Chief Operations Officer

Nick Spencer

Whether it be in the boardroom, on a battlefield, or within his community, Nick Spencer isn’t just the Chief Operations Officer at Strategos International; he’s a seasoned leader whose career arc is a testament to resilience, skill, and the ability to adapt in rapidly changing environments. From the unforgiving terrains of Bosnia and Iraq, where he served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, to the unpredictable streets as a patrol officer and tactical team leader in Missouri, Nick’s journey is an inspiring blend of courage and ingenuity. At Strategos, his rapid rise through the ranks—from Project Manager to Vice President of Operations to his current position as C.O.O.—underscores his relentless pursuit of operational excellence and an uncanny knack for building high-performance teams.

Off the clock, Nick switches gears but not intensity. Whether it’s embarking on family adventures with his wife, Nikki, and their two spirited children or fulfilling dreams as wish granters for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Nick approaches life with the same zest and commitment that has characterized his professional journey.

Chief Financial Officer

Elton Norman

VP of Business Development

Myron Ashley

Myron emerges as a distinguished executive and accomplished pilot, weaving a narrative of leadership, innovation, and unwavering devotion to family. His expertise spans business management and aviation, seamlessly blending professional prowess with personal dedication.

In his current capacity as the VP of Business Development at Strategos International, Myron assumes a pivotal role in sculpting the company’s growth trajectory. Harnessing his extensive experience, he identifies nascent opportunities, nurtures strategic alliances, and spearheads forays into untapped markets.

The narrative of Myron’s extraordinary career, punctuated by his aviation prowess and familial commitments, presents a holistic persona. His proficiency in leadership, propensity for innovation, and capacity to inspire serve as a testament to his unwavering commitment to both professional excellence and deeply cherished personal values.

Director of Protective Services | Special Projects

Chris Farrell

Chris Farrell is currently the Director of Protective Services | Special Projects for our organization. Working primarily within the security and protection verticals, he consults with clients and recommends protective security solutions. He is a Marine Corps veteran that has served honorably and faithfully and led Marines in combat operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, is a Certified Protection Officer and has been recognized as a Situation Awareness Specialist.

Director of Training

Gabe Coale

Gabe Coale is the Director of Training for Strategos International. Gabe is from Southwest Missouri and a graduate of Missouri Southern State University. Gabe came to Strategos after 20+ years in Law Enforcement, spending the last 16 years with the Independence (MO) Police Department. During his tenure at IPD, Gabe spent over a decade on the SWAT team, served as the Sniper Team Leader, and a lead Instructor for the Department in Firearms and Tactics. Gabe finished out his law enforcement career with IPD in the Criminal Investigations Unit where he was assigned to the Gun Squad as a Federal Task Force Officer.

Director of Global Security Consulting

Kerry Sheehan

Whether navigating the chaos of presidential advances in high-risk foreign locations or directing a security overhaul for a Fortune 500 client, Kerry Sheehan doesn’t just lead Strategos International’s Global Security Consulting division—he embodies it.With more than 26 years of operational experience in the highest-risk environments on earth, Kerry’s career spans the frontlines of U.S. Secret Service protection and the evolving demands of private-sector threat mitigation. As a former member of the Presidential Protective Division, Protective Detail Leader for the Secretary of Homeland Security, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Kansas City Field Office, his footprint includes security operations in 32 foreign nations, hundreds of domestic deployments, and a front-row seat to the most complex risk scenarios of our time.

Today, as Director of Global Security Consulting, Kerry leads a multi-disciplinary team of former Secret Service, FBI, and law enforcement professionals, guiding strategic assessments and policy overhauls across K-12 campuses, hospitals, government institutions, and corporate portfolios.

At the strategic level, Kerry’s focus remains unwavering. He champions attorney-client privileged reporting to safeguard organizational liability, tailors emergency response and workplace violence plans to each client’s unique operational landscape, and leads comprehensive security initiatives across sectors. His work isn’t just about identifying vulnerabilities; it’s about elevating how organizations understand, mitigate, and communicate risk in a world of evolving threats.

Office Manager

Janet Lowe

Janet Lowe is the Office Manager at Strategos International, where she specializes in supporting C-level executives. With a Master’s degree in Education, Janet was a special education teacher prior to joining the Strategos team. She excels in office management, multitasking, and communications, effectively juggling complex calendars, travel coordination, and report preparation.

Highly skilled in Microsoft Office Suite and database management, Janet’s commitment to excellence and ability to anticipate executive needs make her an invaluable asset to Strategos. Outside of work she is actively involved in her community through service at Abundant Life Church in Blue Springs, MO.

Director of IT and Cyber Security

David Adams

Whether resolving a critical system issue or shaping cybersecurity strategy, David leads with clarity, conviction, and care. As Director of IT and Cybersecurity at Strategos International, he ensures the technology behind the mission is as strong and secure as the people who carry it out. With decades of experience spanning technology, design, ministry, and frontline service, David’s career reflects a rare blend of technical expertise and purpose-driven leadership.

