info@ohioschoolsafetysummit.com
(614) 898‑9361
Ohio School Safety Summit
June 9‑10, 2025
Registration is FREE!
JOIN US IN COLUMBUS, OHIO!
Ohio School Safety Summit
Ohio School Safety Summit
Ohio School Safety Summit
June 9‑10, 2025
Ohio School Safety Summit
June 9‑10, 2025
WHO’S SPEAKING AT THE SUMMIT?
Keynote Speakers
Aaron Stark
Mental Health Advocate
Andrew Campbell
Campbell Research & Consulting
Summit 2025 Schedule
* All listed times are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
The Ohio School Safety Center is working on obtaining CPT, CE and CLE credits for the conference and will notify attendees when those have been approved.
DAY 1
Monday, June 9
Opening, Keynote Session, Breakouts
and Social & Networking Event
Monday, June 9
9:30 - 11:00a
Keynote Session feat. Aaron Stark
I Was Almost a School Shooter
Aaron Stark, Mental Health Advocate
In a surprisingly uplifting discussion, mental health and gun control advocate Aaron Stark shares his harrowing journey from a childhood marred by extreme abuse and instability to the brink of becoming a school shooter. Stark’s candid narrative begins with his early years, dominated by a violent father and a life of constant upheaval, leading to feelings of worthlessness and self-harm. Aaron’s descent into darkness was halted only by the simple, yet profound, act of kindness from a friend, illustrating the transformative power of empathy and connection.
Monday, June 9
12:30 - 1:30p
Targeted Violence Prevention Case Study
This presentation will briefly review concepts associated with targeted violence, threat assessment and management, and the pathway to violence. The case study will examine the actions of the 15‑year‑old attacker who committed the 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, Michigan. It will focus on the attacker’s observable behaviors on the pathway to violence leading up to the attack.
Monday, June 9
2:00 - 3:00p
Breakout Sessions Block A
This presentation highlights the incident on March 11, 2005, when Kevin Berthia was standing precariously on the Golden Gate Bridge, and how Sergeant Kevin Briggs utilized active listening skills to persuade Berthia not to take his own life.
This session will outline the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) work in Ohio, what’s working, lessons learned and the benefits of implementing CSTAG for comprehensive school safety. Workshop participants will also learn how to fold CSTAG into a Multi‑Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) for the overall behavioral health and mental wellness in Ohio schools.
This presentation will update findings from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report on bullying including updates on rates and the impact of bullying on youth behavior and mental health. A focus will be on the role of social media and cyberbullying, with examples of various preventive intervention strategies provided along with relevant resources.
Let’s talk about CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) and how it relates to school security. The five key CPTED principles that can be applied to any facility type are territorial reinforcement, natural access control, wayfinding, natural surveillance, and maintenance. Each of these works together with the goal of preventing crime from happening in the first place.
Dr. Karlin Tichenor presents information that discusses various dimensions of wellness, including spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, financial, environmental, social, and occupational wellness. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing these aspects to improve overall well‑being and balance in life.
"A Fighting Chance" — Part One
Ashley Ferris, A Fighting Chance, LTD
In just 45 minutes, a gunman traveled throughout the cities of Denver and Lakewood, shooting six victims, killing five, and engaging a total of five officers in gunfire. Agent Ashley Ferris was the seventh and final individual shot by the suspect. This two‑part presentation is a detailed account of Ferris’ critical incident and lessons learned.
Ashley Ferris is a National LE Instructor, Public Speaker, and retired Police Agent with Lakewood Police Department in Lakewood, Colorado. Ashley was seriously injured in a 2021 incident which led to her medical retirement. She now travels the country to share her story and lessons learned from her critical incident and its aftermath.
Ashley Ferris is a National LE Instructor, Public Speaker, and retired Police Agent with Lakewood Police Department in Lakewood, Colorado. Ashley was seriously injured in a 2021 incident which led to her medical retirement. She now travels the country to share her story and lessons learned from her critical incident and its aftermath.
Schools should be conducting security and vulnerability assessments annually and following up regularly to ensure a safe and secure environment. This session will teach you how to conduct an assessment, and provide some options of free and cost based solutions to improve safety. This presentation will not include specific vendors or products, but instead, ways you can incorporate existing infrastructure to improve overall safety.
