Sometimes it takes an unfortunate event to inspire change. For Melissa Muir, a Human Resources (HR) professional committed to bridging the gap between security and HR, this realization came to her as she was about to embark on an employee termination - but one that was potentially very dangerous. From this incident, she was drawn to learn more about workplace security and to find ways for HR and security departments to collaborate more closely together. She further pursued opportunities to learn how HR can participate in security by joining the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) where she learned the value of collaboration across department lines in operating a threat management program. In this episode, Muir explains how Human Resources is one of the most underutilized ingredients in holistically assessing a threat and enhancing workplace safety. HR personnel often see signs of troubling behavior early on in an employee’s journey, whether it be signs of deception in the interview process or signals of ill intent during a 90- day review with a manager. Tying these two areas together allows for collaboration when something doesn’t feel quite right, and it doesn’t take a seasoned security professional to realize Muir’s wise words — “you can’t paint a red flag green.” Melissa Muir has been a Human Resources professional in the U.S. courts for 25 years, including the federal court in the State of Washington. She is currently the HR Director for her hometown of Shoreline, just north of Seattle. Informed by threat management principles, Melissa is passionate about bridging the gap between security and human resources to improve the safety and health of our organizations. Melissa is the Past President of the Northwest Chapter of ATAP and serves on the national sponsorship committee. Melissa has served as an instructor at the Gavin De Becker & Associates’ Advanced Threat Academy with Gabby Thompson, an Ontic Protective Intelligence Pioneer.

With 15 million books in print, Brad Thor has to be doing something right. His Scot Harvath series has evolved to encompass 22 thrillers — each with a mind-bending plot that can be read as a stand-alone novel or for those avid fans who have followed along from the very beginning in The Days of Lucerne. He returns to the podcast to speak with Fred about his latest thriller - Rising Tiger. They cover everything from the research that went into understanding threats in the Eastern hemisphere to how he is able to adapt his main character to new environments as time goes on. He is an author who is truly committed to working for his readers and knows the art of blending real-world events into his stories that have the ability to stay relevant decades from now. BRAD THOR is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two thrillers, including Black Ice, Near Dark, Backlash, Spymaster, The Last Patriot, and Blowback. He has appeared on every major news channel to share the parallels between his novels around terrorism and international espionage, and the real threats facing the world today. Visit his website at BradThor.com and follow him on Facebook at Facebook.com/BradThorOfficial and on Twitter @BradThor.

The feeling of uncertainty is no stranger to corporate security teams around the world. From the pandemic, to civil unrest, to the war in Ukraine, teams have learned the hard way how these global events can suspend business and cause employees to take on a general feeling of doubt about what to do next. How can companies look over the horizon and anticipate these risks? Lewis Sage-Passant does a deep dive on this topic both in his research and his day-to-day work as the Global Strategic Intelligence Manager at Salesforce. In this episode, he speaks with Fred about how teams can shift their perception from a cost center to a partner who can speak the language of the business and deliver strategic information to serve the revenue-driving parts of the business. He also shares his research into the history of private-sector intelligence - its expansion after 9/11, the controversial territory of activist and environmental threats, and the ethics of intelligence. Lewis is a Doctoral Researcher at the UK’s Loughborough University focusing on the history, structure, capabilities, and ethics of intelligence in the private sector. Lewis currently works for leading U.S. technology company Salesforce as their Global Strategic Intelligence manager. Lewis is also the founder and co-editor of EncyclopediaGeopolitica.com, and works with multiple cross-industry intelligence-sharing groups including the Association of International Risk Intelligence Professionals and the EMEA Analyst Roundtable. Prior, Lewis worked in intelligence, security and crisis management in Hong Kong and the Middle East in the investment banking and oil and gas industries.

When we see headlines of worst-case scenarios — mass shootings — it’s easy to lean on poor mental health support or assume someone woke up one day and ‘just snapped.’ But as Mark Follman, National Affairs Editor for Mother Jones, shares in his conversation with Fred, there is always planning involved. Mark reveals key insights from his book, Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America, published in April of 2022. It incorporates over eight years of research — diving into missed signals, costly threats that were mitigated, as well as uncovering the dangers of noise and false messaging in the media along the way. He highlights a path forward — one that involves adopting the techniques of behavioral threat assessment and a mentality that everyone has a hand in reporting something that doesn’t feel quite right. Mark Follman is a longtime journalist and the National Affairs Editor for Mother Jones. Since 2012, when he created a first-of-its-kind public database of mass shootings, his various investigations into gun violence have been honored with numerous awards. His writing and commentary have been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and on National Public Radio, among other media. He resides in the Bay Area with his wife and two children.

Mónica Duperon Rodriguez didn’t start out in law enforcement or security. Instead, she was working as a facilities manager at a recreation center when she was recruited into a local police department that was looking to hire more women. Starting as a reserve officer, to see if she liked working in law enforcement in the first place, she discovered she had a talent and ambition for law enforcement and protection. She progressed through the ranks in law enforcement, including securing a place on the hostage negotiator team by emphasizing that she was bilingual in Spanish and English, and eventually was recruited into executive protection, now a senior manager with LinkedIn. In her conversation with Dr. Marisa Randazzo, she shares stories from her time as a hostage negotiator and her approach to executive protection, where she emphasizes that knowing when to blend in can provide a critical tactical advantage. She ends with impactful advice for women and girls looking to start careers in law enforcement or executive protection. Mónica is a security leader with over 30 years of experience in corporate security, protective services, private investigations, and law enforcement. She is an expert in the development and execution of security plans and operations designed to minimize exposure to liability; while protecting valuable human capital, equipment, resources, and facilities in civil and government agencies; in national and international forums. Monica has a diverse background in law enforcement, having worked on the Human Trafficking Task Force, Gang Task Force, and DEA Task Force, as well as serving as an Undercover Narcotics Detective, Field Training Officer, and SWAT Hostage Negotiator. She currently works as the Senior Manager of Global Security and Risk Management at LinkedIn.

