Staff Archive - Safer Schools Together

Theresa Campbell

2017-09-12/by Kyla Wells

Theresa Campbell is the Founder, President & CEO of Safer Schools Together (SST), established in 2008 in British Columbia, Canada, and recognized internationally for its leadership, innovation, and evidence-informed strategies to ensure safe, caring, and trauma-informed school communities. SST’s team of highly skilled professionals provide expertise, consultation and support to educators, law enforcement and other service providers across North America and internationally, in addressing student, school, and community student safety-related concerns. SST helps school communities minimize and manage risks of student violence with reliable, professional training.
SST is committed to ending school violence by encouraging school districts to create positive, safe, and caring learning environments for every student, staff, and parent. By providing school districts, school resource officers, and community partners comprehensive violence prevention and intervention strategies through training and services, SST provides threat assessment and school safety teams with the tools they need to build capacity and sustainability.
After a decade of successful work in Canada, Safer Schools Together (SST) Theresa recognized the need for her services in the USA and incorporated SST USA Inc. in 2018. She opened a US office in Washington State and has been conducting business for the past six years. SST USA Inc. is a Washington incorporated company registered in multiple states.
In this short time, SST USA Inc. has delivered core services including Worrisome Online Behavior (WOB) reports, Digital Threat Assessment® (DTA®) training, and 24/7 Case Consultation support for clients throughout North America.
Theresa serves as CEO of both SST USA Inc. and Safer Schools Together (SST) organizations that focus on violence prevention and intervention and promoting safety in all schools by working with them to improve their school’s climate and culture. SST provides training opportunities for extensive professional development in these areas.
Theresa serves as the Subject Matter Expert in the areas of violence prevention, threat assessment and trauma response for the Government of British Columbia. She is an internationally recognized authority and thought leader on the future of Violence Prevention, Threat Assessment, Digital Threat Assessment ® and Managing Traumatic Aftermath. She is a trusted resource to numerous schools and districts, law enforcement, public safety agencies, governments, and corporations that reach out to her and her team for case consultations.
Theresa and her team developed and implemented “Training for Justice System Personnel on Cyberbullying” for the Department of Justice in Canada. In Chicago, she was awarded the prestigious Frederic Milton Thrasher Award for superior service in gang prevention. With over 30 years of experience working with educators, law enforcement and corporations, Theresa brings a wealth of experience and genuine passion to this subject.
In 2012, SST was awarded the contract for the British Columbia provincially mandated ERASE Bullying Prevention Training Strategy for which Theresa was the lead contributing author. In addition to hosting training symposiums, SST has authored the Safe & Caring School Tool to measure the climate and culture of a school, as well as ensure best practices are followed and B.C. Ministry of Education mandates regarding school/student safety are met. Recommendations from each assessment are aimed at ensuring positive programs and proactive measures to address bullying, drugs and fighting are implemented and to help students, staff and parents feel safe and comfortable in their schools.
Theresa was responsible for the conceptualization, development and implementation of many successful and comprehensive, evidence-based prevention and intervention programs, initiatives, and resource materials aimed at enhancing student and staff safety. Many of these unique and innovative projects have also been recognized and implemented worldwide.
Theresa is the CEO of the newly incorporated International Center for Digital Threat Assessment® (ICDTA®), offering Threat Assessment teams the tools and training needed to prevent tragedy and intervene at the first sign of worrisome behavior. The training addresses these challenges and stays current with the ever evolving of social media. ICDTA® aims to give all attendees a stronger understanding of the current social media; to proactively identify student safety concerns; and provide strategies to deal with online situations as they arise.
In 2008, Theresa developed PSSTWorld (Promoting Safer Schools Together), the first online student anonymous reporting tool to promote responsible reporting of worrisome behavior observed by students, both in person and online. “See Something, Say Something, We Will Do Something.”
Theresa is an executive board member of the Odd Squad, a charitable organization dedicated to drug and gang prevention education for youth, comprised of serving and retired Vancouver Police Department officers. Theresa is the executive producer of five award-winning substance use and gang prevention documentaries.

Kelly LePrieur

2017-09-26/by Kyla Wells

Kelly is the Chief Operating Officer for Safer Schools Together, an organization that is focused on violence prevention and promoting a climate and culture of safety in schools.

Kelly was in the field of Early Childhood Education for over 10 years, supporting families and staff with child development and growth. She owned and operated her own center before becoming a Regional Director at a large Canadian based childcare company. Kelly was responsible for overseeing and managing 13 facilities across British Columbia. While in this role, she developed an initiative that streamlined the daily reporting process for all center’s company-wide throughout North America, winning her an Award of Achievement.

