Monday June 22

Workshop 1

2:45p.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Room: White Sage

De-escalating School Violence Through Neurobiological & Right Brain Restorative Practices

This workshop examines how neurobiological, environmental, and relational factors contribute to school violence and student escalation. Participants will explore how chronic stress, trauma, gang influence, social conflict, emotional contagion, and unresolved relational ruptures can increase threat sensitivity and disrupt student decision-making, impulse control, and behavioral regulation. Using the LAIRP Right Brain framework, this session will provide practical strategies for de-escalation, regulation-first intervention, restorative response structures, and campus-wide stabilization practices that help students, staff, and school communities recover, reconnect, and restore psychological safety following high-stress or violent incidents.

Presenter: Carlos Alvarez
Organization: Los Angeles Institute for Right Brain Practices and Research

 

Room: Manzanita

Fentanyl/Drug Awareness

Overview:
This workshop provides a detailed discussion on fentanyl and the latest deadly trends in the drug world. The presentation addresses the dangers associated with fentanyl and the different ways fentanyl is poisoning communities. Participants will gain a better understanding of the risks, warning signs, and community impacts associated with fentanyl and other dangerous substances.

Presenter: DA Raine Ritchey
Organization: District Attorney Office, Riverside County

 

Room: Cottonwood

Active Shooter Symbology-Text Narratives Inscribed on Weaponry & Gear

Overview:
This open-source intelligence training focuses on the increasing threat of active shooters in schools and related venues, including the inscription of text and symbols on weaponry and gear for narrative and propaganda purposes. Topics include historical incidents, trends, motivators, short case studies, lessons learned, futures, indications and warning, and learning resources. The training provides an overview of material covered in the C/O Futures resource on active shooter symbology and text narratives.

Presenter: Pamela Ligouri Bunker, MA, MLitt
Organization: C/O Futures, LLC
Co-Presenter: Dr. Robert J. Bunker, C/O Futures, LLC

 

Room: Elderberry

Integrated Safety Plans for Houses of Worship

Overview:
In an era marked by increasing threats to safety, an Integrated Safety Program for Houses of Worship and Schools sharing the same campus offers a unified, faith-centered approach to protection and resilience. This workshop will provide the blueprint for establishing an Integrated Safety Plan. Participants will leave with resources needed to establish Standard Operation Guidelines for parishes, synagogues, private schools, and other religious institutions. The session will highlight how a shared safety ecosystem can unite administrators, clergy, volunteers, families, and school personnel.

Presenter: Tim Ware
Organization: Not On My Watch, Inc.

 

Room: Tule

Restoring Community:  Collaborative Problem Solving After Campus Critical Incident(s)

Overview: James Williams III, retired U.S. Department of Justice, Community Relations Service (CRS) mediator, provides an overview of how students can effectively address school-based conflicts through structured, student-led engagement and dialogue. Drawing on decades of experience in community relations and conflict resolution, he will share strategies that empower students to lead the way in resolving tensions on campus.

In this session,  attendees will learn how to use a student empowered initiative to address issues related to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. Using adult facilitated sessions, diverse student groups convene over a full day or two half-days to identify concerns, engage in discussions, and develop collaborative solutions. This student-driven approach builds leadership skills, enhances problem-solving abilities, and cultivates an inclusive and safe and supportive school climate.

Presenter: James Williams III, Partner/Founder – JAW Consulting

 

Workshop 2

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Room: White Sage

Safe Schools are Everyone’s Responsibility: PBIS Helps Classified Staff Ensure Safe School Environments

Overview:
This workshop will clearly define PBIS and help non-classroom and classified staff support PBIS and school safety initiatives. Participants will explore the difference between punitive and restorative responses that help school staff develop and maintain relationships across campus. The session will also provide opportunities to learn and practice positive transitional phrases that can help pre-correct and redirect students so they stay engaged and safe in school activities.

Presenter: Dr. Ed Resnick
Organization: Los Angeles County Office of Education - PBIS

 

Room: Manzanita

Online Exploitation of Minors: The Fastest Growing Crime in the World

Overview:
Online exploitation of minors is changing dramatically due to technology. Financial sextortion, artificial intelligence, deepfakes, online gaming platforms, chatrooms, and dating sites are being used by criminal groups, predators, and traffickers to access, groom, recruit, and exploit young people. This session will examine how global criminal groups operate and how youth are being targeted through digital platforms. Participants will learn prevention and intervention tactics designed to help schools, families, and communities better understand and respond to online exploitation.

