About

Ward Eric Leber – Founder & Chairman of the Professional Advisory Board

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Over the past 35 years of child advocacy work Leber has developed a wide variety of programs and services for charitable purposes; many of which have been recognized and recorded in the Library of Congress. Some of those projects include work with The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, The U.S. Department of Transportation, The National Highway Traffic Safety Association, The U.S. Department of Justice, The U.S. Postal Service, The United Nations, The House, and Senate, along with various other local and national charitable organizations. Mr. Leber has been given written congressional recognition on 36 occasions for his innovation and expertise on pediatric injury prevention and child advocacy work. Leber is certified by the Department of Homeland Security to train and certify transportation professionals in Anti-Terrorism. Focusing on student transportation safety, Leber has led the Bipartisan effort for the past seven years to receive annual unanimous yes votes for the National School Bus Safety Month Campaign from all U.S. Senators. Mr. Leber has testified before Congress as an expert witness on the use of federal funds for missing and abused children. Mr. Leber was formerly appointed by (then) Senator Pete Wilson to the U.S. Attorney General’s Advisory Board on missing and exploited children. He has also developed a number of award-winning public service announcements for radio, television, and print using nationally recognized celebrities and leaders in government. Mr. Leber has launched statewide and national cooperative child safety educational campaigns and written a number of publications on safety distributed to tens of millions of parents via CSN, PTA, and major corporate sponsors. Leber has won numerous awards. Leber is also a Hixson Fellow and Dunlop fellow for Kiwanis International and worked for more than 10 years on the “Young Children Priority One” project for Kiwanis. Leber also worked with former President Carter to build 100 homes in one week for Habitat for Humanity in Mexico and is the original creator of the Child Safety Info Pack©, The Child Safety Day™, The National Child Safety Award™, SaferTogether™ and other technology efforts to make America a safer place for children to live. Leber serves on a number of charitable advisory boards. Ward was selected as the Senior Board Advisor to Global Walk Corporation, whose mission is to inspire hope, share spiritual wisdom, and render aid to the needy through walking and praying for children and world peace. The core values of CSN and Global Walk Corporation align in the focus of the welfare and safety of children across the globe.

Chris Roberts – Campus Safety -Active Shooter SME (Subject Matter Expert)

Chris provides insight to CSN through review of technology and training to help CSN determine best practices, processes and systems to save the lives of students. He comes from an extensive 20-year career in law enforcement where he is recognized as a national expert on campus safety and active shooter prevention. Chris is the founder of Predictive Security, a Southern California technology company focused on preventing student suicide and active shooter incidents by combining proven processes with AI based platforms. During his time with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Community College District, he received several awards for innovation in policing, innovation in technology, and has been credited with establishing mainstream campus threat assessment protocols. Chris’ team has successfully intervened in 26 campus related incidents including five with specific active shooter intentions, and three incidents where plans to carry out a mass school shooting were in motion with firearms already in play.

Ernie Stevens, Jr.

Chairman and national spokesperson for the National Indian Gaming Association in Washington, D.C.  Stevens is currently completing his seventh two-year term as the organization’s leader, which is a position elected by all the member tribes. Ernie first met Ward Leber (CSN Founder) through a mutual friend and actor Adam Beach. The two started to collaborate on ways to protect Native American children/all children and worked together with nationally known sports icons like Michael Jordon, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Kobe Bryant and many others to promote CSN’s programs. Stevens represents the (approx.) $30 billion dollar annual Indian gaming industry.  Ernie recently formed a Safety and Security Committee Council and invited CSN to present at the launch of this vital group. From 1993 to 1999 Stevens served as an elected councilman for the Oneida Nation in Wisconsin.  He is a former First Vice-President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). As a respected leader in Indian Country, Stevens also serves as a long-standing board member on the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, the Nike N7 Foundation Board, the Executive Board of the Center for Native American Youth and the Native American Advisory Board for the Boys & Girls Club of America.

The Chairman has been recognized for his outstanding leadership and his advocacy in Indian Country by numerous organizations.  The Association on American Indian Affairs recognized his lifetime achievements in November and he was inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame in 2012. He and his wife Cheryl have been married for over 30 years.  Together they have 5 children and 13 grandchildren.

