National Instructor

Catherine Fontenot has worked in prisons or jails her entire adult life. Initially assigned as a Classification Officer at Louisiana’s only maximum-security prison, she became the first Executive Staff Officer at the Louisiana State Prison (LSP) and its Director of Classification, in addition to serving as the ACA Accreditation Manager and assisted other prisons across the state in achieving accreditation with the American Correctional Association. Ms. Fontenot was an original member of a unique and innovative program, titled Lousiaiana Department of Corrections Restorative Justice Task Force and Victim/Offender Dialoque Program. She has served as an expert witness in corrections litigation, and is a nationally recognized for her innovative leadership in prisons and jails. Ms. Fontenot served as one of the state’s youngest assistant wardens and gained her master’s degree in criminology in 2006. She has taught criminal justice and corrections at the university level, has been a warden at a local jail, and worked as a director of a reception and diagnostic unit.

Chinere (Cece) is the Assistant Commander of Special Investigations for the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office in NJ, at the rank of Detective Sergeant. She has been in law enforcement for 14 years serving in various capacities such as Crime Scene Investigations, Fugitive Warrants, Patrol, Court Services, and most recently as an instructor for the Passaic County Police Academy. Cece became a National Instructor for the ABLE Project (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement)in November of 2021. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Criminology with a minor in Psychology. She is a FBI-LEEDA trilogy recipient, with extensive training in Leadership and Crisis Intervention and Media Relations. Cece is also Community Manager for xHood, a community of Black queer people who feel empowered in their ability to build and nurture healthy families and parent happy children. She is an advocate and resource for Black and Queer Families both online and professionally. She has a passion for Leadership in Law Enforcement, personal development, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ acceptance and equality.

After graduating from the University of Colorado, Robert Nanney began his career corrections with the Jefferson County, CO) Justice Services Unit, followed by two years with Correctional Psychology Associates. He joined the Adams County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) in 2002. Since then, he has successfully worked his way up the career ladder, and now serves as Captain of the ACSO, where he manages all aspects of jail operations. In addition to his leadership at the Jail, Captain Nanney also serves as an Instructor for Mental Health First Aid. A gifted instructor and public speaker, he uses his vast experience in corrections and law enforcement to make his classes effective and credible.

Michael McIntosh currently serves as the Chief Deputy for the Douglas County (CO) Sheriff’s Office. From 2015-2019, he served as the elected Sheriff of Adams County, Colorado. With more than 35 years of law enforcement experience and volunteer service, he has received numerous awards for excellence in service and leadership. In 2009, he was selected to attend and graduated from Session 237 of the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy. He has served as Director of County Sheriffs of Colorado, the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, as well as the Colorado Special Olympics. He is well known for his transformative leadership approach and has a proven track record of successfully leading teams and organizations through periods of change.

Ann Farrell lives in the Pacific Northwest in Washington state. She is the founder of Align & Unify 2 Thrive which helps leaders, teams, and organizations define and build healthy mission and values driven cultures to fulfill their highest purpose. In addition to her work with Heroes Active Bystandership Training, Ann is working with Metropolitan Police Department, Baltimore Police Department, and WA State Criminal Justice Training Commission as an instructor/facilitator for 21st Century Police Leadership (21CPL) which is offered to all leaders working in law enforcement. 21CPL works to help leaders develop greater Emotional Intelligence, build effective communications skills, and develop mission and values driven cultures that focus on officer wellness, officer and public safety, and public trust. Since 2006 Ann has been a board member and past board chair of her local Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound and volunteers both regionally and nationally for The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, representing local boards in WA, AK, ID, and OR.

Monte Chambers is a seasoned public safety professional and communications strategist with over 16 years of experience across law enforcement, emergency medical services, and government operations. A graduate of Lindenwood University with a background in communications, Monte has served in multiple capacities for the City of St. Louis, including Director of Communications for the Department of Public Safety and Executive Assistant to the Director. Throughout his career, he has led numerous high-stakes communication efforts during natural disasters, officer-involved shootings, and citywide emergencies, crafting effective messaging that fosters transparency, builds public trust, and aligns with leadership priorities. As the founder of Monumental Access LLC, Monte leverages this expertise to train leaders in crisis communication, public speaking, and message clarity.

James C. Boomhower, LMHC-A, MS, FP-C, C-NPT, CCISM is a Critical Care Transport Specialist-Paramedic and the Peer Support Director at Boston MedFlight, where he leads multidisciplinary initiatives supporting provider wellness, psychological safety, and the delivery of high-acuity critical care. A veteran paramedic, crisis worker, and mental health professional, he brings more than twenty years of experience across emergency medicine, air medical transport, and clinical behavioral health.

Mr. Boomhower is the founder of Stay Fit 4 Duty, a national platform dedicated to mental health, resilience, and peer support education for first responders and healthcare professionals. He is also an Instructor with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, providing training in crisis intervention and organizational wellness to agencies across the United States. In addition to his clinical and educational work, he has authored chapters on mental health, resilience, and provider wellness in several industry-standard textbooks within the flight and critical care transport profession.

A widely sought-after national speaker, Mr. Boomhower integrates his dual perspectives from the field and the therapy room to advance evidence-informed, culturally competent mental health practices throughout the public safety and critical care transport communities.

Paul D. Watkins III is a Captain with the Verona Police Department in norther New Jersey and has been in law enforcement since 2003. Paul has been a supervisor since 2011 and he spent his first eighteen years of his career in patrol, to which he is most proud, as he feels this is where you have the most contact with the public and can best serve the community.

Paul earned his BA degree in Criminal Justice from Caldwell University (Caldwell, NJ) and completed a MS degree in Criminal Justice Leadership at Northeastern University (Boston, MA). Paul is a Certified Public Manager (CPM), conferred through Rutgers University and has graduated from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) Command & Leadership Academy (formerly known as the West Point Command School), as well as the FBI Supervisory Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute, and Executive Command Institute, to complete the FBI LEEDA Trilogy. Paul is an Accredited Command Executive (ACE), certified through the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP).

Adrian Nuñez brings over 24 years of frontline experience as a correctional officer at Corcoran State Prison, working in high-risk, high-stress environments that demand sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and moral courage. After a spiritual transformation in 2022, he is following a clear calling as a spiritual leader, dedicating himself to the wellness of law enforcement professionals, addressing not only physical and mental health, but also spiritual resilience and purpose.

Adrian is a certified trainer in Wellness and Resiliency, Trauma-Informed Organization, CPR, and Staff Suicide Prevention, and he serves as an active member of the Peer Support Team. These roles reinforce his passion for early intervention, mental health awareness, and building cultures where people feel supported and empowered to speak up.

A Sergeant at the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities (AACDDF), Sgt. Woodhouse is recognized for his commitment to professional excellence and leadership within the facility. He brings a frontline supervisory perspective on the importance of maintaining high standards and supporting staff in the intense environment of local detention. He is also a Heroes National Instructor.