Dana Cervantes
Dana Cervantes is an award-winning Pensacola radio personality, dedicated military supporter and longtime member of the Cat Country 98.7 family. Since first joining the station in 2005, Dana has built a special connection with Gulf Coast listeners through her humor, unmistakable laugh and genuine passion for helping others.
Dana previously co-hosted the Cat Pak Morning Show with Brent Lane. Together, they received one of country radio’s highest honors when they were named the 2009 Academy of Country Music Small Market Personalities of the Year. Their work extended far beyond the studio through charitable campaigns, community appearances and projects supporting Northwest Florida’s military families.
From Pensacola Radio to the Front Lines
Dana’s commitment to the military became deeply personal through Cat Country’s “Operation Letters from Home.” She traveled to Kuwait and Iraq as an embedded reporter three times, spending three Thanksgivings with deployed service members and broadcasting their stories back home to Northwest Florida.
During those trips, Dana helped hand-deliver nearly 100,000 letters from home to American troops. The experience also gave her a firsthand look at the difference the USO makes for service members stationed far from their families.
That connection inspired Dana to turn her passion for military support into a second career with the USO.
Serving Military Families Through the USO
Dana joined USO Northwest Florida around 2012 and initially served as its Programs and Operations Manager. In that position, she helped coordinate services for military members and their families across bases stretching from Mobile to Panama City. She also oversaw multiple USO centers that collectively welcomed thousands of service members each month.
As her responsibilities grew, Dana became Senior Director and then Executive Director of USO Northwest Florida. Under her leadership, the organization operated four centers, served 12 military installations through outreach programs and worked with more than 300 volunteers.
Dana helped make each USO center a true “home away from home.” Programs included home-cooked meals, holiday celebrations, recreational activities and welcoming spaces where young service members could relax, connect with others and feel supported while separated from their families.
For Dana, that mission could be summarized by the reassurance she wanted every military parent to feel: when their son or daughter was at the USO, someone was there looking after them.
Expanding the USO’s Reach Across Florida
Dana also helped lead the development of new ways to serve a changing military community. In 2022, she participated in the opening of a 2,500-square-foot USO Gaming Center and café at Eglin Air Force Base. The facility included 24 gaming stations designed to give service members a place to decompress, build friendships and stay connected with loved ones.
Later that year, Dana was promoted from Northwest Florida leadership to become Executive Director of USO Florida. In that statewide position, she supported programs serving military members and their families throughout Florida.
Her work included expanding mobile and on-base outreach so the USO could bring refreshments, recreational activities, gaming resources, school supplies and special events directly to service members and military families—even in communities without a traditional USO center.
Back Home at Cat Country 98.7
Today, she continues to share her warmth, laughter and real-life stories with the Cat Country 98.7 family. Away from the microphone, Dana proudly describes herself as a boy mom, trophy wife and professional chaos coordinator.
Whether she is behind a microphone, helping a military family or serving the Gulf Coast community, Dana Cervantes brings people together and reminds them they are part of something bigger.
Listen to Dana Cervantes weekly on Cat Country 98.7, Pensacola’s locally owned country radio station.