Kelly has provided training and workshops for students, parents, and teachers. Through years of experience, she has developed a unique skillset in guiding professionals to help support children with challenging behaviors.

John Callery

2021-11-08/by Lauren LaJambe

Mr. John W. Callery has a total of 35 years of law enforcement experience, beginning his career as a Police Officer in the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1984. He was detailed to the prestigious USAF Presidential Honor Guard in Washington, D.C., serving then President Ronald Reagan. Mr. Callery continued his law enforcement career as a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in 1992, initially assigned to the DEA Los Angeles Field Division (LAFD). Mr. Callery received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Counterterrorism-WMD from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 2007. He also holds a Master Certificate in Conflict Management from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza School of Business.

Mr. Callery started his DEA career in the Los Angeles Field Division as a member of the OPERATION LEYENDA task force and worked arduously on bringing to justice the conspirators in the murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in Mexico. In 1995, Mr. Callery was assigned to the LAFD’s Mobile Enforcement Team (MET), where he conducted numerous deployments to cities suffering from drug related violence. These deployments were extremely successful, resulting in the arrests of hundreds of drug traffickers and violent criminal offenders.

In 1999, Mr. Callery was chosen for an overseas assignment in Bangkok, Thailand. During his tenure in Bangkok, he controlled high level heroin investigations with US nexuses to include the first Judicial Wire Tap investigation in the history of The Kingdom of Thailand.

In 2011, Mr. Callery assumed the position of Country Attaché of DEA’s Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Country Office, where he managed DEA’s efforts to identify and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations operating in Malaysia and Singapore.

In 2014, Mr. Callery returned to the LAFD as a Group Supervisor, where he led the division’s Clandestine Lab Enforcement Group, where he focused his group’s attention on PCP manufacturing, criminal street gangs and violent drug trafficking.

In 2016, Mr. Callery was promoted to Section Chief at DEA/HQS Regional and Local Impact Section (OGR) where he oversaw DEA’s domestic operations and managed DEA’s Domestic Cartel Initiative (DCI), Domestic Priority Targeting Operations, DEA’s assistance to the Violent Reduction Network and Bureau of Indian Country Affairs.

In 2017, Mr. Callery assumed the duties of Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) of the DEA Honolulu District Office. There he led and managed all DEA operations in the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and Saipan.

From 2019 to 2021 he was the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the San Diego Field Division where he led the men and woman of the SDFD in concentrating on the opioid overdose death investigations, fentanyl laced drugs, Mexican Cartel operations, US/Mexico interdiction efforts and the enduring scourge of methamphetamine trafficking in the region.

Mr. Callery is a professional public speaker and has conducted hundreds of lectures around the world on a myriad law enforcement and counter terrorism topics. Between 2005-2011 Mr. Callery conducted over 70 DEA International Training seminars on professional law enforcement best practices in over 50 nations around the globe.

Mr. Callery is married, enjoys golf, snorkeling, and tennis and is an avid sports fan.

Bill Reynolds

2021-08-09/by Lauren LaJambe

Bill Reynolds is an accomplished Senior Executive with more than 20 years of success across the education, retail, insurance, financial services, healthcare, and nonprofit fields. Leveraging extensive experience improving cultural alignment and creating strategic channel partnerships for a B2B company, he is a valuable advisor to Safer Schools Together. His broad areas of expertise include entrepreneurship, product development, sales management, growth, analytics, business analysis, enterprise software, global operations (China), investments, and customer service.

Sherri Mohoruk

2020-02-10/by Kyla Wells

Sherri Mohoruk is a safety and wellness consultant with Safer Schools Together and serves as a liaison with the Ministry of Education. She provides strategic advice regarding school safety matters and direct support to public school districts and independent schools dealing with safety, critical incidence and trauma-related matters. Previously Sherri held two leadership positions with the BC Ministry of Education – most recently as Superintendent of Integrated Services Safe Schools and earlier as Superintendent of Liaison.

As Superintendent of Integrated Services; Safe Schools, Sherri had responsibility for all aspects of student health and safety with a specific focus on implementing the provincial Expect Respect and a Safe Education (ERASE) strategy to address bullying, violence threat risk assessment, critical incidence, and trauma response. Other responsibilities included Internal government/national liaison on student health and safety, Healthy Schools, Emergency Preparedness and student issues related to substance misuse, mental health issues, child abuse, and reporting, domestic violence and gang prevention.

