Meg Garvin is the Executive Director of the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI) and a Clinical Professor of Law at Lewis & Clark Law School. Ms. Garvin is recognized as a leading expert on victims’ rights. She has testified before Congress, state legislatures and the Judicial Proceedings Panel on Sexual Assault in the Military. In her expert capacity she has served on the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces, the Victims Advisory Group of the United States Sentencing Commission, and the Victim Services Subcommittee, of the Response Systems to Adult Sexual Assault Crime Panel of the United States Department of Defense, as co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section Victims Committee, co-chair of the Oregon Attorney General’s Crime Victims’ Rights Task Force and as a member of the Legislative & Public Policy Committee of the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force.  She has received numerous awards in recognition of her work, including in 2015 the John W. Gillis Leadership Award from National Parents of Murdered Children; in 2020, the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section’s Frank Carrington Crime Victim Attorney Award, and in 2021, the Hardy Myers Victim Advocacy Award from the Oregon Crime Victims Law Center. Prior to joining NCVLI, Ms. Garvin practiced law in Minneapolis, Minnesota and clerked for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Pronouns: she/her/hers. 

Chris Newlin is the executive director of the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) in Huntsville, AL, where he is responsible for providing leadership and management of the agency, as well as participating in national and international training and leadership activities regarding the protection of children.  The NCAC was the first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) in the world and provides child abuse prevention and intervention services in Huntsville/Madison County; and also houses the NCAC Training Center, the Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, the NCAC Virtual Training Center, and the Child Abuse Library Online (CALiO).  The NCAC is a past multi-year winner of the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Workplace Ethics; 2012 Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit of the Year; 2016 Federal Bureau of Investigation Director’s Community Leadership Award recipient; (multi-year finalist), winner in 2017 and 2019 of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce Best Places to Work; and a Private Sector Member of the Virtual Global Taskforce.  Chris has more than 24 years of experience working in CACs as a forensic interviewer, victim advocate, clinical director, and executive director. He has provided training in more than 30 countries at numerous international conferences and continues to provide technical assistance on a regular basis to professionals working to develop multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and CACs throughout the world. Chris received his master’s degree in school psychology from the University of Central Arkansas, is a licensed professional counselor, and has completed coursework at the Harvard University Business School Executive Education Program.

Paula Gomez Stordy has more than 25 years of experience working in the field of gender-based violence, of which 17 years were in non-profit management. She is the Senior Director of National Training and Technical Assistance for Esperanza United: National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities, a national resource center with a focus on providing training, research, and policy advocacy to prevent and end domestic violence and sexual assault. Ms. Gomez Stordy directs national training and technical assistance overseeing federal grants, programming, and supervision of staff to enhance culturally responsive approaches and capacity to both mainstream and culturally specific organizations across the country.

Leo Martinez is a Project Manager with Esperanza United, formerly Casa de Esperanza - National Latin@ Network. With Esperanza United he currently works providing Language Access and Cultural Responsiveness training as part of the national resource center on domestic violence in the Latino community; he is a Training and Technical Assistance lead with the Vicarious Trauma Response Initiative, a national initiative funded by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and led by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); he informs the Intimate Partner Homicide project focused on Latino victims and funded by the Office on Violence against Women (OVW). He also collaborates on the Enhancing Access Peer to Peer project focused on language access, funded also by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). 

Natasha Haunsperger worked as an interpreter with the United Nations International Police Task Force (IPTF), charged with reintegrating war zones back into Croatia proper. Ms. Haunsperger joined the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) in 2006, shortly after she had immigrated to Oregon from Croatia. Her previous experiences with war refugees and conflict resolution ultimately led her to proactively focus and engage with the large multicultural/ethnic communities in the Portland area. During her assignment with the PPB Criminal Intelligence Unit, Officer Haunsperger focused on both intelligence and criminal investigations involving foreign-born labor trafficking subjects in the state of Oregon. She also co-produced a documentary film on foreign-born labor trafficking, "Reclaiming Their Lives," and is actively working on raising public awareness about trafficking trends in the Pacific Northwest. Officer Haunsperger is committed to developing a training curriculum for first responders and community-based stakeholders, focusing on early detection and identification of possible labor trafficking activities and victims’ identification and rescue.

