Dr. Gail Angus
NavigatED Founder & CEO
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Dr. Gail Angus is a nationally sought-after speaker and consultant. She loves sharing the knowledge and expertise she has gained over the past 30 years in public education as a teacher, SELPA administrator and consultant. Dr. Angus guides school districts with developing sustainable, integrated systems to meet the needs of all students. After the shooting, on December 2, 2015, at the Inland Regional Center, Gail was compelled to make a change through the education system to avert future mass shootings. Through her research and practice she developed a System of Care Framework to guide education agencies and community partners with meeting the needs of our most vulnerable citizens, children. Over the years, Keenan has partnered with Gail as an expert in behavioral health and special education. Most recently, she collaborated with them to build the System of Care Framework into their IMReady Behavioral Health Audit. As an adjunct professor, Dr. Angus has had the privilege of instructing many students at both California State University, San Bernardino, and National University. Dr. Gail Angus is your go to thought partner when taking a systematic approach to address student behavioral health needs.
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Colleen Bjerknes, ARM
SWACC JPA Manager at Keenan
Colleen has been with Keenan since 2001 and has maintained overall responsibility for the servicing and administration of a number of JPAs, including the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC) for the last 23 years. In 2018, Colleen entered her role as the SWACC JPA Manager.
She graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and has received her Associate of Risk Management (ARM) designation.
Brian Bock, Esq.
Founder and Managing Partner of Proactive Legal – The Bock Law Group
The primary focus of his practice is labor and employment law, representing California school and community college districts. Mr. Bock helps clients develop effective strategies for handling matters involving labor relations, employee discipline and dismissal and state and federal legal compliance in all areas related to public school administration. Mr. Bock also regularly represents clients in litigation, arbitration, administrative proceedings and collective bargaining. Further, he has developed a heavy concentration in governance matters, especially Brown Act, Public Records Act matters and media relations. Through his regular law practice over the last twenty-plus years, Mr. Bock has developed a recognized expertise in Workplace Investigations and other forms of fact-finding for public sector institutions, as well as in the private sector. He has literally conducted and/or directed thousands of investigations with great success and client satisfaction. He also created a well-recognized framework to assist investigators at all levels: the EVIDENCE model for effective investigations. This step-by-step training module is now used nationally by entities in all sectors.
Mr. Bock routinely conducts training workshops at conferences and in-house for clients on a range of education and labor relations topics, such as sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination, the Brown Act and governance issues, wage-hour compliance, employee documentation and remediation and effective investigation and evaluation techniques (using the EVIDENCE and PROACTIVE models). Mr. Bock is licensed to practice in California, Arizona, New York, Florida and Georgia.
Prior to creating Proactive Legal, Mr. Bock was with two large California education law firms for over two decades; as well as two prominent labor and employment law firms in California and Georgia and the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., aiding in the area of employer enforcement.
Mr. Bock received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Miami, and his bachelor's degree from Cornell University – School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Mr. Bock has always been integrally involved in his community schools; serving in the past as foundation president, a school site council member and a charter school board member.
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Amy B. Donovan, Esq.
Vice President, Legislative & Regulatory Affairs at Keenan
Amy is Keenan’s primary source for state and federal legislative and regulatory research, writing briefings, blog posts, and white papers explaining new laws that have an impact on the firm and its clients. Amy has lectured and published extensively on state and federal laws governing health benefits, liability and workers’ compensation.
Amy has been an attorney for more than 25 years. Prior to Keenan, Amy worked as a litigator and litigation manager in New Jersey. Amy graduated from Smith College with a B.A. with honors in American Studies and received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where she worked as a research assistant for then-Congressman Charles E. Schumer of New York. She was admitted to the bar in New Jersey and California.
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Brian Erdelyi
Director of Safety Technology at Keenan
Brian joined Keenan Loss Control in February of 2006. He is currently working on obtaining his Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation. Brian is a Certified as a Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI), First Aid/CPR/ AED Instructor, and 12-passenger van driving safety instructor. Brian led the development of the Keenan Safety and Security product. Brian was a key member of the Keenan Emergency Management Program (for K-12 and CCDs) development team. Brian is currently developing a Reasonable Suspicion product for schools and municipalities. In addition to the above listed programs, Brian also regularly conducts property and liability inspections/audits, employee safety training, ergonomic evaluations, playground safety inspections, and Hazardous Materials Program services.
Prior to joining Keenan in 2006, Brian worked as CEO of a California based marine manufacturing company he founded in 2001. He built the company from the ground up and was responsible for overseeing all departments including business operations, personnel, product design, and sales and marketing. The company was ultimately successful and became a top five producer within its industry.
