Managing Mass Demonstrations and Protecting Civil Liberties

John Patrick Feroleto began his career with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office in 2008 and is currently the Chief of the Major Crimes Bureau which handles all nonfatal shootings and other gun related violence.  Over the course of his career, Mr. Feroleto has served in many bureaus but has spent most of his years in Homicide, Tactical Prosecution and Felony Trials, handling predominantly cases involving violent crime especially those which involve child victims.  Mr. Feroleto obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School in 2007 and his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester. Additionally, Mr. Feroleto was the lead advisor for Law Enforcement in Erie County regarding protests and civil unrest in May and June of 2020

Kelly Nee is an experienced law enforcement and safety management professional with a distinguished 33-year career with the Boston Police Department.  She held various supervisory and command roles and demonstrated her commitment to the diverse communities within the city.

In 2017, she was appointed as the first female chief of police at Boston University, where she successfully navigated the institution through significant changes, including mergers, decoupling and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against police violence. Kelly has been actively engaged in community safety and has represented the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement (MAWLE) on the Municipal Police Training Committee (MPTC) during a crucial period of police reform.

In January 2023, Kelly Nee's dedication and leadership were recognized with a promotion to the inaugural position of Chief Safety, Security, and Preparedness Officer at Boston University. In this role, she oversees a range of vital departments, including emergency management, police, and public safety, ensuring the safety and well-being of the university community. Kelly Nee's career exemplifies her unwavering commitment to public safety and community service.

In October 2023, Dustin Sternbeck was appointed as the first-ever Chief Communications Officer for the City of Denton, Texas. In this executive level role, he leads the City’s Marketing and Communications team charged with the development and implementation of citywide communication strategies, impactful stakeholder engagement and brand advancement. Previously, he served on the Executive Staff of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, DC as their Director of Communications. He has close to two decades of experience in operational and administrative positions in public safety. While with MPD, Dustin worked as a consultant on the Mass Violence Advisory Initiative team for the International Association of Chiefs of Police and chaired the Major Cities Chiefs Association Public Information Officer Committee. Additionally, he was an active member of the National Information Officers Association.

Dustin is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree in Public Administration from Liberty University. He received his Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University and holds a Bachelor’s degree in communications studies from West Virginia University.