Shawn is the founder of 1st Responder Conferences and a retired deputy from the King County Sheriff’s Office in Seattle, WA. Shawn retired in 2022 after 25 years of service as a Wellness and Resiliency Detective and a therapy K9 handler.  During her career, Shawn worked patrol, as an undercover detective, a detective in the warrant unit, transit patrol and as an explosive K9 handler. She was also on the peer support team for 16 years and was a team leader for several years At their...

On April 10, 2012, United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne was critically injured on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan by an IED (improvised explosive device) while on patrol, losing portions of both legs and both arms. He is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. Travis describes himself as a recalibrated warrior and he’s also a motivational speaker, actor, author and an advocate for veterans and...

Travis Gribble is a 24-year law enforcement veteran and founder of My Arena. Travis spent 11 years at a Sheriff’s Office in Michigan before lateralling to a large agency in Arizona where he worked as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, and as a SWAT assistant team leader and SWAT sergeant.  In 2016, Travis experienced a call that would change his life forever. He shares the story of that call with us today. In 2021, Travis sought and was awarded a Post-Traumatic Stress Injury medical...

Did you know that 15% of men say they have no close friends? None. 53% of women say they feel lonely at work. 17% of the general population say they routinely experience deep loneliness. What’s scary is loneliness is linked to our longevity and health. Going through life lonely is the equivalent of smoking nearly a pack a day.  Now, that’s not specific to first responders. Add in rotating shifts, working weekends, the hypervigilance roller coaster, and our physiological reactions to job...

Sabrina Reich is a 19-year police leader of a large university police department in California. She’s also a wife, and mom of two, focused on sharing leadership tips and lessons learned for a better life. Sabrina is building a movement of courageous leaders through enabling strong trust and partnerships because communities deserve to be safe. In this episode, Sabrina shares her journey towards becoming anti-fragile by facing fear head on in her own personal development. It began when she was...

On October 1, 2017, Sergeant Josh Bitsko found himself on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, about to confront the deadliest killer in U.S. history. Through a weird combination of fate and initiative, Josh found himself leading the assault team of only four officers against a heavily fortified and well-organized murderer. Only six weeks later, a suspect held a gun to his head during a fight. Soon after that, his wife told him she wanted a divorce, his brother committed suicide and he...

Zac Miller served a combined eight years as a firefighter/EMT, 911 dispatcher and a police officer. Zac is currently the Director of ManPower at UNcivilized Inc, a Certified UNcivilized Coach, and a Breathwork Facilitator. Zac is also a husband, and a dad to four kids. Since leaving public service, Zac completed a certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies – from the Trauma Research Foundation, founded by Bessel van der Kolk – and is dedicated to mentoring others on their path of Post Traumatic...

Oftentimes, it’s the minor things that can set us off and send us spiraling out of control, handing over our sovereignty to anxiety and anger. Getting cut off in traffic, waiting in long lines… A bad haircut can be one of those things.  In this episode I share the story of how a hair stylist (that’s being generous) took to my head as if storming the beaches of Normandy, and how it gave me the opportunity to practice the BADGES model of self-awareness to keep me calm, centered, and here...

In this episode, I share the story of how I realized something was really wrong with me and how the job was changing me in all the wrong ways. Plus, I share details on our men’s retreat for current, former, and retired first responders and military veterans.  Join us in the mountains outside Denver, Colorado November 9 – 12th for a special four days men’s retreat for first responders and veterans. Any current, former, or retired cop, firefighter, dispatcher, or custody professional can join...

Dave Boyd is the President of UNcivilized Inc, a men’s coach, a workshop facilitator, a husband, a father, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, an ex-MMA fighter, a CrossFit coach, and a former first responder who served as a firefighter, a 911 telecommunicator, and lastly as a local law enforcement officer with nearly 20 years of combined service. In this episode, we cover a wide variety of topics and you’ll learn: The crazy call that eventually caused him to hang up the gun...

In this short episode I share the story of my chance to meet Eddie Van Halen…and how I screwed it up. But that screw up led to one of my favorite conversations ever – with a Rock God no less. If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies to help you succeed in the week ahead. It may be about a book I want to share, gear I’ve found useful, an inspiring quote, or anything else I...

I recently passed the 18th anniversary of the day I entered the academy. The occasion provoked some introspection and on this episode I share 18 lessons I’ve learned throughout my career to this point – lessons often learned the hard way. It’s certainly not a comprehensive list but I incuded things that I think can help someone avoid some of the common mistakes I’ve made, and I’ve seen made by others. I’d love to hear what lessons you have for others, or things you’ve learned. Drop me a DM...