In her role as the Superintendent of Liaison, Sherri provided a link between the Minister of Education, the Ministry of Education and the province’s sixty school districts and education partners. She facilitated connections between ministry divisions, school districts, and partner organizations to improve the implementation of ministry policy, initiatives, and directions.

Sherri has worked in public education in both Canada and the United States as a teacher, principal, director for student services, director for curriculum and instruction and as an assistant superintendent. She has a long-standing interest in educational leadership, student health and safety, literacy and early childhood education. She has presented nationally and internationally at a number of different levels.

Dr. Greg Gerber

2017-11-25/by Kyla Wells

Greg is a Trainer/Senior Consultant for Safer Schools Together and is deeply engaged in the practice and scholarship of teaching. With a Doctorate of Education (EdD), Greg holds the position of Associate Dean & Professor of Instructional Technology at The New York Institute of Technology. He serves as the Associate Campus Dean & Academic Director at the Vancouver Centre for Teaching and Learning and is also the Interim Director of Vancouver IT Services.

Previous professional experience includes working as Director of Learning for the SCSBC independent schools, Adjunct Professor in Education at SFU and TWU, and a Senior Technical Consultant. He finds joy in solving complex problems and helping educators resolve tensions between practice and theoretical understanding. Greg has extensive experience in technology infrastructure and securities, curriculum and pedagogy, leadership, and instruction.

Colton Easton

2017-09-12/by Kyla Wells

Colton came to Safer Schools Together in 2016 after receiving his Diploma in Law Enforcement Studies at the Justice Institute of BC. As a member of the Safer Schools Together team, Colton specializes in Social Media Awareness and publicly available information gathering.

As one of the lead threat assessment analysts, he collects social media data that is used to assist schools nationwide in conducting accurate threat assessments. He has been involved in several high-profile cases relating to school safety in Canada and the US. As a trainer, he presents to police officers, school staff, parents, and students on social media awareness, cyberbullying, and online safety.

Ocean Van Samang

2018-03-07/by Kyla Wells

Ocean Van Samang is a specialized trainer and the mental health advisor for Safer Schools Together and has worked for over 20 years in the field of mental health and disabilities.

She is currently the Deputy Director of Inclusion PR and has worked as a therapist and educator in the areas of communication, anxiety, depression, resiliency, and trauma. Ocean has assessed youth for suicidal and self-harming behaviors in schools, community agencies, and hospitals. She has developed a curriculum for both K-12 and post-secondary.

Ocean provides training and support throughout North America in the areas of violent threat risk assessments, mental health literacy and trauma-informed classrooms.

Jessy Johal

2020-06-24/by Kyla Wells

Jessy Johal started his career as a Safe School Liaison with the Surrey School district. He then moved to a specialized role of Outreach Worker with Surrey School’s award-winning Wraparound program where he built relationships with at-risk youth and supported RCMP Youth Section staff with daily high risk situations (altercations, substance use, school misconduct). In this role, Jessy also worked on gang prevention and intervention strategies in partnership with the Surrey RCMP Gang Enforcement team. Shortly after, Jessy moved on to a supervisory role with the City of Surrey where he developed unique programs tailored to the needs and interests of vulnerable youth.

In his current role, Jessy helps to deliver the Gang Reduction Through Informed Practice (GRIP) strategy implemented by Safer Schools Together in partnership with the B.C. Ministry of Education. The GRIP strategy is comprehensive training designed to deliver proven prevention and intervention strategies to communities throughout B.C. in response to youth gangs. Jessy is responsible for conducting social media / GRIP presentations to students, parents, and school professionals. As GRIP consultant, Jessy assists police agencies and school district professionals with safety plans and community consultations.

Randy Wallis

2019-08-26/by Kyla Wells

Randy is a Trainer and Case Consultant for Safer Schools Together. He provides support to the Threat Analyst team while also training across North America.

As a lifelong learner and someone who is passionate about Youth Safety, Randy has supported ‘at-risk youth’ and their families throughout his 30+ year career as an International School Counsellor and as an Inner-City Youth and Family worker. Having presented to educators, parents, and students across the globe, Randy comes with immeasurable knowledge and a unique skill set.

Randy has a long history of combining his work in counselling and education to work alongside Law Enforcement, International Embassies, Mental Health Clinicians and Hospitals. Through this work, Randy has developed comprehensive and developmentally appropriate Social-Emotional Curriculum and Child Safety protocols to ensure Safe and Caring Schools.

