Meet the Team

Luke “PSYCH” Layman is a decorated fighter pilot, serial entrepreneur, investor, and executive coach.

He is the host of the top-rated Shift Work Podcast and author of the Best Seller “Building Resilience: How To Move Past Fear Into Real Toughness as a Team.” 

He has founded and led multiple 7 and 8 figure businesses, as well as leading the highest performing organizations in the United States Air Force.

Amongst his many accolades, he is the recipient of a Combat Action Medal and Single Mission Air Medal for combat operations flown in the A-10 Warthog.

Mr. Layman is the recipient of multiple business awards and is a three-time winner of the INC 5000 award for the fastest growing privately held businesses in America. PSYCH is a widely regarded expert in the applications of brain science, high performance, and business strategy.

Robert “Shark” Garland is a combat veteran fighter pilot of the United States Air Force. He was an F-15 Eagle instructor at the prestigious Air Force Weapons School (the Air Force’s “Top Gun” program) and one of the first test pilots for the F-22 RaptorFighter Jet.

He concluded his career as CEO of the Weapons School, retiring from active duty service as a full Colonel. Shark holds several Masters degrees and is an inventor. He holds a U.S. patent in aviation design for an airplane cockpit.

Mr. Garland calls the Texas Hill Country home where he and his family operate a ranch when not at Texas A&M football games.

Shark is a 2023 Vistage Top Performing Speaker, best-selling author, and keynote speaker. He is an instructor at VMax Group teaching leadership and teamwork excellence that inspires companies to Heroically SOAR!

Brian “Stickit” Emme is a national best-selling author, decorated graduate of every level of Navy training and combat veteran of two wars.

He served as an Instructor at one of the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Replacement Squadrons – the “Gladiators”. It was there that he honed his craft of teaching accountable leadership to the top practitioners in the world. Mr. Emme was privileged to command Strike Fighter Squadron FOURTEEN “Tophatters”; responsible for over 300 people and 12 F/A-18E jets.

Mr. Emme continued his career as the “Air Boss” of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS CARL VINSON where he was responsible for the safe and efficient flight operations of 78 aircraft and all launch and recovery equipment enabling all weather, day or night flight operations in support of national tasking.

He retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of Captain and has over 25 years of hands-on leadership experience in High-Reliability Organization and brings all of that experience with him wherever he speaks, teaches, and coaches.

Logan “8 BLOC” Ridley is a combat fighter pilot with multiple deployments across the globe. He has conducted combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, the Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf while also deploying throughout the Western Pacific reassuring partners and allies of the United States’ commitment to peace and deterrence of adversaries.

Throughout his time in the Navy flying the F/A-18 E & C Super Hornet and Hornet aircraft, as well as the E-2C Hawkeye, he has discovered that the tools that make high performing military organizations successful, are cross-applicable to civilian organizations.

Tammy “G.” Barlette is a retired Lieutenant Colonel and fighter pilot with over 20 years of service in the United States Air Force. She has expertly flown multiple aircraft, including the T-37 Tweet, T-38 Talon, A-10 Warthog, MQ-1 Predator, and MQ-9 Reaper, amassing over 3000 total flying hours and more than 1500 hours of combat support time in Iraq and Afghanistan.

She is also a graduate of the prestigious U.S. Air Force Weapons School and holds a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry. Her career highlights include instructing for over a decade in multiple different aircraft, as well as being one of the very first Weapons Officers in the Remotely Piloted Aircraft community.

Ms. Barlette resides in Tucson, AZ with her husband, a federal agent, and their three children. A professional speaker and certified mental performance coach, she inspires audiences with her stories of perseverance, leadership, and high-stakes decision-making.

Taylor “Dozer” Ferrell is a combat veteran F-15C fighter pilot who recently concluded 24 years of active duty service in the United States Air Force.

He is a former F-15C Eagle Weapons School Instructor, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies graduate, and holds Masters degrees National Resource Strategy, Philosophy in Military Strategy, and Operational Art and Science. Dozer completed his career in 2024 leading the Air Force’s most diverse flying training wing producing 3,000 graduates annually across all Air Force rated aviation career fields.

Dozer is a Delta Airlines first officer and is passionately committed to VMax Group’s mission of building, teaching, and leading high-performance teams toward achieving maximum results.

Tara Plechavy is a versatile business professional with an extensive background in human capital management. As a Bachelor of Science graduate in Business Administration, her passions lie in process improvement and client relations.

She currently serves as the Director of Special Projects with a focus on the online learning programs at VMax Group. Mrs. Plechavy resides in the Poconos, PA, with her husband and fur children.

Outside of VMax Group, she’s committed to volunteering at her local animal shelter, spending time with loved ones, and being outdoors as often as possible.

Diane Teschner has a Master’s Degree and background in accounting, served as a manager at a multi-billion dollar company, worked as our sales lead, and has a true passion for customer service.

She currently serves as VMax Group’s Chief Relationships Officer. As such, she focuses on ensuring our customers feel special, get the attention they deserve, and complete our programs fully satisfied that they received more than they expected.

Mrs. Teschner is also primarily responsible for raising five children, focusing on caring for them while supporting Cujo with all he strives to accomplish.

Outside of VMax Group, she’s committed to her faith, family, and her dear friends. She strives to grow personally from others who overcame adversity, is a huge fan of veterans and their families, and hopes to be a net positive in people’s lives.

Kala is Head of Growth Operations and Scaling, bringing over 20 years of experience in leadership, large-scale event creation, operational management, professional sports, sponsorship activation, and stakeholder relations.

Known for her strategic vision and creativity, Kala excels at identifying opportunities, strengthening operations, and building lasting relationships.

She is passionate about driving positive community impact while advancing the values and goals of the organizations she serves.

Brittani is a true Florida native who brings her bright, sunny energy to everything she does. With a bachelor’s degree in Event Management, she has built a career centered around supporting others, fostering memorable experiences, and keeping operations running seamlessly.

She currently serves as VMax Group’s Operations Assistant, where her love for orderly timelines and detail-driven work keeps the team moving forward. When she’s not working, she’s likely at Disney, baking or cooking something delicious in the kitchen, reading a good book, or enjoying time with family and friends.