Amanda Hassenstab worked for a private criminal justice consulting firm for nearly two decades before joining the Lexipol team. During her career, she focused on the planning and operations of new and existing facilities throughout the country. Realizing the heart of a facility is centered around the staff who fills it, jail staffing became her focus and passion. The goal of each staffing analysis Amanda has undertaken was to take a holistic view of the organization and its staffing woes and deliver a practical and functional staffing plan. Amanda is a 20-year law enforcement wife and mother to three teenage children. She enjoys traveling with her family and continuous learning opportunities.

Amy Hanifan is the Operations Chief with McMinnville (OR) Fire Department and the immediate past-president for Women in Fire. She has been in the fire service since early 2001, starting as a volunteer and eventually began a career as a firefighter paramedic. Earning varied roles of leadership, Amy has continuously been passionate about mentoring others in different stages of their careers. Amy was the Women in Fire project manager of the USFA document “Emerging Health and Safety Issues Among Women in the Fire Service,” released in March 2019. Amy also serves as a Director with the Oregon State Fire Chiefs and chairs the organization’s EMS section.

Bruce Bjorge’s fire service career includes more than 38 years of experience in command and training positions with career, combination, volunteer and military fire agencies. Currently, he is a Battalion Chief with the Western Taney County Fire District in Branson, Mo., and has also served as a company officer and Assistant Chief of Training. Bruce is also the Director for Fire Policy Sales at Lexipol. He formerly was the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) Specialist for the University of Missouri Fire & Rescue Training Institute where he managed their Mobile ARFF and other live-fire training programs. He has also served as a Training Developer for Lexipol. He holds Training Officer certification from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Training Program Management course. Bruce has been an active instructor and evaluator for the past 28 years and is a regular presenter at state, regional and national conferences and training events.

Caitlin O’Connor is an accomplished professional with a background in Criminal Justice and Education. She holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude, from Roger Williams University and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Stonehill College. Caitlin’s passion for teaching led her to serve as an Adjunct Professor at Roger Williams University, where she taught criminal justice courses and supervised internships at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. Additionally, Caitlin has made significant contributions to grant-funded projects, addressing key aspects of the criminal justice system. She is a respected Peer Reviewer for the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance, playing a vital role in evaluating grant applications. Furthermore, she serves on the Criminal Justice Policy Board for the state of Rhode Island, where she helps allocate federal-funded formula grants to support crucial criminal justice initiatives. Caitlin’s dedication to advancing the field and her expertise in research and data analysis have positioned her as a valuable asset in shaping criminal justice policies and fostering positive change in the community.

Curt Varone has over 40 years of fire service experience and 30 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer’s Legal Handbook (2007) and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.

Craig Wilsher joined the Lexipol team after 28 years in law enforcement. He started his journey in law enforcement with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, then the Detroit Police Department, and finally served the community of Canton Township for almost 25 years. He retired from Canton Township Police Department as Deputy Chief in 2022. During his diverse career, Craig held many roles and positions, including accreditation manager, detective, and administrative services lieutenant, and contributed to many specialized units. As an accreditation manager, he became a certified accreditation manager and served as the chair/president of the Michigan Police Accreditation Coalition. He hold advanced degrees from Madonna University and Eastern Michigan University in business and technology studies and am an FBI National Academy graduate. Craig is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Criminal Justice at Schoolcraft College and teaches an annual session at Eastern Michigan’s Staff and Command course.

Dr. David Black has been serving first responders and law enforcement for over 20 years and is a subject matter expert on wellness for first responders. As the president of Wellness Solutions for Lexipol, Dr. Black leads a team of professionals dedicated to providing public safety agencies with content, tools and resources focused on mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. He is the chief psychologist of the California Police Chiefs Association Wellness Committee, a board member of the National Sheriff’s Association Psychological Services Group and an advisory board member for the National Police Foundation’s Center for Mass Violence Response Studies. He serves on the IACP Police Psychological Services Ethics Committee and the National Fraternal Order of Police Officer Wellness Committee and is an officer wellness subject matter expert for the California Commission on POST. Dr. Black holds a doctorate and master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy from the University of Washington.

