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Centinel and Operation Shower® Support Expectant Military Mothers With Group Baby Shower at Fort Hood

 40 active-duty service members and spouses or partners of deployed service members received gifts donated by various companies 

KILLEEN, Texas – Centinel Public Partnerships (Centinel), one of the nation’s leaders in military housing, lodging and community development, hosted 40 expectant military mothers for a group baby shower in partnership with the nonprofit Operation Shower®. The event, which took place Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the Courtyard by Marriott Killeen, celebrated mothers who are active-duty service members or the spouses or partners of deployed members stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. KWTX Morning News Anchor Ke’Sha Lopez served as the event host and emcee.  

Each mom-to-be received Operation Shower®’s signature “Shower in a Box,” packed with necessities for mothers and babies provided by supporting companies including the Centinel Community Fund, Diaper Genie, Angelcare, Delta Children and Chicco. Beyond these gifts, the attendees also had the opportunity to connect with fellow expectant mothers, helping strengthen connections within the Fort Hood community.  

Founded by LeAnn Morrissey in 2007, Operation Shower® is dedicated to celebrating and honoring military families by delivering group baby showers to military moms-to-be. Morrissey developed the “shower-in-a-box” concept to ease the financial and mental health stresses of deployment and separation. 

“While active-duty service members face their own set of hardships abroad, their partners back home take on the invisible weight of running a household, managing finances and grappling with the mental health toll of separation,” said Operation Shower® founder and Chief Shower Officer LeAnn Morrissey. “And when a military spouse is expecting during deployment, and especially while they are active duty, they are shouldering one of life’s most vulnerable journeys alone. Operation Shower was created because pregnancy should be a time of joy and support, not isolation and anxiety. We truly appreciate the Centinel Community Fund’s generous support as we continue our legacy of showering military families with love and gratitude.” 

“This baby shower is about more than celebrating new arrivals; it’s about showing our military families that they’re supported by a community that cares,” said Jason Wesbrock, project director, Cavalry Family Housing at Fort Hood. “We’re proud to partner with Operation Shower and the Centinel Community Fund to honor these incredible moms-to-be and help create a meaningful moment of connection and support as they prepare to welcome the next generation of military families.” 

Centinel, which provides more than 5,600 homes for military families at Fort Hood in Texas, sponsored the shower through its nonprofit arm, the Centinel Community Fund. Since 2011, Centinel has donated more than $350,000 to Operation Shower®, enabling the two groups to host more than a dozen group baby showers honoring nearly 600 military mothers and families. 

“Supporting military families extends far beyond providing homes. It means investing in the people who make these communities strong,” said Centinel Community Fund President Gretchen Turpen. “Our partnership with Operation Shower is one of the many ways the Centinel Community Fund demonstrates its ongoing commitment to those we serve. We’re honored to help create moments like this that celebrate and uplift military moms as they prepare to welcome a new member of their family.” 

The Centinel Community Fund supports military families in all stages of life through initiatives including the BlueStar Scholarships program, the 18 FORE Military Families annual golf tournament and generous partnerships with other nonprofit organizations such as Operation Shower®.  

To learn more about Centinel Community Fund and Operation Shower®, visit https://centinelus.com/community-fund/ and https://operationshower.org/.  

Photos for Media Use 

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About Centinel Public Partnerships 

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Centinel Public Partnerships is dedicated to enhancing the lives of U.S. military members and their families through its high-quality housing and lodging communities. Centinel’s leadership team brings nearly 25 years of experience to one of the largest military housing and lodging privatization portfolios in the United States, serving nearly 3.8 million military personnel, families and guests annually. Through its established partnerships with WinnResidential Military Housing Services and IHG® Hotels & Resorts, hotel operator and manager of IHG Army Hotels, Centinel provides exceptional communities and lodging experiences for service members and their families. For more information, visit CentinelUS.com. 

The Centinel Community Fund (CCF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting military service members, military families, and military communities where Centinel employees live and work. For more information, visit https://centinelus.com/community-fund/. 

About Operation Shower® 

Rated 4 Stars by Charity Navigator, Operation Shower® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and honoring military families by delivering joyful group baby showers to military moms-to-be to ease the financial and mental health stresses of deployment and separation. All of the moms honored are from junior enlisted or non-commissioned officer families—those most vulnerable to financial hardship. Since its inception in 2007, Operation Shower® has showered more than 10,000 military moms-to-be and their families with love, gratitude and support. To learn more, visit www.operationshower.org. 

Chief Commercial Officer Kevin Davis is responsible for Centinel’s commercial services, including transactions, operations and government relations. He also oversees risk and compliance, along with leadership of Environment, Health and Safety, and Marketing and Public Affairs. Kevin spent 18 years with Lendlease in senior business development, commercial and legal roles, following earlier experience in private law practice and service in the U.S. Air Force.

With nearly two decades of experience in marketing and communications, Meryl Exley leads Centinel’s brand, communications and public affairs strategy as Executive Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs. She oversees corporate communications, client and customer engagement, public relations, media, and crisis management, strengthening the company’s reputation and community connections. Before Centinel, Meryl held senior marketing leadership roles at Lendlease, where she advanced growth and visibility for its military housing and lodging platform.

Matthew Garrett is Executive Vice President responsible for Centinel’s Air Force Housing and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He directs operations and strategic initiatives across both programs. Before joining Centinel, Matt held senior leadership roles at Lendlease, where he expanded its student housing platform and managed a military housing portfolio of more than 40,000 homes. He also led federal lobbying and outreach efforts, engaging with congressional and Department of Defense stakeholders. Earlier in his career, Matt served as a U.S. Army officer, earning a Bronze Star for Valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Leading Centinel’s legal, compliance and governance functions, Heather Niemeyer provides strategic counsel to support growth and manage risk across the portfolio. She brings more than 15 years of experience advising global organizations, including senior legal roles at Lendlease and earlier practice with two international law firms.

As Centinel’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeremy Martin is responsible for financial strategy, operations and reporting, guiding the company’s long-term growth and performance. He has more than 20 years of experience in corporate and real estate finance, with expertise in financial planning, compliance and risk management. Jeremy served as CFO for Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC prior to the company’s acquisition by Centinel, where he directed financial operations for Lendlease Communities.

Gretchen Turpen serves as Executive Vice President, Asset Management, where she directs operations and asset, property and development management for Centinel’s Army housing portfolio of more than 25,000 homes. In this role, she leads corporate strategy, financial performance, and client and customer relationships. Previously, Gretchen was Head of Lodging, where she delivered the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program including the renovation of over 12,000 hotel rooms across 40 military installations nationwide.

In his role as President, Phillip Carpenter guides operations for Centinel’s Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) and Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) portfolios. He is responsible for property management, asset management, development, construction, and environmental health and safety. With more than 40 years of experience supporting the Department of Defense, Phillip has held senior leadership positions with Lendlease and J&J Worldwide Services, bringing expertise in real estate, development and facilities management. 

Justin Kern, Chief Executive Officer of Centinel, sets the company’s strategic direction with a focus on long-term sustainment and outcomes for customers, partners and employees. He has more than 20 years of leadership in real estate finance, construction and operations. Prior to Centinel, Justin served as President and CEO of Lendlease (US) Public Partnerships Holdings LLC, where he oversaw asset management, property management and development for military housing and lodging communities.