Presenter: Opal Singleton-Hendershot
Organization: Million Kids

 

Room: Cottonwood

Red Teaming and School Safety

Overview:
This introductory training focuses on the application of red teaming for counter-active shooter purposes for policing, responder, and school employee needs. Red teaming is defined and discussed through analytical and physical variants, including their combined use. Basic concepts related to OODA Loops and Principles of Special Operations will be addressed. The session adapts counter-terrorism red teaming insights and lessons learned for the domestic school safety environment.

Presenter: Lt. Col Matt Begert, USMC Ret.
Organization: C/O Futures, LLC
Co-Presenter: Dr. Robert J. Bunker

 

Room: Elderberry

Strengthening School Safety through Mental Wellness

Across school settings, including continuation, alternative educational schools, and juvenile hall, educators, counselors, and administrators are facing rising anxiety, behavioral escalation, and safety concerns rooted in early Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, and chronic stress. When students have experienced instability, loss, or unmet needs at a young age, correction- or compliance-driven responses often escalate behavior rather than support regulation or learning.

Connection Before Correction integrates Partners4Wellness’ trauma-informed, life-skills and resilience framework, grounded in the Ten Dimensions of Wellness, with existing SEL, MTSS, PBIS, and YPAR systems. Using a concierge-style mental wellness approach and structured Second Responder follow-up after behavioral incidents, staff learn how to intentionally rebuild trust, strengthen coping and decision-making skills, and reinforce accountability. Participants leave with practical strategies to better support high-need students and strengthen school climate and safety by leading with connection first.

Presenter: Phillip Falcetti, MPH - Partners4Wellness

 

Room: Tule

The Power of School Administrator and School Resource Officer Partnerships

Overview:
School Administrators and School Resource Officers work together as partners. The team can become an incredibly powerful tool for school safety and the well-being of the entire school community. A cohesive team that works collaboratively in all aspects of the school day is seen by students, staff, and families as partners. With prevention and intervention as a goal to either prevent or change future behavior, the work of this team proves to be more effective than reactionary discipline alone.

Presenter: Dr. Steve Behar, CWA Director Lake Elsinore Unified School District (Retired)

 

Tuesday – June 23

Workshop 3

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Room: White Sage

Interview Strategies for Students  of Concern

Overview: This workshop will provide attendees with a methodology for interviewing students of concern. Existing types of interview strategies will be presented along with those that typically yield good data and outcomes. Attendees will learn how to engage students in difficult conversations using a care-frontation over confrontation approach designed to build rapport, engage the student, and develop a collaborative rather than unilateral approach to problem solving. Using the principles of Operational Psychology, attendees will learn about conflict resolution styles and best practices under difficult situations.

Presenter & Affiliation: Tony Beliz, Clinical & Forensic Psychologist – Beliz & Associates

 

Room: Manzanita

Strong Systems, Safe Spaces - 30 Years of Lessons Learned

Overview:
Building on three decades of professional experience and expertise, this workshop establishes that school safety is built on a proactive and responsive system that prioritizes prevention, preparedness, and clear protocols. Attendees will better understand how effective safety planning includes consistent expectations, emergency procedure training, and early identification of concerns. A comprehensive safety approach also includes clearly defined response protocols for emergencies such as lockdowns, evacuations, and communication procedures. Strong safety systems and positive school climate help create secure, supportive learning environments.