David’s professional journey has taken him from technical and sales roles at Fuji Film to launching and running his own creative firm, to serving as a counselor in homeless shelters. His diverse experience fuels his ability to bring insight, vision, and compassion to every initiative. At Strategos, he continues to fortify the organization’s cybersecurity infrastructure through strategic oversight, innovation, and hands-on leadership.

Outside the office, David is an ordained pastor who fills pulpits as needed and serves his church community. His commitment to Strategos’ mission is deeply personal. As a father to a teenager, he’s driven by the belief that every child deserves to feel safe—because the adults around them are trained, prepared, and ready.

Director of Marketing

Teresa Youngs

Teresa Youngs is the Director of Marketing at Strategos International where she drives brand visibility and client engagement across B2B markets. She leads integrated marketing strategies, spanning HubSpot CRM optimization, events, partnerships, organic search, social media and website development. Previously, Teresa served as Marketing Director at CargoQuotes, scaling recognition and lead generation, and as Marketing Manager at Reply, driving ABM programs, analyst relations, and demand campaigns for U.S. business units. Earlier positions within Sprint, Examinetics, and other organizations strengthened her expertise in messaging, events, process efficiencies, and enterprise-level project management. Passionate about aligning marketing to business outcomes, she’s known for building programs that convert across the buyer journey and creating complex projects on time and on budget.

Outside of work, Teresa enjoys time with her husband, daughter, and their family dog. She also dedicates time to giving back through volunteer work, supporting vulnerable animals and families in need.

Creative Director

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson is a dedicated and experienced professional who has spent over two and a half decades as a successful business owner. His entrepreneurial journey has not only provided him with valuable leadership skills but has also shaped his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence. As a former law enforcement reserve officer and medical first responder, he has demonstrated a deep sense of responsibility and a keen understanding of community service and public safety, which he now applies to his role in Church Security Solutions at Strategos. Tim leverages his business and public safety experience to help ensure the safety and well-being of congregations across the US. As Security Director at his home church, Tim takes on the important responsibility of preserving a secure environment for comfort and refuge, worship and learning, and sharing the Gospel.

Tim’s faith serves as a cornerstone in his life, guiding his actions, decisions, and interactions with others. Tim treasures his role as a loving father and grandfather, and celebrates over three decades of a happy and fulfilling marriage. His commitment to family values is mirrored in his dedication to the safety and well-being of the church community, as he strives to create an environment where all can worship in peace.

Deputy Director of Operations, CPP

Tim Kile

Timothy Kile is a board-certified security professional (ASIS CPP) with more than 30 years of experience in government, corporate, and private security. A former California law enforcement officer, he specializes in executive protection, physical security, risk management, and emergency response, with expertise ranging from school safety and high-risk terminations to disaster recovery and large-scale security program development. Over the course of his career, he has led complex protection operations, trained law enforcement and corporate teams, and provided consulting and executive protection for high-profile clients worldwide.

Director of Security Assessment and Emergency Planning

Matthew Mellody

Matthew Mellody serves as the Director of Security Assessment and Emergency Planning at Strategos International, where he leads the company’s efforts in physical security assessment, emergency planning, and protective strategy development. He oversees recruitment, training, project execution, client engagement, and software innovation initiatives designed to strengthen organizational resilience and preparedness.

With more than 19 years of combined experience in security, investigations, and emergency planning, Matthew has served in both the federal and private sectors, with a proven record in protection, threat mitigation, and crisis management. As a former U.S. Secret Service Special Agent, he planned and implemented protective operations and major event security for U.S. and foreign heads of state, and later conducted complex financial and cybercrime investigations, specializing in forensic financial analysis and cryptocurrency tracing.

Matthew holds advanced federal and state certifications, including DHS Criminal Investigator and Special Agent Training, Florida CPTED Practitioner, and Advanced Crypto Investigator credentials. He is a recognized subject-matter expert and author on security and emergency readiness, and wrote A Safe Church: How to Protect Your Ministry from Growing Threats, a leading resource on faith-based safety and preparedness.

Content Designer

Kyle Baker

Kyle Baker serves as Content Designer for Strategos International, a leading organization specializing in safety and security solutions. In this multifaceted role, Kyle is instrumental in upholding and enhancing the company’s brand identity. He wears multiple hats, from managing social media platforms to extending customer support and overseeing logistics. His expertise ensures a seamless and enriching experience for both clients and the community.

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Kyle has a deep-seated passion for playing and coaching high school basketball. He finds immense fulfillment in mentoring young men through coaching, helping them grow not only as athletes but also as responsible and ambitious individuals. This holistic approach to development mirrors his own versatile skill set and commitment to excellence, making him a valuable asset to both Strategos International and the community he serves.

Accounting Manager

Jennifer Akin

Jennifer works at Strategos as their Accounting Manager. Jennifer has also been involved in various accounting related projects to include traveling to Florida to work with the Florida Department of Emergency Management during the COVID-19 response.

Accounting Specialist

Jackie Lowe

Jackie Lowe joined Strategos International in 2024 as an Accounting Specialist, bringing a strong foundation in financial operations and a passion for service. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2022.