This presentation will discuss the specific threats of physical, psychological, and emotional harm for children living in a home where domestic violence occurs. Common misconceptions will be addressed, including the idea that a child can be too young to be affected by domestic violence, physically observable signs of injury are an appropriate estimator of victimization, and the idea that children who do not actually see a violent act occur are not significantly harmed by it.
This presentation will briefly review concepts associated with targeted violence, threat assessment and management, and the pathway to violence. It will then examine several cases of female targeted mass violence attackers. Specifically, the presentation will describe the behaviors of several female targeted mass violence attackers in the days, weeks, months, and years leading up to their attacks, as well as the attackers’ grievances/motivations to attack.
Monday, June 9
3:15 - 4:15p
Breakout Sessions Block B
This session will outline the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) work in Ohio, what’s working, lessons learned and the benefits of implementing CSTAG for comprehensive school safety. Workshop participants will also learn how to fold CSTAG into a Multi‑Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) for the overall behavioral health and mental wellness in Ohio schools.
This presentation will update findings from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report on bullying including updates on rates and the impact of bullying on youth behavior and mental health. A focus will be on the role of social media and cyberbullying, with examples of various preventive intervention strategies provided along with relevant resources.
Dr. Karlin Tichenor presents information that discusses various dimensions of wellness, including spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, financial, environmental, social, and occupational wellness. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing these aspects to improve overall well‑being and balance in life.
"A Fighting Chance" — Part Two
Ashley Ferris, A Fighting Chance, LTD
In just 45 minutes, a gunman traveled throughout the cities of Denver and Lakewood, shooting six victims, killing five, and engaging a total of five officers in gunfire. Agent Ashley Ferris was the seventh and final individual shot by the suspect. This two‑part presentation is a detailed account of Ferris’ critical incident and lessons learned.
Ashley Ferris is a National LE Instructor, Public Speaker, and retired Police Agent with Lakewood Police Department in Lakewood, Colorado. Ashley was seriously injured in a 2021 incident which led to her medical retirement. She now travels the country to share her story and lessons learned from her critical incident and its aftermath.
Ashley Ferris is a National LE Instructor, Public Speaker, and retired Police Agent with Lakewood Police Department in Lakewood, Colorado. Ashley was seriously injured in a 2021 incident which led to her medical retirement. She now travels the country to share her story and lessons learned from her critical incident and its aftermath.
Discover how a well‑structured tiered intervention model can transform school culture, improve student behavior, and boost academic success. This session will provide practical strategies for implementing and sustaining effective interventions that support ALL learners. Learn how to create a proactive, data‑driven system that turns struggling schools into thriving communities!
The brain undergoes critical biological changes during adolescence. This period of change brings about incredible opportunities to form healthy brain connections into adulthood yet also renders the brain highly vulnerable to the effects of continued stress and/or substance use. Empowering youth, parents, coaches, and educators with the knowledge of how their thoughts, lifestyle, and environment impact mental health is one of the most powerful tools to enhance a child’s well‑being into adulthood.
As online use and communities expand, so does their potential to influence high risk individuals along the pathway to violence. Extremist spaces like True Crime Communities (TCC), Terrorgram, and WatchPeopleDie can foster radicalization, reinforce harmful ideologies, and escalate individuals toward real‑world violence.
This session explores the connection between online radicalized communities and violent behavior, highlighting key patterns, warning signs, and digital leakage. This session will include recent case‑walkthroughs handled by the SST Threat Analyst team this last year, affording attendees the opportunity to gain valuable tools and insights into the Behavioral Digital Threat Assessment (BDTA) process, along with strategies for early intervention and prevention.
Join us for a critical discussion on disrupting the cycle of online radicalization before it escalates into violence, utilizing evolving strategies in threat assessment and prevention.
This session explores the connection between online radicalized communities and violent behavior, highlighting key patterns, warning signs, and digital leakage. This session will include recent case‑walkthroughs handled by the SST Threat Analyst team this last year, affording attendees the opportunity to gain valuable tools and insights into the Behavioral Digital Threat Assessment (BDTA) process, along with strategies for early intervention and prevention.
Join us for a critical discussion on disrupting the cycle of online radicalization before it escalates into violence, utilizing evolving strategies in threat assessment and prevention.
This presentation will explore a case involving a suicidal adolescent on school grounds and how staff members managed the situation. Crisis communication and the implementation of a Crisis Safety Plan will also be discussed.
This presentation seeks to inform the audience of current trends in youth radicalization into violent extremist ideologies. The presentation will identify the most common violent extremist ideologies influencing youth today, and introduce their belief systems, symbols, and terminology. The goal of the presentation is to better equip school safety personnel in identifying and mitigating school threats.
