First Responders’ Bridge Retreat – First Responders' Bridge

Speaker - "We Are In This Together"

Brian Pierson - President and COO, Mount Carmel Grove City

Brian has tertiary care nursing clinical experience in cardiac intensive care, mobile intensive care, emergency and prison settings. He served in the United States Army and Ohio Army National Guard for 12 years as a flight medic and forward area surgical team specialist. Brian received his master's degree in business psychology accompanied by undergraduate degrees in nursing and organizational leadership. He is an experienced leader with over 20 years in the healthcare industry.

Speaker - "Taking the Cape Off"

Patrick J. Kenny - Fire Chief (retired), Hinsdale, Western Springs, Illinois

Patrick Kenny has been a member of the fire service for over 38 years, and before retiring in January 2021 served as the Fire Chief in Hinsdale and Western Springs, Illinois. He has been a Chief Officer for over 25 years and a speaker in multiple countries on Mayday for Mental Health® for more than a decade. He is the international best-selling author of TAKING THE CAPE OFF: How to Lead Through Mental Illness, Unimaginable Grief and Loss and has articles published in the areas of mental health, leadership, fire safety, and fire code challenges. He was awarded the Fire Chief of the Year in 2004 by the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and in 2021 he was awarded Fire Chief Emeritus status by the Executive Board of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. He was awarded the Fire Engineering/International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award for 2020-2021.

Speakers - "Don't Wait Until You Break"

Dave & Christi Dyke -

Dave Dyke was a devoted sheriff deputy/police officer for 24 years in Southeast Minnesota. His experience includes patrol, investigations, hostage negotiations, and undercover agent for the Southeast Minnesota Narcotics and Gang Task Force.

His loving wife, Christi, is an RN in the Emergency Department and Midwest Admission and Transfer Center at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She also works as a Death Investigator for the Southeast Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office at Mayo Clinic. She has over 13 years of prior experience working on a volunteer ambulance service.

Voluntary iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation

Voluntary meditation in the righthand side of the ballroom. This is a completely voluntary session. You are more than welcome to bring a mat and/or pillow with you

iRest Yoga Nidra is a practice of conscious sleep that helps you ease into deep states of relaxation that support falling asleep and obtaining restful sleep. 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra can be as restful as 2-4 hours of sleep, because of the ability to reduce sleep debt, which researchers believe is related to the brainwave changes that occur during the practice.

Additional benefits:

Improved mood
Increased resilience
Stress reduction
Enhanced concentration
Increased alertness

**Voluntary Chapel Service**

There will be uplifting music and Bridge Chaplain Joe Lorenz will discuss how faith plays an important role in the lives of first responders and their families.

Joe Lorenz – Columbus, OH Fire Department**

Joe has served with the Columbus Division of Fire as a firefighter, chaplain and peer since he joined in 2013. Having also served in over 25 years of pastoral ministry and foreign missions in 20 nations, Joe has provided leadership training, and pastoral care and counsel to individuals, families, and to members of the military and first responders, which has contributed to the development of the Columbus Fire Chaplain Team. Joe also serves as a chaplain for the First Responders' Bridge.

Speaker - "Surviving The Job and Life After The Job"

Mark DiBona was born and raised in Boston Massachusetts. In 1985, Mark began his Law Enforcement career with the Braintree Police Department and later transferred to the Amtrak Police Department, Boston District.

In 1993, Mark moved to Florida and continued his career with the Avon Park Police Department and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, 19 years as a Patrol Sergeant. After 25 years with S.C.S.O. and 33 years of Law Enforcement experience, Mark retired in 2019, he was also Police Academy Instructor.

Mark is a The President and Co-founder of Protecting The Guardian. He is a Technical Advisor and Law Enforcement Mental Health Liaison with In The Line of Duty Video’s. Board Member and Law Enforcement Mental Health Liaison with Southeastern Homicide Investigators Association. Technical Advisor for PTSD 911 documentary movie. Member of International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers. A motivational speaker with Bravo748 Speakers Bureau.

Throughout his Law Enforcement career, Mark has held several positions and assignments, to include Field Training Officer, Peer Support Unit, Critical Incident Stress Management Team, Public Information Officer and in-service training Instructor.

Mark is an advocate for First Responder suicide prevention, mental health education and wellness. During his career, Mark developed mental health issues and a suicide attempt. He is very open speaking about these issues and his wellness. He is an advocate for First Responder suicide prevention, mental health education and wellness.

Mark has appeared in several media events, podcasts, webinars, newspapers, books, documentaries, magazine interviews, radio shows, conferences, training events and in a music video.

In his free time, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife Gailyn of over 33 years. Spending time with their dogs, Romeo and Bella. He is a huge fan of Rock and Roll music, playing the guitar and keyboards.

Speaker- "Live Unconquered"

Adam Davis - Author, Motivational Speaker & former Law Enforcement Officer "Unconquered Sheepdog"

Adam is an unrelenting force of inspiration. He believes we all have a unique purpose and we must be good stewards of the time we are given in this life.

Described as "a dynamic and powerful writer and speaker," Adam has devoted his life to inspire others to take positive action in their professional and personal lives. His writing and speaking are not only inspirational, but thought-provoking and challenging.

