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Contributors & Safety Experts
Our Contributors
One of the greatest rewards of networking is the opportunity to meet exceptional individuals who share a commitment to making a difference. When common goals, innovative ideas, professional expertise, and a passion for serving others come together through collaboration, the possibilities are limitless.
At the National Association of School Safety Officers (NASSO), we are privileged to work alongside some of the most respected professionals in the fields of school safety, security, emergency management, threat assessment, mental health, law enforcement, and education. Their willingness to freely share their knowledge, experience, and resources is instrumental in helping us fulfill our mission of providing no-cost professional development opportunities to school safety practitioners.
This page is dedicated to recognizing these outstanding individuals and expressing our sincere appreciation for their generosity, collaboration, and continued support of the school safety community.
We invite you to take a few moments to learn more about our contributors, connect with them on LinkedIn, visit their organizations, and explore the valuable work they are doing. Their expertise has helped shape NASSO and continues to strengthen the profession by making high-quality knowledge and resources accessible to all.
Joseph Paul Manley, MA
Joseph "Paul" Manley is a nationally recognized behavioral‑risk and threat‑assessment advisor and the founder of Risk Mitigation Technologies, LLC. A retired municipal police lieutenant in Massachusetts, he brings more than two decades of operational experience across law enforcement, federal protection, court prosecution, and correctional environments.
Paul is the creator of the Clarity Before Crisis™ framework and author of The CEO’s Playbook and How to Stay Calm and Aware in Any Situation. His work centers on helping leaders recognize behavioral change early, assess risk with precision, and intervene before situations escalate.
He serves as an adjunct lecturer in criminal justice and behavioral threat assessment, contributing to the development of future public‑safety professionals. Through his national independent consulting practice, Paul supports schools, businesses, and public agencies seeking to strengthen prevention, decision‑making, and organizational readiness.
His mission is straightforward: equip leaders with the clarity and confidence needed to reduce risk before it becomes crisis.
Allen Edwards, MBA, CBCP, MEP
Allen “AJ” Edwards is an emergency management and continuity professional with nearly two decades of experience supporting government, military, and educational organizations in preparedness, crisis management, and organizational resilience. AJ is the founder of AJ Edwards Consulting, https://www.ajedwardsconsulting.com/ ,where he works to strengthen school safety and organizational resilience through emergency preparedness training, continuity planning, and leadership development.
As a Hoover Institution Veteran Fellow at Stanford University, his research focuses on advancing innovative approaches that help schools sustain critical mental health services before, during, and after crises.
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