Our
Story
DPrep provides a wide range of instructional classes and consultation services for law enforcement, educational organizations, and first responders. All of our instructors and consultants are subject matter experts in their respective fields.
In addition to these classes and services, we also offer agency-, company-, and district-specific classes. We customize and conduct drills for law enforcement agencies, school districts, individual schools, local governments, property management companies, and building managers.
Our classes are certified for law enforcement in the State of California by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Most are also certified by the Board of State and Community Corrections (STC). Many are certified by DHS and qualify for funding through grants or federally funded agencies. We have taught these classes or sections of these classes to over 100,000 law enforcement and civilian students. Our classes continue to be evaluated by participants as amongst the highest rated classes currently being offered by POST, STC, and DHS
Sergeant Elmo Banning is a veteran officer with the Sacramento City Police Department. During his 28-year career he was assigned to a variety of positions. He served for over 10 years in the Patrol/Field Operations Division as an officer and a sergeant. He has an extensive investigative background and served for over 18 years in the Detective Division, 13 of which were as a supervisor in the Narcotics Division.
He has attended several specialized schools over the years and is a graduate of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Drug Unit Commanders Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia. The California Narcotic Officers’ Association has recognized him twice as the “Narcotic Officer of the Year.”
Sergeant Banning has been certified by the University of California, Davis, to instruct Department of Homeland Security courses and is a certificated instructor with the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
Sergeant Banning instructed at the California State Department of Justice’s Advanced Training Center for over 17 years. Sergeant Banning instructed for a number of years at the Regional Counter-Drug Training Academy located at the Meridian Naval Air Station in Mississippi. Sergeant Banning is an adjunct instructor for Humboldt State University and for the State Center Community College District located in Fresno, Ca.
Sergeant Banning presents DPrep’s Critical Incident Response Courses nationwide and has taught throughout the United States.
In October of 2010, Sergeant Banning was selected to serve as an Advisory Committee Member to the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training and continues to serve in that capacity.
Sergeant Banning has been involved in a number of critical incidents as a first responding field supervisor and as the shift watch commander. He brings a unique perspective of education, professional instructor qualifications, and real-life experiences to his presentations. Sergeant Banning retired in July of 2008 and now resides in Sacramento, California.
Lt. John Kane worked as a police officer in the City of Sacramento for almost twenty-seven years. During his career, he worked on almost every assignment you can have as a police officer.
Lt. Kane has an extensive military background. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army at the age of nineteen and served in an Infantry Company with the 82nd Airborne Division in Vietnam from 1968 through 1969. He commanded a Military Police Company for almost 5 years in the Army Reserves and was honorably discharged as a Captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor, and was wounded in combat and holds two Purple Hearts.
Lt. Kane has both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree from California State University, majoring in criminal justice/government. He is currently an associate professor at Cal State Long Beach, teaching emergency planning and management, as well as leadership and management courses in the Graduate School of Emergency Management. For twelve years he has been on the faculty of the Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA, as an adjunct instructor teaching at their Emergency Management Institute, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Hazardous Materials Incident Commander course and the FEMA Incident Command System – Train the Trainers course, among others. He was selected by FEMA in May 2000 to write the Terrorism First Response Lesson Plan for Law Enforcement, which is now used nationwide to teach officers how to respond to a terrorist attack. Lt. Kane was a contributing author, along with several other nationally recognized instructors from FEMA, in a recently published book entitled Terrorism: Defensive Strategies For Individuals, Companies And Governments.
He has served on the California Governor’s Committee of Law Enforcement Specialists in the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) for over three years. While on this committee, he helped to write and develop the book The California Law Enforcement Guide for Emergency Operations. He also wrote the 2005 update project for this book. In March 2002, Lt. Kane was the single recipient of the most prestigious award in California for a law enforcement instructor: The Governor’s Award for Excellence in Peace Officer Training, for his work in disaster and critical incident response training.
Lt. Kane has commanded over fifty critical incidents and was the incident commander at the April 1995 Unabomber attack in Sacramento. After a five-year research project, he founded his own company, DPrep, LLC. In 1996, he developed a four-day course entitled Disaster Preparation and Management.
Division Leadership
David Hargadon
Director, Traffic/Data Division
David Hargadon is a retired sergeant with the Sacramento Police Department. He spent over 22 years working a variety of assignments, including Patrol, Investigations, Internal Affairs, and Traffic. David is also a solution specialist with CI-Technologies, where he helps agencies across the country collect and report on employee data, including complaints, use-of-force incidents, and wellness indicators. David is the lead instructor for our DUI Checkpoint Planning and Management and Preliminary Alcohol Screening (Calibration and Operation) courses. David's experience working with data also led to the creation of a new set of classes related to Data Narration (coming soon). David holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Managerial Economics from UC Davis.
Chief Jim Hyde (ret.)
Director, Peer Support Division
Jim Hyde was the police chief for the Antioch Police Department. He has 31 years of law enforcement experience with the Novato, Sacramento, Davis, and Antioch Police Departments. Chief Hyde has a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of South Dakota and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from the Professional School of Psychology, Sacramento. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Delinquency Control Institute. He is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police, sponsored by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Police Executive Research Forum.
