The people behind the mission

Dusty has been caring for veterans since he was 18 years old, starting as a nursing assistant at the Minnesota Veterans Home. After earning his nursing degree from SDSU, he was commissioned into the Air Force and served at Travis Air Force Base in California, where he worked as a nurse and led physical fitness programs for his squadron.

After his military service, Dusty returned to South Dakota to be closer to family. He's worked in long-term care, cardiac care, and most recently at the Sioux Falls VA. Along the way, he's learned firsthand that wellness isn't one-size-fits-all — it takes honesty, consistency, and support from people who actually get it.

Dusty lives in Sioux Falls with his wife Shannon and their children Quentin and Elise. His approach is simple: meet people where they are, listen without judgment, and help them find small steps forward.

Trista co-owns Healing Touch with her husband Paul and has been part of the clinic since 2017. She manages daily operations and handles reception, and teaches yoga at Great Life Fitness three days a week. When she isn't working at the clinic or teaching yoga, she's on call as a victim advocate or playing pickleball.

Working the front desk, Trista hears it first — the frustration in a veteran's voice when their referral gets denied, the confusion when paperwork disappears, the relief when someone finally listens. She's often the first person veterans talk to when something goes wrong.

That daily contact with veterans losing access to care that was helping them is a big part of why Healing Our Heroes exists.

Working the front desk, Amia sees firsthand the challenges many veterans face. As often the first point of contact for veteran patients, she provides a steady, welcoming presence — guiding them through appointments, answering questions, and helping make the process a little easier.

Behind the scenes, she handles the scheduling, the follow-ups, the rebooking paperwork, and the billing that keeps the clinic running so therapists can keep seeing veterans. It's the kind of work that doesn't always get noticed, but without it, none of this works.

Through these daily interactions, she understands how much it matters to have someone who listens and supports each step of the way. It's these moments that reflect the heart behind Healing Our Heroes.

Outside of the clinic, Amia is a proud mom who enjoys spending quality time with her family.

Liv has been a nurse for two years, with experience in pediatrics and home health care. She's drawn to wellness work because she believes everyone deserves to feel good in their body, mind, and spirit — and she knows what it's like to want that help.

Outside of nursing, Liv practices yoga, meditation, and breathwork. She also loves dancing as a way to release tension and connect with herself.

Liv's approach is warm and grounded. She wants to be a hand that people can reach for — someone who meets you where you are and helps you figure out what's next.

Cheryl is a certified Usui & Karuna Reiki Master, intuitive healer, and natural empath devoted to helping others reconnect with their inner light. She senses energy, emotions, and unspoken needs — creating a safe and supportive space for healing and release.

Her journey began in 2021 through the holistic healing community, where her own transformation led her into her purpose of guiding others back to themselves.

Cheryl also offers AromaTouch Technique, reflexology, and essential oil support, blending gentle relaxation with deeper emotional and energetic healing. With anxiety affecting 1 in 5 adults, her work supports the nervous system — helping the body release stress, ease tension, and restore balance.

Cheryl has volunteered to provide Reiki sessions for veterans interested in exploring energy-based healing as part of their wellness journey.

Paul and his wife Trista have owned Healing Touch Therapeutic Massage in Sioux Falls since 2017. The clinic became a VA Community Care provider in 2018 and has completed over 14,000 veteran massage appointments since then.

When VA policy changes in 2025 cut veteran referrals from 600+ to under 60, the therapists and veterans started telling Paul and Trista what they were seeing — denials that didn't make sense, paperwork that disappeared, veterans losing access to care that was working. They needed someone to organize the information and build the systems to fight back.

That's Paul's role: setting up the website, tracking the cases, handling the emails, making sure veteran stories get documented and heard. The therapists and veterans are the heart of Healing Our Heroes. Paul just makes sure the technology works.