Dr. Geoffrey Alpert has been conducting research on high-risk police activities for more than 25 years, and has published more than 100 journal articles and 15 books. His book is Understanding Police Use of Force: Officers, Suspects, and Reciprocity (with R. Dunham) and was published in 2005 by Cambridge University press. Dr. Alpert recently completed a major study on police officer decision making funded by the National Institute of Justice, and an investigation of racial profiling for the Miami-Dade County, Florida Police Department. He is working on a use of force study that focuses on less-lethal technology and the effectiveness of their applications. Dr. Alpert routinely provides commentary for the national networks’ evening news programs and morning talk shows.

Attorney Robert L. Bastian Jr. Throughout their practice which began in 1994, Bastian and his partner, Marina R. Dini, have represented victims of police misconduct and neglect, jailhouse abuse and unlawful discrimination. Their cases include false imprisonments, malicious prosecutions and uses of excessive force, including improper shootings and beatings. The prison abuse cases include guard on inmate rapes, preventable inmate on inmate rapes, preventable suicide and failure to provide adequate medical care. The discrimination cases include discrimination based upon race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation and HIV+ status. High profile cases handled by Bastian & Dini include Tulumis v. California and Dillard v. Decker, which concerned abuse at Corcoran prison as reported extensively in the Los Angeles Times and New York Times, and on CBS's 60 Minutes.

Bastian & Dini has litigated in both state and federal courts, including the U.S. District Courts, Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California, Northern District of Georgia and Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, Bastian has appeared before the 5th, 9th and 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals as well as the 2nd, 4th and 5th Appellate Districts of the California Courts of Appeal. Bastian is a recipient of the Stephen Donaldson Award, "For Helping Raise Public Awareness To Halt The Sexual Torture of Men, Women & Children in U.S. Correctional Institutions," presented by StopPrisoner Rape.

Ron Kelley, Deputy (Ret.) Osceola County Sheriff's Office is a career officer. He began his law enforcement career with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office in Winder, Georgia in 1978 as a Deputy Sheriff. Ron also worked for the Clarke County Police in Athens Georgia, then the Winder, Georgia Police Department as a Sergeant Detective. Ron then worked for the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office in Athens, Georgia as a Warrants Deputy and was promoted to Sergeant in the Corrections Division. In 1985 Ron moved to the Kissimmee / Saint Cloud, Florida area and joined the Saint Cloud Police Department. In 1987 Ron transferred to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office as a Deputy. During Ron’s employment with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy, the first two years he was assigned to the Patrol Division and was a Field Training Officer for new recruits. The following 16 ½ years, Ron was assigned to the Traffic Division as a Motorcycle Deputy. During this time, Ron also began to attend many law enforcement instructor courses and began sharing his experiences and training with members of his department. In December 2004, Ron was transferred to the Training Division as a Training Coordinator and Senior Driving Instructor.

Ron has received a letter of commendation from the Clarke County Police Department, Employee of the Month for February 2007 and the Administrative Award of Excellence in December 2004 from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. In October 2007, Ron received the Employee of the Month from Sheriff Hansell, Deputy of the Year from the Knights of Columbus and an Award of Appreciation from the Florida Sheriffs’ Association. Ron is affiliated with Association of Law Enforcement Emergency Response Trainers, and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association. He was the Chairperson for the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s Committee for development of the Teen Driver Challenge training program and received an Award of Appreciation from the FSA. Ron also serves as an instructor for the Criminal Justice Academy of Osceola and the night coordinator for the academy.

Ron has authored articles published in Law and Order Magazine in June 2006 and the National Association of Fleet Administrators Magazine in February 2006. In May 2006, Ron coordinated and supervised a Ride & Drive Rodeo for NAFA in Kissimmee, Florida at their National Conference.

Ron is the founder/owner of Affordable Mobile Law Enforcement Training / High Liability. Emergency Vehicle Operations and Pursuit Management training has been presented to: Osceola County Sheriff, Polk County Sheriff and Lake Sheriffs’ in Florida; Avondale, Arizona Police Department; Barton County Community College / Lee Turner Lectureship, Great Bend, Kansas and most recently, Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, Athens, Alabama. Ron is currently contracted to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office for the continuing EVOC training there.

A complete Resume / CV is available upon request at kelleyronald422@cs.com.