Erica is the former Assistant Chief for Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Civil Division. She has over ten years of extensive experience in the public sector. During her tenure, she was responsible for project management, real estate transactions, contract law, program and policy development. Under her leadership, Mrs. Wilson proudly served as a real estate, foreclosure, and title examination presenter for the Louisiana Land Title Association and Louisiana Sheriff’s Association. A native of New Orleans, LA, she is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans where she obtained a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration. She is also a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law where she served as a member of the Loyola Journal of Public Interest Law and received the Loyola Law Excellence award twice. Mrs. Wilson also serves as a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, National Bar Association, and American Bar Association.

Erin joined the Lexipol team in March of 2015. She began her legal career in private practice representing county and municipal agencies, including police, fire, and custody agencies. Her practice included advising on labor and employment issues, defending against discrimination lawsuits, as well as false arrest and excessive force cases, in both federal and state courts. After ten years in private practice, Erin went-in house to work as an assistant city attorney for a mid-sized municipality. During those ten years she worked closely with management on numerous personnel matters, including unfair labor practice charges, grievance proceedings and impasse proceedings.

Ed Sherman is an organizational consultant, executive coach, and leadership development specialist with more than 40 years of experience in public safety. Dr. Sherman initially performed fire suppression, rescue, and EMS duties in the New York City area, and later worked as a firefighter, law enforcement officer, and Department of Justice supervisor in San Diego. He has been researching and writing about fire service topics since the 1980s; his dissertation research involved an in-depth analysis of fire agency leadership practices and firefighter safety and survival. In his work as an organizational consultant and executive coach, Dr. Sherman provides services including team development, outcome assessment, conflict management, and process improvement facilitation for federal, state, and local government agencies. His online series of public sector leadership training events have been attended by participants nationwide and globally. Dr. Sherman holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and master’s degrees in management and psychology.

Sergeant Eric Tung has been a police officer for 16 years in Washington State. He currently supervises Recruiting, Hiring and Outreach. He has led patrol squads as well as training, community engagement, civil disturbance, and Field Training program supervision. He has worked as a field training officer and K-9 generalist handler. Eric is a peer support team coordinator and wellness program developer. Eric was a 2022 40 Under 40 honoree, recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He develops wellness and leadership content on @bluegritwellness on Instagram and the Blue Grit Radio podcast.

Gordon Graham is co-founder of Lexipol and an internationally recognized expert in risk management. Actively involved in law enforcement since 1973, Gordon spent nearly 10 years as a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer, later serving as a sergeant and captain before retiring in 2006. During his career, he developed the “Five Pillars of Success,” which today serves as the foundation of Lexipol. Additionally, he was instrumental in developing the Drug Recognition Expert program and the Daily Training Bulletin concept. Gordon regularly serves as an educator and trainer to public safety professionals from around the world. He was the first recipient of the California Governor’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement training in 1995, and in 2005 received the Presidential Award for Excellence from the International Association of Fire Chiefs for his lifelong work in improving firefighter safety and performance. Gordon holds a teaching credential from Cal State Long Beach and a master’s degree in Safety and Systems Management with an emphasis on Risk Management from the University of Southern California. He received his law degree from Western State University.

Jonni Redick retired as an Assistant Chief with the California Highway Patrol (CHP). A 29-year veteran, she has worked throughout California, holding uniformed ranks from officer to Assistant Chief. She was the first female captain of the Contra Costa CHP Area in Martinez, CA, where she collectively worked with 18 allied agencies to provide service to an 802-square-mile region. Administratively, she has overseen multi-million dollar statewide, nationally recognized programs. She holds a Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership (LEPSL) from the University of San Diego. Currently, she is adjunct faculty for San Joaquin Delta College and the University of San Diego (USD). At USD, she instructs for the Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership Program (LEPSL), training law enforcement leaders nationwide. Additionally, she is a published author of two books: Her leadership memoir “Black, White & Blue: Surviving the Sifting” and “Survival Guide” to Law Enforcement Promotional Preparation. She is also a regular contributor to Police1 by Lexipol and a professional public speaker.

