National Medal of Honor Museum announces appointment of three new board members

The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation today announced the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors, who will play a leadership role in the creation of a permanent home to honor America’s bravest heroes.
The new board members are: Britt Slabinski Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL), USN (Ret.) and Medal of Honor recipient; Francisco D’Souza, CEO / Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Cognizant; and Jared Weinstein, General Partner, Thrive Capital. They join seven current members of the board as well as former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter, who serve as Honorary Directors. The new appointments are effective immediately.
“As we look for a permanent home for the Museum we welcome these three new Directors who share our desire to honor and commemorate the best and bravest who have served our country,” said Peter Stent, Chairman of the National Medal of Honor Museum. “The traits and values these three men display in their professional and personal lives are exemplary of those that are inherent in the character development program that will become a core part of the museum experience. We are honored to have them on the board.”
The Congressional Medal of Honor is our nation’s highest military decoration. Since its founding in 1863, 3,519 Medals of Honor have been awarded.
“These new board members have the drive, intellect and commitment to play a critical role in building America’s next national treasure. Their addition is another step in our endeavor to inspire and unite Americans around what it means to be patriotic through the creation of the National Medal of Honor Museum,” said Joe Daniels, CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum.
The National Medal of Honor Museum is currently conducting a targeted search for the best home for the museum to inspire as many Americans as possible. It will offer an experience that draws personal and emotional connections to Medal of Honor recipients and their stories, while shedding light on the wars in which they fought and the ideals that the Medal of Honor represents. Visitors will come to understand the meaning and price of freedom—and appreciate the virtue of putting service above self. The museum is currently working with world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and his team, along with Patrick Gallagher, exhibition designer for the National World War II Museum.
Background on the new board members is below.
Britt Slabinski, Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL), USN (Ret.), Medal of Honor Recipient
Britt Slabinski is from Northampton, MA. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout at age 14 and upon graduation from high school in 1988 enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Slabinski attended boot camp in Orlando, Florida. Upon completion, he received orders to attend Radioman Class “A” School in San Diego, California. There, he trained on the basics of naval communications graduating in spring 1989. Fulfilling a lifelongdream to be a U.S. Navy SEAL, he qualified and was accepted into Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California. He graduated in January 1990 with BUD/S Class 164.
Slabinski’s operational assignments include SEAL Team FOUR, Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and Command Master Chief of Naval Special Warfare Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadron TWO. He was the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Joint Special Operations Command, Washington, DC Office, and Command Master Chief, Naval Special Warfare Group TWO. Slabinski retired after serving as Director of Naval Special Warfare Safety Assurance and Analysis Program. He has completed 9 overseas deployments and 15 combat deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism, including Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Slabinski has various military and civilian qualifications including Naval Special Warfare Scout Sniper, Military Free Fall Parachute Jump Master, and has an Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic National Certification. He is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy and Command Leadership School.
Slabinski was awarded the Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump during a White House ceremony May 24, 2018 for his actions during combat operations on March 4, 2002 while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Slabinski’s other military decorations include the Navy/Marine Corps Medal; Bronze Star with Valor (five awards), Combat Action Ribbon (two awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal (two awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and Good Conduct Medal (8 awards).
Slabinski retired in June 2014 after 25 years of service and is self-employed as a corporate consultant. He has one son who is also an Eagle Scout.
Francisco D’Souza, CEO / Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, Cognizant
Francisco D’Souza is the Chief Executive Officer of Cognizant and the Vice Chair of our Board of Directors. Cognizant is a leading professional services company and our mission is to help clients around the world transform their business, operating and technology models in tandem to achieve the promise of digital technology at scale.
In his role as CEO, Francisco sets the strategic direction, promotes Cognizant’s values and client-first culture and focuses on ensuring the company’s sustainable growth and driving long- term stockholder value. He co-founded Cognizant in 1994 and has served as the company’s CEO since 2007, leading revenue growth from $2.1 billion that year to $14.8 billion in 2017. Cognizant is ranked 195 on the Fortune 500 and consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. In 2017, Fortune named Cognizant to its Fortune Future 50 list, a ranking of companies best positioned for breakout growth. And in 2018, Cognizant was named to the first-ever Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies list, a ranking of the environmental, social and governance practices of large U.S. publicly traded companies.
Francisco serves on GE’s Board of Directors, where he is a member of the Technology & Industrial Risk Committee. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Mellon University and as Co-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New York Hall of Science, a center for interactive science that serves half a million students and teachers each year. He is a member of the World Economic Forum and a member of the Science Visiting Council for the science program NOVA. Fortune magazine named Francisco a “Fortune Businessperson of the Year” for 2017, highlighting his mission to prioritize services that help clients adapt and keep pace with the digital revolution.
Born in Kenya and the son of an Indian diplomat, Francisco is a global citizen who has lived in nine countries and traveled extensively to many more. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Macau and an MBA degree from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jared Weinstein, General Partner, Thrive Capital
Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Jared Weinstein is currently a Partner at Thrive Capital, a New York-based venture capital firm established in 2009. Jared serves as a board member to several Thrive investments including Capsule, Justworks, Joyable, Raisin, OpenGov, and was on the founding board of Oscar Health. Prior to Thrive, Jared spent 2002-2009 at The White House in various roles. Additionally, in 2013, Jared founded the Overton Project, a privately-funded social investment platform that has focused on accelerating, incubating, and implementing best-in-class impact organizations to Birmingham – specifically Breakthrough Collaborative, Venture for America, and TEALS CS training. Jared received a BA in Public Policy from Duke University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.