With his studies in counselling and psychology, Randy has centred most of his work to understand family structure and dynamics, cognitive behavioural interventions for trauma, and inclusion in schools.

While supporting the Threat Analyst team and training, Randy is putting final touches on a manual created for educators in learning to support children through traumatic transitions in the International School’s community.

Steven MacDonald

2020-02-11/by Kyla Wells

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Victoria, Steven specialized in language analytics and artificial intelligence for major media corporations in the Tech Industry.

Steven’s experience and knowledge in both technology and the world of social media have enabled him to have a greater understanding and a more hands-on approach to working with schools, communities, and law enforcement with the ability to assist in data collection and accurate threat assessments for school districts nationwide.

As a trainer, Steven is passionate about providing presentations and workshops to students, staff, and parents on social media awareness, the importance of creating a positive digital footprint, cyberbullying, and online safety.

Christopher Felton

2021-11-30/by Lauren LaJambe

Christopher M. Felton has been in Law Enforcement for over 16 years, with experience at a large Midwest Police Department as well as Active-Duty U.S. Army Military Police.

For the past 14 years, Christopher has served at his police department in various capacities, currently as a Detective Sergeant with the Gang and Violent Crimes Unit. He is also a Trainer for Safer Schools Together, and an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice at two local universities where he teaches courses in Criminal Justice, Forensic Psychology, and Emergency Management.

Christopher has also served as a Crisis Intervention Officer, Public Information Officer, and Field Training Officer, and he co-founded and currently leads the Police Officer Peer Support/Critical Incident Stress Management Team.

As a Leading Investigator/Research Assistant with Hutton Criminal Profiling and Associates from October 2015 to June 2020, Christopher collaborated on studies presented at the American Society of Criminology Conferences. He has also presented at the National Gang Crime Research Center Conference in Chicago, IL.

Christopher holds a BS in Criminal Justice, an MS in Criminal Justice – Forensic Psychology, a Master of Philosophy, and is currently writing his dissertation for his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice – Law and Public Policy.

Eric Tamashasky

2018-07-13/by Kyla Wells

Eric Tamashasky is a magistrate judge with the St. Joseph County (Indiana) Superior Court. Over his prior seventeen years in law enforcement, he served as a prosecutor, professor, and cybercrimes investigator. For eight years, Eric served as the Police Legal Advisor for the St. Joseph County Sheriff/Police Department. While working with the county police, he was deputized as a law enforcement officer and shared responsibility for the St. Joseph County Cybercrimes Unit. Eric served as an investigator for the unit, was part of the team that served search warrants, and filled the role of deputy prosecutor responsible for charging and prosecuting computer crime-related cases. The St. Joseph County Cybercrimes Unit became a partnership with the University of Notre Dame wherein college students are sworn in as law enforcement to conduct cell phone examinations and obtain/examine digital evidence from ISPs for actual ongoing criminal investigations. That concept was adopted by the State of Indiana in 2021 such that funding was allocated by the Indiana legislature to create up to ten addition units modeled after the Notre Dame model.

In addition to Digital Threat Assessment® training for Safer Schools Together (SST) and the International Center for Digital Threat Assessment (ICDTA), Eric presents on cyber safety and cybercrime issues to local organizations and schools. Since 2013, he has presented to over 30,000 people on the topic of online investigations and digital safety. His background in cybercrimes includes training by the United States Secret Service’s National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, Alabama, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria, Virginia, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Taskforce.

Eric has degrees from Hillsdale College (B.A. in Economics), Ohio State (M.A. in Economics), and Notre Dame Law School (J.D.). Eric served as Faculty at the National Advocacy Center (NAC) in Columbia, South Carolina, and taught Courtroom Technology to prosecutors from around the country at the NAC. Eric published an article in the Journal of Legislation entitled “The Lewis Carroll Offense: The Ever-Changing Meaning of ‘Corruptly’ within the Federal Criminal Law.” He currently teaches a course entitled “Cybercrime and the Law” at the University of Notre Dame each fall to undergraduate students. He continues to consult with the cybercrimes investigators/prosecutors on best practices involving the drafting of search warrants for digital evidence.

Jed Roffers

2021-11-30/by Lauren LaJambe

Jed Roffers is a sworn law enforcement official from the State of Wisconsin. He graduated in 2008 from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh with a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Criminal Justice.

Jed began his professional career in 2008 as a Trooper with the Wisconsin State Patrol. During this time, he acquired training and experience in areas of impaired driving detection, highway criminal interdiction, technical crash reconstruction, and forensic mapping.