Presenter: Dr. Erroll Southers, Associate Senior Vice President of Safety & Risk Assurance University of Southern California and Dr. Caryn Beck-Southers, Educational Consultant and Retired LAUSD Educator

 

Room: Cottonwood

Working With Digital Natives: Pop Culture’s Impact on Youth

Overview: From TikTok trends to viral influencers, from music videos to online gaming—our kids are growing up in a constant stream of messages, images, and influences. Many are fun. Some are inspiring. But others? Confusing, misleading, or downright dangerous. This workshop takes an honest, practical, and sometimes humorous look at how today’s popular culture competes for our children’s loyalty and attention—and how parents and teachers can use effective communication to cut through the “noise” and truly connect. **This Workshop Includes Adult Themes**

Presenter & Affiliation: Paul LeBaron,  Chief of Police (ret) & Gen7 Leadership LLC

 

Room: Elderberry

Red Dawn... of Better Preparedness

Overview:
This workshop draws inspiration from the classic film Red Dawn, where an unexpected invasion disrupts everyday life, mirroring the sudden, high-stakes crises schools face today. This session flips the script by focusing on proactive readiness that empowers school staff to build resiliency before threats arrive. Drawing from authentic discussions on social media platforms, this workshop uncovers recurring concerns school staff identify, including drills, training, communication, vulnerabilities, threats, and reunification. Attendees will gain strategies to strengthen practices and build confident, collaborative safety cultures.

Presenter: Dr. Sherry Stone
Organization: Stone Campus Safety

 

Room: Tule 

Systems Approach – Examining the Behavioral Background of the Marysville Pilchuck High School Attacker

Overview: This case study utilizes the Systems Approach based on an attacker who perpetrated the 2014 school attack at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville, WA. The Systems Approach is an effective way to gather information as part of a threat assessment, as it identifies sources (e.g., law enforcement, employment, community, family, etc.) that may have information on the individual of concern’s actions, stressors, changes in their life, and behaviors that may have concerned others. In utilizing post attack interviews and open-source information, this case provides a plethora of information about the attacker in the weeks and days leading up to the attack. The information collected from the attacker’s systems provide insight as his feelings, thoughts, and behaviors grew more concerning in the week before the attack. Additionally, this case highlights the importance of collecting information from multiple sources and corroborating the information, as some sources had contradictory information (e.g., some observed nothing out of the ordinary with the attacker, whereas others stated they noticed significant changes in his actions and thoughts). When gathering information for a threat assessment, it is essential for public safety professionals to be able to identify these systems, use their training and knowledge on the best information to collect, and recognize potential opportunities of support within these systems.

Presenter & Affiliation: Arlene Macias, Domestic Security Strategist – U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center

 

Workshop 4

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Room: White Sage

Culture is Everything: A Case Study on Leading Through Change

Overview: For school administrators and supervisors navigating complex challenges, culture is the foundation that shapes performance, morale, and outcomes. This leadership-focused workshop explores how intentional culture-building drives trust, accountability, and sustainable change across an organization. Through a compelling case study of institutional transformation, participants will gain practical strategies to lead teams with clarity, empower staff, and strengthen school-wide systems during times of uncertainty.

Presenter: Paul LeBaron, Chief of Police (ret) & Gen7 Leadership LLC

 

Room: Manzanita

USC Advancing Safe Communities: Leadership, Public Safety, and Safe School Climate

Workshop Overview

This panel discussion will highlight the evolving work of the USC Price Center on National Defense and Public Safety, formerly the Safe Communities Institute, and its connection to leadership development, public safety, and safe school climate. Jessie Redd, Managing Director of Public Safety Initiatives at USC, will lead a conversation with Chief Donald Graham, Dr. Erroll Southers, and Frank Zerunyan. Panelists will discuss the core themes addressed through USC’s leadership programs, including multidisciplinary collaboration, threat prevention, crisis leadership, community trust, school safety, and systems-based approaches to public safety. The session will also explore the direction of the Safe School Climate Certificate Program and its role in preparing leaders to build safer, more connected school communities.

Moderator: Jessie Redd, Managing Director, Public Safety Initiatives, USC Price Center on National Defense and Public Safety, University of Southern California

Panel:

Donald Graham - Chief, Los Angeles School Police Department, City of Los Angeles

Dr. Erroll G. Southers - Associate Senior Vice President of Safety and Risk Assurance, University of Southern California, Professor of the Practice in National and Homeland Security, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy

Frank V. Zerunyan, J.D. - Professor of the Practice of Governance, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, Director, USC Price Center on National Defense and Public Safety, Director, Executive Education

 

Room: Cottonwood

School Crisis - Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

Overview:
This workshop examines the April 10, 2017 shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino as a case study in school crisis preparedness, response, and recovery. The incident serves as a powerful example of how domestic violence risks, campus access control, and emergency response systems intersect in school safety planning. Designed for educators, administrators, law enforcement, fire/EMS, and crisis response professionals, this workshop provides practical, real-world lessons to enhance school safety and resilience. Participants will explore the timeline of events, warning signs, vulnerabilities, and response actions.