Chief Hyde is a certified executive coach and a doctoral student in organizational psychology. He teaches contemporary law enforcement issues for the State of California’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Program. Chief Hyde is also a co-founder and past president of the West Coast Post-Trauma Retreat (WCPR). The WCPR is a trauma treatment program for emergency service professionals from Guam to London. He was the co-coordinator of the Sacramento Police Department’s Peer Support Program for 14 years. He has taught and developed peer support programs for law enforcement agencies throughout the country for the past 20 years. He is a member of the Sacramento Regional Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
For the past 8 years, Chief Hyde has provided volunteer trauma recovery consulting to the California National Guard, helping develop a Peer Support Program for California soldiers deploying to and returning from the Middle East. He is currently working with the Department of Defense to expand the California National Guard’s Peer To Peer Program nationwide. He has been a presenter for the 2008 and 2009 Department of Defense/VA National Suicide Prevention Conference. He is the recipient of the California National Guard’s Medal of Merit in 2007. He is also the recipient of the Association of the United States Army’s Patrick Henry Distinguished Service Award in 2007.
Bethany Smith
Director, Safety Division
Bethany Smith (she/her) serves as the director of the Safety Division, developing and managing their online presence, expert systems, and supplemental materials. Bethany worked with Dr. Brian Van Brunt to develop the Pathways risk rubric and the DarkFox violence risk assessment. She also owns Looking Glass Consulting and Design, which provides customized technology solutions by taking the time to understand not just the problem at hand, but also the larger context and design elements needed to achieve the end users' goals. From grant development to innovative technology solutions, including interactive graphics, learning management system design, and online database and retrieval, she has assisted her clients in bringing their visions to life in a creative, accessible, and effective manner. Bethany is the co-author of White Supremacist Violence: Understanding the Resurgence and Stopping the Spread and contributed to Understanding and Treating Incels and An Educator’s Guide to Assessing Threats in Student Writing.
Bethany also serves as the CEO of the International Association for CARE and Threat Teams (InterACTT), a subscription-based service for educational, workplace, and law enforcement settings. She brings her personal management skills, with a focus on collaborative planning, coordination, and, above all, ensuring a positive customer experience. By bringing together a multidisciplinary team of educators, advocates, counselors, instructors, and law enforcement, Bethany connects technology with subject matter experts to create a unique approach to providing resources, guidance, and community to those working in these fields.
Sgt Mike Henkle (ret.)
Director, Corrections Division
Sgt. Henkle worked for the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department for over 17 years and was medically retired due to an injury sustained while on duty. He has worked at every detention facility within the Sheriff’s Department, including the Branch Jail, which was closed in the early 1990’s. His last assignment prior to retirement was as the Training Unit Supervisor. He held this position for the last seven years of his career.
He worked every floor in every facility as a correctional officer and served as a Jail Training Officer for 2 years prior to being promoted to sergeant. As a sergeant, he supervised all facilities and served as the administrative sergeant for 2 years. After that, he served as the Training Unit Supervisor for the next 7 years. He was a sergeant for eleven of his seventeen years with the department.
During his time in the Training Unit, he served as the Correctional Academy Coordinator and taught most subjects within the academy. He is a certified instructor in Chemical Agents, Pepperball, Expandable Baton, Simunitions, Firearms, Sling Systems, Diversionary Devices, and Less Lethal Impact Munitions. He has conducted several high-intensity tactical training scenarios for his department’s first responders and SERT team. From 2003-2016, he was a Master Instructor for Pepperball Technologies, Inc. He has taught courses with Pepperball Systems at numerous agencies in California and Nevada.
He is also the Director of the Corrections Division at DPrep, Inc. He has also been an instructor with DPrep since 2008. He teaches Critical Incident Management in Corrections for Supervisors and Managers, for Executives, and for Correctional Officers, Leadership Principles for Supervisors, and Report Writing and Courtroom Testimony.
Sgt. Henkle has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology and a minor in Business Administration from California State University, Fresno. He is a full-time Coordinator/Instructor with the State Center Community College District—Fresno City College Police Academy. He currently teaches in the Supervisors CORE course and the Juvenile Correctional Officer and Probation Officer CORE courses. He teaches Report Writing Review, Leadership Styles, Ethics, Training, Investigations, and Role Transition in the Supervisor CORE. He teaches Courtroom Testimony, Emergency Planning, Legal Foundations, Criminal Justice System and Process, and Trauma in the JCO and PO CORE
He was appointed as one of the team leaders for the department’s Critical Incident Command teams. He has participated in several major critical incidents and training drills in the field and in detention facilities, serving as Incident Commander, Operations OIC, and Logistics OIC. He has served in these capacities during the following situations: a barricaded gunman/hostage, active shooters, suicides, forest fires, loss of facility water, loss of facility power, and search and rescue. He has taught the Incident Command System to management, supervisors and line officers in patrol and corrections. For six years, he was a department coordinator for the Peer Counseling Program, where he conducted or coordinated Critical Incident Stress Debriefings. He has led or coordinated with mental health professionals the debriefings for Officer Involved Shootings, Line of Duty Deaths, Officer Deaths, and Suicides.
He was very involved in youth sports within his community. He is a former president of the youth soccer league and a former commissioner of a girls’ travel softball team. He coached softball about 8 months out of the year, including doing travel softball during the summer and fall. Along with coaching softball, he also coached girls’ basketball and, most recently, youth rugby for six years. He coached youth sports for 20 years up until 2019.