In 2013, Jed transitioned to a Special Agent with the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). He has served as a member of the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force since 2014, the primary mission of which focuses on investigating child sexual exploitation cases facilitated online and/or through digital means. Cases investigated have included the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, child sex trafficking, child sex tourism, and proactive online undercover investigations.

Jed has become a subject matter expert on mobile applications/online platforms used by perpetrators to facilitate child exploitation crimes and brings this experience to his role as Trainer for Safer Schools Together. He has provided professional training at state, regional, and national conferences on this topic, as well as regularly providing community outreach training sessions to local schools and parents, focusing on the dangers of social media and digital communications.

Jed also serves as a Federal Task Force Officer (TFO) with the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), focusing on ICAC related investigations.

Dr. Melissa Reeves

2023-07-27/by Kyla Wells

Dr. Melissa Reeves, Ph.D., NCSP, LPC is a nationally certified school psychologist, licensed special education teacher, licensed professional counselor, and former district coordinator of social/emotional/behavioral services. She is past president of the National Association of School Psychologists (2016-17), most recently was an Associate Professor at Winthrop University, and previously worked for the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado. Dr. Reeves has over 20 years’ experience working in public schools and a private school, in addition to providing mental health services in day and residential treatment settings. She taught both undergraduate and graduate psychology courses for Winthrop, in addition to supervising graduate school psychology students in their field-based traineeship and internship placements. She also served on the university’s Critical Incident Management Team and the College of Arts and Science COVID-19 Recovery committee.

Dr. Reeves is a senior consultant and trainer with Sigma Threat Management Associates, an ONTIC company. SIGM/ONTIC is engaged in helping state departments of education and school districts across the country establish threat assessment procedures and teams, in addition to actively working threat assessment cases. Dr. Reeves is also the lead author of the South Carolina Department of Education School-Based Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Best Practice Guidelines for South Carolina K-12 Schools and a threat assessment & mental health specialist and senior advisor and speaker for Safe and Sound Schools, an organization founded by two parents who lost their children in the Sandy Hook tragedy. Dr. Reeves has also served as an expert witness in court cases involving targeted school attacks and threat and suicide risk assessments.

Dr. Reeves is co-author of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) PREPaRE School Crisis Prevention and Intervention curriculum, the first nationally disseminated school crisis prevention and intervention curriculum; and current member and former Chair of the NASP National School Safety and Crisis Response Committee which provides consultation and support to school districts across the country after large scale crisis events including school shootings and natural disasters. She was a founding member of the Colorado Society of School Psychologists State-Wide Crisis Response Team, which trained school districts across Colorado in crisis response and was also a crisis responder to support students after Columbine. In addition to responding to various crises over the years, she travels both nationally and internationally training professionals in the areas of crisis prevention and intervention, threat and suicide assessment, the impact of trauma and PTSD on academic achievement, and cognitive behavior therapy in the school setting. She has conducted more than 300 workshops and presentations and works with schools on establishing a positive and safe school climate that focuses on prevention programs and positive discipline measures to decrease behavioral incidences while increasing academic achievement. She has also provided consultation and staff development training to United States Department of Defense Educational Activity Schools located on military installations.

Dr. Reeves has authored six books: School Crisis Prevention and Intervention: The PREPaRE Model (original and 2nd Edition); Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences; Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management for K-12 Schools; Identifying, Assessing, and Treating PTSD at School; and Comprehensive Planning for Safe Learning Environments: A School Professional’s Guide to Integrating Physical and Psychological Safety: Prevention through Recovery. She has contributed multiple articles to the Communiqué, the nationally disseminated publication for the National Association of School Psychologists and has co-authored numerous book chapters and journal articles. In addition, she has testified in front of the U.S. Senate Ad Hoc Subcommittee for Disaster and Recovery regarding “Children and Disasters: A Progress Report on Addressing Needs.” As NASP President, Dr. Reeves appointed the NASP Social Justice Task Force, and two additional task forces to study distance education and virtual delivery of school psychology services.

Dr. Reeves was awarded the National Association of School Psychologists Presidential Award in 2006, 2012, and 2018 and the NASP Crisis Interest Group Award for Excellence in 2007 and 2011. She was a 2007 national finalist for the Joseph E. Zins “Purpose” Award for Early Career Practitioners in Social Emotional Learning; in 2006 awarded Golden Heart Award, presented by Cherry Creek School District Parent Special Education Advisory Council; and received the University of Denver, College of Education Leadership in Learning Alumni Award in 2006. She has received numerous other awards throughout her career in addition to serving elected terms on the NASP Board of Directors as a NASP Delegate, Regional Representative, and NASP President. She is also member of the American Psychological Association, South Carolina Association of School Psychologists, North Carolina School Psychologists Association, and Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP).

