November 17-22, 2024
16th Annual NABITA Conference

Linda Abbott is a Consultant at TNG whose areas of expertise include behavioral intervention teams, college mental health, case management, and victim advocacy. Abbott has over 15 years’ experience in a variety of roles including administration and student support.

Most recently, Abbott served as Assistant Dean for Health and Wellness at Eckerd College where she had administrative oversight of counseling, case management, advocacy, and health services. Prior to her role as Assistant Dean, she served as Executive Director of Outreach, Counseling and Health Services and Director of Outreach Services, where she chaired the Intervention Team. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Florida, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Mississippi, and has treated individuals and couples in private practice.

Prior to her tenure at Eckerd College, Abbott served as the inaugural Violence Prevention Coordinator at the University of Mississippi where she developed and implemented the university’s first violence prevention program and launched a campus-wide violence prevention initiative. Abbott holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Mississippi and a M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Aaron Austin (he/him/his) is a father, husband, and educator who has had the opportunity to serve students at multiple colleges and universities.  He has experience with a variety of Student Affairs areas, and throughout his career has presented to numerous students, employees, families, and community partners on topics ranging from policy implementation to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Most recently, Aaron served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.  During his time in this role, he had a supervisory portfolio that included the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Housing & Residence Life, Student Conduct & Community Standards, Student Involvement, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Campus Activities, Campus Recreation, and Student Government.  Aaron was a vital member of the WSU CARE Team (Case Management & Behavior Intervention), Title IX Committee, and the Bias Incident Response Group.   

Aaron is interested in the intersection of race and identity in relationship to Behavior Intervention/Threat Assessment and looks for opportunities to engage in these conversations to ensure practitioners are aware of the biases they bring to the work.  Further, Aaron has spent the last few years as a Student Affairs administrator which allows him to see issues from that perspective. A native Kansan, Aaron earned his Bachelor of Music Education and minor in American Ethnic Studies from Kansas State University; his M.Ed. from Arizona State University – Tempe; and his Ed.D. from Texas Tech University.

Tim Cason is the Vice President of NABITA and a Senior Consultant with TNG. He is a passionate professional who has worked in higher education at multiple institutions nationwide, serving high school, college, and adult education populations. He is well-versed in engaging key stakeholders, including executives, faculty, staff, and students, regarding student conduct, behavioral intervention and case management work, Title IX, and other civil rights laws. Cason is committed to proactively cultivating an environment of trust and productivity through actively listening, collaboration, and thinking practically.

Cason is an exceptional presenter who utilizes effective active learning and teaching strategies to deeply and consistently impact his audience. He is experienced in synthesizing information, applying research from promising practices, and pulling from practical experience to meet the situation’s unique needs.

Most recently, Cason served as the Director of Student Conduct & Prevention Education and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Trinity River Campus (7,000+ students) of Tarrant County College, a community college located in Fort Worth, Texas. In this role, he oversaw the student conduct process, served as the co-chair and case manager for the CARE Team, facilitated a student emergency assistance fund, and served as the Deputy Title IX Coordinator. Additionally, Cason fulfilled these roles for the Connect (e-learning) Campus (12,000+ students).

He also previously served in the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at Wichita State University, where he investigated and resolved alleged policy and Title IX violations and provided case management support to the behavioral intervention team. Additionally, Cason previously served in the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity at the University of South Carolina.

He holds a B.S. in communication studies from Texas Christian University and an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina.

Ms. Collins joined the firm in July 2024 as an Of Counsel attorney in the Austin office. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Collins proudly served as in-house counsel for 14 years, first with Eanes Independent School District and then Lake Travis Independent School District.

As a school attorney, Ms. Collins handles issues particular to public school districts, including Board and governance matters, student matters, open government issues, elections, and TEA and Office of Civil Rights complaints. She also has experience with employment and civil rights matters, including Texas Education Code Chapter 21 contracts, non-renewals and terminations.