Presenter: Eric Vetere - Director, Department of Safety & Security

Organization: Corona Norco Unified School District

 

Room: Elderberry

Human Trafficking: An Organized Criminal Activity

This presentation provides an inside look into the world of human trafficking, with a focus on how predators, traffickers, gangs, and organized networks recruit, groom, and exploit vulnerable youth. Opal Singleton will help participants understand the realities of child sex trafficking, labor trafficking, foreign national trafficking, and the role of technology and social media in modern recruitment. Attendees will learn warning signs, common grooming tactics, and practical prevention strategies schools, families, and communities can use to better protect young people from exploitation and trafficking.

Presenter: Opal Singleton-Hendershot
Organization: Million Kids

 

Room: Tule

Building Safer schools; Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSPs), how to make the mandate into a useful tool and create a safer learning environment

Why do schools use programs/frameworks such as PBIS, PLUS, and Restorative Practices? Why do schools conduct fire, earthquake and lockdown drills, plan for disasters and active criminal incidents? There is a diverse array of solutions for every safety and behavioral issue. A CSSP is a yearly gap analysis of safety practices, policies, and procedures. How do you conduct the analysis to determine if a school is using the best solution(s) to improve the sites social and physical climate? Information is based on the CDE endorsed Educator’s Guide to Comprehensive School Safety Plans, we will discuss components of a CSSP, and answer FAQ’s.

Presenter: Tom Steele
Organization: Campus Safety Group
Co-Presenter: Tom Herman, EdD, Retired CDE Administrator, School Health and Safety Office

 

Workshop 5

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Room: White Sage

Student Voice: The Missing Piece to Building a Safe and Supportive School Climate

K–12 schools face urgent challenges ensuring student safety, including violence, bullying, mental health crises, and emerging technologies. This session demonstrates a youth driven student leadership model that utilizes Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) to foster student engagement and a supportive school climate. This evidence-based framework harnesses student voice to identify and resolve psychosocial challenges. Presenter John Vandenburgh shares a program development profile illustrating how YPAR empowers student leadership classes to collect data, address critical issues, and extend PBIS/MTSS, School Climate Committees, and School Safety teams to have direct impact on the eco-system of the student community. What is YPAR? Stop doing the research on the kids, and let the kids do the research on themselves!

Presenter: John Vandenburgh, Executive Director - Protect Connect Educate

 

Room: Manzanita

A United Front: The Multi-Agency Approach to Campus Safety and Event Management

Overview:
Join Hollister High School’s Safety & Security Supervisor and former SRO Nick Rabago, HPD SRO Nic Rudolfs, and SBC Probation SRO Andy Parra as they explore the transformative power of multi-agency collaboration. This presentation highlights how seamless teamwork between school staff and law enforcement enhances campus climate and incident response. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for collaboratively planning large-scale events, including football games, graduations, and student walkouts, while building a regional network of resource officers.

Presenter: Nick Rabago
Organization: Hollister High School
Co-Presenters: Andy Parra, SRO, San Benito County Probation; Nic Rudolf, SRO, Hollister Police Department

 

Room: Cottonwood

Now What? Managing Threats from High-Risk Individuals (Part 1 & 2) - These back to back sessions will build on each other

Part 1 Overview: Threat Assessment Frameworks and Case Management Foundations
This session will examine the use of validated threat assessment frameworks and structured professional judgment tools to assess individuals whose behavioral patterns, mental health concerns, personality traits, or escalating actions may indicate a pathway toward targeted violence. Using prior case examples, presenters will explore how mental health factors may increase or decrease threat levels, how validated tools support legal and ethical decision-making, and how management strategies must adapt as cases evolve. While examples may extend beyond school settings, the focus will remain on practical application for K–12 and higher education threat assessment teams.