Joe Schrage began his fire service career in 1997 serving as a chaplain and a paid on-call firefighter. He served the Illinois communities of O’Fallon, Mundelein, Swansea and West Frankfort before beginning his full-time fire service career in the City of Highland Park. Joe has been with the City of Highland Park for 20 years serving in multiple roles and rapidly rising through the ranks to become fire chief. He serves on the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association Executive Board and as Vice President of MABAS Division 3. Joe received his associate’s degree in Fire Science from Southwestern Illinois College, bachelor’s degree from Loyola University of Chicago and master’s of Divinity from University of Saint Mary of the Lake. He has attained Chief Fire Officer designation from Illinois as well as the Center for Public Safety Excellence and has multiple National Fire Academy certifications.

Dr. Jaime Brower is the vice president of Peer Support and Clinician Training and Membership for Lexipol. A licensed clinical psychologist working out of Denver, Colorado, Dr. Brower is a Board Certified Specialist in Police & Public Safety Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology. She is the Founder and Chair of Brower Psychological Services and the National Emergency Responder and Public Safety Center, acquired by Lexipol in early 2023. Dr. Brower has devoted her career to working with those in law enforcement, corrections, detentions, fire, military and other high-stress occupations, as well as ensuring the health and well-being of their family members. She further specializes in risk and threat assessment, school violence and hostile workplace investigations. Dr. Brower is the proud recipient of the 2019 CIT Instructor of the Year award!

Sergeant (Ret.) Jason Lehman retired from the Long Beach (CA) Police Department as a Sergeant, in January of 2022, after serving for 16 years. In 2014, Jason founded the National F.O.P. endorsed training organization entitled “Why’d You Stop Me” (WYSM). WYSM’s mission is to provide empowerment training to both police officers and the public to improve legitimacy and reduce acts of violence during encounters by taking attitudes “From Duty to Desire.” Jason’s unique training approach partners law enforcement and community trainers to instruct, motivate, and lead those who they train. By utilizing both face-to-face interactions and digital engagement, Jason has spent thousands of hours on a quest to develop a system to teach others how to seek to better understand one another. Jason left his traditional law enforcement role to focus on his work as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Community Policing, where he combines his skills in 21st Century Leadership, Procedural Justice, and Strategic Communication. Jason has been recognized as an SME on Communication and Community Policing by major organizations such as Lexipol, Fox News, the National F.O.P, the New York POST, and the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to name a few. He has been recognized for his heroism on duty as a street cop, for his work off-duty in uniting police and the public, and for his philanthropic efforts in funding scholarships for “At-promise” youth.

Ken Wallentine is the chief of the West Jordan (Utah) Police Department and former Chief of Law Enforcement for the Utah Attorney General. He has served over four decades in public safety, is a legal expert and editor of Xiphos, a monthly national criminal procedure newsletter. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Death and serves as a use of force consultant in state and federal criminal and civil litigation across the nation.

Kevin Brame is the executive director and president of the non-profit International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute (IPSLEI), offering innovative leadership development programs for public safety personnel. A 45-year veteran of the fire service, Kevin served most of his career with the Orange County Fire Authority in California, including positions in Fire Operations as well as Chief of Emergency Medical Services, Chief of Strategic Planning and Legislation, and Chief Training and Safety Officer. He retired as Deputy Fire Chief, North Las Vegas Fire Department. Kevin has also served as a retired annuitant training specialist for the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection – State Fire Training and training specialist and curriculum manager for the Leadership and Executive Development Programs of the United States Fire Administration at the National Fire Academy. Kevin holds an associate degree in Mobile Intensive Care Sciences, a bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education, and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. He was a 2006 Fire Service Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is a graduate of the U.S. National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.