Brian has more than 12 years of prior law enforcement experience in southern California. He graduated in the top of his class at the San Bernardino County Sheriff Academy and went on to work for a city police department in San Diego County. Brian worked on many specialized assignments including uniformed drug enforcement, the Under Cover Narcotic Enforcement Team, the Domestic Violence Response Team, the San Diego County Emergency Response Platoon, and the Police Cadet and Explorer Field Training Program. Brian also assisted with specialized gang enforcement and Police K-9 training. Brian is a certified drug expert and is recognized by the State of California Superior Court as an expert witness. Brian is a member of the California Narcotics Officers Association. Brian is currently P.O.S.T. certified.
Brian also has extensive work experience in private security, commercial and residential electrical construction, commercial offset printing, food service, and retail sales. Brian is an active member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (#60356).
Ann-Marie Gabel
Vice Chancellor of Business Services at South Orange County Community College District (SWACC President)
Ann-Marie Gabel is the Vice Chancellor of Business Services for the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD), where she oversees all district business departments including fiscal services, accounting, budgeting, payroll, benefits, internal audit, facilities planning, purchasing, contracts, risk services, warehouse, and mailroom services. She provides leadership for all partnership negotiations related to the Advanced Technology and Education Park and chairs the district’s committees responsible for developing procedures for the allocation of general fund resources, capital outlay projects, and reviewing board policies and administrative regulations.
Previously, Ms. Gabel was the Executive Vice President of Finance, Facilities, and Technology Services at Long Beach City College (LBCC). During her tenure at LBCC she also held the positions of Acting Superintendent-President, Vice President of Administrative Services, and Interim Vice President of Student Support Services. Ms. Gabel also worked in the fiscal departments at Rancho Santiago Community College District and North Orange County Community College District. Ms. Gabel, a certified public accountant, started her career as an auditor with Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman, LLP (currently known as Clifton Larsen Allen), where she worked with several community colleges and K-12 districts.
Ms. Gabel is active in several state organizations in support of community colleges. She was appointed by Governor Brown to the Community College Student Success Funding Formula Oversight Committee. She is the President of the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC), a statewide joint powers authority responsible for property and liability coverage. Ms. Gabel also chairs the Facilities Advisory Committee for the Association of Chief Business Officials (ACBO) and a member of both the state Chancellor’s Advisory Workgroup on Fiscal Affairs and Affordable Student Housing Taskforce. Ms. Gabel serves as the Treasurer for the Community College Facilities Coalition (CCFC) board.
Ms. Gabel earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University, Fullerton, and a master’s degree in educational management from the University of La Verne.
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Tim Hall
Director of Loss Control Services at Keenan
Tim joined the Keenan Loss Control Team in 2009 bringing with him more than 15 years of safety experience. He spent his first nine years working in general industry for a Fortune 100 company in Southern California focusing on manufacturing, converting and distribution operations. He assisted in the development and implementation of IIPP, Confined Space Training, LOTO, and ergonomics programs. Since 2002 Tim has held safety manager and director positions for Turner Construction, MCM and Paragon Builders.
He has assisted in the development of numerous site safety programs including pre-employment screenings, safety inspections, JHA, trenching and shoring and SWPPP. Tim successfully completed the construction of four Los Angeles Unified School District buildings, a 16 story office building and a resort in San Diego. Tim has completed OSHA 500, 501, CPR/First Aid/AED, Confined Space, Trenching and Shoring, LOTO, Hazcom, MoveSmart trainer courses. Tim will be working with the North Valley PIPS, Central Valley JPA and Washington Unified School District.
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April Marin
Executive Director, Contract, Procurement, and Risk Management Services at Santa Clarita Community College District
April has over 18 years of hands-on contract experience, including education, healthcare, and medical laboratory agreements. She oversees over $50 million in purchase orders each year, and her department was recently awarded the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Procurement Institute for the third year in a row. She currently serves as an alternate Board member on the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC). She is the Vice Chair of the SWACC Claims & Coverage Committee, and she represents SWACC members on the Schools Association for Excess Risk (“SAFER”) Board of Directors. She earned her associate’s degree in Social Science at College of the Canyons, and then went on to graduate with honors from California State University, Dominguez Hills, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Applied Studies, with a minor in Public Administration.
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Ross Hartmann
Founder of Kiingo AI
Ross Hartmann is the founder of Kiingo AI, an AI consulting and automation agency that helps companies unlock profitability through artificial intelligence and automation. He has helped companies valued from $2 million to $700 million develop and implement an AI strategy and roadmap. He has been in the technology and AI industry for over 10 years and has a background as both a Technology Director at an AI company and a coach at Dale Carnegie of Orange County. Ross also serves as a current Vistage Speaker with an expertise in AI.
Andrew Martinez
Senior Director of Government Relations at Community College League of California
Andrew Martinez has served as the Senior Director of Government Relations for the League since May of 2020. As the Director, Andrew is responsible for budget and policy analysis, strategy development, and engaging the legislature and administration on issues critical to the community colleges.
Prior to joining the League, Andrew served as a Senior Legislative Advocate for the California State University (CSU) System. In that capacity, he was the lead advocate before the state legislature on numerous policy issues for the system, including labor relations, contracts, student affairs, public safety, auxiliaries and foundations, and athletics.