Jackie began her career in Accounts Payable at a behavioral health organization, where she gained valuable experience in managing financial processes with accuracy and integrity. In late 2024, she transitioned to Strategos International, drawn by the company’s mission to “Protect Your People.”

A Kansas City native, Jackie was inspired by her father’s service in law enforcement and values the opportunity to contribute to a team dedicated to safety and community protection.

Human Resources

Jesus Herrera

SPS Program Manager

Ken Jarnigan

Ken serves as the Program Manager of the School Protection Specialist Program. In this role, Ken oversees the deployment and management of School Protection Specialists ensuring that safety and security operations are aligned with best practices, legal requirements and the specific safety needs of the educational institutions served.

Ken Is an accomplished public safety executive with more than three decades of progressive leadership experience in law enforcement and school safety operations. Over a 33 year career with the Independence, Missouri Police Department, an agency with over 300 sworn and civilian employees, Ken advanced through every supervisory rank, serving as Deputy Police Chief, Major, Captain, Sergeant, Detective and Police Officer.

In these roles, Ken provided executive oversight of strategic planning, budgeting, and policy modernization initiatives designed to meet the evolving needs of the community. He directed major investigative units, managed patrol operations, enforced employee performance standards and implemented systems for criminal case tracking and operational planning. Ken is recognized for conducting complex investigations, delivering expert testimony in administrative and criminal proceedings and driving organizational improvements that enhanced efficiency and accountability.

Ken also served as the Public Safety Director for the Independence, Missouri School District, which serves over 14,000 students. He led the district’s comprehensive safety and security strategy, aligning operational objectives with the organization’s mission to provide data-driven approach to risk management, emergency preparedness and stakeholder collaboration.

Ken holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.

Senior Training Specialist

Jeff Zarcone

Jeff Zarcone is Senior Training Specialist with Strategos International, bringing over 20 years of law enforcement and security experience. He served with the Dodge City Police Department, rising to the rank of Lieutenant and holding roles including Field Training Officer, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, SWAT Team Commander, and Patrol Commander. As an experienced instructor in Patrol Techniques, Use of Force, Active Shooter Response, and SWAT Training, Jeff continues his passion for training and equipping others to protect and serve through his work at Strategos International.

Off the clock, Jeff serves as a worship leader and active musician in the Kansas City area, and enjoys spending quality time with his wife Nancy, adult twin daughters, two stepchildren, and grandson Tino.

Training Coordinator

Carrie Wood

Whether in a patrol car, a classroom, or coordinating nationwide safety training, Carrie Wood brings a rare blend of law enforcement discipline and educational insight to her role as Training Coordinator at Strategos International. Carrie began her career in law enforcement, serving as Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer and DARE Officer, where she built trust and forged meaningful relationships within school communities while maintaining a watchful eye on citizen and student safety. Her natural ability to connect with youth and educators alike led her to make a powerful transition into the world of education, where she focused on early childhood education as a teacher.

Carrie’s unique dual background allows her to bridge the gap between safety and learning environments, making her an invaluable asset in the planning and delivery of Strategos’ mission-critical training programs. Her passion for protecting what matters most—our schools and children—is both professional and deeply personal.

Outside of work, Carrie finds joy in family life with her husband and their three children. Whether cheering from the sidelines at her son’s baseball games, supporting her daughters in volleyball and dance, or enjoying spontaneous family adventures, she embraces each moment with warmth and energy. A proud fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, Carrie never misses a chance to wear red on game day.

With every training she coordinates and every life she impacts, Carrie brings a spirit of service, purpose, and heart to everything she does.

Director Of School Safety And Security Solutions

Steve Anderson

501.617.4718

Prior to joining Strategos, Steve served 38 years as a teacher, coach and administrator in Arkansas public schools. The last 13 years he served as superintendent of the state’s 20th largest district. Throughout his administrative career, he made school safety and security his number one priority and has made many presentations on school security. His school district was visited by the President’s Commission on School Safety due to it’s unique approach to school safety & security. In addition to other school leadership responsibilities, Steve served as a Commissioned School Security Officer in the district for 17 years.

His positive experience as a satisfied repeat Strategos Client led him to join the Strategos Team after his retirement in 2019. His role is to help schools identify ways to improve safety & security through staff training and assessing campus security.

Manager Firearms Training Division

Todd Burke

Todd Burke has served for 35-years as a police officer, firefighter, and paramedic in both career and volunteer capacities as a line officer, supervisor, and chief officer. He holds a wide variety of certifications and instructor’s credentials, he is a Certified Police Specialist and Generalist Instructor with the Missouri Department of Public Safety, he has had numerous articles published in professional journals, and he has offered expert witness testimony in high-profile felony and capital crime prosecutions. Todd helps organizations and individuals realize their training needs and objectives and then exceed those requirements with a cadre of talented and experienced staff.

ASIRT Program Manager

Allison Verman

The people behind the mission to “Protect your people”

Team Strategos

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