Blue Star Families Announces Leadership Expansion With VP Promotion and a New VP Appointment

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Blue Star Families (BSF), the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to providing support to military and veteran families, welcomes Stephanie Cain as Vice President of Development and announces the promotion of Emily Becher to Vice President of Research & Evaluation.

In her role, Cain will serve as senior operational and programmatic leader of Blue Star Families’ Development Department, overseeing the execution of all fundraising strategies and revenue-generating initiatives in alignment with organizational goals. A U.S. Army veteran and seasoned nonprofit development executive, Cain has dedicated her career to strengthening mission-driven organizations through strategic philanthropy, donor engagement, and community partnership building. Her professional work is grounded in service, stewardship, and a deep respect for the military-connected community.

Dr. Becher served as the Senior Director of Research & Evaluation prior to her promotion. She holds a PhD in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota, with a focus on behavioral health and traumatic stress.. Her research has addressed key issues in family dynamics, including intimate partner violence and coparents going through divorce and shared custody. With her deep commitment to promoting health equity and family resilience, Dr. Becher is particularly committed to addressing the unique challenges faced by military families and ensuring that the programs and policies designed to assist them are date-driven, effective, and impactful.

“Stephanie Cain and Dr. Emily Becher each bring a powerful combination of expertise, lived commitment, and leadership that directly strengthens our ability to serve military and veteran families,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. “As we deepen our impact, we are investing in leaders who understand that real support requires both strong philanthropic partnerships and rigorous, evidence-driven insight. Their work will help ensure that every program we deliver is not only well-resourced, but measurably improving the lives of the families we serve.” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, Blue Star Families CEO.

The addition of these two individuals to senior leadership roles signals a continued and intentional focus on strengthening Blue Star Families’ commitment to military families through experienced, mission-aligned leadership.

“I have seen firsthand how strong, connected communities and responsive support systems directly impact the well-being and resilience of military families … I am excited to help expand the resources, partnerships, and philanthropic support that ensure military-connected families are not just navigating service, but are connected to community and positioned to truly thrive,” said Cain.

“Military-connected families are American families and helping them not just survive their service, but to thrive, both as individuals and across generations, is our collective responsibility as a society. Blue Star Families is leading the charge to say that military-connected families matter and getting to be part of that through research and evaluation is both exciting on a professional level and profound on a personal one,” said Becher.

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About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on human-centered design and innovative solutions. A “blue star family” is the family of a currently serving military member, including active duty, National Guard, Reserve forces, and those transitioning out of service. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered more than $336 million in benefits and impacts more than 1.5 million people annually through an expansive network of chapters and outposts. For more information, click here.

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