Speakers Page

Michelle Gay

Michelle Gay

Founder & Executive Director
Speaker Bio

Mother, educator, and co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools®, Michele Gay chose to take action after losing her daughter Josephine Grace on December 14, 2012 in the Sandy Hook School tragedy. Since that time, Michele has channeled her work as an advocate, improving safety and security in schools and communities across our country.

With a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Towson State University, Michele earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from McDaniel College. Prior to the Sandy Hook tragedy, she taught at the elementary level in the Maryland and Virginia public schools.

Now a nationally and internationally recognized public speaker and school safety advocate, Michele speaks to audiences and consults with all levels of community institutions — schools; municipalities; houses of worship; educational and public safety leadership; state and federal governments; law enforcement agencies; and top news media sources. Through her work, and always with a goal of helping others increase the safety within their own communities, Michele shares her personal experiences and the lessons she has learned.

The recipient of numerous national awards, Michele is a regular contributor for print, radio, and television outlets. Visionary, author, and co-author of Safe and Sound’s programs and materials, Michele has served as a stakeholder voice in national legislative discussions. Through these works, Michele continues to build Safe and Sound Schools® as a national hub of school safety education, technical assistance, expert content, and best practices.

Michele’s impassioned position on school safety hinges on every community taking a comprehensive and sustainable approach to safety. She works diligently to unite stakeholders of all disciplines and perspectives. As an educator, mother, and survivor of tragedy, Michele is uniquely positioned to help others prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from tragedies of their own.

Michele remains inspired by Josephine, every day. She dedicates herself to honoring Josephine’s memory through this work to ensure that every school, every child, and every community is truly safe and sound.

Sessions:

Jake Boyd

Jake Boyd

Sergeant
Speaker Bio

Jake Boyd has been in law enforcement since 2009.  He has served with the Texas Department of Public Safety since 2012.  During his time with the Texas Highway Patrol, Boyd became part of the Texas Crimes Against Children Interdiction for the Protection of Children (IPC) program.  While assigned to the Texas Highway Patrol Region 1D of Texas, Boyd made multiple IPC traffic stops resulting in child rescues and investigations being initiated.  Boyd was also assigned to assist Troopers identify and rescue endangered or exploited children and identify those who pose a high-risk threat to a child.  Boyd coordinated with Victim Services, the Texas Fusion Center and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to assist in locating missing children and at-risk children.  He also completed the 40-hour Specialist Interview course instructed by Dr. Joe Sullivan, Forensic Solutions, Ireland.  Boyd is a Master Peace Officer with a Master’s Degree of Science in Criminal Justice.  He currently oversees the IPC program as a Sergeant in the Training Operations Division – Crimes Against Persons Training Unit.  

 

Sessions:

D. Andrascik

David Andrascik

Pennsylvania State Coordinator
Speaker Bio


Dave Andrascik is the Pennsylvania State Coordinator of the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program (DECP). In addition to coordinating the state DRE Program, he provides training in Drug Impairment Recognition, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, and various Instructor classes. In addition to training Pennsylvania Drug Recognition Experts, he has assisted with training in Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, New York and Louisiana. Andrascik retired as a PA State Police Corporal in 2015. During his tenure, he managed the state police impaired driving enforcement programs (Sobriety Checkpoints and DUI Roving Patrols), as well as coordinating all impaired driving enforcement related training. Prior to his enlistment in the Pennsylvania State Police in 1993, he served in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer. Andrascik has served the PA DUI Association as a member, as the Region 3 Chair, as a member of the Board of Directors and served a short time as the President of the Executive Board prior to being an Association employee. Andrascik was the first certified DRE in Pennsylvania in 2004, and the first PA DECP state coordinator.

Sessions:

Morrow

Israel Morrow

Assistant Director for Operations
Speaker Bio

Assistant Director Morrow began his career with the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division in January 2005. As a Special Agent, AD Morrow was assigned to the Southeast Raleigh Redevelopment Area, where he focused on violent crimes occurring at or around ABC-licensed establishments. In 2010, AD Morrow was assigned to the Raleigh/Durham FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Since that time, AD Morrow has served as both an Assistant Special Agent in Charge and a Special Agent in Charge, along with being a Special Response Team Leader. In February 2020, he was named Assistant Director for Operations, where he oversees eight district offices statewide as well as the K-9 Program, Technical Surveillance Unit, and the Special Response Team. AD Morrow has fifteen years of experience working illegal outlet investigations, illegal ownership investigations, Source Investigations, Summary Suspensions, and unsuitable to hold ABC permits at problematic locations. AD Morrow received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Catawba College and his master’s degree from Pfeiffer University in Business Administration with a concentration in Strategic Leadership. He received his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate in 2012 and is a graduate of the West Point Leadership Academy and the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Program. AD Morrow has been on the NLLEA Executive Board since 2020 and currently holds the position as the immediate past president.

Sessions:

Olson Headshot

Dr. Kelly Olson

Director of Clinical Affairs
Speaker Bio

Dr. Kelly Olson, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist, author, and keynote speaker who believes that assessing and addressing disease requires an integrative approach.  Kelly's ability to illuminate the molecular misadventures that lead to disease is what makes her special - proving time and again that a splash of nerdy, with a big dash of passion, goes a long way.  Currently, she holds the position of Director of Clinical Affairs with one of the largest toxicology laboratories in the United States.  Here, she focuses much of her attention on mental health, particularly with an emphasis on addictions.  She thrives at taking very complex information and delivering it to audiences of all sizes and backgrounds in a way that promotes understanding and application of key concepts.  She has lectured all over the world as an invited session speaker and has authored/co-authored several peer-reviewed articles, textbook and book chapters, books, posters, and presentations, all aimed at providing a clinically applicable compendium of knowledge to ultimately help healthcare practitioners get their clients/patients well faster.

