About Today’s Guest
Mackenzie Yaede serves as the Family Communications and Logistics Coordinator at Luke’s Wings, where she manages the day-to-day operations of the organization’s flight assistance programs for wounded warriors, Veterans, fallen officers, and their families. In this role, she reviews and approves flight requests, coordinates with travel partners, supports program reporting, and collaborates with partner organizations—including military hospitals, hospice care centers, and law enforcement agencies—to ensure seamless and compassionate support for those in need.
Before joining Luke’s Wings, Mackenzie spent several years working in the field of education, where she built a strong foundation in program coordination, student support, and inclusive practices. Most recently, she served as an Education Specialist, leading special education assessments, facilitating individualized education plans (IEPs), and supporting cross-functional teams to promote academic and behavioral growth. Her prior roles in both New Jersey and California focused on delivering targeted interventions, collaborating with families, and fostering equitable, student-centered environments.
In addition to her professional work, Mackenzie brings extensive volunteer leadership experience, particularly in support of military families and individuals with special needs. For the last several years, she has overseen key aspects of an annual family camp that supports individuals with disabilities and their caregivers, coordinating inclusive programming and providing meaningful respite and community. While living in San Diego, she also founded and led a military ministry support group at her local parish, offering fellowship and support for military-connected individuals. Her broader volunteer work includes mentoring youth, coordinating service projects, and supporting faith-based outreach programs.
As a military spouse with a deep personal connection to the military community and a lifelong passion for service, Mackenzie is proud to support Luke’s Wings’ mission of keeping families connected during times of healing and recovery. She understands firsthand the power of family presence and is honored to play a role in reuniting loved ones when they are needed most.
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor Resource of the Week is The PsychArmor learning path, Self-Care for Caregivers. Learn how you can prevent burnout and care for yourself throughout your caregiving journey. After completing all of the courses in this series, you'll receive a "Self-care for Caregivers" digital badge to share on social media and highlight your learning journey.
You can find the resource here:https://learn.psycharmor.org/bundles/self-care-for-caregivers
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Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com