Alexander Jones serves as the Chief of Police for the City of Arlington, Texas. He leads the department in the 48th largest city in the country with almost 900 sworn officers and professional staff members with an annual budget of $109 million dollars. Chief Jones began his policing career with the Baltimore County (Maryland) Police Department in 1995 and quickly rose through the ranks to become the department's second highest-ranking officer. He previously served as the Colonel of Operations overseeing ten police precincts, patrol operations, Safe School Division, Youth and Community Service Section, and the Support Operations Division. Chief Jones also served as the Bureau Chief of Community Relations, which included the Community Resource and Wellness Section and the Youth and Community Service Section. The focus of the bureau was on community relations and building trust with the communities of Baltimore County. He was instrumental in establishing many successful youth programs.

Chief Jones obtained a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Ashworth College and received an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Hartford.

Sergeant Shade McMillian, a proud Florida native, has dedicated over 18 years to law enforcement, serving with distinction at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in Tallahassee since 2005. Rising through the ranks, he became a Sergeant in 2021, having held critical positions such as Field Training Officer, School Resource Deputy, Violent Crimes Detective, Public Information Officer, and Sergeant in Youth and Young Adult Services, Violent Crimes Unit, and Special Investigations/Human Trafficking Unit.

In 2023, Sergeant McMillian played a pivotal role in establishing the Capital City Human Trafficking Task Force (CCHTTF), a collaborative effort involving federal, state, and local law enforcement aimed at combating human trafficking in Florida, with a focus on the state capitol, Tallahassee.

Sergeant McMillian has been a dedicated member of the Florida Gang Investigators Association, serving as North Central Florida Regional Director on the Board of Directors since 2013. An expert in his field, he regularly trains law enforcement officers and school administrators statewide on critical topics including human trafficking, school safety, and gang awareness.

Robin Hassler Thompson, M.A., J.D., is the Executive Director of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC), an anti-trafficking non-profit she helped to co-found in 2015. She is an active member of the Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking. In 2001 she traveled to Bangladesh on a U.S. State Department mission, which included a visit to a trafficking rescue shelter in Dhaka. This so inspired her that since then, she has directed and collaborated on many anti-trafficking projects, produced and conducted anti-human trafficking training programs, and authored numerous publications and curricula on both sex and labor trafficking. Robin has served on and held leadership positions on local, state, and national boards and committees including the Florida Supreme Court-appointed Commission on Access to Civil Justice and the Tallahassee/Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Robin led Florida’s first Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Violence and served on the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women. She holds both a J.D. and a master's degree from Florida State University and a B.A. from American University in Washington, D.C.

As a Senior Policy Advisor at the Office for Victims of Crime, Department of Justice (DOJ), Alissa develops and implements national criminal justice system policy initiatives. Her current portfolio includes oversight of the Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking programming and related training and technical assistance to ECMs, law enforcement, prosecution and victim service provider partners. Alissa worked previously at the Bureau of Justice Assistance (DOJ) supporting a range of law enforcement and community-based crime reduction initiatives. Prior to joining DOJ, Alissa worked for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) where she oversaw grant programs that advance policy and practice within the law enforcement profession. Before joining the IACP, Alissa worked for Circle Solutions, Inc., providing research and evaluation services for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) supported Cops in Schools program.  Ms. Huntoon earned her B.A. in Sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and her Master’s of Public Policy from American University.

Hilary Burgess joined the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2018. She has served as a Senior Project Manager since 2022 for multiple Department of Justice (DOJ) Office for Victims of Crime anti-human trafficking initiatives. Hilary first gained valuable experience working for four years on the DOJ COPS Office-funded Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC) program where she managed technical assistance delivery and resource development for the policing field. She previously worked for the National Sheriffs' Association for over 13 years where she served in multiple capacities, including Director of Professional Development. Hilary is a skilled project manager, earning a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

Officer Tabitha Hays has been a member of the Baltimore County, Maryland Police Department since 2005. She is currently assigned to the Training Section where she instructs in multiple disciplines. She is a firearm, active assailant, tactical medicine, and first aid instructor along with numerous other instructor certifications. She has been named Officer of the Year twice and Officer of the Month nine times. In 2023, she was awarded Maryland Police and Corrections Training Commission Instructor of the Year for her agency. On May 21, 2018, Officer Hays was involved in a critical incident that resulted in the line of duty death of her friend and co-worker Amy Caprio. Less than one year later, in 2019, Officer Hays herself was shot and critically injured in the line of duty. Officer Hays endured numerous surgeries and months of physical therapy to return to duty. After over a year of treatment, she was able to return to full duty. For her actions in 2019, she was awarded the Mid-Atlantic Association of Women in Law Enforcement Valor Award as well as a Purple Heart. As a part of the training staff, she is using her experience and knowledge from those two significant events to help better equip, train, and prepare her fellow officers and recruits for response to critical incidents. She also joined her agency’s Peer Support team in an effort to assist fellow officers dealing with critical incidents, stress, and trauma.

