Pledge of Allegiance - Hampton Honor Guard National Anthem Olivia Haynes Ansari, Content Proofing and Communication Specialist, Division of Public Safety Training and the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Lynsey Strohminger, Online Training, Resource, and Support Coordinator, Division of Public Safety Training and the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
Welcome: Leading the Way: Bringing Our Shared Safety Vision Into Focus Lindsay Burton, Division Director, Public Safety Training and the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Ashaki McNeil, Agency Director, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services The Honorable Stanley M. Meador, Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, Commonwealth of Virginia Jenna Conway, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commonwealth of Virginia The Honorable Dr. Jeffery O. Smith, Secretary of Education, Commonwealth of Virginia
Introduction of Special Guests Madison Swift, Teacher, Colonial Heights Public Schools National School Safety Patrol Champion
Dr. Alathari breaks down findings from 67 disrupted plots against schools. The presentation identifies common warning signs, such as grievances with classmates or an interest in violent topics, and highlights the critical role of bystander reporting.
Chief, National Threat Assessment Center, United States Secret Service
Dr. Alathari is the Chief of the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), where she oversees the center’s targeted violence behavioral research program. The findings from these projects have identified behaviors, motives, and triggers of individuals who engage... Read More →
A panel of experts helps bring hidden threats into clearer view while offering strategies to help keep children safe and to provide support and resources to child victims. In 2024, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received more than 546,000 reports of child online enticement, a 192% increase over 2023. In DHS’s January 2026 Report, “Online Recruitment of Child Sex Trafficking Becoming Endemic,” DHS noted that “[i]n 2025, reports of online enticement towards children rose 80% higher than the year before” according to NCMEC. Emerging threats to teens now include financial sextortion, sadistic exploitation, and AI-generated intimate images. Child victims feel desperate, leading tragically to suicide, self-harm, depression, anxiety, and the like. Schools can play a key role in understanding this threat, empowering kids to protect themselves, and helping ensure that child victims receive the support and care that they need and deserve.
Acting Deputy Chief & Senior Appellate Counsel, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice
Ross Goldman is the Acting Deputy Chief and Senior Appellate Counsel in the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) at the U.S. Department of Justice. In addition to his legal work, Ross – who also holds a Master of Education degree from the University... Read More →
Thomas E. Wheeler II serves as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, bringing more than three decades of legal experience, including extensive federal leadership. He previously served as Acting General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Education and Acting Assistant... Read More →
Criminal Intelligence Division / VSP BTAM and Fusion Center Liaison, Hanover County Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Krystal Laine has dedicated her career to serving and protecting the citizens of Hanover County, the community where she was born and raised. She joined the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office in 2013 after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice... Read More →