Ms. Collins has a specialty in the area of school safety, including student and staff safety matters, legal compliance requirements, policy and regulation development, establishment and daily operations of school district police departments and contract law enforcement, and behavioral threat assessment and interventions. As in-house counsel, Ms. Collins provided regular and ongoing safety training and consultation to all levels of staff and administration. Ms. Collins has served as a member of a District Safety and Security Committee, as well as a member of a District Behavioral Intervention Team (threat assessment), experiencing firsthand the successes with proactive interventions for students, but also the challenges with storing and sharing information, evaluating student risk, and establishing ongoing supports and safety plans. Ms. Collins is a frequent speaker in this area of the law, having provided school safety training for the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and local law enforcement agencies.

Before serving as in-house counsel, Ms. Collins was a Senior Attorney and Legislative Counsel for the Texas Association of School Board (TASB), providing legal advice, training, and policy services to Texas School Districts. Ms. Collins began her legal career as an associate with Strasburger & Price in Dallas.

Ms. Collins received her Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from the College of William and Mary in Virginia, and her Juris Doctor from the Duke University School of Law in North Carolina.  While at Duke University, Ms. Collins was a founding member of the Children’s Education Law Clinic, a community law office that provides free legal advice, advocacy, and legal representation to low-income children primarily in the areas of special education and school discipline.

Dr. Chris Fiorello is the Director of Wellness and Health Promotions at Seattle University, where his team is responsible for comprehensive wellness education, peer health education programs, and food security initiatives. He serves on the steering committee for the Washington State College Coalition on Substance misuse, Advocacy, and Prevention (CCSAP) and coordinates the Jesuit Wellness Network, an affiliation of wellness professionals at Jesuit universities. He is a speaker, author, and consultant on gender, masculinities, student wellness, and behavioral intervention. Outside work, Chris is the father of three amazing children and loves sharing his passion for board games with friends and family. Chris holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in computer animation from Savannah College of Art and Design, a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Florida State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Development from George Mason University.

Mark Follman is a nationally acclaimed investigative journalist and the author of the highly regarded book, “Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America.” His groundbreaking work includes creating an online database of mass shootings in 2012 and conducting in-depth investigations into gun violence and its societal repercussions, earning him numerous awards. Mark has been featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” PBS NewsHour, and in publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Mother Jones—where he serves as a correspondent and editor. He frequently speaks at threat assessment trainings and violence prevention conferences, often focusing on educational safety. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife and two children.

Lonestar fugitive task force before promoting to detective. He promoted to Sergeant in 2009 and took
on leadership roles in the financial crimes unit, at the training academy and in the internal affairs unit.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2015 and returned to patrol as a downtown area command supervisor. Matt was then assigned as the director of the Austin Regional Intelligence Center (ARIC), one of 80
Department of Homeland Security Fusion Centers, where he remained until his retirement in 2019. While at the ARIC, he and his team, along with the FBI and DHS, became involved in school safety
as a result of the Parkland HS and Santa Fe shootings, by providing training to agencies throughout the region. Matt also served on the executive board of the National Fusion Center Association.
After retirement, Matt served as the Safety & Risk Management Director at Eanes ISD before transitioning into the role of the district’s first Chief of Police in March 2024. He now oversees 10 officers who serve 10 campuses with a student population of 7,800 and 1,100 faculty and staff. Chief Greer started the district’s
Behavioral Intervention Team in 2019 and continues to chair the team. He has presented the district’s behavioral intervention process at the Texas School Safety Center conference, to the FBI’s regional
threat assessment group, and to many groups of school district administrators and law enforcement officials. Chief Greer is a registered behavioral threat assessment consultant through the Texas School Safety Center and a member of the NABITA K-12 Council.

Alisha Carter Harris is a Senior Consultant with TNG and has extensive experience in civil rights/equal opportunity compliance and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives. Her experience is based primarily in higher education but Carter Harris is also well-versed in the financial services industry.

