Stephen-Michael Besinaiz

Lieutenant Colonel Stephen-Michael Besinaiz (Ret.) is a distinguished military leader with over 28 years of exemplary service in leadership and staff roles across special operations, influence operations, and intelligence entities.

His extensive combat deployment experience spans four continents, including Africa and the Middle East, with specific Special Operations Forces operations in Europe and South America, where he worked with interagency, international, joint, and coalition partners to achieve critical mission objectives. Throughout his career, Stephen has been recognized as a Special Operations Forces subject matter expert within the Department of Defense and Other Government Agencies. His expertise lies in counterterrorism, countering malign influence, deception, and the development of strategic and operational level campaign plans.

Stephen's profound understanding of these domains has made him a valued asset in addressing some of the most pressing security challenges of our time. He has a proven track record of leading high-performance organizations, even in the most austere environments with minimal operational support. His ability to inspire and guide teams to achieve objectives has been a hallmark of his career.

His leadership style is characterized by a deep commitment to mission success, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. His contributions to the military and intelligence community have left a lasting impact, and he continues to be a source of knowledge and inspiration for those who have the privilege of working with him. His legacy of service, dedication, and expertise stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to his country and the defense of its values.

As Chief Operating Officer of Valor and Faith, Stephen brings that same operational discipline to the organization. He builds the program architecture that gets veterans into the field and ensures every Valor and Faith expedition, retreat, and gathering delivers what was promised to the warriors who attend and the donors who fund their place.