Debra Salvo
Director, Hostage Negotiations, Internal Affairs, & Officer Involved Shootings Divisions
Debra Salvo is a retired police officer from the Folsom Police Department. Debra began her career in Sutter County as a correctional officer at a small women’s prison in 1992, then moved to the Sutter County Sheriff's Department as a reserve correctional officer for 3 years. Debra was assigned to Bailiff, transportation, and jail duties while at the sheriff’s department. Debra also attended and worked for the Yuba College Administration of Justice Department as an instructional assistant for law enforcement and correctional-related classes.
Debra attended the police academy in 1995 and then went on to work as a police officer, field training officer, and background investigator for the Sacramento State University Police Department.
In 2004, Debra was hired by the Folsom Police Department as a police officer, where she worked until she retired in 2021. While working at the Folsom Police Department, Debra was assigned to several specialty positions. Debra was assigned to the following positions: Field Training Officer, Crime Scene Investigator, Crisis Negotiator, Peer Support, Public Information Officer, Master Officer, Mounted Officer, Detective (Persons Crimes), and retired after four years as a training manager.
Debra has an associate's degree in administration of justice and has attended multiple training classes, earning numerous certificates over the years related to law enforcement. Debra has taught for several years within her agency and the community, covering a variety of law enforcement-related subjects.
While working as a detective in the persons crimes unit, Debra was assigned to attend the Sacramento County Domestic Violence Prevention Collaboration and eventually became an active member who organized numerous training events related to Domestic Violence and held the position of chair and co-chair for multiple years.
Debra has been working with DPrep for several years as a role player and department liaison prior to accepting the position as Division Director.
Debra has over 29 years of experience and a broad spectrum of knowledge and training, enabling her to educate and coordinate effectively.
Debra retired in 2021 and currently lives in El Dorado County, California.
Brian Van Brunt, EdD
Director of Behavior & Threat Management, Safety Division
In addition to his work with DPrep, Brian Van Brunt, Ed.D., is the Institutional Equity and Title VI Coordinator within the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action/Title IX at Vassar College. He has served as the assistant deputy director for training at Secure Community Network and is the lead content expert for InterACCT, the International Association for CARE and Threat Teams. Formerly a partner with TNG and the president of NABITA, the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment, Brian has provided consulting services to schools, colleges, and universities across the country and abroad on a wide variety of topics related to threat assessment, student mental health, counseling, campus violence, and behavioral intervention.
He has reached well over 150,000 staff and faculty at schools, colleges, and workplaces across the country through on-site and virtual trainings, as well as remote, asynchronous training modules on violence, mental health, and suicide prevention. Brian has taught at several universities and colleges throughout his career. He has offered classes in counseling theory, ethics, program evaluation, statistics, and sociology for both graduate and undergraduate students. He has served as the director of counseling at New England College and Western Kentucky University and as a graduate professor at the University of Toledo.
Brian is a regular speaker for academic conferences around the world. He has presented at dozens of workshops with the American College Counseling Association (ACCA), Association of Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA), National Association of Forensic Counselors (NAFC), American College Personal Association (ACPA), Association of University College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA), and the European Congress on Violence in Clinical Psychiatry (OUD).
In addition to authoring several books, he has published numerous articles in academic, peer-reviewed journals and practice-based publications. Brian also developed a mental health crisis guide for study abroad advisors for the American Councils and has written textbook test banks and instructor guides for Pearson Education.
Brian is past-president of the American College Counseling Association (ACCA) and former president of the School and College Organization for Prevention Educators (SCOPE). He has been interviewed by the New York Times, National Public Radio, LA Times, and USA Today, and has appeared on Headline News and Anderson Cooper 360.
He has a doctoral degree in counseling supervision and education from the University of Sarasota/Argosy and a master’s degree in counseling and psychological services from Salem State University.
Early in his career, Brian provided case management services through the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, coordinated involuntary psychiatric commitments for law enforcement and hospital emergency departments, offered medical care as an emergency medical technician (EMT-R) and ski patrol member, and was a registered white water rafting guide in the state of Maine. He is certified in PADI SCUBA, QPR suicide prevention, and BASICS alcohol education.
Instructors and Consultants
Chief Sylvia Chapa (ret.)
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Sylvia A. Chapa, M.A., has a Master Peace Officer certification, served with the College of the Mainland Police Department as the chief of police for 9.5 years, and has 23 years of law enforcement experience in higher education. Sylvia graduated from the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas’ New Chief School (Class 45) in 2014, and holds certifications as a mental health police officer, crime prevention specialist, sexual assault family violence investigator, police instructor, CRASE instructor, ALICE instructor, Stop the Bleed instructor, and earned the respected FBI-LEEDA Trilogy award for police leadership and management.
In addition to law enforcement, she has 19+ years of experience in security in a supervisory position. She spent the last 12 years of her security career with Space Center Houston, where she specialized in safety, personal injury investigation, training development, security for visiting dignitaries/VIPs, and security for governmental artifacts in the space industry.
