Shannon Burgess Blake '90

Shannon Burgess Blake, Major, U.S. Army, (Ret.), is the founder and president of WARRIORS SOAR, a Vermont-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending veteran suicide.

After losing friends in combat and to suicide - and sustaining his own psychological and physical injuries due to combat operations - Shannon turned his attention to supporting fellow veterans full-time in 2017.

WARRIORS SOAR helps injured or disabled veterans return to civilian life by giving participants the opportunity to connect deeply with other veterans and share special experiences together. The organization's activity-based programs include fishing, golfing, sailing, attending athletic events, and participating in the Boston Baseball Fantasy Camp. Shannon and WARRIORS SOAR have had a profound impact on the lives of hundreds of veterans and their families. The first in his family to attend college,

Shannon graduated from UVM in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in business, management, and marketing. While a student, he was a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and coached high school football locally. After earning his degree, Shannon embarked on a career of service as both a military officer and a police officer.

He is a FAA commercial helicopter pilot and has a private fixed wing certification. He also holds a Master of Science in digital forensics from Champlain College.

Shannon is now retired and devotes his time to supporting the work of WARRIORS SOAR. Shannon has a daughter, Zoe, and he was recently married to Sandy Kennedy. The couple resides in Shelburne, Vermont.