Presenter: Lauritz Austensen, CTM - San Diego County Office of Education

Co-Presenter: Dr. Manny Tau, Psy.D., CTM, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, Independent Consultant

 

Room: Elderberry

Mitigate The Threat

Overview:
Command Sergeant Major Bart Womack, U.S. Army Retired, draws on firsthand experience as a survivor of an insider threat attack to deliver expert insight on safety and security. Blending powerful storytelling, research, and practical tools, he helps audiences understand insider threats, including motivations, tactics, warning signs, and mitigation strategies. Participants will gain situational awareness, learn behavioral indicators, and adopt proactive strategies to enhance campus safety. His insights are grounded in more than two decades of experience and lessons from the March 23, 2003 attack detailed in his book, Embedded Enemy – The Insider Threat.

Presenter: Bart Womack
Organization: Speaker-Consultant

 

Room: Tule

Workshop 6

3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Room: White Sage 

Schools and Law Enforcement Working Together

Schools have a responsibility to provide safe learning environments while supporting the educational mission of every campus. This session explores how schools and law enforcement can work together to strengthen school safety, clarify roles, and improve collaboration. Chief Komin will discuss the services law enforcement can provide to schools, including the structure and day-to-day operations of school police departments, SRO programs, and security departments. Participants will also examine the advantages and challenges of stationing police on campus and gain a clearer understanding of the role school police can play in supporting safe schools.

Presenter: Chief Edward Komin
Organization: Kern High School District Police Department

 

Room: Manzanita

The Human Factor in School Safety: Decision-Making, Response, and Resilience

Overview:
School safety personnel are often called into situations that are not yet crises but are no longer routine. In these moments, behavior shifts, emotions run high, and decisions must be made quickly with limited information. This session examines how stress affects emotional regulation, perception, and decision-making in both students and staff. Participants will explore how real-time responses influence escalation, as well as how staff capacity, resilience, and post-incident support shape immediate outcomes and the ability to sustain safe, effective practice over time.

Presenter: Sheila Mallett-Smith
Organization: JS Risk Consulting
Co-Presenter: Jiles Smith II, CEO-Senior Consultant, JS Risk Consulting

 

Room: Cottonwood

Now What? Managing Threats from High-Risk Individuals (Part 1 & 2) - These back to back sessions will build on each other

Part 2 Overview: Applied Threat Assessment Team Exercise
Building on Part 1, participants will engage in a hypothetical case study as members of a school threat assessment team. The team will review background information, assess initial facts, and determine appropriate management strategies for a potential threat involving a student or staff member. As the scenario develops, new information will be introduced, requiring participants to reassess risk, adapt management actions, and consider traditional and non-traditional intervention options. This interactive exercise will provide opportunities for team discussion, decision-making practice, audience questions, and application of threat assessment concepts in a school setting.

Presenters: Lauritz Austensen, CTM - San Diego County Office of Education

Co-Presenter: Dr. Manny Tau, Psy.D., CTM, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, Independent Consultant

 

Room: Elderberry

Reduce the Risk: Legal Protection Orders Save Lives

Overview:
California’s nine legal protection orders can temporarily remove guns and ammunition from individuals at risk of harming themselves or others. While protection orders can prevent incidents of gun violence, many Californians lack information about how these orders work. To address this, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services launched Reduce the Risk, an educational campaign to bridge the knowledge gap about protection orders, including Postsecondary School Violence Restraining Orders. This workshop will provide mental health-specific information and empower participants to help prevent gun violence.

Presenter: Tia Griffin
Organization: Reduce the Risk

 

Room: Tule

Preventing the Second Crisis: Building a Parent Communication Protocol That Stops Panic Before It Starts

When a critical incident occurs on a school campus, the emergency response extends to every parent, guardian, staff member, and community member seeking information. Without a clear and timely communication strategy, panic can quickly fill the void, creating campus intrusions, overloaded phone lines, and additional pressure on staff. This session provides a practical model for building a parent communication protocol that reaches families quickly and accurately, reduces panic-driven responses, protects staff focus during active incidents, and strengthens community trust before, during, and after school emergencies.

Presenter: Nancy Rodriguez, Director of Risk Management & Safety Response

Organization: Baldwin Park Unified School District