Rear Admiral Cindy Kuehner, USN (Ret.) Appointed as Project Healing Waters Board Chair

Project Healing Waters (‘PHW’), a mission-driven national 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a 20-year legacy serving the Veteran community, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rear Admiral Cindy Kuehner, USN (Ret.) as Chair of the organization’s Board of Trustees.

Cindy Kuehner is a native of Fort Rucker, Alabama. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her graduate degrees include a Master of Science in Nursing from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Operationally, Kuehner served as the senior nurse of Bravo Surgical Company, with the 1st Force Service Support Group, in Fallujah, Iraq, providing direct casualty care during the height of combat operations at the busiest Role II medical facility, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Vigilant Resolve (the first battle of Fallujah). She also served as the senior medical officer, and ultimately as the executive officer, of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Khost, Afghanistan. As the team’s provincial partner for health sector development, in a war-torn province of more than one million Afghans, she worked with Afghan government officials, U.S. departments, and non-governmental organizations to bolster reconstruction efforts essential to the counterinsurgency strategy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

RDML Kuehner notably served as the 26th Director of the Navy Nurse Corps.

In recognition of her appointment as the Board Chair of Project Healing Waters, Kuehner, who joined PHW’s Board as a Trustee in June 2024, stated, “I’m honored to continue serving this organization as the Board Chair and bring my experience and leadership to bear in support of the healing journey of our Veterans and military service members.”

Outgoing Board Chair, Blain Tomlinson, stated, “Every now and then the perfect person comes along at the right time. Cindy’s joy for life is infectious and her deep experience in healthcare will bring significant value as we prepare for the next 20 years of helping Veterans along their healing journey.”

Originating in 2005 as an initiative aiding wounded and injured military personnel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Project Healing Waters has since grown its reach and impact nationwide. The strength of the organization’s impact is in the community it builds through its nearly 200 local Programs across the country.

John ‘Saint’ Langford, Project Healing Waters Chief Executive Officer (CEO), remarked, “It is a genuine privilege for me to work alongside Admiral Kuehner in her new role as Board Chair of Project Healing Waters. Cindy brings an unprecedented level of leadership to this role, and I look forward to working with her as we guide PHW into its next two decades of impactful service.”

About Project Healing Waters

Project Healing Waters (PHW), a mission-driven national 501(c)(3) organization with a 20-year legacy, is a leader in therapeutic outdoor recreation, using the sport of fly fishing as an intervention for America’s Veteran community.

The restorative healing powers of nature and the outdoors are well-documented – for Veteran and military participants, the camaraderie, connectedness, and community found in Project Healing Waters’ programs, alongside the symbiotic relationship between Veteran and Volunteer, directly correlates to an increased sense of belonging, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. Learn more at https://projecthealingwaters.org

Contact Information

Sam Amsterdam

External Marketing & Communications

Project Healing Waters

Sam@AmsterdamGroup.net