Detective Daniel Sperry

Daniel Sperry: CSN Senior Advisor on School Bus Stop Safety. Dan and his wife Melissa paid the ultimate price for their expertise. Their 11 year-old daughter McKayla was struck by a motorist and killed when illegally passing a school bus. Professionally, Daniel Sperry is a Juvenile Detective for the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho Falls Idaho. Through his 19 year career, he has spent time as a School Resource Officer and as a Patrol Officer in Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. Dan is currently serving as the Vice President for the Idaho Association of School Resource Officers. He is also a member of the Bonneville County SWAT Team as a Crisis/Hostage Negotiator and former member of the Aquatic Rescue Team. Through his years of service, he has been awarded numerous Lifesaving Medals and a Medal of Valor. Deputy Sperry has also been named Officer/Deputy of the year on numerous occasions and was the 2017 Officer of the year for the National School Resource Officers Association.   Dan was also instrumental in the passage of a school bus safety law in Wyoming.

Stephanie Duckworth – Executive Director

As a veteran nonprofit executive and business development director, Stephanie currently provides both fundraising and business strategic planning services through her own company; Wampum Books. Prior to this she held the position as Director of the Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Bergen County and previously, she served as the Director of Development for the Princeton Center for Leadership and Asst. Director at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. Stephanie also was the Asst. Director of the National Commission on the High School Senior Year, under the Clinton Administration. As an educator she has worked with some of the most prestigious institutions of learning including Princeton University, Rutgers University, St. John’s University, The College of New Jersey, Colorado Technical University and various NJ Community Colleges, teaching over 100 college classes. Her dynamic personality and positive attitude is an inspiration to all who come in contact with her.

Daryl C. Idler, Jr. CSN Legal Advisor

Mr. Idler is a philanthropist first and a world-class attorney with vast experience in public, private, and non-profit corporations. Past community affiliations include former Chairman of the Board and member, finance and staff parish board of Foothills United Methodist Church, Board Member and Chairman of Youth For Christ, San Diego County, and Legal Advisor to the Chief of Police, Los Coyotes Indian Tribe. Mr. Idler served in the United States Navy Reserve and reserve duty with U.S Navy Inshore-Undersea Warfare Group [11-1] in the San Diego region. Mr. Idler’s active duty included service in the communications department of the USS Enterprise [CVA-N 65], operating with a security clearance designation of Top Secret.

While a partner with former State Senator and Judge J. Wm. Beard, Mr. Idler concentrated on corporate and real estate matters until becoming one of the founding partners of Thistle, Krinsky, Idler & Lambert in San Diego, where he managed the firm’s corporate, real estate, tax, and business litigation department. His current focus involves assisting CSN in its 4th decade of national public service, and a special focus on active shooter prevention and suppression on school sites and places of worship.

Dr. Dale G. Caldwell

As an expert on public school policy and operations, Dr. Caldwell advises CSN on school district strategy. Dr. Caldwell’s public education experience includes serving as the president of the New Brunswick Board of Education, president of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey (representing all member schools in New Jersey on procurement), president of the College of Achieve Greater Asbury Park, Charter School, and Head of School at the Village Charter School. Dr. Caldwell has also had the honor of being named the 2009 New Jersey School Board Member of the Year; the recipient of the 2010 International Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Educational Merit Award; and, the 2015 New Jersey Charter School Administrator of the Year Award. He received a BA in Economics from Princeton University, an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate in Education Administration from Seton Hall University. In addition, Dr. Caldwell is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program and the Rutgers University Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance Program.

Otha Thornton

Otha Thornton, immediate past president of National PTA, has recently presided over 22,000 PTA chapters (about 20 million parents) and over 4 million dues paying PTA parents. His work as President over the past two years was as a volunteer on leave as a senior operations analyst with General Dynamics in Fort Stewart, Georgia. He is a retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel and his last two assignments were with the White House Communications Agency and United States Forces-Iraq in Baghdad. Thornton earned the Bronze Star Medal for exceptional performance in combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2009-2010. He is a life member of the National Eagle Scout Association and has more than 25 years of active service in the scouting program across the United States and around the world. Thornton received his bachelor’s degree in urban studies from Morehouse College and a master’s degree in communications from Michigan Technological University. He was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Michigan Technological University in 2009.

Dr. Michele Borba

An internationally renowned educator, award-winning author, parenting expert and child and adolescent expert. She is recognized for her practical, solution-based strategies to strengthen children’s behavior, character, and social development, and to build strong families. A sought-after motivational speaker, she has presented workshops and keynote addresses throughout North America, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific and has served as an educational consultant to hundreds of schools. Her proposal: “Ending School Violence and Student Bullying” (SB1667) was signed into California law in 2002. She offers realistic, research-based advice culled from a career of working with over one million parents and educators worldwide. Dr. Borba is an NBC contributor who has appeared over 97 times on the NBC TODAY show as well as being featured on countless talk shows including Dr. Phil.