Jen Chambers

2022-07-08/by Lauren LaJambe

Jen Chambers has been an Educator and Counsellor in British Columbia schools for almost thirty years. Her career began with teaching English and Philosophy to high school students in the District Gifted Program in Greater Victoria, BC.

After earning a master’s degree in counseling, Jen broadened her professional practice to supporting struggling youth in schools. In addition to being a trainer for Safer Schools Together, Jen has held the role of District Counsellor, Safe Schools Coordinator, and District Critical Incident Response Lead for the past eight years.

Jen’s work focuses on supporting the most vulnerable youth in her community and providing professional development for staff focusing on mental health initiatives, trauma informed practices, harm reduction, VTRA and critical incident response.

Jesse Miller

2021-11-30/by Kyla Wells

Jesse Miller (MA. PgDip) is a recognized authority on the topics of media literacy, social media education, and digital trends. Jesse is an international speaker who has addressed thousands of participants in primary, secondary, and post-secondary education.

Since 2008, Jesse has worked in media education programs helping curate curriculum and learning resources with school districts across North America. Currently, Jesse is a sessional lecturer at the University of Victoria and a Trainer for Safer Schools Together. Prior to the 2020 pandemic, he was also in high demand as a traveling keynote speaker and consultant within education and public safety events across Canada.

Jesse has focused the majority of his most recent work towards the remote learning reality we’re all experiencing, as it is a wonderful opportunity to further how we engage media literacy in a connected (but socially-distanced) world.

Katherine Campbell

2022-01-12/by Lauren LaJambe

Katherine Campbell is a Public Health Social Worker in the greater Los Angeles area, and a Professional Trainer for Safer Schools Together. Katherine received concurrent Master’s degrees in Social Welfare and Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and has worked in the field of school threat assessment for five years.

Katherine currently works for the University of California (UC) system and has worked with multiple UC campuses supporting students in distress and responding to student threats. In her line of work, Katherine serves university students, conducting various biopsychosocial assessments, including suicide and homicide risk assessments, and providing crisis counseling as needed. Katherine also serves as a contributing member to multiple multidisciplinary school threat assessment teams where she uses professional judgement tools to assess risk and consult on institutional response.

Throughout her work, Katherine has received certifications and completed trainings in Targeted Violence Prevention, Crisis Intervention, Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and the implementation of various threat assessment tools including the WAVR-21 (Workplace Assessment of Violence Risk), and the TRAP-18 (Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol).

Katherine is passionate about the elimination of school violence and believes that with appropriate training, knowledge, tools and response, this violence can be preventable.

Dr. Lindsay McBride

2021-10-21/by Lauren LaJambe

Dr. Lindsay McBride completed her Master of Arts degree, specializing in Forensic Psychology, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, NY. She then received her Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University, and completed her residency at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in its Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) program.

Dr. McBride is currently a Staff Psychologist in the Medical Inpatient and Outpatient Psychology Services at BC Children’s Hospital and a trainer for Safer Schools Together in the field of Mental Health. She has worked previously in the Provincial Specialized Eating Disorder Program, and in the Early Childhood Mental Health Program at Richmond Hospital. She is also a Clinical Instructor with the Department of Psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Society of Pediatric Psychology and the BC Psychological Association and is registered with the College of Psychologists of British Columbia.

Nick Brown

2020-09-16/by Kyla Wells

Upon completion of the Human Services Foundation program in 2003, Nick began his career at Lutherwood, a mental health treatment center and youth custody program. Throughout the next 16 years, he worked alongside a multi-disciplinary team, providing strength based, client centered treatment to vulnerable youth and their families. As time progressed, he moved into a Family Counsellor role, offering direct support to at-risk and high-risk families in the creation of goal setting and providing professional recommendations upon completion.

For 12 years, he worked for John Howard Society in the YARD Program – a community-based gang-exit program serving youth involved with/or at risk of joining a gang. Through this program, behaviour change support was provided to youth through the development of pro-social, leadership and employability skills.

Nick is a trainer and consultant for Safer Schools Together and works for the District of Surrey where he is an active member of the WRAP team. His dedication and commitment for this work comes from his training and experience in attachment and restorative justice.