She completed a behavioral science master’s internship with the Juvenile Justice Probation system, during which she gained experience conducting intake assessments for incarcerated juveniles. Sylvia has earned an Associate of Arts degree in psychology, a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, a Master of Arts degree in behavioral science, and graduated as the valedictorian of her Galveston College Law Enforcement Academy (Class 007).
Lastly, Sylvia has experience working with College of the Mainland’s behavioral intervention team, threat assessment team, care team, emergency management team, the office of student conduct, and developing and training the institution’s standard response protocol emergency response implementation.
Joseph Dooley
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Since 2006, Joseph M. Dooley has been Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Conn. In this position, he leads 28 sworn officers, seven full-time civilian personnel, and 24 part-time University Assistants, all of whom are responsible for the safety and security of the university’s 12,000 students, faculty, and staff.
Prior to joining Southern, Chief Dooley served for 25 years with the Orange, Conn., Police Department, commencing as a patrol officer in 1981. He held that role until 1985, when he began a progression up the department’s hierarchical ladder by being named an investigator with the Investigative Services Unit. This was quickly followed by promotions to Sergeant in 1986 and Lieutenant in 1987, the position he held until 1995 when he was appointed Assistant Chief of Police.
In 2002, he was promoted to Chief of Police, overseeing a department of 42 sworn and 12 civilian personnel for the next four years.
A graduate of Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Conn., Chief Dooley holds a B.S. in criminal justice administration from the University of New Haven and an MBA from Southern Connecticut State University. He graduated from the Police Officer Standard Training Academy in Milford, Conn., in 1981 and attended the FBI National Academy 148th Session at Quantico, Va., in 1987.
Prior to his appointment as President of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association for 2014-15, Chief Dooley was honored with the Distinguished Chief’s Award presented by the Police Commissioners Association of Connecticut in May 2006. He also served as President of the Connecticut Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates in 2004-05 and the South Central Chiefs of Police Association in 2009.
He is a former board member and Chairman of the Notre Dame High School Board of Directors. Chief Dooley has also served as president of the St. Mary Church (Milford) Parish Council. In 2013, he was recognized with Notre Dame’s Knight of Honor Award, and in 2014, the Connecticut Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run Hall of Fame Award.
Chief Dooley is a member of the following groups and organizations: International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators; Law Enforcement Executive Development Association; International Association of Chiefs of Police; Connecticut Chiefs of Police Association; New England Chiefs of Police; South Central Chiefs of Police; FBI National Academy Associates Association and National Law Enforcement Associates.
Brian Heider
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Brian Heider serves as the Executive Director of the Workplace Violence Prevention Association and is the President of Axiom Investigations Group, a professional investigation and risk management firm dedicated to serving the business, education, and public safety communities.
For more than 23 years, Brian has dedicated his professional life to individual and public safety. Brian began a career in law enforcement in 2000, serving as a police officer and then a detective with the City of Orange Police Department in Southern California. Specialized assignments Brian worked include sexual assault and child abuse investigations, crime scene investigations, school resource officer, homicide investigator, gang investigator, and narcotics investigator. He was the department’s go-to author of high-profile search warrants and is a court-certified expert in multiple criminal and civil subject matter areas. Brian was also named the California Narcotic Officers Association (CNOA) “Officer of the Year.” His law enforcement career ended prematurely due to a work-related injury that resulted in multiple surgeries.
Following his medical retirement, Brian took a temporary position working for Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, CA. He was the Lead Investigator for the studios and was responsible for analyzing and preventing workplace violence matters, along with investigating all matters involving studio employees and talent.
In 2010, Brian formed Oracle Investigations Group, a professional investigation agency specializing in personnel investigations involving public, private, and charter school educational institutions and public entities. For the past 14 years, Brian and his team have conducted investigations for over 500 public entities, educational institutions, and public safety organizations. Services provided include administrative investigations; civil rights investigations; age, medical & disability discrimination investigations; sexual harassment and abuse investigations; Title VII & Title IX investigations; fraud and embezzlement investigations; public corruption investigations; asset searches; public safety and public employee pre-employment background investigations; crime scene investigation and forensic evidence recovery (Digital, DNA, Fingerprint & Firearm); and safe school planning. Investigations Brian has overseen have resulted in administrative, civil, and criminal outcomes, as well as media attention. Criminal investigations have resulted in grand jury indictments, arrests, and convictions.
In 2014, after noticing a need for comprehensive school safety solutions for California’s K12 education community, Brian formed School Shield, Inc., a professional organization dedicated to providing safe school solutions funded by available state grants. School Shield secured millions of dollars in Proposition 39 grant funding for K12 schools and provided expert safety solutions to numerous schools and organizations. School Shield provided school site risk and vulnerability assessments; student and staff threat & behavior assessments; comprehensive safe school plan creation and implementation; crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) consultation and assessment; and active shooter behavior and response training.
In 2020, Oracle was acquired by TNG Consulting, a national risk management consulting firm. Following the acquisition, Brian agreed to serve as Vice President of Investigations on a three-year executive employment agreement. During his tenure as Vice President of Investigations, Brian managed a national team of investigators and a portfolio of workplace, Title IX, civil rights, athlete protection, and background investigations, generating several million dollars in annual revenue. Client verticals served include K-12 public, charter, and private schools; public and private colleges and universities; municipal government, police, and fire agencies; and amateur and professional sports organizations. Brian also oversaw the firm’s Athlete Protection Investigations vertical, consisting of investigators, managers, and investigative assistants. The firm's largest athlete protection investigation client was a large amateur sports organization with 160,000+ members. His team successfully initiated, investigated, and/or dispositioned over 550 cases for this organization, and its work received acclaim from multiple law enforcement agencies and media outlets.