Attorney V. Aislee Smith

During his tenure with the Internal Revenue Service – National Headquarters, Attorney Smith specialized in Internal Revenue Code §501(c)(3) tax exempt law; and garnered invaluable experience in the Municipal Bonds and Healthcare tax divisions. After serving over a decade with the Service, Attorney Smith expanded his craft in the private corporate sector with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young, LLP. While with Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers, Attorney Smith was appointed Regional Manager of the New Jersey, New York and Connecticut offices’ tax operations. In this capacity, he supervised a staff of lawyers and accountants in servicing prestigious multi-million dollar tax-exempt clients including: The Catholic Church, Greenwich Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, Beth Israel Hospital, and the Manhattan YMCA. While employed with the Internal Revenue Service, Attorney Smith simultaneously pursued and was conferred a Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. Attorney Smith was an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University where he taught Tax-Exempt Organizations in the Masters of Tax Program. Currently, he travels frequently as a lecturer at seminars and conferences.

Dr. Linda F. Bluth

Dr. Bluth has 48 years of experience as a Special Educator including 33 years in special needs transportation. Her past experience includes work at the United States Department of Education (USDE) and as a University Professor; School System Administrator; and Policy Specialist in the Maryland Governor’s Office for Children Youth and Families. She is currently employed part-time at the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services. Dr. Bluth is the Past-President, National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), as well as the recipient of the NAPT Distinguished Service Award (2000). She previously served as NAPT Director at Large (1995–1998) and Special Needs Committee Chairperson. She authored four editions of Transporting Students with Disabilities. In addition, she has over 100 publications in the field of transportation and numerous education publications. She administers the Special Needs Endorsement Program.

Dr. Lisa Smith

When Lisa’s son was diagnosed with autism at age 3 ½, she began a passionate quest comprised of research, education and hands-on experience, creating a program that ultimately led to the remediation of her son’s autism. Now, at age 22, he is considered indistinguishable from his peers! She has taken this life-learning, coupled with a Master’s Degree in Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology, a Master’s and Doctorate in Metaphysics and Transpersonal Counseling, certification in Family Effectiveness Training, and as a Neurodevelopmentalist to assist other families. Her life mission is to share this eclectic experience and knowledge to help parents to parent consciously and holistically. She works with families of all kinds to create a business model for parenting with a program known as ESP (Effective Strategies for Parenting) and teaches CPS (Conscious Parenting Strategies) for effective parenting. Lisa believes that all behavior is a language and teaches parents to interpret this language. She also believes that effective strategies must incorporate the child’s mind, body and spirit to create strong efficacy and self-esteem. These integrated practices create a whole child who is “monster-proof” for life! Lisa Smith, Ph.D has authored 8 books, speaks around the country about Parenting On Purpose and is available for individual consultation.

Joel Lisker

Mr. Lisker is a former FBI agent, Federal Prosecutor, and is one of the most experienced professionals in matters of world-wide investigations; having dealt with physical security, cyber security and/or kidnappings in over 130 countries. Mr. Joel S. Lisker is the StarGuard Director of Search and Recovery as well as a senior advisor on Cyber Security. Keeping our members safe and their personal information secure is paramount to us. One of Child Safety Network’s most unique talents is the advice of experts in the area of search and recovery.

Steven Sprague

Steven is proud to contribute his international know how in the cyber security Space to CSN’s child safety efforts. Steven Sprague is the CEO of Rivetz Corp. and one of the principle industry evangelists for the application of trusted computing technology. Steven has a strong technical foundation in the principles, capabilities and business models of incorporating trusted hardware into everyday computing, and is skilled at translating these concepts into layman’s terms. Steven is the co-founder of Rivetz Corp. a new company focused on the use of trusted computing and TEE for the consumer market. Rivetz provides app developers tools enabling easy access to the embedded cyber security capabilities of modern mobile devices. Rivetz is also playing an important role in providing the key technologies for the protection of private keys, encryption and secure instructions for blockchain and crypto currencies. Steven graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in mechanical engineering.