The field of private sector intelligence can often be misinterpreted on the surface level as espionage, guards and gates. Its road to professionalization has been a long one and is still evolving, but thanks to Dr. Maria Robson Morrow’s research we’re able to understand its role in security risk mitigation and how it helps facilitate business decision-making. In this episode Fred discusses Robson Morrow’s latest research in this space, as well as pathways to entry, the impact of cooperation, and camaraderie in mitigating security risks. The author also shares what surprised her most in her research and what she plans on digging into next. Dr. Maria Robson Morrow is the Intelligence Project Program Coordinator at the Harvard Belfer Center. She spent four years as a global security intelligence analyst at Nexen Energy in Canada and worked as an independent security intelligence consultant before returning to academia to study public-private intelligence cooperation. She earned a PhD in Political Science in 2021 from Northeastern University and holds a Master’s in Military and Strategic Studies from the University of Calgary and a BA in International Relations, Economics, and History from the University of Toronto. Maria's research has been published in Intelligence and National Security, Harvard Business Review, and the Journal of Intelligence History. She teaches a Research Seminar in the Intelligence Analysis graduate program at Johns Hopkins University.

When you have experiences ranging from an Army Apache helicopter pilot to a member of the Dallas SWAT team, it can be challenging to take these moments and put them into words - let alone a renowned thriller series. Don Bentley does just that and more — his audience is hungry for his latest book in the Matt Drake series — Hostile Intent, released May 3rd, 2022. In this episode, Fred and Don discuss the striking coincidence in the thriller’s plot to what is occurring in present-day Ukraine. He also shares insight into how he shapes the Matt Drake character and closes the discussion with a fresh perspective on breaking into the writing space for aspiring authors. Don Bentley is the New York Times bestselling author of Tom Clancy Target Acquired and the Matt Drake series (which includes Without Sanction & The Outside Man). Don is a former FBI Special Agent, SWAT Team member, and Army Apache helicopter pilot. During his time as a pilot, he was deployed to Afghanistan as a Troop Commander in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI, and was later awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Air Medal with “V” device for valor.

This podcast is the first in our monthly series — Women Who Protect, where we will spotlight women working in a wide range of positions within security, protection, and law enforcement. Envisioning a perfect line that depicts the career progression of an analyst to a Chief Security Officer is a story most people wouldn’t pause their day to hear. It’s the stories that move from one scene to another, carrying knowledge and skills from the past and moving into something new and exciting. This kind of feeling is what drives Kate Bright’s work. Bright, CEO & Founder at UMBRA International Group, is a Chartered Security Professional and has worked in and with private security for 20 years. She is committed to the idea of finding your passion, or purpose, and letting it guide you. In her role, she helps people transition from roles in professional sports and the military. She speaks with host Marisa Randazzo on the protector protectee match and knowing your protector as a true person, not just someone who tells you want you can and cannot do. She then set up the award-winning, security-focused recruitment and concierge firm UMBRA International Group. She was shortlisted as Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year in the Citywealth awards in 2019, was asked to give a TEDx talk in 2018 on the topic of ‘Invisible Security’ and was awarded ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Security Industry’ by the Security Institute in 2021.

A car that won’t start on the side of the road in rural Mexico. A stolen passport in Buenos Aires. Civil unrest on the streets of Johanesburg. Natural disasters. When it comes to the unexpected challenges that happen when traveling abroad, Global Rescue - a crisis management and global advisory firm for consumers and corporate clients - has seen these scenarios and many more. Harding Bush, head of Global Rescue’s security operations, speaks with Fred about some of the most memorable projects he’s been assigned to, common misunderstandings about using travel protection and some of the biggest mistakes travelers and protection teams make when managing operations abroad. Harding is an expert in procedures for high-risk travel, cultural awareness, crisis preparedness, leadership and operational planning. He spent more than 20 years as a US Navy SEAL during which he held responsibilities including Platoon Leading Senior Chief for SEAL Team Eight and Command Senior Chief of the Navy’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Course. After leaving the armed forces, Mr. Bush held international security leadership positions for the Jannah Hunt Oil Company working closely with senior executives on security conditions at three oil production facilities in Yemen. He has developed multiple training programs for ski mountaineering and cold weather survival.

Breaking into the thriller space as an emerging writer is like swimming against the current in a storm. Authors like Jack Carr and Brad Thor may make it look like a smooth process, but beneath the surface there’s layers of research and endless edits. Eric Bishop knows this story all too well, and in this episode he speaks with Fred about his seven year journey to launch his debut novel, The Body Man. Security professionals are rarely without the latest thriller in hand, and after you hear this episode you’ll want to add it to your list. Eric uncovers a role that falls outside the more traditional protective detail for the President. The Body Man is a political thriller that will leave you thinking — what secrets lie behind the walls of the oval office? Eric Bishop launched his career as an author after many years in corporate America. The Body Man was published on November 11, 2021, by Force Poseidon.