Jessica Guidry, Board Member and Peer Support Team

I have served in law enforcement for more than 20 years and currently work as a Detective with the Santa Ana Police Department. As a first-generation law enforcement officer, I joined our Peer Support Team to help fellow first responders find support during some of the most difficult moments of their lives and careers.

Throughout my career, I have been involved in officer-involved shootings and have personally experienced the emotional strain that can follow a critical incident, including the additional stress of civil litigation. I understand how repeatedly responding to the community’s most traumatic events can take a lasting toll and, at times, overshadow the positive aspects of life.

I bring to the team firsthand experience with post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. I strongly believe in the value of peer support, evidence-based treatment, recovery, mental wellness, and physical fitness. There are effective solutions, but recovery requires a willingness to do the work, reach out, and accept support.

I am especially grateful to Soaring Wings, formerly known as Bud’s Odyssey, for connecting me with treatment I did not know was available and helping me regain my quality of life. My goal is to help other first responders recognize that they are not alone, that asking for help is a sign of strength, and that proven treatment can make a meaningful difference.