Jonathan Zeisset

Jonathan Zeisset is a key contributor to projects supporting military health, including through the North Carolina Center for Optimizing Military Performance. With an academic background in psychology and criminal justice, along with 22 years in the U.S. Army Special Forces, he brings a unique perspective to RTI’s research and technical assistance programs that enhance Service members’ training and abilities.

Mr. Zeisset joined RTI in 2023 after retiring from the Army. He served in the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a Special Forces Medic and Special Forces Operations Sergeant. He deployed repeatedly to Afghanistan as well as Iraq, Niger, Mali and several other countries where he conducted tactical operations in support of strategic objectives, often in politically sensitive and high-risk environments. Additionally, he provided a host of medical treatments to include Tactical Casualty Care, Prolonged Field Care, surgery, dentistry, and infectious disease management to local civilians and Service members. Mr. Zeisset’s Army record gives him firsthand expertise on Special Forces, the experience of the Service member, and military procedures. 

Currently, Mr. Zeisset is working on a variety of Department of Defense-funded projects. He assists the Optimizing the Human Weapons System project, which provides wearable technology to Service members to assist them in training and recovering more effectively. He is also involved in the Warfighter Brain Health portfolio, which helps to identify the best way to assess Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and detect intracranial hemorrhage in environments where CT scans are not available. He also works toward identifying the amount of blast exposure Service members receive and assess the effectiveness of a non-helmet TBI prevention device.

Mr. Zeisset also contributes to several projects that seek to improve the lives of veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This includes RTI’s leading-edge research on the longitudinal effects of Stellate Ganglion Block treatment for PTSD and other non-pain related conditions. He is also researching the impact of a Behavioral Activation-based program designed to improve functioning and mental health outcomes for newly separated Service members.

Mr. Zeisset has several skills that enhance his contributions to RTI. He is proficient in French. He is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), a National Registry Paramedic, a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, a Building Facilities Profiler, and a Law of Attraction Life Coach. He is a Sawyer 1 for Team Rubicon, the disaster relief organization. In the area of fitness, he is a Certified Personal Trainer, a Crossfit Level 2 Trainer, and a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator. He is a member of the Project Management Institute, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the Special Forces Association, The Honor Foundation, the Commit Foundation, and the JANUS Foundation.