Dr. Olson received her Master of Science in exercise physiology from the University of North Dakota, and her PhD in Pharmacology & Therapeutics (with a focus on molecular neuropharmacology) from the University of Manitoba.

Sessions:

Jones, Sabra

Sabra Jones PhD, D-ABFT-FT

Regional Toxicology Liaison
Speaker Bio

Sabra Jones, PhD is a Forensic Toxicologist and board-certified as a Diplomate by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology. Sabra is the Regional Toxicology Liaison (RTL) for the United States (US) Northeast Regions 1, 2, and 3.  Sabra has worked in transportation safety at the US Federal Aviation Administration, driving impairment, in addition to other areas of forensic toxicology at the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. Prior to becoming one of the first US RTLs, she served as an Assistant Professor and graduate student mentor at Boston University School of Medicine’s Biomedical Forensic Sciences program. She conducts research in the areas of forensic toxicology, drug testing, and impairment. 

Sabra obtained her PhD at Oklahoma State University, Center for Health Science in Forensic Science. Her Master of Science degrees in Drug Chemistry (M.S.) and Forensic Toxicology (M.S.) from the University of Florida, as well as undergraduate (B.A.) and graduate (M.A.) degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminal Justice Management and Administration with a focus on Substance Abuse Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma.   

She serves as a Past Chair and on the Executive Board of the National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs, and Impairment Division. She is Vice-Chair of the US Academy Standards Board’s Toxicology Consensus Body. Sabra is active in several professional organizations, such as the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists, and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, where she is a past chair of the Toxicology Section. Sabra was appointed by the US Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Governor Charles Baker to serve on the Forensic Oversight Board and the Special Commission on Operating Under the Influence and Impaired Driving.

 

Sessions:

JH

Jody Heavilin

Administrator
Speaker Bio

 

Jody Heavilin has over 30 years of experience in substance use prevention, intervention, and treatment. She led a county-wide coalition through the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), resulting in a 64% reduction in 12th graders who self-reported drinking and driving. Jody worked as a Training and Technical Assistance Specialist for Prevention First before transitioning to the Alcohol Policy Resource Center, serving as the Administrator since 2019. She is responsible for the APRC monthly newsletter, which has a nationwide reach of over 7,000 people, resource creation, and has provided training to more than 500 law enforcement officers on Alcohol Compliance Check Investigations.

Jody’s expertise includes the SPF, coalition capacity building, alcohol policy, data analysis, and environmental prevention strategies. She received two Illinois MADD Hero of the Year Awards (2011, 2014) and the 2022 Illinois Prevention Leadership Award. Jody earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Eureka College.

Sessions:

EW

Erin Wick

Executive Director
Speaker Bio

 

Erin L. Wick serves as the Executive Director of Behavioral Health and Integrated Student Supports for Capital Region Educational Service District 113 in Washington State. In this role, she leads the True North Student Assistance and Treatment Services program—a dually licensed behavioral health agency dedicated to serving children and adolescents. True North was the first school-based program of its kind in Washington and remains a model for comprehensive, multi-tiered student supports. The program has mentored other Educational Service Districts through the licensing process and gained recognition at both state and national levels. Notably, in 2022, True North's student assistance program was highlighted by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Ms. Wick also oversees the ESD’s School Safety and Wellbeing Center, where she has expanded available services to better support youth and school communities. Through her leadership, the School Safety and Wellness team launched the School Safety Consortium, a regional collaboration of 40 school districts across five counties. This Consortium facilitates county-level threat assessment services and safety supports.

With over 25 years of service at ESD 113, Ms. Wick also holds statewide leadership roles. She serves as the Behavioral Health Lead for the Washington State Association of Educational Service Districts’ Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program project, which delivers prevention and intervention services to youth across Washington. Additionally, she is a board member of the Washington State School-Based Health Alliance.

Ms. Wick earned her Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College. She holds a Master of Business Administration and an Executive Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Massachusetts Global.

 

Sessions:

tea tx

John Scott

Chief
Speaker Bio

John Scott of Dallas has served as the chief of school safety and security within the Texas Education Agency since 2022. Previously, he served as assistant special agent in charge for the United States Secret Service Dallas/North Texas District. Previously, Scott served as assistant to the special agent in charge for the North Texas Cyber Fraud Task Force, assistant to the special agent in charge for the Protective Intelligence & Physical Protection Unit in Dallas, and assistant special agent in charge at the Secret Service Headquarters/Protective Operations Division in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Scott served as special agent in the Vice Presidential Protective Division and Dignitary Protective Division in Washington, D.C. and in the Houston Field Office. Before joining the Secret Service, Scott was a U.S. Army field artillery officer and captain where he completed airborne and the rigorous ranger schools. Scott received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Texas Tech University, where he was named a distinguished military graduate. 

Sessions:

CH headshot

Chuck Hayes

Speaker Bio

Chuck Hayes, a former Division Director with the Oregon State Police, dedicated 29 and a half years to the department before retiring in 2003. With an Associate of Arts Degree in Police Science and various certifications, he attended training courses and schools related to traffic safety, drug recognition, and impaired driving. After retirement, Chuck joined the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as the western region coordinator for the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program, providing technical support and training on drug and alcohol impaired driving enforcement. He authored publications and chaired committees on DUI training and prevention. Chuck is an IACP recognized Drug Recognition Expert Emeritus and a recipient of the IACP J. Stannard Baker Lifetime Achievement in Roadway Safety award.

Sessions:

forever 15
naadac
Safe and Sound Schools
Tall Cop Says Stop
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