Prior to her arrival at TNG, Carter Harris served as an Employee Relations Partner at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. where she investigated employment-related complaints made by employees of all levels across the firm. She has also served as Associate Director of Equal Opportunity/Deputy Title IX Coordinator at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, Texas. As Associate Director, Carter Harris assisted with the administration of the nondiscrimination program for UNT, most notably by conducting workplace and education investigations of alleged discrimination and harassment. As Deputy Title IX Coordinator, she assisted with Title IX compliance through policy development, oversight of student investigations, training, and advising faculty, staff, and administrators on matters related to sexual misconduct. Carter Harris has held similar administrative positions at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania.

Carter Harris holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.S. in Legal Studies from the California University of Pennsylvania. She also holds a certificate in alternative dispute resolution from the University of North Texas.

Dr. Jennifer Howes (she/her) is the Chief Mental Health Director for the Division of Student Well-Being at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Howes oversees the range of programs and clinics that provide care to the JHU student and trainee communities across the University. Her current focus is the integration of Mental Health Services under one organization to provide equitable, accessible, and quality mental healthcare. This multi-faceted project includes the development of a reimagined leadership structure across the organization, establishing a unified philosophy of care and critical infrastructure to support the breadth of services MHS provide, and expanding the professional development available to staff.

Prior to joining JHU, she served as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Wellness at the California Institute of Technology. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with experience working in a range of clinical settings, including the Los Angeles County jail system, community mental health, private practice, and higher education. Her clinical interests include suicide prevention, developing systems of care based in equity and inclusion, and innovative approaches to mental health intervention through interdisciplinary practice. Jennifer earned her BA from UCLA and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at AIU.

Dr. Howes has presented on co-response teams in the higher education space at national conferences including NASPA, IACLEA, AUCCCD, HECMA, and has been an invited speaker and consultant to numerous campuses in various stages of co-responder team development. In November 2022, Dr. Howes hosted the first Co-Responder Symposium at Johns Hopkins University for over 55 higher education institutions, and is actively working to establish a university-based co-responder alliance to provide support to campuses across the US.

Greg Lambeth served as the Executive Director of Counseling and Mental Health Center at the University of Idaho from 2016-2024 where he also holds the academic rank of professor and is a tenured faculty member.  Dr. Lambeth completed his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 1994 and was employed at the University of Illinois Counseling Center for 22 years before moving to the University of Idaho. Dr. Lambeth is a clinical psychologist by training and he has specialized in violence risk assessment and threat assessment.

Dr. Lambeth’s professional work in threat assessment began at the University of Illinois where he served on three campus-wide behavioral intervention and threat assessment teams. Dr. Lambeth was the consulting psychologist on all three of these teams and conducted violence risk assessments for the institution. Dr. Lambeth has also served as the consulting psychologist on the University of Idaho’s CARE (Campus Assessment, Response and Evaluation) and Threat Assessment teams since 2016.  Dr. Lambeth works as a consultant and he has given presentations on violence risk assessment and threat assessment at conferences and provided workshops to threat assessment teams and university health care clinics. He has presented on a number of campuses, including Montana State University, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and he has also conducted pre-conference workshops on threat assessment multiple times at the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors conference.

W. Scott Lewis, J.D. is a Managing Partner with TNG, LLC. (“TNG”), a national multidisciplinary risk management consulting and law firm with more than 5,000 education-sector clients, 35 executive and support employees, and a roster of 25 attorneys and consultants who are at the forefront of the field in their areas of expertise. He is a co-founder and advisory board member of the Association of Title IX Administrators (“ATIXA”) the leading industry association for Title IX compliance, with over 10,000 active school and college members. In 2009, Lewis co-founded NABITA, an organization of 5,000 members dedicated to school and campus violence prevention, intervention, and mental health resources. and was president of ASCA.

Lewis has worked with the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women and the Department of Education’s Offices of Civil Rights as a trainer and consultant, training staff and investigators. He was a consultant to the Office of the Vice President and the White House Task Force on issues of Sexual Misconduct, as well as a core member of the United States Olympic Committee’s Task Force that proposed and created the United States Center for SafeSport, both of which he consults with and trains. He also consults with and trains numerous sports organizations and governing bodies at all levels from High Schools to Olympic Level athletes, trainers, coaches, and staff, including working with the NCAA and NJCAA.

