The Keys Multi-Disciplinary Team of Subject Matter Experts

Keys To Safer Schools.com has assembled a group of world renowned Subject Matter Experts to bring the best available expertise to your project or organization. This is a Multidisciplinary Team of leaders in the fight against violence in the world's schools and other organizations. As a sports analogy, these are the "All Stars" in the helping schools maintain a safe and secure leaning environment through Detection and Prevention of Violence.

The individuals listed here can be grouped into a special team tailored for your specific needs. Contact Keys via email or telephone to discuss your challenge and allow our staff to help you build the team to meet your needs. This page also serves as a one source location for guest speakers for your next conference.   Each of the people here have been sought out by state, national and international conferences and seminars.

Nowhere else can you find in one place so much knowledge and experience in areas such as:

• Terrorism Contingency Planning

• Bullying Prevention Programs

• Academia

• Behavior Issues

• Suicidal Bomber Recognition and Prevention

• Section 504 and Special Ed procedures

• Drug and Alcohol Abuse

• Legal, Liability and Ethically Issues

• Anger Management

• Interactive Video Production

• Law Enforcement

• Mental Health

• Weapons Recognition

• Research and Evaluation

• Education Specialists

• Security Surveys

• Crisis Response Team Training

• Crowd Control

• Incarceration Facility Security

• Non-pain Inducing Physical Restraint Training

• Practical Solutions for Complex Problems

Simply contact Keys to put these All Stars to work on your issues

keys@keystosaferschools.com

Dave Grossman

Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (retired)

One of the world’s foremost experts and speakers on the psychology of conflict. Army Ranger, West Point Psychology Professor, author of the Pulitzer nominated books: On Killing, and Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill, and the new book, On Combat. Has written numerous encyclopedia entries and an entry in The Oxford Companion to American Military History. Presented papers to the AMA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association. Co-author of an entry on active shooter terrorism response in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. Testified before House and Senate committees, he and his research have been cited by the President in a national address.

 

Book - Lt. Col. Grossman

Michael Dorn

Author Michael Dorn, one of America’s best-known, most respected, experienced and trusted expert in the field of school safety, Michael Dorn is an  Expert and Senior Consultant for Public Safety and Emergency Management. A prolific author, Michael recently finished his 20th book, Targeting Innocence – Terrorism Comes to School and writes columns for Campus Safety, School Planning and Management, Today’s School, College Planning Management and School Transportation News. During his 25 year public safety career, Michael served as a campus police officer for 20 years, with ten years as a school district police chief. He was then appointed as the School Safety Specialist for the State of Georgia and later as the Lead Program Manager of the Terrorism Emergency Preparedness Division of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency – Office of Homeland Security. Michael has BA and master’s degrees from Mercer University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has received extensive antiterrorism training in the United States and in Israel. Michael is regularly interviewed by national and international media organizations including Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, Time Magazine, the New York Times, the London Times, Unavision and Tokyo Broadcasting. Michael regularly presents for the United States Department of Education and has served on dozens of state and federal government expert working groups and panels. He has provided consultation and technical assistance to more than 2,000 school systems, police departments, government agencies, and private organizations worldwide. Mike is sought out by schools, police forces and government agencies as both a speaker and trainer.

 

Book - Michael Dorn

 

Sergeant Totti "Mike" Karpela of Helsinki, Finland

Totti "Mike" Karpela is a 17 year veteran of the National Police of Finland. Currently Mike works as a sergeant for Helsinki Police Department and runs the country's only Threat Management Unit. He is a critical incident commander for his unit and is also one of the departments hostage negotiators. Other responsibilities are to coordinate crime prevention projects related to workplaces and schools. Mike has also written guidelines for Finnish schools on assessing risks on hostile students. During his years of service on the streets as a tactical officer Mike has gathered an experience of over 40 000 violent and hostile encounters. Currently he works as a sergeant and

During the winter of 2003 Mike Karpela was appointed to work as a specialist for the European Council and is now working with Russian and Baltic law enforcement agencies and teaching them in threat assessment and case management.  A former instructor trainer in defensive tactics and firearms, Mike holds a black belt in JuJutsu and is certified instructor in Krav Maga. During the past years he has taught the National SWAT team, presidential security detail, coast guard special forces, military special operations units just to name a few. Currently he still teaches conflict management and negotiation skills at the National Police Academy.

