SOAR Family Collaborative Program

Information About The Program 

The SOAR Family Collaborative was formed in response to Night Stalker families needing more specialized care and support to thrive in a high-paced, chronically stressful lifestyle. Constant deployments, no-notices, and training cause families to engage in unhealthy and unsustainable coping mechanisms such as missing special dates, skipping vacations, and putting off important conversations. Since the program was created Night Stalker families are connecting more meaningfully and gaining the tools to better navigate the Night Stalker life.

  • The education and coordination of programs that promote resiliency and enhance performance while pulling from pre-existing DOD programs and creating new programs where gaps may exist.

  • These programs promote the physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual readiness of our Night Stalker families.

  • The program coordinator’s focus is to build relationships while synthesizing efforts between DOD programs, civilian resources, local community outreach, the Night Stalker Foundation, and the 160th SOAR.

Resources and Support we Provide:

  • Family Weekend retreats

  • 1-Day Well-Being Seminars

  • Annual Children's Fairs

  • Spouse Virtual Workshops

  • Children-Focused Mentorship Events

To contact the SOAR Family Collaborative Program Director and learn more, please email Katie@nightstalkerfoundation.com.

“‘’Seeing other spouses with similar challenges helped us feel seen, heard, and know that we are not doing this alone.’’ ”
— Night Stalker Spouse
“‘’This was our first retreat as a Night Stalker Family and it was such an amazing event ... our family had so much fun. 100% recommend this retreat to every other family we know, Thank you NSF!’’ ”
— Night Stalker Family Member

Katie Palenzuela, SOAR Family Collaborative Program Director

Close-up portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length wavy gray hair wearing a dark green collared shirt, standing in front of a brick wall.

Katie Palenzuela is a Florida native who earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science in Speech-Language and Auditory Pathology from East Carolina University. For 18 years, she has served military families and veterans as a speech-language pathologist in military communities across the country, with expertise in language and neurological development. In 2012, she co-founded and directed the No Stone Unturned Therapeutic Learning Center in Manhattan, KS — the region’s first private interdisciplinary pediatric therapy clinic — which continues to serve surrounding communities including Fort Riley.

The Palenzuela family returned to Fort Campbell in 2014 when her husband, Rob, was selected and assigned to the 160th SOAR. There she remained deeply engaged in the community until his retirement in 2025.

In her 20+ years as a military spouse, she has trained and served with Family Readiness Groups & Care Teams in the C Co/BSTB Currahee/101st Airborne, Bandit Troop/1-6 CAV, and B/1-160th SOAR. During her time as a Night Stalker spouse, Katie was also a member of the 1st BN Steering Committee, and the Spouse Mentorship ProgramHer desire for growth and challenges led her to become an L1 CrossFit Trainer and competitive Olympic weightlifter. Today, Katie is a certified life coach and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, and more recently, a 2025 graduate of the Military Spouse Leadership Development Program. She holds a certificate from the Harvard National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI), and is a Certified Mental Health Ally through Psych Hub.

Katie and her family live near Nashville where they stay busy with sports, concerts, family work outs, spoiled dogs, and good food.