Matthew Thomas is currently the Chief Deputy of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona. Matthew works for one of the most famous sheriffs in the county, Mark Lamb. Matthew has a long career in undercover work and fighting the ever-encroaching influence and the Mexican drug cartels. Matthew is also the author of the book Interceptors: The Untold Fight Against the Mexican Cartels. In this episode, we cover a wide variety of topics and get his advice on how to:  Build a successful...

Dr. Rick Hanson is a renowned psychologist, New York Times best-selling author, and meditation teacher known for his expertise in the field of neuroscience and positive psychology. With a deep understanding of the brain and its capacity for change, he has dedicated his career to helping individuals cultivate happiness, resilience, and well-being. Dr. Hanson has authored several influential books, including his newest book “Making Great Relationships: Simple Practices for Solving Conflicts,...

SWAT Officer Brandon Griffith was in the best shape of his life at 26 years old when he collapsed dead in his living room from a sudden cardiac arrest.  His wife started CPR while calling 911 and he was eventually shocked back to life with a defibrillator.  In this episode you will learn:  * Brandon’s description of what it was like to be shocked with an AED (he remembers the whole thing!). * How he fought to come back to work, even with a defibrillator implanted in his...

Micromanagers usually lack trust in their coworkers so they feel they need to obsessively watch over them. What’s missing, is that the micromanagers also lack trust in themselves, and all that behavior is an outward expression of an inner turmoil.  In this episode, I share some quick insights into how you can avoid becoming the dreaded micromanager no one wants to work with.  Sign up for Tactical Tuesdays, a FREE weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and strategies...

Ryan Allen, a successful K9 handler for his department, didn’t think much about the bee sting he got on the way home from the gym. What happened next turned this small thing into a nightmare of panic, grief, guilt and difficult decisions.  Six months later, Ryan’s wife Whitney buried her young husband and was left to figure out how to parent two young boys by herself.  In the aftermath of Ryan’s death, Whitney pursued her own healing and eventually decided to become a grief...

Have you just gotten promoted or looking to promote soon? This episode might save you a lot of heartache. 10 years ago this week I was promoted to sergeant. And then, just about a year ago I was promoted to lieutenant. In that time I’ve had some wins…and a whole lot of losses. I’ve also read a ton on leadership and been able to try out a lot of those academic theories in the real world. Then, I went back to academia and got my Master’s in Public Administration with an emphasis in...

In 2021 I was out on medical leave due to a back injury that had been misdiagnosed for years. What saved me from a potential career-ending surgery was a renewed practice of yoga.  Despite its long tradition in warrior communities, there are a lot of misconceptions and objections to yoga in the first responder communities that seem largely driven by the idea that it’s too feminine for such a male-dominated career. Can yoga make you a better cop? Absolutely, and it’s something you...

Jason Piccolo is a newly retired federal agent and the host of The Protectors Podcast. Jason has nearly 30 years in service to his country as an agent, a U.S. Army infantry captain and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jason is a frequent guest on Fox News and Court TV and he’s the author of Unwavering: A Border Agent’s Journey. On this episode, we talk about his pending retirement, finding purpose in the later parts of your career and transitions that we go through in various parts...

As a leader, the conversations you have with the people around you will make or break your career.  Having the wrong conversations with the wrong people is the fastest way to lose the trust of your coworkers.  Conversely, having these 4 types of conversations with the people around you is the fastest way to building trust, creating an environment for growth, and establishing yourself as someone others are willing to follow.  In this episode, I share four types of...

In 2022, a popular book came out that describes how the average human only has 4000 weeks in their entire lifetime. That’s it. Just 4000. For everything from birth, to your first day of school, to your first kiss, and on and on and on until death – only 4000 weeks.  So how are you going to spend those 4000 weeks?  In this episode, I give you some ideas that challenge the beliefs that we have to stay connected to work 24/7 – and that we’re actually paying our agency’s for the...

Kyle Stubbs is a husband, father of two, and full time police officer with the RCMP. Prior to policing, Kyle worked as a primary care paramedic and also served with a volunteer fire department. Kyle is a certified holistic lifestyle coach, breathwork facilitator, and mindset coach. His mission is to transform first responder health and wellness from the current fear based and reactive approach, to one that is both empowered and proactive through his “Nine8” program During the episode,...

Errol Doebler is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and retired FBI Special Agent who now runs Leader193. Errol graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1991, first serving in the fleet before joining Seal Teams.  In this episode, we talk about 5 elements you need to consider about how you are leading yourself if you want to lead other people.  They are:  * Cultivating self-awareness. * Self-evaluation strategies. * Goal setting. * Eliminating negative people. * Finding mentors in...