Sergeant Rich Weiner is a 30-year veteran with the Columbus Ohio Division of Police. He joined the Division in 1995 where he worked the Patrol Bureau and was a Field Training Officer. He was a detective in the Burglary Unit before his promotion to sergeant in 2004. He returned to the Patrol Bureau as a sergeant and has held various assignments, including sergeant of the Public Information Unit, Internal Affairs, Child Sexual Assault, the Police Training Academy, and Robbery Unit. He is currently assigned as the sergeant of the Covert Support Unit in the Major Crimes Bureau. Sgt. Weiner joined the Columbus Police Hostage Negotiation Team in 2011 and became team leader in 2014.  He attended the FBI’s National Crisis Negotiation Course at Quantico, VA. He assists with the regional FBI Basic and Advanced courses and is a faculty member at the Police Executive Leader College, through the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police.

Dr. Andy Young is a retired Professor of Psychology and Counseling after 26 years, and has been a negotiator and psychological consultant with the Lubbock Police Department’s SWAT/Negotiator team since 2000. He has been on the negotiating team at the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office since 2008 and is on the team at the Texas Department of Public Safety (Texas Rangers, Special Operations Group, Regions 4 & 5). He is the author of, "Fight or Flight: Negotiating Crisis on the Frontline" and "When Every Word Counts: An Insider’s View of Crisis Negotiations.” He has been added as a third author for the 6th Edition of "Crisis Negotiations: Managing Critical Incidents and Hostage Situations in Law Enforcement and Corrections” and has been speaking internationally at law enforcement and hostage negotiator conferences since 2014, with his research and writings on negotiations and critical incident response widely published.

Harry Drucker retired as a Sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after 33 years of full-time service.  Nearly 25 of those years were as a hostage/crisis negotiator and team leader.  Not being able to stay away from the job, Harry continues to serve as an on-call negotiator on a contract basis which brings his negotiation experience to nearly 29 years. Sergeant Drucker has responded to over 500 barricaded suspect and hostage situations across over 4,000 square miles of Los Angeles County.  For the past eight years, Harry has been a member of the Negotiations Instructor Cadre with the National Tactical Officer’s Association (NTOA) and has instructed Negotiators, Mental Health Professionals and Dispatchers internationally in Basic and Advanced Negotiation Courses. Sergeant Drucker is a lifetime member of and frequent presenter for the California Association of Hostage Negotiators (CAHN) and is a graduate of the FBI’s National Crisis Negotiation Course in Quantico, VA. Harry is also very active in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics (LETR) Organization.  He serves as the Production Manager for the LETR International Conference and has been the videographer for the LETR Final Leg for the Special Olympics World Games in South Korea, Los Angeles, Austria, Abu Dhabi, Germany and Italy.  His work for the LETR earned him induction into the Richard LaMunyon Hall of Fame in 2022 at the LETR International Conference in Texas. He holds an Associate of Science degree in Administration of Justice and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.  Harry lives in Sherman Oaks, a suburb of Los Angeles, with his wife and their two children.

Det. Jason White is a 26-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department. Throughout his career he has worked in uniform patrol, along with serving as a member of the Street Crimes Unit, undercover investigator in the Special Investigations Division Narcotics Unit, School Resource Officer, and Crime Scene Detective. Det. White currently is assigned to the Homicide Unit where he has served for more than 15 years and has been featured in several episodes of The First 48 on A & E. Det. White was also assigned to the Special Operations Team as a Crisis Negotiator where he served for over 10 years, and is a current member of the Critical Incident Response Team where he has served for the past 18 years. Over the course of his career, Det. White has received multiple commendations including a Citation of Recognition from the State of Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2022 and 2012, Medal of Valor in 2011, and the Chief’s Unit Award in 2022 and 2009 along with several additional commendations. Det. White has a B.S. Degree in Professional Law Enforcement from Oklahoma City University, and an A.S. Degree in Police Science from Oklahoma State University. Finally, Det. White is a sought after presenter/keynote speaker who has spoken throughout the country, and Canada.

Lisa deJong served as the Executive Director of NAMI Knoxville, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. With deep roots in both law enforcement and behavioral health advocacy, Lisa brings a unique and personal perspective to her work. The daughter of a former law enforcement officer, Lisa grew up with a firsthand understanding of the challenges and complexities faced by those on both sides of a mental health crisis. Her passion for mental health advocacy is also fueled by lived experience within her own family—her mother and several other loved ones have navigated serious behavioral health conditions. This dual lens—both personal and professional—guides her commitment to building stronger, more compassionate crisis response systems. Lisa is an active leader in the regional Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coalition and is a key collaborator in cross-agency training efforts, helping to equip first responders and community partners with the tools to support individuals in crisis effectively and empathetically. She also provides disability awareness and inclusion training focused on individuals with mental health conditions, helping bridge gaps between the behavioral health community and systems of care. A passionate advocate, educator, and connector, Lisa’s work centers on the belief that partnership, understanding, and dignity can transform outcomes for individuals experiencing mental health crises.

Michael Baer is the Chief People and Compliance Officer at K&P Remodeling, where he leads company culture, community engagement, and philanthropy for the nationally recognized, family-owned business. A Knox News “40 Under 40” honoree, Michael has become a respected voice for mental health, leadership, and community impact in East Tennessee. He serves as President of NAMI Knoxville and previously led the Project One Life board, an organization focused on youth mental health. A proud member of both the Knoxville Rotary Club and the Knoxville Chamber, Michael’s leadership continues to bridge business and service, emphasizing that true success is measured by compassion, integrity, and the positive change one brings to others. Before transitioning to the private sector, Michael dedicated over a decade to public service. He began his career as an Emergency Medical Technician with the FDNY, later serving ten years in law enforcement—including undercover work in narcotics—where he also supported fellow officers as a Peer Support Officer with P.O.P.P.A. (Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance). His past board service with the Nyack Volunteer Ambulance Corps reflects a lifelong commitment to helping others. Today, Michael’s blend of frontline experience, leadership, and community advocacy continues to shape his mission: to build stronger, more compassionate communities through purpose-driven leadership.