In August 2023, Brian’s executive employment with TNG naturally concluded, and he launched Axiom Investigations Group to continue providing the same expert professional investigative services to clients throughout California. To date, Brian has trained thousands of employees in personal and organizational safety as well as investigative practices and procedures. Brian has also been active in working with local and state elected officials to pass safe school funding resolutions. Brian is also an active member of several trade associations focused on threat and risk assessment, investigations, and human resources. Brian credits his most notable accomplishments as convincing his wife to marry him, raising several wonderful young humans, and solving a homicide while carpooling home from work with his wife (true story).
Sgt. Tim Hunter (ret.)
Senior Instructor
Tim Hunter retired from the Sacramento Police Department as a sergeant in 2007 after a 28-year career. He was a crisis negotiator for 15 years, spending the last 14 years as a team leader. Tim served on the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Committee for the Crisis Negotiations component of AB 991; he has worked on several other POST SWAT training projects.
Tim has served for 6 years as the Conference Chair of the California Association of Hostage Negotiators and has been a board member for 10 years. He has instructed various Crisis Negotiations courses for DPrep, Inc. since 2004.
Tim attended the two-week National Hostage and Crisis Negotiation Course in Manchester, England, in 2019. Tim is one of a select group of United States law enforcement crisis negotiators invited to attend this class. He has presented at CAHN events statewide, at the 2021 Midwest Crisis Negotiators Conference, at the California Tactical Dispatcher Association’s annual conference, and at the first annual Negotiators’ Conference at the Beijing People’s Police College in 2004.
Tim worked at the UC Davis Police Department for 5-years in a variety of assignments, the last being his favorite. Tim worked as an Outreach Officer; he was involved in forming and running the Cadet Academy, where UCD seniors participated in an abbreviated academy before testing for open positions in the Department. Several former student cadets are now working across the state in various law enforcement agencies.
Lisa Pescara-Kovach, PhD
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Dr. Lisa Pescara-Kovach is a professor of educational psychology at The University of Toledo, where she also serves as the Director of the Center for Education in Mass Violence and Suicide and Chair of the Mass Violence Collaborative. Lisa has her B.A. in Psychology, M.A. in Experimental Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology with a minor in Child Clinical Psychology. In addition to her work at the university, she serves on the advisory boards of the International Alliance for CARE and Threat Teams (InterACTT) and the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA). Dr. Pescara-Kovach’s international and national level peer-reviewed and invited presentations include, but are not limited to, the topics of suicides and homicides related to bullying victimization, behavioral threat assessment, and school, campus, and workplace shootings. Lisa has a forthcoming book along with Dr. Brian Van Brunt and Bethany Van Brunt titled White Supremacist Violence: Understanding the Resurgence and Stopping the Spread. Her most recent publications address media contagion in connection to suicides and targeted shootings, as well as the mental health and mass shooting myth. She is also a web content creator for Navigate 360 (formerly the ALICE Training Institute). Within the regional community, Dr. Pescara-Kovach has served as the region’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Fundamentals of Mental Health trainer since 2014 and is the co-founder and director of the Northwestern Ohio Critical Incident Stress Management team. Her work on media contagion, female shooters, threat assessment, and post-mass shooting mental health has been featured in Salon, The Hill, The Californian, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and the Colorado Sun.
Sgt. Wayne Spees (ret.)
Senior Instructor
Wayne Spees retired as a Detective Sergeant after a 31-year career at the San Diego Police Department (SDPD). His areas of expertise include threat assessment and site security, executive protection, personal safety, and training. In addition to his time in gangs, narcotics, and juvenile investigations, Wayne served 9 years on SWAT and 15 years as a Team Leader for the Emergency Negotiation Team.
In his last assignment, Wayne was assigned to the SDPD Criminal Intelligence Unit, where his responsibilities included international and domestic terror groups and threat assessment investigations. He also provided dignitary protection and site security assessments, and worked details with the U.S. Secret Service, protecting the President, Vice President, and other high-ranking members of the government. At the local level, Wayne has provided protective details for the Governor, the Mayor, and several celebrities. He has extensive experience in personal and site security.
As a state-recognized expert in hostage/crisis negotiations, Wayne Spees is a graduate of the FBI’s National Crisis Negotiation Course at Quantico, Virginia. He also attended and graduated from the Scotland Yard National Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Course at Hendon and the Force Management of Kidnap and Extortion for Negotiators Course at the Ryton College of Policing in England. He teaches negotiation skills to police officers throughout California, drawing on his 24+ years of combined critical incident experience as a SWAT operator and Crisis Negotiations Team Leader. He is a regular presenter at the annual conference of the California Association of Hostage Negotiators. Wayne has also taught police tactics for 31 years, instructing more than 10,000 officers in subjects such as active shooter response, ambush response, surveillance and counter-surveillance, and officer safety. He developed SDPD’s original Active Shooter response training and continues to instruct the subject at the police academy. Additionally, he has worked with Special Forces of the United States military to assist operators in working undercover assignments.