Special Agent (SA) Andrew Savery served 22 years in the FBI as a national security investigator, focused on counterterrorism and counterintelligence. He has worked in multiple FBI offices including Dayton, Ohio; San Diego, California; FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC; Columbus, Ohio; and as the FBI’s counterterrorism liaison to France.
Special Agent (SA) Andrew Savery served 22 years in the FBI as a national security investigator, focused on counterterrorism and counterintelligence. He has worked in multiple FBI offices including Dayton, Ohio; San Diego, California; FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC; Columbus, Ohio; and as the FBI’s counterterrorism liaison to France.
DAY 2
Tuesday, June 10
Keynote Session and Continued Breakouts
Tuesday, June 10
8:00 - 9:30a
Keynote Session feat. Andrew Campbell
School Shooters & Adverse Childhood Experiences
Andrew Campbell, Campbell Research & Consulting
This presentation includes findings from the presenter’s detailed analysis and review of 58 school shooting incidents occurring in the U.S. since 1990. Topics include expanding the list of adverse childhood experiences, appropriately responding to children in emotional distress, the relationship between harm in the home and committing acts of violence in the community, child perpetration of animal cruelty, bullying and its impact on child mental health, religion and school shooters, and preventing future acts of violence in the community.
Tuesday, June 10
10:00 - 11:00a
Breakout Sessions Block C
BDTA represents the first‑of‑its‑kind blended multidisciplinary model that seamlessly integrates Safer Schools Together’s Digital Threat Assessment® (DTA) training with best practices from the National Threat Assessment Center’s (NTAC) Behavioral Threat Assessment model, built upon more than two decades of comprehensive research.
The BDTA model provides Threat Assessment teams with a three‑step response plan, developed to ensure proactive and effective measures are taken in response to worrisome, concerning, and threat‑related behaviors. The implementation of BDTA can significantly reduce the potential for violence within our communities.
Safety/Threat Assessment teams will gain essential skills to ensure early identification, accurate assessment of initial level of risk and how to respond to online worrisome/threat-related behavior through the unique lens of BDTA management.
The BDTA model provides Threat Assessment teams with a three‑step response plan, developed to ensure proactive and effective measures are taken in response to worrisome, concerning, and threat‑related behaviors. The implementation of BDTA can significantly reduce the potential for violence within our communities.
Safety/Threat Assessment teams will gain essential skills to ensure early identification, accurate assessment of initial level of risk and how to respond to online worrisome/threat-related behavior through the unique lens of BDTA management.
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how community partners play a crucial role in supporting the BTAM process. This presentation will explore how to build a collaborative system, identify common challenges within the community network, and offer effective problem‑solving strategies. The presenters will also share a case application to demonstrate the process in action, using the pathway to violence framework as a guide.
This session will explore the roles of both individuals and systems in preventing and responding to trafficking. Through case studies, statutory review, and a multidisciplinary perspective, this presentation will define human trafficking, discuss how sex and labor trafficking may present among youth in Ohio, consider factors that may impact a child’s vulnerability to victimization, and identify statewide and local resources to protect and support youth and their families.
This presentation will discuss various programs that can help higher education institutions address bullying, sexual assault, harassment, and hazing.
Rick Amweg has over 40 years of experience working in a higher education public safety/emergency management setting and has served as the Director of Public Safety Administration and as Assistant Chief of Police with the Department of Public Safety at The Ohio State University, the Director of Campus Safety and Security for the Ohio Board of Regents, and Executive Director for the State of Ohio Center for P‑20 Safety and Security.
Rick Amweg has over 40 years of experience working in a higher education public safety/emergency management setting and has served as the Director of Public Safety Administration and as Assistant Chief of Police with the Department of Public Safety at The Ohio State University, the Director of Campus Safety and Security for the Ohio Board of Regents, and Executive Director for the State of Ohio Center for P‑20 Safety and Security.
Planning Outside the Box When the Box is Your District Jurisdiction
Tim Settles, Ashtabula County
Whether students are traveling for an educational opportunity, extracurricular event, or recreational appreciation, districts need to plan for the "what ifs" when they are on the road. This presentation will offer areas of concern that they should add to their plans.
This presentation will cover current risks as they pertain to online child exploitation and crime. Topics include sextortion, online enticement, online privacy, social media and cyberbullying. We will discuss warning signs/red flags and an incidence response tool schools should use in the event of a situation.
