2024 Fall Conference

Adam is a former law enforcement officer and has faced many of the challenges law enforcement officers face daily.

In 2015, he left his career in law enforcement and has devoted his life to delivering proven tools and resources for the mind and souls of first responders. His raw, unfiltered story of overcoming the trauma of childhood sexual abuse, experiences from law enforcement, and battle with suicidal thoughts and substance abuse position him as a powerful force of hope for millions of people today. His work has touched over 100,000 lives since 2018 and he is best known for his work to deliver faith, hope, and love to those who serve.

He has presented for major universities, law enforcement agencies, military bases, and conferences nationally. Adam has presented his story of conquering some of life’s most smothering battles and how these principles can be applied in every life to achieve optimal performance and fulfillment.

Adam’s work has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Fox News, The Huffington Post, PoliceOne.com, and Law Enforcement Today. His media appearances have included The Rick & Bubba Show, The Blaze Radio Network, Family Life, Today, The 700 Club, The Glenn Beck Program, Team Never Quit Podcast with Marcus Luttrell, and many others. Adam is the spokesperson for REBOOT Recovery First Responders, a non-profit organization that focuses on providing faith-based trauma healing for first responders and service members. He is a best-selling author with Lt Col Dave Grossman of the 2019 Christian Book Award Finalist Bulletproof Marriage.

Adam and his wife, Amber, reside with their three children in Alabama. His sole purpose is to help others discover the life-changing love of Jesus and live a life Unconquered in Him alone.

Kathy Taylor is the Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives with the Fletcher Group. She consults on matters involving the correctional and legal system and recovery housing. This includes the judicial system, adult institutions, parole boards, probation and parole and community corrections. Focus is placed on alternatives to incarceration and deflection from the correctional system. Reducing stigma, harm reduction and understanding the disease process are critical for change. She has presented at various national and state conferences.

Kathy retired from Kentucky Department of Corrections (DOC) after working within Adult Institutions and Community Corrections. Her career began in correctional security before transitioning to addiction services. Kathy was instrumental in developing and implementing the community-based substance use disorder (SUD) program for adults on community supervision. She was the DOC’s liaison for the Recovery Kentucky Initiative. She fostered relationships to change attitudes toward SUD and develop working relationships to implement recovery services as an alternative to incarceration. She received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology at Kentucky Wesleyan College and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University. Kathy served on the University of Kentucky’s Institutional Research Board, as a Corrections or Community representative.

Seldom in life do you get the chance to meet someone who has a powerful story of overcoming fear, adversity, and tragedy. Even less frequent do you meet someone who can deliver that message with life changing impact. Dustin Rivenbark is a determined inspirational speaker who is taking his passion for motivating the leaders of today, using stories of inspiration and unwavering faith.

Mr. Rivenbark is a keynote speaker for the National Beta Association in which he speaks to thousands of teenagers and future leaders of America on the topic of “Leadership” each year. He speaks to educators and students across the country and has been a part of National Conferences put on by Georgia Southern University as well as Clemson University.

Dustin is determined to make a difference in this world, leading community outreach, working in schools and detention centers across the country and has even been recruited to lead his “Path2Purpose” program at Rikers Island prison in New York City. He will stop at nothing to leave “no stone unturned” in lighting a fire within the hearts of men and creating change on this planet.

Michael Laidler is a Professional Speaker and Best-Selling Author, whose unwavering commitment to excellence, passion, and loyalty has quickly earned him the reputation as an industry expert in self-awareness. Over the course of nearly two decades, he has garnered extensive leadership experience, primarily in the law enforcement sector. Michael is the founder of Michael Laidler Unlimited, which is focused on providing strategies on self-awareness, leadership, and retention. Since its launch, he has provided in-person and virtual presentations to Fortune 200 and 1000 companies, public safety and law enforcement agencies, public and non-profit organizations, federal, state, and municipal governments, rotary clubs, chamber of commerce, human resource, project management and law enforcement associations.

Michael started his career in law enforcement at the age of 19 years old and has worked in this industry over 18 years. He has worked as a police officer, border patrol agent and for the federal prison system. In those organizations, he has served as a field training officer, a member of the Special Response Team (SRT), K-9 handler, criminal investigator, lieutenant, and employee development manager.

Michael is the author of the best-selling book, Greatness Beyond the Badge: The Three Key Principles for Self-Awareness. Michael holds a master’s degree in business administration from Morehead State University and a bachelor’s degree in business and Spanish from Florida State University. He is a certified coach, trainer, and speaker with the John Maxwell Team. He has developed e-courses, called the Six-Week Speaker and 3 Cs for Emerging Leaders.

Michael has proudly served as Area Director, President, Vice President of Education and Treasurer for the Toastmasters Organization. He has received multiple awards, including Distinguished Toastmaster, First Place in the Toastmasters International Speech, and the Evaluation Contests at the Division Level.

Michael has utilized his education and experience to deliver keynote presentations, administer leadership assessments, facilitate mastermind groups, provide one-on-one executive coaching, and host leadership workshops to thousands of leaders. He is driven on developing self-awareness and leadership skills to those in high stress environments. Ultimately, he is on a mission to impart the necessary personal development skills for law enforcement officers to operate at full capacity in any situation.

Kim is a Registered Nurse with more than 25 years’ experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Webster University and maintains certifications as a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Nurse and Certified Correctional Health Professional. Kim has worked in the correctional health care setting for nearly 20 years, both on the clinical and operations sides. She has served the Alabama Department of Corrections population as Regional Reentry Coordinator for one year, during which time, she has helped launch the expanded bridge medication program and the health insurance enrollment program, as well as creating an Alabama-specific reentry booklet and maintaining the YesCare Alabama reentry website. Kim has a passion for correctional health care and hopes to expand the scope of reentry services for those people returning to their communities from the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Honour is the Director of Maternal and Infant Health Initiatives for March of Dimes in Alabama. As a member of the AmeriCorps, Honour served by setting up and providing free vision screenings in preschools around Alabama. Honour received her MPH from the University of Alabama Birmingham in Maternal and Child Health Policy and Leadership and received a certificate in social marketing. She, also, has training in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders and is pursuing her Doctorate in Public Health. She has background in program evaluation, needs assessment, and publications on evaluating infant mortality and reproductive coercion. Honour has worked with state entities in Alabama, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Honour serves as the chair of the Maternal Child Health/Substance Use Subcommittee of the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council. Outside of work, Honour spends time with her husband, Luke, and Anatolian Shepherd, Auggie, usually outside and in the sun.

Dr. LaShawnda Gail Alexander, a Tuskegee, Alabama native, has been in Post-Secondary Education for over 16 years. With a background in law enforcement, Dr. Alexander was a Probation and Parole Officer with the State of Alabama Pardons and Paroles Board, a Police Officer on Patrol and then later promoted to the Career Development Bureau with the Montgomery Police Department. Dr. Alexander obtained her PhD in Public Safety with a specialization in Criminal Justice from Capella University in December 2013. She currently is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences at Alabama State University and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Tuskegee Alumnae Chapter.