Wayne has presented seminars to several public and private companies in San Diego. His crisis de-escalation training includes sharing communication skills that are invaluable when dealing with people who are angry, upset, and even suicidal, while his response to active shooter training discusses situational awareness and safety measures to increase survival in such an event. Wayne earned a B.S. in Administration of Justice from Pennsylvania State University. He also holds numerous training certificates and instructor credentials in police-related fields.
Charlie Taylor
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Charlie Taylor is an affiliated consultant with the DPrep Safety Division. Charlie is certified in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and is a suicide prevention gatekeeper instructor through the Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) program. Charlie has a long career history in personal management, interviewing, conflict resolution, hiring practices, performance improvement planning and employee termination. He has certification in Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response (100, 200) and the National Incident Management System (700, 800), and is a firearms instructor and competitive shooter with the National Rifle Association. Working in tandem with our DPrep Safety team members with expertise in psychology, law enforcement, and threat assessment, Charlie supports DPrep Safety with interviews, physical security data gathering, and assessments, as well as training in situational awareness and all-hazard response during natural and manmade disasters.
Chris Usher
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Chris Usher has over twenty years of experience in law enforcement, government, non-profit, and security management in the private security sector. He has worked with the United States Marine Corps, the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Labor, and Fortune 500 companies. His experience includes creating, implementing, and directing holistic security programs focused on safety, protection, physical security, counterintelligence, crisis management, disaster recovery, and training.
Chris’ work and responsibilities with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington in coordination with Secure Community Network, several large corporations and the Department of Labor, US Job Corps, included facilitating security concerns thru consultation, education and training as well as physical security assessments; maintaining and creating effective partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement and emergency management agencies; implementing a nation-wide emergency communications system; monitoring intelligence related to terrorism and public safety; and assisting with the coordination of security for major events.
As a Special Agent with the US State Department Diplomatic Security Service, Chris served as Assistant Regional Security Officer in Libya and as the protection team lead for the Secretary of State, coordinating and providing security for the Secretary in over 35 countries in Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe.
Chris served honorably as a United States Marine for 8 years, both domestically and internationally, operating with law enforcement, having served with the US Marine Guard Forces at US Embassies in Germany and Myanmar.
David Denino, LPC, NCC
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
David Denino has worked in higher education and college counseling over the past several decades and is director emeritus of counseling services at Southern Connecticut State University. He served as the associate director and then director of counseling services for more than 30 years. David also supervised the university’s health services for 2 years and led a search for a new medical director during that time. He is a past president of the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA) and has served as an executive board member of the Connecticut Counseling Association and as secretary and treasurer of the American College Counseling Association (ACCA). David’s strengths in higher education management stem from a background with NASPA, ACPA, the ACCA, and the American Counseling Association (ACA), as well as from organizing departments in accordance with CAS standards. His work in residence life, student centers, career services, graduate teaching, and counseling brings a unique blend of talent.
David has presented at many state and national conferences. He is a master trainer in Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), having taught the QPR curriculum for several years and being the key person in bringing the QPR model to the Connecticut state university system. A certified clinical trauma professional, David is also a Red Cross mental health first responder and is the mental health lead for the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. As such, he has assisted with relief efforts for hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, and Harvey, as well as provided mental health support at the Sandy Hook and Las Vegas shootings.
In addition, David created training programs that deal with the issues of suicide and mental health on campus. Prevent Another Student Suicide (PASS) is a three-hour training that focuses on recognizing suicide warning signs, conducting safety assessments, and providing safety planning for students. PASS training also provides a more in-depth review of depression and suicide, key protective factors, and key factors in managing a suicidal person. Lend a Hand is a three-hour mental health awareness and intervention training that offers the opportunity for campus BITs, student affairs professionals, student conduct officers, faculty members, residential life staff, and other members of the campus community to develop awareness and intervention skills in the areas of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
A current adjunct faculty member at Southern Connecticut State University, David has experience teaching graduate courses in counseling theory, student affairs, crisis counseling, lifespan/career development, and internship supervision.
David has received numerous awards for his outstanding work, including the 2017 NABITA Meritorious Service Award for his work after hurricane Harvey and Las Vegas shooting; J. Philip Smith Outstanding Teaching Award at SCSU; Red Cross Hero’s award for service as a first responder to Hurricane Katrina; Outstanding Emerging Leader as a member of the Connecticut Counseling Association; Connecticut Counselor of the Year award, and the 2015 ACCA Distinguished Professional Award. He also serves on Connecticut's statewide task force for suicide prevention and education.
Sgt. Susan Feenstra (ret.)