Mike Karpela is one of the official subject matter experts for European Union for domestic violence prevention and threat assessment and has been teaching in Asia, Europe as well as North America. As a nationally recognized expert in his own country on work place violence prevention, threat management and violent behavior Mike has also authored four books on the subject and is a well know figure in his own country. Mike is currently a regional representative in Europe for two American training companies.

Mike is know to be energetic and funny instructor who certainly gets his point across. For the past 10 years he has also instructed supervisors and directors, EU representatives, global telecommunications companies, commercial airlines, hospital personnel, social workers, emergency services personnel, law enforcement and several other challenging groups just to name a few.
 

Book - Sgt. Totti "Mike" Karpela

Tod Nix, School Administrator

Tod Nix is a school principal who has constantly sought innovations in producing a learning environment that is safe and organized for learning. He pioneered the national movement to eliminate lockers from Junior and Senior High Schools. Tod has written articles on the subject and travels as a guest lecturer on Locker-less Schools. He has integrated students into key positions on Crisis Response Teams and Bullying prevention programs. A natural leader, Tod has mastered the art of training others, including students, to assume leadership roles that most thought were beyond them. A truly powerful public speaker.

Book - Tod Nix

Jay Carter, PsyD, DABPS

Dr. Carter is a best selling author, ("Nasty People"), professional speaker, and psychologist.  He was an executive manager from IBM Corporation and he has done seminars and workshops for organizations around the country (and outside the US as well). He is the author of the best selling book, "Nasty People", which has sold 3/4 million copies in the USA and around the world. Dr. Carter has appeared before colleges, universities, and institutions like Loyola University, Temple University, United Way, IBM, the Association of University Women, and Union Carbide. His workshops and books on School Bullying, Nasty People, Leadership, Charisma, & Communication have made positive changes in thousands of personal and professional lives. 

 

Book - Dr. Jay Carter

Gus Douvanis, J.D., Ed.D.

Dr. Douvanis is a Nationally Renowned speaker and presenter on many Legal issues impacting schools and other youth oriented organizations.  He is a Professor of Educational Leadership and Law at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton Georgia, where he also serves as University Advisor for Legal Services and University Ethics Officer. He teaches courses in School Law and Ethics, Counselors and School Social Workers and the Law, Special Education Law, and Advanced Law and Ethics in the College of Education doctoral program. He has a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University and an Ed.D. in education administration from Auburn University. He is a member of the Faculty of the College Board.  He consults and presents on legal and ethical issues in school guidance and admissions counseling.

 He works as a consultant and presenter for Keys To Safer Schools.com to school systems and government agencies in the areas of safe schools and the law. He provides continuing education sessions for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for school resource officer training in search and seizure, drug testing, interrogations, and surveillance; workshops for the Mississippi Department of Education Safe Schools Division for legal issues in controlling school violence; and the Student Assistance Personnel Association (SAPA) for counseling and school social work for potentially violent or dangerous students. He has also conducted numerous staff development workshops on counseling issues for school systems in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida.  He is highly knowledgeable on Legal concerns covered with these topics and more.

Book - Dr. Gus Douvanis

Dr. William Dodson, Retired Superintended of Pearl, Mississippi

Dr. W. Dodson was the Superintendent of Schools in Pearl, Mississippi on October 1, 1997 when one of his students decided that he was no longer going to be bullied and teased. Christina Menefee 16, the shooter’s former girl friend, was killed first, then Lydia Kaye Dew, 17. Several other students were wounded in what appeared to be a random act after the first two girls were deliberately murdered. Dr. Dodson, like many others, found it hard to believe that such a thing could happen in his school, in his town. Since that day, he has devoted most of his time to raising awareness, seeking answers and encouraging preventative action at all levels. Dr. Dodson has testified before the United States Senate about Violence in Public Schools, he has been interviewed many times by radio and television talk show programs. He has also appeared before a number of professional conventions across America. Dr. Dodson speaks with the voice of experience about the Potentially Dangerous Student. 

Dr. Dodson said, nothing could prepare me for the events of Oct. 1, 1997--the day Luke Woodham, a 16-year-old sophomore, walked into Pearl High School with a 30-30 hunting rifle concealed under his coat and began shooting.

