Our Story - Wellness Empowered

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Our Story

Forged in Fire...

A few years ago, a group of retired police, first responders, and veterans started a non-profit, Frontline Strong, to provide education on mental health and PTSD awareness, no-cost mental health therapy, and other resources to support trauma healing for individuals struggling with or impacted by PTSD, anxiety, or depression.

They saw a need for a new digital mental health platform that would empower individuals in their wellness journey.

They teamed up with health care providers, clinicians, and engineers to create Wellness Empowered.

Forged in Fire
By Antonio Santana, CoFounder

I was twenty when I learned the weight of a rifle, the sound of footsteps on foreign soil, the way death lingers in the air, thick and silent. I saw life slip away in the space of a breath, and I wondered if purpose was just another word for surviving what others could not.

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Our mission is to revolutionize mental wellness and crisis management for everyone in need.

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Meet Our Leadership

Jane Doe

Antonio Santana

CoFounder

"I’m doing this because I want every individual to know that they are not alone.

Too many of our Veterans and first responders carry heavy burdens, often in silence, and I believe they deserve better.

I understand the struggles they face because I’ve lived them too – I know what it’s like to feel lost, overwhelmed, and unsure if there’s a way out. I know, because I almost became a statistic myself. That’s why I’m committed to making sure they get the support and help they deserve."

Jane Doe

Carl Burnside

Chief Sales Officer

"There was a time in my life where all I could see was the darkness that consumed me.

I was so close to giving up and had run out of the energy to keep going. My faith and my family saved me. God reminded me that he wasn’t done with me. From that moment on, I faced even harder challenges, but I never again gave up hope.

My desire, my purpose, my destiny is to fight for those who can’t fight back, stand for those that no longer can pull themselves up, and bring light to the people who are ready to give into the darkness."

Jane Doe

Dan Yourk

Chief Operating Officer

"I’m part of this journey because I've personally lived through struggles with mental health wellness, and I understand how hard it can be to get through the dark times on your own I want everyone to have access to the best mental health support during their times of need.

It is also important to me that we make resources available to individuals to improve their mental health wellness and resilience before they are in crisis. Wellness Empowered does all of this and so much more, and I'm so proud to be a part of this amazing company that we are building."

Jane Doe

Indira Davidson

Chief Financial Officer

"I joined Wellness Empowered to make a meaningful difference in people's lives that have done so much."

Jane Doe

Jerry Berlanga

Chief Executive Officer

"As a veteran and the son of a retired veteran I’ve seen how the stress of deployments

can affect families. Veterans and first responders deserve the best we can give them and their families because they give us their all when they serve us."

Jane Doe

John Sun

Vice President, Enterprise Solutions

"My purpose is helping the underserved and population who protect and fight for us.

I have witnessed mental health and suicide rates explode for the tribal population visiting many reservations. The tribal community simply does not have resources to provide the right solutions.

My wife is a veteran who went through trauma under a suicide and my brother in laws are border patrol agents. The amount of stress they go through every single day is why I am involved with WE."

Jane Doe

Mark Linton

Chief Marketing Officer

"I’m doing this for my sister, my family, my friends, and for those I’ll never meet.

Too many people can’t access mental health care in our country, or don’t have a way to connect with someone who can relate. We’re going to change that."

Jane Doe

Phi-Long Le

Chief Clinical Officer

"As a clinician, I’m driven by the belief that mental health support should be accessible

consistent, and deeply human. Through Wellness Empowered, I have the opportunity to help expand how and when people receive care, and I’m committed to creating meaningful connections that support individuals in their everyday lives."

Forged in Fire

By Antonio Santana, CoFounder

I was twenty when I learned the weight of a rifle,

the sound of footsteps on foreign soil,

the way death lingers in the air, thick and silent.

I saw life slip away in the space of a breath,

and I wondered if purpose was just another word

for surviving what others could not.

Later, I traded the desert for city streets,

a badge in place of a uniform,

but the ghosts followed—

shadows stretching long under streetlights,

faces blurred in the rearview.

I carried their stories,

the ones no one wanted to hear,

the ones that made sleep feel like a war of its own.

Pain carves deep,

but if you let it, it shows you what’s underneath the flesh—

what you were made of all along.

Purpose isn’t found in quiet places,

not in the absence of struggle,

but in the fire, in the breaking,

in the nights that hollow you out
until all that’s left is what was true from the start.
I thought I was made for war.
I thought I was made to protect. But maybe—
just maybe  I was made to understand pain,
to sit with it, to learn its language,
so I could guide others through the dark.

God never promised easy.
He never promised clear roads or light burdens.
He promised purpose,
woven through every scar,
written in the losses,
the grief, the doubt.
A story unfolding
in the hands of the One who never wastes pain.

And maybe that’s what life is—
not answers, not clarity,
but the willingness to keep walking,
trusting that every step, every wound,
is shaping you into the man you were meant to be.

Ready to start your journey towards better mental health?
Download our app now.

Disclaimer

  • If you notice irregularities like elevated heart rate, blood pressure, etc., for a prolonged period of time, you must consult with a healthcare professional to avoid further complications.
  • Wellness Empowered is a HIPAA compliant platform.