Senior Instructor
Sgt. Susan Feenstra is currently assigned as the Employee Services Unit Peer Support Coordinator for the Sacramento Police Department. Sgt. Feenstra was one of the original founders of the Sacramento Police Department's Peer Support Program and has been the Program Coordinator for the past 21 years. Sgt. Feenstra has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University, Sacramento. She has received numerous awards for her work in Problem-Oriented Policing, including one from the Attorney General of the State of California for her innovative contributions in this area. Sgt. Feenstra has helped start and guide at least 18 other law enforcement agencies in starting or expanding Peer Support Programs, including the Sacramento Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol, California State Police, and California Department of Motor Vehicles. Sgt. Feenstra was named the 1995 Woman Peace Officer of the Year for California, the Jaycees' 1995 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, and the YWCA's 1995 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. She currently teaches Peer Support and Critical Incidents at the Sacramento Police Academy and other organizations. Sgt. Feenstra is a critical incident stress debriefer certified through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
Tammy Hodo, PhD
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Dr. Tammy L Hodo is the owner and lead consultant for All Things Diverse. She is originally from Milwaukee, WI, which remains among the top three most segregated metropolitan statistical areas in America. Her parents married in 1962, which would not have been a big deal, except that they did not match. Tammy’s mother is of German, English, and Welsh descent, while her father was African American. She grew up in a predominantly white space on the east side of Milwaukee. Upon completing high school, Tammy enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where she served a four-year tour. After receiving her honorable discharge, Tammy began her college journey.
Tammy earned her Ph.D. in Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with a minor in Sociology, specializing in Race, Class, Gender, and Ethnicity. Utilizing Critical Race Theory, she interviewed over 45 minority faculty members at a major urban Predominantly White Institute (PWI) of higher education to gain insight into their experiences in a historically white space. Through her interviews, she found that departments matter as minority faculty in diverse departments had very different experiences than those who were the only one or one of a few in a department.
Tammy has worked in academia for over 18 years in a variety of positions, including faculty and university administrator. Her most recent administrative role was as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at a law school, where she was responsible for policy development and overall institutional compliance for students, faculty, and staff regarding discrimination and harassment. Tammy completed a Visiting Assistant Professor position in Sociology at the University of North Florida (UNF). She taught Urban Sociology and Racial and Ethnic Minorities. Tammy continues to be active in academia, writing articles on the experiences of minorities in America.
Her publications include “Black Scholars’ Speak about Diversity or the Lack Thereof in Academia,” and “When Women Stalk, Sexually Abuse Men: The Hidden Side of Rape, Stalking and Sexual Assault,” which was published by Praeger. Her most recent publications (2021) are two chapters in African American Families: Research, Theory, and Practice, Belgrave, Faye, Goings, Trenette C., & Jones, Heather. Cognella Academic Publishing, CA. Tammy discusses the experiences of African Americans in the urban environment and the sociological methodologies used to examine African American families.
She is a TEDx Jacksonville speaker on the topic of “The Social Implications of Race.” She has written course content for a major educational vendor on implicit bias and microaggressions that is being used at hundreds of colleges and universities. She has written course content on discrimination for the K-12 school system and for corporations. Tammy sits on several boards, including the Jacksonville Urban League and FemArt.
She established All Things Diverse LLC in 2018 to educate the masses about the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion. All Things Diverse, LLC provides consulting services to businesses, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and government entities that value diversity and seek to develop high-performing, inclusive workforces. All Things Diverse, LLC is dedicated to helping organizations realize the full potential that can only be achieved through deliberate action. The company is committed to helping its clients create a workplace culture of belonging where everyone can thrive.
Amy Murphy, PhD
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Dr. Amy Murphy serves as an associate professor of student development and higher education leadership at Angelo State University. She is also the program coordinator for the M.Ed. in student development and leadership in higher education as well as the graduate certificate in academic advising, both fully online programs. Amy has been in the role of full-time, tenure-track faculty member at Angelo State since 2016. In this role, she regularly designs and teaches courses on educational law, student affairs administration, program administration and assessment, and academic advising. The degree program is nationally recognized and ranked among the best in the U.S. for quality and affordability by multiple online higher education guides.
Amy writes and presents to campus practitioners and educators on behavioral intervention, sexual misconduct, student conduct, threat and violence risk assessment, and other student affairs issues and topics. She co-authored A Staff Guide to Addressing Disruptive and Dangerous Behavior On Campus and Uprooting Sexual Violence in Higher Education. Her research includes the joint development of the ERIS: Extremist Risk Intervention Scale as well as other tools and resources for behavioral intervention teams in schools and universities. She has authored more than 10 different book chapters and several peer-reviewed journal articles on related topics. Amy is a past president of NABITA, the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment, and past managing editor of the Journal of Campus Behavioral Intervention (J-BIT). During her time on the NABITA advisory board, she supported the development of standards for behavioral intervention teams and for case management practices through her research and writing.
Amy has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and student affairs. She is formerly the dean of students and managing director of the Center for Campus Life at Texas Tech University. Her experiences include chair of the school’s behavioral intervention team, oversight of prevention and response activities for gender-based violence and discrimination as the deputy Title IX coordinator for students, as well as administrative involvement in student conduct, disability services, counseling, and enrollment management. Amy provided leadership to a wide array of co-curricular and extracurricular student involvement activities, including a system of more than 450 registered student organizations, including 50 inter/national fraternities and sororities.
Amy’s experiences in postsecondary education include diverse involvement in a number of complex and transformative projects, including a task force for Greek culture and task force for sexual harassment and sexual assault, new academic program proposal and development, strategic enrollment planning, and many special projects dedicated to the creation of innovative, research-based services and programs. Amy received her Ph.D. in higher education administration from Texas Tech University in 2010. She currently lives and works in San Angelo, TX.