Michael Kehoe retired as Chief of Police from the Newtown, Connecticut, Police Department in 2016. He is best known and notable for managing the aftermath of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Chief Kehoe was hired by the Newtown Police Department in 1978 after graduating from Western Connecticut State University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration. Chief Kehoe was promoted through the ranks of the Newtown Police Department eventually being promoted to Chief of Police in 2001. In 1985, Chief Kehoe received a Master of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Chief Kehoe has presented nationally on many topics including Crisis Leadership; Lessons Learned from the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting; Officer Wellness and Safety; Responding to Active Shooters and Mass Casualties; Safety and Security within School Settings; and Police Leadership. Chief Kehoe has participated in various national roundtable discussions and delivered testimony on Gun Violence and School Safety, 1st Responder Wellness and Safety, Emergency Protocols at Critical Incidents for State and Local Police, and School Related Threat Based Penalties. Chief Kehoe is currently consulting with the IACP as a subject matter expert in the Officer Safety and Wellness (OSW) initiatives and the Mass Violence Alliance Initiative (MVAI).

Elise Spina-Taylor is currently employed with the City of Miami Beach Police Department. She has worked for the department for over 28 years, currently at the rank of Lieutenant assigned as the Commander of the Training Unit and Department Wellness Program. Elise was an investigator for over 18 years of her career assigned to Burglary/Property Crimes, Major Crimes, Internal Affairs (IA), and Commander of the Street Crimes Unit. While working full-time for the police department, Elise obtained her Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology. Elise has developed and conducted training classes for first responders as well as in the corporate sector and educational institutions. Elise continues to utilize her education, clinical, and law enforcement experience as the commander and psychologist consultant of the Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT), the Peer Support Team, and the Miami Beach Wellness Program called S.T.E.P.P.

Sara Dziejma serves as a Policy Advisor at the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) supporting the VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Initiative and Hate Crimes Team. Prior to joining BJA in March 2023, Sara served as the Task Lead at Booz Allen Hamilton supporting the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Emergency Communications Division. Specifically, Sara focused on the implementation of the National Emergency Communications Plan and development of the SAFECOM Nationwide Survey, both aimed at enhancing emergency communications operability, interoperability, and continuity in all situations. Previously, Sara spent over 12 years at the International Association of Chiefs of Police, most recently as the manager of the Policy Center which develops guidance and recommendations for law enforcement agencies on over 100 different topics. Sara received her Master of Forensic Sciences from George Washington University and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Carolina.

Sabrina Fernandez is a Program Manager at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), overseeing multiple law enforcement training and technical assistance initiatives in topic areas such as officer safety and wellness, recruitment and retention, anti-human trafficking, and innovative online training. Sabrina has been with the IACP since 2010, addressing policy and operational challenges facing law enforcement and developing tools and resources to assist law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting criminal activity, preventing and responding to victimization, and increasing community safety. Prior to the IACP, Sabrina worked at the University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center and Tennessee Regional Community Policing Institute, the University of Tennessee's Social Work Office of Research and Public Service, and the Baltimore Office of Homeless Services, after spending four years at the beginning of her career as a social worker and social policy advocate. Sabrina has a Master of Arts in Public Policy from The Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, English and French from Drury University. She can be reached at fernandez@theiacp.org. 

Matt Langer joined the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as the Director of Global Policing on April 8, 2024. Prior to this role, Matt served for 25 years with the Minnesota State Patrol. He held a variety of roles over his career including road patrol Trooper, crash reconstruction specialist, Lieutenant of fleet and asset management, public information officer, Staff Captain overseeing homeland security and traffic safety grants, Major of metropolitan operations, Lieutenant Colonel/Assistant Chief for three years, and served for 10 years as the Colonel/Chief of the State Patrol.

During his tenure as Chief, he oversaw significant projects such as the deployment of body worn cameras, cultural change related to vehicle pursuit policy and training, alignment of agency activity with data-driven approaches to reduce traffic fatalities while also garnering public and legislative support, and the steady growth of budgets to support the mission of the organization across the State of Minnesota. Leading through the COVID-19 pandemic and the remarkable challenges in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death presented opportunity for organizational learning on many levels.
Matt has been active with the IACP for many years. He served on the Board of Directors, as General Chair of the State and Provincial Policing Division, and as Chair of the Roadway Safety Committee. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice and a Masters Degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration. As a lifelong learner, he has taken part in many executive level training programs. Matt is active in his local church, serves on boards, and is humbled by the many awards he has received for his contributions to policing in Minnesota and the traffic safety mission.