2026 Retreats

Lisa has been with the City of Columbus EAP since 1989, providing program administration, clinical services, consultations, trainings and administering the City EAP. She has extensive experience in working with First Responder's, and in the area of critical incident stress response. She serves as a member of the Mid-Ohio and Columbus Fire CISM teams, and is the Mental Health Advisor for the Columbus Police Peer Assistance Team (PAT)

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.

Ashley Ferris was a law enforcement officer with the Lakewood Police Department in Lakewood, CO from January of 2018 to June of 2023. Before becoming an LEO, Ashley was an All Source Intelligence Analyst with the United States Army.

After becoming an LEO, Ferris was appointed to several leadership, mentoring, and instructing positions. In her work as an LEO, she excelled most in speaking with individuals experiencing mental health related crises due to her own personal experience with depression. Ferris lives and loves to serve the community, her organization, and her friends and peers. She now lives this purpose through her role as a facilitator, instructional designer, and her work as a public speaker

Ferris has received more than 15 awards since being hired as a law enforcement officer, most of which were a result of the December 27, 2021 incident. Those awards include a Purple Heart, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2022 by the National Police Hall of Fame, Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2022 and Valor Award, and the International Footprint Association 2022 Most Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2022.

Since 2024, Ferris has presented to over 6,000 first responder professionals which is only the beginning of AFC’s journey.

Ferris looks to continue and expand her service by sharing her story and lessons learned with law enforcement officers and all first responder agencies around the country.

Chief Neil H. Gang served in law enforcement for over 35 years where he retired as the Chief of Police for the Pinole, California Police Department. He served as the Chairperson of the California Police Chiefs Association Organizational Wellness and Resiliency Committee and the Co-chair of the IACP Officer Safety & Wellness Committee. Chief Gang is the author of the Asher Model-7 Point Approach to a Culture of Wellness and the host of the 6th Pillar Podcast. He is a POST-Wellness Instructor and was named Public Safety Hero of the Year by the House of Representatives in 2020. His innovative work as a law enforcement leader has been featured in several national Police magazines. He is a graduate of the prestigious Northwestern School of Police Staff Command, where he was the president of the class and the recipient of the Franklin M. Kremel Award for excellence in the field of leadership.

Scott served as the Asst. Fire Chief of the Frazee, MN Fire Department where he retired after 24 years of service. He is a certified Peer Support Specialist and a national speaker on topics such as Post Traumatic Stress and First Responder trauma. Scott is a post traumatic stress, meth and suicide attempt survivor.

Dave Joined Columbus Division of Fire in 1999, serving as a firefighter and paramedic in the University District, Short North, and Downtown neighborhoods. He was awarded Paramedic of the Year for 2015. Promoted to Lieutenant in 2017, Dave served as an Engine Officer, EMS Supervisor, and Peer Support Coordinator. Dave helped establish The Public Safety Wellness Center, A leading edge facility combining peers, clinicians, and chaplains into one building. Dave retired as The Members Support Unit Supervisor in 2024 with 25 years of service. He now has time for his favorite activities: traveling, hiking, kayaking, SCUBA, and physical fitness.

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.

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.

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.

With over two decades of experience, Preston is a passionate advocate for mental wellness and addiction education. He collaborates with organizations, first responders, and schools to reduce stigma and increase participation in services like coaching, counseling, and support groups. Preston provides trainings for the Columbus Police Department’s new officer program, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Ohio Department of Corrections. His keynotes address the mental and emotional challenges first responders face and highlight ways to encourage early intervention, family recovery and support, as well as help individuals create meaningful change. Preston is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University and lives in Columbus Ohio with his wife Sarah and son Austin. His TED Talk, How Social Support Can Fight Mental Health and Addiction Stigma, is available on YouTube.

Nancy Norton is an Award-Winning Standup Comedian, Former Registered Nurse who now heals with humor. Hilarious & High Energy, Intuitive & Interactive. Sometimes just Super Dorky Keynote Speaker on the “The Power of Humor” Dry Bar Comedy Special just released, “Super Dork” Comedy Album “4th of 3” Nancy Norton receives 5 STAR REVIEWS from clients, clubs and event planners by reading her audience, being fully present, connecting and bringing the right kind of funny for the crowd.

HONORS AND AWARDS:

2021 BEST OF THE SHOW with Jay Leno

Burbank Comedy Festival 2019

CHAMPION - 40th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition

2018 WINNER Boston Comedy Festival - FIRST WOMAN TO EVER WIN IT!

2016 GRAND SLAM CHAMPION STORYTELLER of Truth Be Told

Norton tours nationally headlining clubs, festivals, conferences and events doing Standup Comedy and Keynote Speaking. Nancy has also toured internationally on several USO tours entertaining the troops in Europe, Asia, Iceland and the Pacific. Nancy draws material from everyday life experiences and growing up in a big Ozark family, working as a nurse, being a single mom, spending months in Nepal adopting her son and yes, there are a few airplane jokes. Universal truths and authentic experiences make Nancy’s humor accessible. Norton is a regular Headliner at the famous A-rated Comedy Club, Comedy Works in Denver.

Comedy specials, albums and more:

“Nancy Norton, Super Dork” produced by Dry Bar Comedy, Comedy Album, “4th of 3” produced by BSeen Media, available wherever music is sold, A&E’s"Evening at the Improv" now available on Amazon Prime Video, Nickmom Night Out on Nickelodeon, one-person show, "The Yellowish-Green Girl" on PBS.

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.

Sergeant Brandon Qualls is a second-generation law enforcement officer and graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (2007) with 14 years of service at the Muncie Police Department. He currently serves as a Sergeant assigned to Detectives / Crime Scene Investigation.

His career includes specialized assignments as a Field Training Officer, Domestic Violence Officer, and Traffic Enforcement / Crash Reconstruction Officer. Sgt. Qualls has also been deeply involved in officer wellness and advocacy, serving as an Employee Assistance Program Representative, a member of the Critical Stress Management Team, and President of the Fraternal Order of Police for the past five years.

His service has been recognized through multiple honors, including the Grace in Time of Need Award (three-time recipient), 2017 School Resource Officer of the Year for Muncie Community Schools, the National SRO Award, 2018 Midnight Officer of the Year, and the 2025 Distinguished Service Award.

A husband and father of three, Sgt. Qualls speaks openly about his healing journey to remind others that they are not alone—and that hope and help are always available.

Jo Terry is a recently retired licensed physical therapist who owned her own outpatient physical therapy clinic for over 20 years. She was married to Assistant Chief Alan "Chip" Terry (ret), from the City of Covington Fire Department for 31 years who completed suicide in 2017 after being misdiagnosed. Since his death in 2017, Jo has spent her time working with first responders and their families affected by PTS and teaching the class she developed called Trauma and its Effect on First Responders and their Family, telling Chip's story and the effects of suicide on those left behind. Jo is the president of The Chip Terry Fund for First Responders which she and her children established to provide first responders and their families with educational, financial, and emotional support. The Chip Terry Fund has assisted over 100 individuals with access to inpatient and outpatient services locally and nationally. In 2022, she was hired by the City of Covington Fire Department to become their Wellness Coordinator, to address the multitude of factors influencing mental and physical wellness for the department members. Jo is the mother of 6 children and in her spare time she enjoys working on her farm, hiking, exercising, and traveling with her family.