He works regularly with clients in the areas of harassment, discrimination, disability, and retaliation, as well as prevention and response to dangerous and disruptive behaviors. He has trained thousands of administrators and law enforcement officers to properly investigate matters of sexual harassment and other types of civil rights harassment and discrimination, as well as presented prevention education workshops in these areas and in threat assessment and harm prevention. He consults regularly on these issues as well, including assisting with oversight of these investigations. He gave a TED Talk® related to this subject for lay people – including employees and supervisors – on how to properly respond to victims of trauma.

He serves as a frequent keynote and plenary speaker at national and international conferences. He is nationally recognized for his work in the areas of: Student/Staff Conduct; Behavioral Intervention/Threat Assessment Teams for all ages of students in crisis and distress; Titles II, III, IV, VI, VII, IX, ADA, and other civil rights laws; and general risk management in education. He is noted as well for his work in the area of classroom management and dealing with dangerous and disruptive students (and parents) and co-authored a book on classroom management and The Book on BIT. He has been interviewed and/or featured by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Student Affairs Today, Inside Higher Education, ESPN, ESPN The Magazine, Time, Newsweek, NPR, NBC, CBS, ABC, USA Today, Today’s Campus, as well as other publications and sources.

Alicia Martinez Newell is a dedicated leader in higher education, serving as the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at Wichita State University. With over two decades of experience, she has cultivated a deep understanding of institutional and student needs, driven by a commitment to assessment to continually enhance the student experience.

In her current role, Ms. Newell oversees several key departments, including Assessment and Retention, Strengths and Staff Engagement, Student Accommodations and Testing, Marketing and Communications, Student Outreach and Support, Student Conduct and Community Standards, Parent Family Programs, and acts as a liaison to academic affairs. Her comprehensive approach to student success ensures that students receive holistic support throughout their academic journey.

Ms. Newell has extensive experience in Enrollment Services, Academic Advising, Student Success, Greek Life, and Multicultural Affairs. Serving students is her passion, and she continually strives to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all. A proud alumna of Wichita State University, Ms. Newell holds a bachelor's degree from WSU and a master's degree in college student personnel from Arkansas Tech University. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Psychology at Wichita State University, demonstrating her commitment to lifelong learning.

Ms. Newell is widely respected for her innovative program development, adept leadership in organizational change, and ability to foster collaboration across the institution to achieve divisional and institutional objectives. Her transformative leadership has had a direct impact on student success. She serves as the chair for the university CARE team and has broad experience in coordinating student crisis and intervention. Ms. Newell is particularly proud of creating a new department, Student Outreach and Support, focused on non-clinical case management to support student needs and enhance retention.

As a first-generation college student, woman of color, and single mother, she brings a unique perspective to her work, tirelessly advocating for the success of individuals in the communities she serves. Through her unwavering dedication, Ms. Newell continues to lead efforts that empower individuals to achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals, making a lasting impact in the communities where she lives and works.

Makenzie Schiemann is a Partner at TNG and the President of NABITA. Dr. Schiemann started her professional career as a teacher working in middle grades education before spending ten years in higher education overseeing the behavioral intervention team, case management program, and victim advocacy department at both a small private college and a large public university.

Dr. Schiemann served as the Director for Student Outreach and Support, the Director for the Center for Victim Advocacy, and the Chair of the Students of Concern Assistance Team for three years at the University of South Florida. In these roles, she developed comprehensive protocol manuals for both the case management program and the victim advocacy department which aligned with best practice standards and served as a model for other institutions in the development of their policies. In this role, she also developed and implemented a comprehensive violence prevention campaign. Prior to working at the University of South Florida, Makenzie served for six years as the Director of Outreach Services and Health Promotion at Eckerd College where she oversaw the case management program and chaired the Intervention Team.