 

Book - Dr. William Dodson

Kevin Dickson has served in the Australian Federal Police and has over 15 years of Police Officer Survival training experience.  He has performed close protection/security duties for 3 Prime Ministers, several Ambassadors and Heads of State, Mr. William GATES and family and others.  While in the United States, he trained with the U.S. Secret Service and Drug Enforcement Administration. He has trained several Police Department and Federal Agency personnel in the United States and is a member of the National tactical Officers Association (NTOA). 

 

He has received and provided extensive security training in the United States, Israeli and Australia.  

 

He has designed and delivered situational awareness and targeted violence training.  This training included surveillance/counter-surveillance procedures.  He designed and delivered training for the US Federal Flight Deck Officer Program in the United States.  This anti-hijack training was incorporated into their Flight Crew Hijack training program and involved high intensity simulation training which encouraged the flight deck officers and crew to maintain security risk awareness and overcome assault by multiple assailants. Along with this training he provided training advice in post September 11 airline operations.

 

Kevin designed and delivered training in relation to understanding the psychology of targeted violence and the characteristics of violent individuals using US Secret Service threat assessment methodologies.  He has delivered this program to a wide range of audiences from school teachers to corporate executives

 

He has extensive knowledge of suicide bombing methodologies and interdiction strategies having provided instructional training to several police agencies and Airlines.

 

He has also provided security/safety risk assessment using both traditional and Red Team methodologies.

 

Book - Kevin Dickson

Bo Munthe, SSP  of Stockholm, Sweden

Keys-Europe Managing Director

Certified by the National School Safety Center and
Certified by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice 
Founder of International School Safety Association (ISSA)

Certified as a Sweden School Safety Professional (SSP)

Experience:  

• Has developed special methods for preventing Workplace Violence through his programs Safe Workplace and Safe School;

  • threat assessment,
  • creating and implementing plan of actions,

  • written training material in handling threat and violence

• Working with the effect of media violence on children in connection with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, (ret.) - Killology Research Group, Arkansas, USA.

• Trained and certified by NSSC, National School Safety Center and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, USA, School Safety Leadership, 2000.

• A member of IASSP (International Association of School Safety Professionals) since 1999

• Was a "Fellow member" of the American Institute of Stress, for 1999

• Is a member of the Swedish Association of Narcotic Police, SNPF

Writings

• Has written numerous articles about how to prevent work place violence, conflict management and self defense.

• Also written Books about Martial Arts, Safe Work and Conflict Management

• Is during autumn of 2004 releasing his book about school safety in Sweden.

• During spring 2005 his memoirs from his life in the Martial Arts are planned for celebrating the 30 year anniversary of ninjutsu in Europe.

Martial Arts - Budo

• Since 1958 Bo has trained and studied the Ancient Japanese Martial Arts, Budo. He is entitled shihan (master instructor) and shidoshi (teacher of the warrior ways).

• Is a black belt in a multitude of them, i.e. judo (1 dan 1973), jiujitsu (6 dan 1988), Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu - ninjutsu (9 dan 1993).

• Introduced ninjutsu 1975, now under the name of Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, to Sweden and during some years in the 1980-s in different countries of Europe. Called the Grandfather of European Ninjutsu.

• Founded Ninpo Goshinjutsu Mu Te Jinen Ryu 1977.

• Awarded the highest distinction in Swedish Budo by the Swedish Budo Federation (1997) and Bu-fu yukosho, honorary medal in gold (1985) by Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, Japan.

Book - Bo Munthe, SSP

Sgt Curtis Rutt, M.B.  of Canada

Keys-Canada Managing Director

Serving as the Training Sergeant for a Canadian Police Force in Ontario, Canada

Award:

Sgt Rutt was awarded the Medal of Bravery in 2001 from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada for a police diving incident.

Experience:

• Sgt. Rutt has over 17 years law enforcement experience.

• He has served as a Patrol and Street Crime Officer, Drug Enforcement Officer, Police Motorcycle Officer

Specialized Training:

• Tactical Officer (S.W.A.T.)

• Underwater Search and Recovery Specialist and Instructor

• Police Sniper

• Use of Force Trainer

• Defensive Tactics Instructor

• Tactical Firearms Instructor

• Search and Rescue Incident Commander

• Immediate Action/Rapid Deployment Instructor

• Certified Trainer in Assessing the Potentially Dangerous Student. 