Beverly Malvestuto brings to our board more than 30 years of experience in working with programs for the mentally challenged. She became involved in this much-needed effort when she learned her daughter, Jennie, was mentally challenged. Beverly worked diligently to make sure Jennie was enrolled in the best educational programs. Beverly served on the school’s advisory panel when Jennie started high school as part of a pilot program to mainstream developmentally disabled teens in the 1980s. Jennie is a sweetheart and holds a part-time job. Beverly will bring her personal experience in serving both mentally and physically challenged loved ones. At age 26, her son Mike became a partial quadriplegic as a result of a swimming accident. Beverly's never-give-up attitude and her faith in Jesus Christ has seen her through this tragedy. Mike has partial hand and arm movement, is in a wheel chair, and attends a community college. Beverly is employed by California State University as administrative assistant to the Director of Campus Information Systems and is serving on the Church Council for her congregation. Beverly and Candy Priano are sisters. Beverly will serve PursuitSAFETY members in need of support and guidance for the mentally and physically challenged.

John Phillips is the president of PursuitWatch.org. John's sister Sarah, 20, was killed by a fleeing driver in 2001. As a result, his father, Jim Phillips, started PursuitWatch.org to promote safer and smarter police pursuits. John has a degree in Political Science from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL, and is doing post-graduate work in the same field at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fl. PursuitWatch, and the same is true for PursuitSAFETY, does not support the abolition of police pursuits. PursuitWatch promotes safer pursuit policy and the elimination of unnecessary pursuits. John is the author of the PhillipsWatch, the official blog for PursuitWatch.org and Voices Insisting on PursuitSAFETY.

Candy Priano is the founder and director of Voices Insisting on PursuitSAFETY. Candy has spoken on the dangers of police pursuits and the increasing number of innocent people killed as a result of these chases for media outlets, civic and law enforcement groups, and educational venues. She has an open line of communication to people who experience the tragedy of pursuit. She responds to every email and phone call she receives from victims and family members left behind. For Candy, it began when a teenage driver fleeing from police T-boned the Prianos minivan where her daughter Kristie was sitting. Candy, her husband Mark and son Steve were injured. Kristie died as a result of it. Candy's advocacy continues because each and every week police chases kill other innocent bystanders. She has spoken before California senate hearings on behalf of "Kristie’s Law," a proposed measure to eliminate unnecessary chases and allow chases for violent felons and Amber Alert suspects. Candy is an associate member of ALERT International (Association of Professional Law Enforcement Emergency Vehicle Response Trainers International), holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Valparaiso (Indiana) University, and is a member of Chico Toastmasters.

Nora Profit is PursuitSAFETY's media expert. She is the owner of The Writing Loft, Northern California’s only creative writing school. Nora became an award-winning writer, columnist, and editor after graduating with honors from San Jose State University with a degree in Journalism. She owned her own public relations firm, The Profit Exchange, providing business and promotional materials to clients.  Her broad experience in the world of writing includes everything from articles, newsletters, and short stories, to newspaper columns, brochures, and press releases. 

Nora has contributed her considerable talents to many publications and organizations, including the following: Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul; Chicken Soup: Living Your Dreams; San Francisco Chronicle; San Jose Magazine; Golden Gate University and Sacramento County Library Literacy Project.

Awards and Personal Achievements include Outstanding Writer of the Year, San Francisco Women in Communications; Hedgebrook Writers' Colony, Whidbey Island, WA; Delegate to the White House, Conference on Small Business; California State Business Conference, Speaker; and California State Small Business Roundtable, Appointed Member.

Ret. Chief D.P. Van Blaricom is a career police officer and retired police chief (Bellevue, WA) who has been actively engaged as a police practices expert throughout the United States in 1,400+ matters of civil litigation for both plaintiffs and defense. Prevailing party’s expert in appellate decisions from 1st, 6th, 9th, 8th, 10th Circuits; State Supreme Courts of AZ, CO, ID, MT, MS, OR, WA; Appeals Courts of AZ, CA, FL, WA. Recipient of the U.S. Justice Department’s Award for Public Service and holds a security clearance from the U.S. Government.

Professional Memberships: American Academy of Forensic Sciences, International Association of Chiefs of Police (Life), Americans for Effective Law Enforcement and Certified as (police) Litigation Specialist, FBI National Academy Associates, International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training, Police Marksman Association.