Members
The Bob Woodruff Foundation and Gridiron Capital Partner to Support Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
Bob Woodruff Foundation Expedites Investments in Veteran-Serving Organizations in Florida to Urgently Address Needs Following Hurricane Ian
Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS) Announces Twelfth Annual Veteran Symposium
The National Football League (NFL) and the Bob Woodruff Foundation Announce $5.5 Million Continued Partnership Through NFL’s Salute to Service Initiative
16th Annual Stand Up for Heroes, Presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival, Returns to Kick Off the 2022 NYCF
The Bob Woodruff Foundation Publishes Comprehensive Study on Veterans’ Needs Nationwide
Bob Woodruff Foundation Invests $1.7M In Health and Wellbeing of Veterans, Caregivers, and Military Families
Press Room
Keep up with the latest news and announcements in our drive to make life better for our veterans.
Bob Woodruff Foundation Invests $3.9 Million in 34 Organizations that Support Veterans and Service Members
The Bob Woodruff Foundation and Gridiron Capital Partner to Support Service Members, Veterans, and their Families
Bob Woodruff Foundation Expedites Investments in Veteran-Serving Organizations in Florida to Urgently Address Needs Following Hurricane Ian
Veterans on Wall Street (VOWS) Announces Twelfth Annual Veteran Symposium
The National Football League (NFL) and the Bob Woodruff Foundation Announce $5.5 Million Continued Partnership Through NFL’s Salute to Service Initiative
16th Annual Stand Up for Heroes, Presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival, Returns to Kick Off the 2022 NYCF
The Bob Woodruff Foundation Publishes Comprehensive Study on Veterans’ Needs Nationwide
Bob Woodruff Foundation Invests $1.7M In Health and Wellbeing of Veterans, Caregivers, and Military Families
Get Support
Whether you’re a veteran or family member looking for initiatives and assistance or an organization in need, we’ve got your 6.
Get Support
Give Support
Providing grants and assistance can only be done with support from our donors, partners, and sponsors. Help us today!
Give Support
Get Support
Whether you’re a veteran or family member looking for initiatives and assistance or an organization in need, we’ve got your 6.
Get Support
Give Support
Providing grants and assistance can only be done with support from our donors, partners, and sponsors. Help us today!
Give Support