This session will demonstrate how schools, law enforcement, and community organizations can effectively collaborate to prevent and address violent extremism in educational settings. Kevin Lambert, LMSW, Program Director at Parents for Peace, will share concrete examples from our work supporting families, professionals, and schools through early intervention strategies. Drawing on real‑life cases, he will highlight how our evidence‑based, compassionate approach helps identify the signs of radicalization and provides actionable tools for intervention, ensuring the safety and well‑being of students.
This session will discuss how to incorporate "Street Law" at your school and how to make it successful, also discussing the benefits of SRO role in the classroom as well as the benefits the kids get from the guest speakers.
This presentation will explore a case involving a suicidal adolescent on school grounds and how staff members managed the situation. Crisis communication and the implementation of a Crisis Safety Plan will also be discussed.
Tuesday, June 10
Noon - 1:00p
Breakout Sessions Block D
Explore how trust and collaboration between schools, families, law enforcement, and community partners can enhance school safety. Participants will learn practical conflict resolution strategies, de‑escalation techniques, and ways to foster a culture of respect and accountability. This interactive session provides real-world solutions to strengthen relationships and create a supportive learning environment that reduces conflict.
This presentation will describe the many risks of harm (short‑term and long‑term) for children exposed to violence in their community. As rates of violent crimes continue to increase across the United States, all victim-serving disciplines must gain greater insight into the damaging effects of exposure to these incidents on the children who reside in their community. With a focus on the emotionally-damaging nature of this exposure, outcome differences by: race, gender, age, proximity, and frequency of community violence exposure will be discussed.
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how community partners play a crucial role in supporting the BTAM process. This presentation will explore how to build a collaborative system, identify common challenges within the community network, and offer effective problem‑solving strategies. The presenters will also share a case application to demonstrate the process in action, using the pathway to violence framework as a guide.
Drug Trends Affecting Youth
Angelique Gonzalez, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC)
This presentation will address Ohio’s drug landscape, including current trends and the role of digital media in drug trafficking. It will also address youth illicit substance use and share educational resources.
This training offers essential guidance on balancing privacy regulations with the duty to protect the public. Participants will explore relevant federal and state laws, landmark legal cases, and ethical considerations for situations where a youth expresses intent to harm others. The session will equip attendees with practical decision-making steps and thorough documentation practices for addressing safety concerns.
This session will explore the roles of both individuals and systems in preventing and responding to trafficking. Through case studies, statutory review, and a multidisciplinary perspective, this presentation will define human trafficking, discuss how sex and labor trafficking may present among youth in Ohio, consider factors that may impact a child’s vulnerability to victimization, and identify statewide and local resources to protect and support youth and their families.
This presentation will discuss various programs that can help higher education institutions address bullying, sexual assault, harassment, and hazing.
Rick Amweg has over 40 years of experience working in a higher education public safety/emergency management setting and has served as the Director of Public Safety Administration and as Assistant Chief of Police with the Department of Public Safety at The Ohio State University, the Director of Campus Safety and Security for the Ohio Board of Regents, and Executive Director for the State of Ohio Center for P‑20 Safety and Security.
Rick Amweg has over 40 years of experience working in a higher education public safety/emergency management setting and has served as the Director of Public Safety Administration and as Assistant Chief of Police with the Department of Public Safety at The Ohio State University, the Director of Campus Safety and Security for the Ohio Board of Regents, and Executive Director for the State of Ohio Center for P‑20 Safety and Security.
This session will discuss how to incorporate "Street Law" at your school and how to make it successful, also discussing the benefits of SRO role in the classroom as well as the benefits the kids get from the guest speakers.
This session provides an overview of Vehicle Ramming as a threat vector, preventative mitigation strategies, and available resources from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Tuesday, June 10
1:15 - 2:15p
Breakout Sessions Block E
This presentation highlights the incident on March 11, 2005, when Kevin Berthia was standing precariously on the Golden Gate Bridge, and how Sergeant Kevin Briggs utilized active listening skills to persuade Berthia not to take his own life.
BDTA represents the first‑of‑its‑kind blended multidisciplinary model that seamlessly integrates Safer Schools Together’s Digital Threat Assessment® (DTA) training with best practices from the National Threat Assessment Center’s (NTAC) Behavioral Threat Assessment model, built upon more than two decades of comprehensive research.
