Manuel Gomez is a public sector leader for the County of Los Angeles whose work reflects resilience, reform, and purpose. A Navy veteran who once faced addiction, homelessness, and incarceration, he now serves as a senior executive in the nation’s largest Veterans Service Office. He is among the few justice-impacted leaders in such a role and the first in the country to create a Justice-Involved Veteran Division built by and for impacted veterans. Manuel oversees services for over 100,000 veterans while leading a countywide initiative to transform how justice-involved veterans are identified, supported, and reintegrated. His work is positioning Los Angeles County as a national model for veteran justice reform. As a doctoral student and published researcher, Manuel fuses his lived experience with policy expertise to address gaps in equity, behavioral health, and reentry systems. His efforts have earned recognition from Congress and national institutions. He leads a multi-institutional research team and helps shape legislation to close systemic gaps. He is also a father of five and credits all he has accomplished to the unwavering support of his wife, Karisma Moreno. Grounded in lived experience, Manuel’s leadership proves that proximity to struggle produces the clearest vision for change.