Book - Sgt. Curtis Rutt, MB

Mark Krain, Ph.D.
Doctoral level Sociology
Professor in the School of Social Work
He was the Chairperson of the Assessment Faculty of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) Masters Degree Program in Gerontology for 12 years and is a specialist in assessment of critical thinking in the School of Social Work.

Experience:

Chief W. Patrick Fuller, MA, AAS

Ed Bates, MA

He is currently employed as the Director of Lake County Regional Office of Education - Illinois and Director over the P.A.S.S. Program (Positive Alternative Student Services).

His experience includes:

Masters:        Educational Administration

Certified:       Illinois Type 75 Educational

                      Indiana Dept. of Correction – 
                      Juvenile Probation

Member:      

• Illinois Association for Educating At-Risk Youth (ICEARY)

• National Dropout Prevention Network

• Society for Government Meeting Planners (SGMP)

• National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)

Experience:

• Educational Administration

• Past Supervisor – Juvenile Probation Dept. Reg III

• Residential Counseling for youth at-risk

• Youth services and Truancy prevention program

• Consulting services public schools

• Juvenile justice systems

• Program development, grant writing

• Community collaboration, planning, and implementation

• Pilot demonstration projects

• Expertise working with high risk minority youth and families

Specialized Training:

• Institute for Court Management

• Safe & Drug Free School planning and implementation

• Increasing attendance for hard to serve youth

• Hispanic Educational Summit

• Gangs/Violence prevention

• Multi-culturalism

• Social & emotional e-learning strategies

• Pacific Institute – Social & Emotional

• GPS (Global Positioning Satellites Tracking System) monitoring of truant & delinquent youth

• Crisis intervention

• Strategies for reaching disruptive and angry students

• Creating caring communities

• Alternative education

• Career & workforce development for youth

Expert Guest Speaker:

• A featured speaker on WGN Channel 9 news (Community rally against violence)

• A featured speaker on numerous radio shows discussing violence prevention, truancy, and keeping kids in school

• United Way of Lake County’s Solutions Committee

• Testified before the Illinois State Senate regarding the implementation of the Illinois Safe School Programs.

• Testified at the Illinois State Senate Truancy hearings regarding new legislation

Book - Ed Bates, MA

Commander Steven M. Claus

34+ years in law enforcement.

Currently employed with the City of Port St. Lucie Police Department, Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Education:

Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, Graduate 201st class

Experience:

• 2004 – Present Day Shift Commander, Road Patrol.

• Past Commander of Community Programs,
  which included;

  • School Resource Officers, DARE, Juvenile Counselor,

  • Police Athletic League, Police Explorers, Crime Prevention,

  • Domestic Violence Counselor, Victim Advocates, and

  • Volunteer coordinator.

• Adjunct Professor, Indian River Community College for 20+ years instructing Line Supervision and Middle Management Classes.

• Past Commander of:

  • K-9, SWAT, Sniper Team, Traffic Unit,

  • Field Training Program and Community Policing Unit.

• Retired, United States Air Force – (27 years), Plans Technician

State and National Recognition:

• Development of Oxycontin awareness “Town Meeting”

• Participation in the Development of a step-by-step strategy to implementing an outcome-oriented performance assessment process for School Resource Officers.

Awards:

• Life Saving Citation

• Meritorious Service Citation

• Unit, Commendation Citation

• Exceptional Duty Citation

• Fire Citations

• Distinguished Achievement

• Officer of the Quarter, Citation

• Outstanding Service Award

• Thinker Award

• Problem Solving Award

Book - Commander Steven M. Claus

Richard J. Sackville, MBA, SAPA, CCDC

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Substance Abuse Program Administrator (SAPA)

Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor (CCDC)

Experience In:

Founded “American Institute for a Drug Free Workplace” in 1985 to serve as a battlefront for the war on drugs.

• Developer of the five-part drug awareness program.

• Co-development of the Drug Free Family kit, to “Help Your Kids”

• Co-development of the Drug Free Business kit to “Help Your Business”

• Wrote, developed and published the nationally recognized “Managers and Supervisors Workbook/Manual for Prevention Substance Abuse in the Workplace”

• DOT, DOD, FAA and other governmental bodies required certification.

• Provide programs to improve corporate America bottom line profit.

• Development and implementing of drug free workplace policies and procedures.

Specialized Training:

• Substance Abuse Program Administrator providing governmental required certification training.

• Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor and intervention training.

• Faith Based Counselor Training.

Book - Richard Sackville, MBA, SAPA, CCDC

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