Michael Lloyd

Referred to as a boy genius at the start of his career, Michael Lloyd has certainly proven that right. In the past 40 years the prolific and talented record producer has accumulated in excess of 100 gold and platinum records – well over 72 albums and 34 singles. Lloyd’s records, ranging from Pop & Rock to Country & Jazz, R&B & Gospel, have been recognized by such organizations as the Grammys, the American Music Awards, the Academy Awards, the Dove Awards (the Christian Music equivalent of the Grammy), NARM (the National Association of Record Mer­chants) and The Golden Globe Awards. He is featured in Who’s Who in America, in California & in Entertainment. His chart records span five decades, from the 60’s to the present. Additionally, Lloyd has provided scoring/music supervision/song writing, song placement and/or music producing for over 85 motion pictures, 11 TV movies, 12 television specials & 29 television series.

Michele Fumerton

Michele’s vast experience in media and marketing, partnered with her ongoing involvement in Direct Response, new Business Development, Entertainment, Campaign set-up, Product development, Production, Promotion, and Multi-media Campaigns makes for a strong partner in the world of corporate sponsorship. Michele’s uniquely combined professional experience perfectly positions her to effectively lead corporate marketing campaigns from inception through completion. Working in New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, Michelle has developed and managed campaigns in the categories of Entertainment; Non-profit Organizations (including multiple national and worldwide children’s charities including Child Safety Network), Home Goods, Sports and Fitness, Retail, Fashion, Beauty and Health, Travel, Medical, and Automotive and over 40 consumer products.

Mr. Jeff Cassell

The experts at the School Bus Safety Company have been designing award-winning driver safety training programs for school bus drivers for more than 20 years. Until now, their work has been private-labeled and not available to district fleets. But now, they’re making them available for the very first time. The School Bus Safety Company has a team of performance improvement experts with specialties that include fleet operations and safety, industrial psychology, instructional design and media production. They have worked together to bring you this breakthrough series of programs. Jeff is a safety expert with more than 20 years of experience in making kids safer. He was responsible for both the installation of crossing gates on more than 38,000 buses and the first major installation of the Child Checkmate System to ensure that drivers checked for sleeping children. Jeff Cassell is President of the School Bus Safety Company where he is responsible for helping create driver training programs for school districts.

Rick Perry

Mr. Perry has held numerous senior executive management positions including COO/VP of Operations for REIS/The Coaching Company, CEO/Facility Director of EG&G, COO of Whitney Education, and Global Program Manager of Sun Microsystems. As COO/VP of Operations, Mr. Perry has a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology and a Master’s of Science degree in Business Organizational Management. He has implemented a worldwide e-commerce portal that centralized e-learning offerings. Mr. Perry has been responsible for implementing and managing several infomercial, continuity and e-commerce offerings, resulting in several million dollars of weekly revenue streams, all accomplished while implementing and managing a world-class CRM to accommodate growth and customer service. Mr. Perry has over 24 years of experience in operational management with startups, including ongoing operational and turnaround situations where he has managed over 150 employees.

Reuven Rubinson, CPA, MBA – Financial Advisor

Mr. Rubinson is a hands-on financial executive, with a wealth of skills in many areas. He has a successful track record of implementing and maintaining accounting and control systems through Sarbanes-Oxley and other SEC/Governmental compliance reporting, working with startups, joint ventures, acquisitions, reorganizations, reverse-mergers and restructurings. Mr. Rubinson received his MBA from New York University and brings 30+ years of experience as a practicing CPA. He worked at several CPA firms in New York and at 31 years old was admitted as Partner in an East Coast CPA firm, specializing in Wall Street clientele. When he left in 1988, the firm was billing in excess of $3.5 million annually. In California, he assisted with a pink-sheet listed corporation in 1988 and became their VP of Finance. He then spent four years as the Controller of a software technology company. He later assisted a local company complete a reverse merger to become publically traded and acted as CFO for two years, providing accounting services for another two years thereafter. He is also an Adjunct Professor teaching graduate and undergraduate Accounting, Tax and Finance courses.

William H. “Bill” Arrington

CSN Professional Adviser on Surface Transportation and School Bus Security. Bill has devoted his professional life to keeping citizens safe on a local, regional and national level. After retiring from the Transportation Security Association (TSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in January of 2017, CSN is honored to have access to his continued commitment to help us protect American children. Starting in 1974 Bill was sworn in as a Maryland State Trooper and for more than 28 years he enjoyed a very noteworthy and remarkable career of service with the Maryland State Police. Retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Bill served in a variety of assignments with his last as the Deputy Superintendent, Chief of the Field Operations Bureau.