Prior to working in higher education, Dr. Schiemann taught 8th grade in the Kentucky K-12 public education system. In this role, she also served on the school’s Crisis Response Committee, developing strategies for preventing and responding to crisis incidents including school-wide behavioral trends, acts of physical aggression, and active shooter scenarios.

Her areas of expertise include policy and program development for behavioral intervention teams, case management, and victim advocacy, strategies for chairing behavioral intervention teams, research and assessment, and strategic planning for comprehensive educational and awareness programming.

Ms. Schuster is a recognized expert in preventive and civil rights law for education, notably in the fields of harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct and violence, ADA and disability issues and the First Amendment. 

Ms. Schuster has extensive experience and expertise in, and routinely advises clients on, the First Amendment and campus access issues; risk management and liability; behavior intervention and threat assessment; student discipline and campus conduct; intellectual property and employment issues. Ms. Schuster provides assistance nationally to both public and private educational schools and colleges in policy development, faculty handbooks and employee manuals, and training for state and federal compliance. She has provided extensive consultation to and training for the U.S. Justice Department, Office of Violence Against Women, the White House Task Force on Sexual Assault and the Futures Without Violence organization. She also provides litigation consultation, expert witness support, and conducts civil rights-based investigation for educational institutions. She provided contraceptive support and rape crisis counseling and served on the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood of Butler County.

Prior to joining TNG in 2009, Ms. Schuster’s higher education legal experience included serving as the General Counsel for Sinclair Community College; as Senior Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio, representing 53 public colleges and universities; and as the Associate General Counsel for the University of Toledo.  

In addition to her legal work in higher education, Ms. Schuster has over twenty-five years of experience in college administration and teaching, including serving as the Associate Dean of Students at The Ohio State University, Director of the Office of Learning Assistance at Miami University and as Assistant Dean at Western College. She also served as a faculty member at The Ohio State University, Miami University, and Columbus State Community College.

Scott Strader, PhD (he/him) has been Director of the Counseling Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa since 2017, and has been a counseling center director for 19 years.  Scott has worked in a variety of settings, including a small private college, a large, urban, public university, community-based care, a family service agency, independent practice, and consulting.  Scott chaired the planning committee for the 2016 Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD) Conference in Tampa, and served on AUCCCD’s Elements of Excellence Committee from 2016-2022, his last two years as co-chair.  He is a site reviewer for the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS), and currently serves on the AUCCCD Board of Directors.  Scott is a frequent and engaging presenter at national conferences, on issues ranging from using data to advocate for change, future directions in college mental health, diversity and inclusion initiatives, ethical decision making, and financial management.  His interests include leadership development, outcome measurements in psychotherapy, and working with LBGTQIA+ and other marginalized students.

Detective Sydnee Zienta (she/her) has been a dedicated Officer with the Michigan State University Police Department since 2017, and her commitment to the role has deepened as she has specialized in Threat Assessment for the past 3.5 years. She joined MSUPD with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University and Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification. In her current position as a member of the Care and Intervention Team, Detective Zienta plays a critical role in identifying, preventing, assessing, intervening, and reducing potential threats to the campus community. Her work involves a multifaceted approach, leveraging her extensive training in various Threat Assessment and interviewing techniques to address and mitigate risks effectively.

Detective Zienta's expertise extends beyond conventional law enforcement practices; she is well-versed in Mental Health First Aid and other relevant methods, such as Special Victims practices, that complement her threat assessment skills. This additional training equips her to handle complex situations involving mental health crises with sensitivity and professionalism. Her dedication to her role is further reflected in her specialization as a Hostage Negotiator and a Crisis Intervention Team Member. These roles require advanced skills in negotiation and crisis management, underscoring her ability to navigate high-stress situations with a calm and strategic approach.

In her time with the department, Detective Zienta has consistently demonstrated a proactive stance in safeguarding the campus environment, working collaboratively with various teams and stakeholders to foster a safer community. Her comprehensive skill set and specialized training make her a vital asset to the Michigan State University Police Department, contributing significantly to the overall safety and well-being of the university community.