MMAA Staff

Rachel Branaman, She/Her
Executive Director

Rachel joined MMAA in May 2023. Before MMAA, she served as interim development director for Turtle Survival Alliance and National Women’s Health Network. She is a nonprofit executive and professional fundraiser with 20+ years of experience in nonprofit operations, fundraising, leadership/board development, strategic planning, program development/evaluation, and needs assessment.

Rachel is the founder and principal consultant of Talem Consulting, a national, full-service diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), woman-owned firm that provides nonprofits the tools they need to build capacity, fundraise, and dismantle systems of inequity. Previously, she served as executive director of Alley’s House and in development roles at the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Jewish Community Center of Dallas, Dallas Heritage Village, and Dallas Children’s Museum. She served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia from 2009-2011.

Rachel is an alum of Austin College with a BA in French, Regis University with a Master’s in Nonprofit Management, and Leadership Texas’ program for women leaders. She currently serves as a board member of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). Her community work includes state and national advocacy efforts around healthcare, reproductive care, national/international civil rights policies, and Peace Corps reform.

Cathy joined MMAA in 2022 first as the MilPride Program Coordinator and then as the MilPride Director before becoming the Assistant Director of Programs. She has 13 years of LGBTQ+ advocacy and volunteer management. Her superpower is successfully navigating the complex world of medical care, education, state and federal law, and Department of Defense policy for military-affiliated LGBTQ+ youth. She is at her best when helping coordinate volunteers towards a common goal and sharing her subject matter expertise to help others navigate the intersection of military life with the LGBTQ+ community.

Prior to joining MMAA, Cathy was the

Cathy Marcello, She/Her
Assistant Director of Programs  
Charles David, He/Him
Senior Multimedia Communications Strategist

Charles joined MMAA in February 2024 after completing 20 years of combined military service in the Marine Corps and Army National Guard. Charles’ previous role was as Director of Marketing Operations for the Army National Guard at the National Guard Bureau. He has 10+ years of marketing experience, with expertise in marketing plan development and execution, digital marketing, out-of-home marketing, experiential marketing, sports marketing, social media marketing, content creation, and events marketing. Charles excels in creating innovative and disruptive campaigns that use strategic marketing, marketing intelligence, marketing science, and market analyses to drive awareness and elevate organizations’ brands.

Charles obtained his B.S. in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration from the University of Colorado Denver and an MBA with a Marketing concentration from Colorado State University. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) in Strategic Marketing at National University and on the Dean’s List. Charles also has a Certificate in Social Media Management from Georgetown University and a Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management from Colorado State University. Charles is an active Academy of Marketing Science member and the American Marketing Association member.