VETERAN AMBASSADOR & SPOKESPERSON, DEFENDERS GATEWAY

Mother. Dentist. Veteran. Patriot.

Dr. Kelli J. Brunk has been a practicing dentist in the Midwest since 2011. Since childhood, she felt a strong calling to join the U.S. Military, and did so after earning her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. Over the past 13 years, Dr. Brunk has served as a commissioned officer in both the Illinois Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserves, ultimately earning the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 2016–2017, she deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel as the Chief Dentist of Bagram Air Base, where she cared for soldiers from a myriad of countries, civilian contractors, as well as local Afghan nationals.

In July of 2026, Dr. Brunk felt the calling to decommission from the military and transition her role to supporting veterans. Shortly after decommissioning, she had the pleasure of meeting the founder of Defenders Gateway, Mrs. Carol Watanabe, and was presented with the opportunity to be the official spokesperson and director of strategic partnerships for the company.  She now practices dentistry part-time and travels around the United States building the Defenders Gateway network.  Her roots run deep in American history and she is eager to restore faith, patriotism and classic Americana to the nation.

In her free time, Dr. Brunk enjoys spending time with her three children, watching Blues hockey, and connecting with various veterans and first responder groups in hopes to bring unity to those who defend our country. She is also active in multiple church organizations throughout the greater St. Louis area.