Robert Scholz, MA
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Robert Scholz, MA, is a licensed psychotherapist in California and Arizona, as well as a consultant and trainer throughout the United States. He has served in many clinical and leadership roles over the past 25 years, working in university, community mental health, forensic, and private practice settings. Robert is well-known for his work as a trainer and consultant in assisting schools/universities and communities respond to major crisis events like wildfires, mass shootings, deaths of students/employees, and responding to sexual and other types of interpersonal violence. Trained in group and individual critical incident debriefing, Robert is often invited into communities after acts of violence and other traumatic events to help leaders and community members process and cope with extraordinarily difficult events. He serves as the clinical supervisor for the Route 91 So Cal Heals project, which provides case management, peer support, and support group care for survivors and family members impacted by the Las Vegas and Borderline Nightclub mass shootings.
Robert's engaging, evidence-based, and entertaining presentation style translates well to professionals in education, mental health, criminal justice, and corporate settings, and also makes him very accessible when speaking with groups of parents, teens, and young adults. As a corporate consultant and trainer, Robert collaborates with human resources directors to address challenging employee situations and develop company-wide interventions to support change initiatives. Certified and trained as an executive coach, Robert provides leadership training and executive coaching to mid- to high-level management team members at universities, mental health corporations, and other workplaces. With extensive training and experience in risk and threat assessment, Robert has also served as an advisor to school, university, and workplace threat assessment teams. Robert has an extensive history in higher education settings, serving as an administrator in offices of housing and residential life, as a director of disability services, an assistant director of counseling and outreach, and a coordinator of alcohol and drug programs. During his time at Pepperdine University, he also helped develop campus-wide sexual assault prevention initiatives and, with the athletic department staff, co-created their student care team for student-athletes.
Robert has extensive experience training staff, faculty, and student staff on the topics of suicide prevention/intervention, bystander intervention, trauma-informed care, managing challenging conversations,, most recently, and de-escalating crises. Robert has served as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology for over 20 years, teaching courses on substance abuse treatment and forensic psychology.
Robert has served as an advisory board member for several organizations, including most recently the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA). A respected writer, Robert co-authored the book Engaging Resistance, a best-seller in forensic psychology, and has authored several other publications on men’s mental health, treating mandated clients, addiction, and best practices in disaster mental health. Robert is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and regularly provides motivational interviewing training and consultation to a variety of criminal justice, education, and mental health/addiction treatment groups.
Outside of work, Robert, especially, values time with his wife, son, extended family, and friends. A life-long athlete, Robert can often be found on some type of athletic field, in the ocean, or hiking the mountain trails of Southern California.
Lt. Tom Sweeney (ret.)
Senior Instructor
Tom Sweeney is a retired Sacramento Police Department Lieutenant and the Division Director of the Hostage Negotiations/Internal Affairs Division of DPrep, Inc. He spent 32 years with the Sacramento Police Department, serving the Sacramento Community. During his career, Tom spent nearly twelve years as a Patrol Watch Commander; commanded the Special Investigations Division for three years; was the commander of the Sacramento Police Department’s hostage negotiations team; served as the back-up for the full-time SWAT commander; and spent over five years on both the Sacramento Police Officers Association and the Sacramento City Exempt Employees Association Boards, with a combined four years spent as Vice President at the two Associations. Tom has taught crisis negotiation response and management to hundreds of law enforcement officers and managers across the country. He is currently training and consulting on Crisis Negotiations, Internal Affairs, leadership, and other topics.
Chris Taylor, PhD
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Dr. Chris Taylor, a 30-year veteran of higher education, serves as the executive director of the International Association for Care and Threat Teams (InterACTT). He recently left his position as dean of students and chief student affairs officer at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he oversaw counseling and wellness, student advocacy, the student union and programs, recreational sports, residence life, and student conduct. He also chaired the university CARE and threat team.
Chris's research interests include masculinities, ethical development in men, fraternities, student development, and violent extremism. He has served on the leadership team for the Association of Student Conduct Administrators, and has been a member of NASPA, ACPA, ACUHO-I, and the American Men's Studies Association. He is a trained Title IX adjudicator and has also worked with D Stafford and Associates as a national Clery Act consultant.
He has presented on a variety of topics, including gender-based violence, the Clery Act, FERPA, men and masculinities, masculinity in fraternities, the incel movement, and student conduct.
He co-authored the book Understanding and Treating Incels: Case Studies, Guidance, and Treatment of Violence Risk in the Involuntary Celibate Community as well as a chapter in Men and Masculinities: Theoretical Foundations and Promising Practices for Supporting College Men's Development.
Chris has a PhD in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Miami University and a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from Ball State University.
Jacques Whitfield, JD
Affiliated Consultant, Safety Division
Jacques Whitfield is a seasoned human resources executive with over 20 years of experience in human resources management. Whitfield recently completed a six-year tenure as the chief human resources officer for the Yuba Community College District. Whitfield was responsible for the management and oversight of the district's human resources operations and is credited with revitalizing and streamlining them. Whitfield is a subject-matter expert in performance management, employee engagement, and state and federal EEO compliance. He is highly accomplished in successfully working with others to develop professional skills and improve employee effectiveness through training and development. Whitfield is a frequent speaker, trainer, and presenter.