He inspires, challenges, and motivates others through his books. Most popular books by Adam include:

Unconquered: Ten Principles to Overcome Adversity and Live Above Defeat
Behind the Badge: 365 Daily Devotions for Law Enforcement (recommended and read by law enforcement leaders nationally, and a perennial bestseller)
Bulletproof Marriage: a 90-Day Devotional (2020 Christian Book Awards Finalist, and a perennial bestseller with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman)
On Spiritual Combat: 30 Missions for Victorious Warfare (with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman)

A former law enforcement officer and FBI trained hostage negotiator, Adam knows the challenges faced by law enforcement officers and their relationships. Since leaving his career in law enforcement in 2015, he has devoted his time to delivering proven tools and resources for the mind and soul. He has devoted his life to serving others and sharing his words, in writing and speaking, to inspire others to make positive changes in their lives.

Adam has an uncanny ability to speak "grunt" and to the heart of warriors. His raw, unfiltered story of overcoming the trauma of childhood sexual abuse, experiences from law enforcement, and battle with suicidal thoughts and substance abuse position him as a powerful force of hope for millions of people today. His work has attracted the attention of many influencers and he is best known for his work to deliver faith, hope, and love to those who serve.

From major universities to government entities, Adam has presented his story of conquering some of life's most smothering battles and how these principles can be applied in every life to achieve optimal performance and fulfillment.

Adam's work has been featured on Entrepreneur Magazine, Fox News, The Huffington Post, PoliceOne.com, and Law Enforcement Today. As a speaker, he has presented for the University of Alabama, Auburn University Department of Economic Development, TEDx Troy University, law enforcement agencies, military bases, and many seminars with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, Taya Kyle, and other American patriots. His media appearances have included The Rick & Bubba Show, The Blaze Radio Network, Family Life Today, The 700 Club, The Glenn Beck Program, Team Never Quit Podcast with Marcus Luttrell, and many others.

Adam is the spokesperson for REBOOT Recovery First Responders, a non-profit organization which focuses on providing faith-based trauma healing for first responders and service members. He is supported by his wife, Amber, of 20 years, and three children.

adam@theadamdavis.com

Entertainment

Vinnie Montez - Commander, Boulder Colorado Sheriff / Comedian
Vinnie Montez is a Colorado native, he grew up in the largely homogenous community of Boulder, CO, which prides itself on being a bastion of cultural diversity, but which is honestly just weird. Growing up, he always wanted to be a police officer. Now a 24-year veteran of law enforcement, his experiences as a cop and his Mexican heritage are the foundation for his comedy: you just can’t make some of this stuff up.

Vinnie got into comedy in 2007 as a means of addressing the stress and trauma of dealing with horrible situations on a regular basis. Since then he has performed regularly at Denver’s Comedy Works and other national venues. His first comedy special debut was on Dry Bar Comedy, released in 2019, Vinnie Montez: Armed & Hilarious. With a focus on telling funny stories about being a police officer and promoting better mental health for the men and women in blue, he is a favorite at events around the nation.

Vinnie has shared the stage with Michelle Wolf, Chris D’Elia, Joe Rogan, John Crist, Josh Blue, Paul Rodriguez, Gilbert Gottfried, Nick Guerra, Brian Posehn, Gina Brillon, Joey Medina, Caroline Rhea, Bob Marley and more.

In 2018 Vinnie was inducted as an official member of Humanizing the Badge (HTB), an organization on a mission to help forge stronger relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.

Vinnie has become a favorite among law enforcement and corporate audiences alike, performing for the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police, Colorado Association of School Resource Officers, Rocky Mountain Hostage Negotiators, International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators, County Sheriffs of Colorado, Law Enforcement Explorer Post Advisors Association of Colorado, National Latino Peace Officers Association, University of Wyoming, Humanize the Badge, KYGO’s Christmas Crusade for Children, Hallie’s Heroes and many more.

Snacks and beverages provided.

Speaker - "Post-Retreat Planning - Living Relentlessly"

Stan Partlow - Retired Commander Columbus Police Dept. Special Agent FBI & Vice President & Chief Security Officer - American Electric Power

Stan Partlow joined AEP in October 2005. Stan recently retired as the Vice President and Chief Security Officer and had responsibility for Cyber Security, Physical Security and Aviation. During his AEP career, Stan has also had responsibility for the AEP motor vehicle fleet, the enterprise procurement function and business continuity.

Prior to joining AEP, Stan served the Law Enforcement community for over 25 years. Stan served the Columbus Division of Police for over 21 years and retired as the Commander of the Detective Bureau. Prior to that Stan served in numerous roles in Patrol, Narcotics, Professional Standards and Training during his tenure as an Officer, Sergeant and Lieutenant.

Stan served as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 1984-1988 where he was responsible for conducting a variety of criminal investigations. In his law enforcement career, Stan has supervised dignitary protection details, and has been a member of the protection staff of two Columbus Mayors. He has been a SWAT team member for the Charlotte Division FBI Team, and a member of the Columbus Division of Police Underwater Search and Recovery Team. Stan also served as a Hostage Negotiator for the Columbus Division of Police.

Stan is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Leadership College. Stan holds the designation of Certified Law Enforcement Executive from the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. Stan completed the FBI Domestic Security Executive Academy. Stan earned the Certified Protection Professional certification from ASIS, a worldwide security organization. Stan completed the AEP/OSU Leadership Program and the Executive Level Targeted Development program.

Stan holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Capital University School of Law (1995), a Master of Science degree in Administration from Central Michigan University (1990), and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Bowling Green State University (1980).

Stan is a member of the Board of Trustees of Franklin University and he serves on the Board of Directors of The Center for Family Safety and Healing. Stan is a founder of the Columbus Police Foundation and serves on the Board of Directors for First Responders' Bridge an organization dedicated to mental healing for first responders.