Before joining the CSU, Andrew Martinez worked in the State Capitol for more than a decade. During his time in the legislature, he worked for two Speakers of the State Assembly and the Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Mr. Martinez is a graduate of California State University Fresno and Moorpark Community College.
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Kellie M. Murphy
Shareholder/Attorney at Johnson Schachter & Lewis, a P.L.C.
Kellie Murphy is a Shareholder with Johnson Schachter & Lewis in Sacramento, California. She received her B.A. from the University of Dayton in 1994 and is a cum laude graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, where she received her J.D. in 1996.
Kellie represents public entities, including community college and school districts, as well as private schools and other private entities in matters before administrative agencies and in state and federal courts throughout California. She specializes in education law, employment law, sexual abuse and molestation claims, civil rights, and general civil defense litigation including products liability, medical malpractice, and complex personal injury. She also has extensive experience in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith.
In addition to her litigation experience, Kellie advises joint powers authorities, schools, and community college districts as general counsel on a wide variety of issues, including labor issues, employment and personnel matters, student discipline, investigations, contracts, the Brown Act, and the Public Records Act. She also conducts investigations for public and private entities, including those involving sexual harassment and discrimination.
Kellie is a member of the Sacramento County Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section), the California Council of School Attorneys, the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada, the Association of Workplace Investigators, and the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court. She is a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, a Northern California Super Lawyer, and a 2020 Sacramento Magazine Top Lawyer in Education Law.
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Eric Preston
Senior Vice President of Property & Casualty at Keenan
Eric has been with Keenan since 2004 where he started as a Loss Control Consultant. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Human Resources, with emphasis in Human Resource Management, from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Eric earned his Associate in Risk Management for Public Entities (ARM-P) designation in 2008, his P&C broker license in 2011 and his CSRM designation in 2014. Eric works closely with some of the state’s largest JPAs to help them manage their losses and implement risk management best practices both directly and through the Loss Control department’s staff of 52 Safety and Risk Management professionals. Eric has expanded specialties in the areas of campus security, school site design, fire sprinkler systems, aerial lifts, behavior-based safety, vocational art shop safety, as well special education safety.
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Angelo A. Villarreal
Of Counsel at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Rudd & Romo
Angelo Villarreal represents public and private entities in a wide array of labor and employment matters. He regularly provides advice and counsel and litigation services in the areas of wage and hour, retaliation, employment discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, leaves of absence, employee termination and discipline, and grievance issues.
Mr. Villarreal previously worked as a tax associate at an international tax accounting firm in San Francisco, where he focused on providing services to alternative investment funds involved in inbound and outbound transactions. In addition, Mr. Villarreal previously worked at a law firm in Bakersfield representing private entity employers in employment and business litigation matters.
Mr. Villarreal was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. He has lived abroad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Seoul, South Korea. He is fluent in both Spanish and Portuguese.
Matthew Takeda
Claims Supervisor at Keenan
Matthew joined Keenan in 2017. He has over 15 years of experience in the industry handling general liability, employment litigation, property damage and auto claims. He started his insurance career with Mercury Insurance Company. Thereafter, Matthew worked at Carl Warren & Company as a Claims Examiner handling public municipalities within the Independent Cities Risk Management Authority and various public entities.
Matthew has a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Irvine, in Social Ecology and a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Northridge.
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Dr. Cindy Vyskocil
Vice Chancellor, Human Resources at South Orange County Community College District
Dr. Cindy Vyskocil is the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD), where she serves as the district’s chief human resources officer and negotiator and oversees all aspects of labor relations and employment services. With 28 years of service in the public sector, including 23 years in community college administration, Dr. Vyskocil is well known for her experienced human resources leadership at both multi-college and single-college districts.
Before joining SOCCCD, Dr. Vyskocil was the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at Coast Community College District, associate Vice President of Human Resources at Long Beach Community College District, and Director of Equity and Diversity at North Orange County Community College District. She began her career serving in the Orange County Superior Court system as the manager of traffic and minor offenses before transitioning into higher education administration.
Dr. Vyskocil served as the president of the Association of Chief Human Resource Officers (ACHRO) from 2018-2019. She also served two years as the Chair of the Equal Employment Diversity and Equity Consortium for the southern region and was a recipient of the California Association for Postsecondary Education and Disability Administrator of the Year Award. She currently serves as the Chair of the Human Resources Committee for the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC).
Dennis Walsh, Esq.
Attorney at Walsh & Associates, APC
Dennis has been practicing law in California for 40 years. Mr. Walsh has his own firm, Walsh & Associates, APC where he and his associates represent public entities in constitutional and civil rights litigation, tort liability, employment litigation and educational law matters.
He has successfully defended various public agencies at trial in these practice areas. He has argued before the California Appellate Courts and the California Supreme Court on school issues. He has handled several lawsuits and trials that have received national media attention. He frequently speaks on these issues as well as provides training and education on handling various employment issues.