PsychArmor Welcomes Technology Visionary Etienne de Bruin to Board of Directors 

San Diego, CA — PsychArmor, a national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the way our nation engages with military and Veteran communities through training and culturally competent education, is proud to announce the appointment of Etienne de Bruin to its Board of Directors. 

Etienne de Bruin is a seasoned technology executive, founder and CEO of 7CTOs—a premier leadership development community for Chief Technology Officers—and an influential voice in the fields of AI, organizational leadership, and nonprofit innovation. Originally from South Africa, de Bruin holds a degree in Computer Science from Stellenbosch University and is now a proud U.S. citizen. His career spans three continents and more than two decades of groundbreaking work in secure data systems, startup growth, and executive coaching. 

“Etienne brings an extraordinary mix of technical expertise, strategic vision, and a heart for service,” said Tina Atherall, CEO of PsychArmor. “As we enter a new chapter of leveraging technology to expand access to training and resources for Veterans, caregivers, and service providers, Etienne’s leadership will be invaluable.” 

De Bruin’s career began in Germany during the early days of internet data encryption. After relocating to San Diego in 2000, he launched and successfully exited a nonprofit-focused tech startup. As CTO of a high-growth SaaS company from 2005 to 2015, he helped lead the organization through scale and complexity, sharpening his expertise in systems leadership. In 2013, he founded 7CTOs, which now supports hundreds of technology leaders in aligning business goals with technical innovation. 

He is also the creator of the widely adopted “CTO Levels” framework and author of the book CTO Excellence in 100 Days. His podcasts and Substack publications have become essential listening and reading for technology leaders worldwide. Beyond his entrepreneurial accomplishments, de Bruin is the founder of the nonprofit New Technical Fund and an advocate for ethical, community-centered applications of AI. 

“Having worked with Tina and the PsychArmor team before, I’ve long admired the organization’s mission,” said de Bruin. “As a naturalized citizen, it’s an honor to serve those who’ve served this country. I’m passionate about using technology—especially AI—to build systems that bring dignity, accessibility, and support to Veterans and their families.” 

De Bruin joins the Board at a pivotal time, as PsychArmor expands its offerings to include more targeted and tech-enabled solutions for suicide prevention, caregiver support, and cultural competency in health care, education, workforce development and beyond. 

For more information about PsychArmor and its leadership team, visit www.psycharmor.org. 

Media Contact: cturner@psycharmor.org