In October 2002, Bill answered the call again to serve with the creation of the TSA under the United States Department of Transportation following the 9/11 attack. In 2003, TSA along with 22 other legacy organizations transitioned to the newly formed DHS, which consists of more than 220,000 employees and second only in size to the Department of Defense. TSA’s initial focus was aviation security. Bill served as one of the first Directors for Aviation Operations and had the responsibility for overseeing and transforming airport security from a contract security workforce into a federal workforce at all commercial airports across the United States.

In 2006, when appointed to the position of General Manager for the Office of Highway and Motor Carrier Security under TSA’s Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement Directorate, Bill had primary responsibility for commercial motor vehicle security. This included oversight for trucks, motor coach (bus) and school bus, as well as the national critical infrastructure (bridges and tunnels) throughout U.S. transportation systems, which consist of more than four million miles of highway.

In 2012, Bill assumed added responsibility and oversight for Mass Transit and Passenger Rail (more than 6,000 local transit providers), Freight Rail (more than 500 regional and short line railroads operating on more than 162,000 miles of active track), Pipeline (more than 3,000 companies operating over 2.1 million miles of pipeline) and Maritime (passenger vessels) security for our nation’s transportation systems. Bill’s experience and expertise are reflective of his ability to proactively lead and manage complex issues within critical transportation security systems across all surface modes of transportation in this country.

Azim Khamisa

Following the murder of his son in 1995, Azim Khamisa founded the Tariq Khamisa Foundation (TKF.org), which started a subsequent forgiveness movement that has reached millions.

Prior to the tragedy Azim worked as the CFO of the Child Safety Network (CSN) where he later went on to become president for two years and is now the Senior Advisor on Youth Violence Prevention and Intervention.

He has received over 60 local, national and international awards amongst which are: In 1997 he received the National Crime Victims Special Community Service Award presented by President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno, In 2002, he received Search for Common Ground’s pres­tigious award alongside Desmond Tutu and Ted Koppel In 2004, he participated in the Synthesis Dialogues with His Holiness the Dalai Lama which was hosted by Pope John Paul at his summer palace in Castelgandolfo, Italy and in 2006 he was given the “Spirit of Crazy Horse Award” from the Reclaiming Youth Network alongside Mohammad Ali. In addition, Azim has been the recipient of the California Peace Prize in 2003 and the Pepsi Freedom Heroes Award in 2006. In 2009 Azim was Awarded the National Child Safety Award from the Child safety Network (Watch) in 2013, when Azim was president of CSN he addressed the United Nations (Watch)

Azim has served as TKF’s founder and chairperson for over 23 years. He is an emissary of peace and an international inspirational speaker with over 600 keynotes, including one to 300,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial at the Stand for Children Rally organized by the Children’s Defense Fund, as well as a speech to the United Nations General Assembly at the High level forum on the culture of peace (Watch).

With a strong passion to share his message with the youth and to inspire nonviolent leaders proactive as peacebuilders, Azim has given over 1,000 presentations to over a million students worldwide. He is the author of four books: Award-winning Murder to Forgiveness (being made into a feature film) ; From Forgiveness to Fulfillment, From Fulfillment to Peace and The Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit: How to bounce back from life’s hardest hits co-authored with Jillian Quinn and published by Random House.

He has been featured countless times in local, national and international media. In November 2018, Azim spoke for the TEDWomen conference that has been viewed by over 1 million viewers: (Watch)

Azim was born in Kenya of Eastern roots and educated in England in mathematics and finance and has over 45 plus experience in international finance. Azim lives in La Jolla, California and is the proud father of daughter Tasreen and grandfather of Shahin, Khalil and Miya

And for more information on Azim, please visit www.AzimKhamisa.com

Jackie Garcia – CSN Veteran Family Issues Advisor.

Lt Col, USAF, (retired)

Jackie is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy (Class of 1985) and retired from the Air Force in 2006.  She specialized in communications, acquisition, systems engineering, and project management and has a B.S. in Management and M.S. in Human Resources Management.  Jackie is married to Danny Garcia who is also a member of CSN’s Professional Advisory Board and she has recently co-authored the book of Danny’s life, Marines Don’t Cry.  Jackie is the Vice President of Global Walk Corporation.  She manages the day-to-day operation of the FL Not for Profit entity to include administration, financial planning, and logistics for all aspects of Danny Garcia’s walks and charitable initiatives within the United States and abroad. 

Contacting us:

We are a 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization and our mailing address is:

10601 Tierrasanta Blvd
Unit G404
San Diego, CA 92124

Phone: (800) 906-6901

email: info@csn.org