Lois James is the assistant director of research in the Washington State University College of Nursing, where she focuses on bias, stress, sleep and performance in high-stress populations such as police officers, military personnel, nurses and top-tier athletes. She has received multiple honors and awards for her work, and is internationally recognized as a leading expert in her field. Dr. James’ simulation-based research on the impact of bias on police decision-making has significantly advanced what is known about what influences police officers during critical encounters with the public. She is the founding director of Counter Bias Training Simulation (CBTsim), an innovative simulation-based implicit bias training program that has been featured in National Geographic and a 2018 feature-length documentary. Dr. James holds a doctorate degree and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Washington State University and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Mandy Nice is the strategic wellness director for Lexipol, where she focuses on developing physical wellness resources for Lexipol’s Cordico wellness app. Mandy has over 15 years of experience developing and implementing physical fitness and wellness programs that measurably improve the health, strength, quality of life, and resilience of tactical professionals and civilians. Her program results have earned multiple national awards, including three American Heart Association Annual Workplace Health Achievement Gold Awards. Mandy serves as a Law Enforcement Physical Fitness and Wellness Subject Matter Expert and national presenter for leading organizations, including the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the Foundation Research Associates, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Previously, Mandy served as the National Strength and Conditioning Association Tactical Program Manager, where she equipped law enforcement and fire/rescue departments with research, curriculum, training, and credentials to establish safe fitness programs that maximized job readiness while reducing injury risk.

Mike Ranalli, Esq., is a program manager for Lexipol. He retired in 2016 after 10 years as chief of the Glenville (N.Y.) Police Department. He began his career in 1984 with the Colonie (N.Y.) Police Department and held the ranks of patrol officer, sergeant, detective sergeant and lieutenant. Mike is also an attorney and is a frequent presenter on various legal issues including search and seizure, use of force, legal aspects of interrogations and confessions, wrongful convictions, and civil liability. He is a consultant and instructor on police legal issues to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and has taught officers around New York State for the last 15 years in that capacity. Mike is also a past president of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, a member of the IACP Professional Standards, Image & Ethics Committee, and the former Chairman of the New York State Police Law Enforcement Accreditation Council. He is a graduate of the 2009 F.B.I.-Mid-Atlantic Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar and is a Certified Force Science Analyst.

Prathi joined the Lexipol legal team in September 2015. Prior to Lexipol, Prathi worked as a federal trial attorney defending the NYPD against claims of false arrest, excessive force, wrongful conviction, and malicious prosecution in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Many of her cases as Senior Counsel involved complex civil litigation with extensive e-discovery and high-profile claims against the City, its police officers, prosecutors, and corrections officers. During her career, she also worked as an associate at a private law firm in New York City, where she continued federal trial litigation in both 42 USC § 1983 and medical malpractice. Prathi has also served as an Adjunct Professor in Constitutional Law at Florida Atlantic University.

Stephan Hutchins has over 15 years in public safety, starting his career as a firefighter/EMT and later transferring into law enforcement. He went on to become the first fire marshal for his jurisdiction, being dually sworn with Fire and Police. In 2019 he was offered his current position of Fire Prevention Chief, where he is responsible for overseeing all fire investigations, life safety inspections and community risk reduction efforts. Stephan earned his master’s degree from the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College at Columbus State University and holds numerous certifications in fire investigations, criminal investigations and evidence collection.

Sarah (Wilson) Handler is the Vice President of the Grant Division at Lexipol. She has been with the company since 2007 and started the Grant services division in 2009. Sarah’s team is responsible for generating nearly $500M in funding and currently servicing a network of 60k departments and municipalities for grant help as well as supporting 60 corporate sponsors. Prior to Lexipol, Sarah held various marketing and organizational management positions within financial services. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Davis. A West Coaster her entire life, Sarah was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, raised in Southern California and currently calls Sonoma County home.