EDMOND OTIS

Edmond Otis is an expert in helping schools and other organizations resolve tough issues related to Conflict Resolution, Bullying, Workplace Violence, Anger Management, Leadership, and Stress Management.

His AACT - Safe and Sane programs are successfully used by education, public and private agencies, and business in the US to address a wide range of interpersonal and organizational problem areas.

A new resident of New Zealand, Edmond is deeply aware that, despite its idyllic setting, New Zealand faces many of the same social challenges that are widely evident in the States. His experience, gained hands-on, “in the trenches” make him ideally suited to providing training and finding solutions to the social challenges that are becoming an increasing reality in his new home.

Edmond has a unique background. He combines experience as an author, licensed psychotherapist, and accomplished university educator, with 37 years of intense traditional karate practice (and international recognition as a world-class competitor, instructor and coach). Edmond blends these distinctive skills and insights into his training and consulting style - creating dynamic content, effective strategies and pragmatic interventions for complex and difficult workplace situations. Visit www.edmondotis.co.nz for more.

Edmond is currently a Senior Lecturer in Health and Sport Science at EIT in Hawke’s Bay. Prior to his NZ move he served in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Riverside. On faculty there from 1981-2006, his tenure included positions in Humanities, Psychology, Education, and Honors, where he had developed numerous courses integrating traditional martial art philosophy with modern western life.

He was awarded the UC Distinguished Teaching Award in 2002.

Dan Walsh, AACT Director of Security Programs and Procedure Training is one of the most respected and trusted security professionals in the industry, and is recognized as one of the foremost authorities on incident prevention through crisis rehearsal and application of physical measure. Mr. Walsh's' approach to security parallels Maslow's Pyramid - Hierarchy of Needs placing security of the body, of employment, of resources, of family, health and property the very next priority after food, water, and shelter. In addition to schools, his breadth and depth of experience covers both the private sector, Fortune 500 companies, local corporations - private and public, celebrity individuals, governmental agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.

Mr Walsh is President and CEO of The Guardian Group, one of the top security firms in the United States. He takes ownership and makes it his personal priority to assist school districts, corporations and individuals in their security goals and risk management; crisis prevention; contingency planning and response. For over 25 years, he has dedicated himself to the safety & security of corporate America and private individuals. When not on special assignments, Mr. Walsh is very involved in local and national communities, giving seminars to educate corporate officers and principals, families, and organizations on the importance of personal protection training, security mindset, and conflict avoidance. He has impacted thousands of individuals through his career as a law enforcement officer, personal security expert to executives, self-defense coach, firearms instructor, and personal protection educator. Mr. Walsh holds college degrees in criminal justice, law enforcement, industrial security, residential security, investigative security, retail security, and fire science.

DeNae Reagins, AACT Chief Operating Officer received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of California at Riverside in 1985. In 1992 he completed a Master of Arts in Education Administration from California State University at San Bernardino. He also holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and an Administrative Professional Clear Credential issued by the California Teacher Commission.

His professional career in the field of public education includes seven years as an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles and Riverside Unified School Districts. Beyond the classroom, DeNae also served five years as a school administrator as an assistant principal in Riverside Unified School district for two years and four years as the principal of Matthew Gage Middle School also in Riverside Unified School. In 1998 DeNae resigned his commission as a public school educator and joined colleagues to form Instructional Access, Inc. The company is an education training organization that provides technology consulting services and professional training programs to government, public, private, and non-profit organizations. Instructional Access, Inc. currently provides services in 22 states and Puerto Rico. DeNae is a senior partner and Chief Operating Officer of the company. In this capacity he is responsible for new program development, managing the company's instructional practices, and serves as a liaison between federal agencies and county and state clients.

DeNae Reagins is a member of the board of Instructional Access, Inc. and Riverside Bre Dance Theatre both of Riverside, California. His professional affiliations also include the Association of School and Curriculum Development, California Association of School Administrators, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the Southern California Minority Business Development Council, Inc. He is also the recipient of numerous professional awards and citations.

DeNae Reagins is the proud father of two teenage sons and currently resides in Riverside, California.

Roberta Cox, PhD, AACT Director of Research and Development received her Masters and Doctorate in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. Her research includes identifying the effects of personality and aggression on social hierarchy, as well as the effects of environment on normal and abnormal social behavior.

Dr. Cox has taught general, physiological, abnormal, health, and comparative psychology, research methodology and statistics at many colleges and universities, including the University of California - Riverside, Loma Linda University, Cal Poly Pomona, and Cal State San Bernardino. She also has experience in elementary education, and as a psychotherapist and administrator of an adolescent psych group homes.