Jessy Lakin is the Northwest Regional Veterans Program Manager for Hope Valley Health and Wellness, where he leads efforts to connect veterans to mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and critical support services across Alaska. He works directly with veterans in crisis and builds systems that move them from instability to recovery. His focus is practical and outcome-driven. He ensures veterans are screened, connected to the right services, and supported through follow-up so they do not fall through the cracks. His work strengthens coordination between providers and improves how care is delivered at the ground level.

Jessy is a Disabled Combat Veteran that served in the United States Army as a Forward Observer, With two 15-month combat deployments to Sadr City Iraq. His role required precision, rapid decision-making, and operating in high-risk environments. The trauma he experienced during service followed him home, leading to struggles with PTSD, TBI symptoms, homelessness, and a suicide attempt. That moment became a turning point. It gave him a firsthand understanding of how quickly veterans can fall into crisis and what it takes to come back from it.

Beyond his role at Hope Valley, Jessy serves as Director of Operations for Battle Dawgs, where he designs and leads programs focused on outdoor-based healing, peer connection, and long-term recovery. His work has helped deliver hundreds of direct services to veterans, including emergency response, housing connections, and mental health support. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Alaska Veteran Community Partnership, a coalition of over 240 organizations working together to improve access to care statewide. In addition, he sits on the Governor’s Challenge Board for Suicide Prevention, the Mat-Su Senior Aging Council, and the Mat-Su Homeless Steering Committee, contributing to coordinated strategies that address critical gaps in services.

Jessy is recognized as a leader in Alaska’s veteran and behavioral health community for his ability to turn lived experience into action. He builds partnerships, aligns organizations, and drives solutions that produce measurable results. His leadership is grounded in trust, accountability, and a clear mission. Reach people early, respond in crisis, and create systems that ensure long-term stability.