The BDTA model provides Threat Assessment teams with a three‑step response plan, developed to ensure proactive and effective measures are taken in response to worrisome, concerning, and threat‑related behaviors. The implementation of BDTA can significantly reduce the potential for violence within our communities.
Safety/Threat Assessment teams will gain essential skills to ensure early identification, accurate assessment of initial level of risk and how to respond to online worrisome/threat-related behavior through the unique lens of BDTA management.
The BDTA model provides Threat Assessment teams with a three‑step response plan, developed to ensure proactive and effective measures are taken in response to worrisome, concerning, and threat‑related behaviors. The implementation of BDTA can significantly reduce the potential for violence within our communities.
Safety/Threat Assessment teams will gain essential skills to ensure early identification, accurate assessment of initial level of risk and how to respond to online worrisome/threat-related behavior through the unique lens of BDTA management.
This training offers essential guidance on balancing privacy regulations with the duty to protect the public. Participants will explore relevant federal and state laws, landmark legal cases, and ethical considerations for situations where a youth expresses intent to harm others. The session will equip attendees with practical decision-making steps and thorough documentation practices for addressing safety concerns.
Schools should be conducting security and vulnerability assessments annually and following up regularly to ensure a safe and secure environment. This session will teach you how to conduct an assessment, and provide some options of free and cost based solutions to improve safety. This presentation will not include specific vendors or products, but instead, ways you can incorporate existing infrastructure to improve overall safety.
The brain undergoes critical biological changes during adolescence. This period of change brings about incredible opportunities to form healthy brain connections into adulthood yet also renders the brain highly vulnerable to the effects of continued stress and/or substance use. Empowering youth, parents, coaches, and educators with the knowledge of how their thoughts, lifestyle, and environment impact mental health is one of the most powerful tools to enhance a child’s well‑being into adulthood.
Ohio’s Armed School Personnel Program
Micah Stoll, Ohio School Safety Center
Learn more about Ohio’s Armed School Staff Essential Training (ASSET). This session covers statutory requirements, the ASSET initial and requalification trainings, and additional training for both school personnel and law enforcement.
Reunification: "Doing a Lot with a Little"
Rick Shaffer, Mount Vernon City Schools
Knox County has developed a comprehensive, all-county school reunification plan, uniting every school district in the county under a shared protocol and response team, this presentation will detail the collaborative process that brought the plan to life, emphasizing the importance of unified action and consistent communication across schools in crisis.
This session will demonstrate how schools, law enforcement, and community organizations can effectively collaborate to prevent and address violent extremism in educational settings. Kevin Lambert, LMSW, Program Director at Parents for Peace, will share concrete examples from our work supporting families, professionals, and schools through early intervention strategies. Drawing on real‑life cases, he will highlight how our evidence‑based, compassionate approach helps identify the signs of radicalization and provides actionable tools for intervention, ensuring the safety and well‑being of students.
This session provides an overview of Vehicle Ramming as a threat vector, preventative mitigation strategies, and available resources from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
WANT TO EXHIBIT OR SUPPORT?
Exhibit Prices & Supporter Levels
Exhibitor
$300
- One (1) table in exhibit area
- Two (2) free lunches on both days
- Logo in the digital program
NOTE: Exhibits are FREE for government agencies.
$1,000
- One (1) table in exhibit area
- Free electricity at booth
- Two (2) free lunches on both days
- Logo in the digital program
- Logo on Summit website
- Quarter-page ad in the digital program
- Logo on easel signage
- Logo in general session slideshow
- Acknowledgement during general session
$2,500
- Free electricity at booth
- Two (2) free lunches on both days
- Logo in the digital program
- Logo on Summit website
- Logo on easel signage
- Logo in general session slideshow
- Acknowledgement during general session
- Half-page ad in the digital program
- Two (2) tables in exhibit area
- Prime location in exhibit area
$5,000
- Two (2) tables in exhibit area
- Prime location in exhibit area
- Free electricity at booth
- Two (2) free lunches on both days
- Logo in the digital program
- Logo on Summit website
- Full-page ad in the digital program
- Logo on full board signage
- Logo on lunch signage
- Full advertisement during general session
- Acknowledgement as varsity supporter during general session
- Ten (10) minutes to address attendees during general session
CONNECTED VIA WALKWAY!
Drury Plaza Downtown
$144/night
ACROSS THE STREET!
Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown
$159/night
CONNECTED VIA WALKWAY!
Hyatt Regency Columbus
$131/night
