APCO International is pleased to announce that the following individuals have earned the Certified Public-Safety Executive (CPE) designation, following completion of the culminating course, a two-week capstone seminar at APCO headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida. The CPE Program is the only executive leadership program focused specifically on the public safety communications industry.

July 2018 graduates and instructors of APCO’s Certified Public-Safety Executive (CPE) Program with CPE Program Manager Dr. Timothy Scanlon, APCO President Martha K. Carter and APCO Executive Director & CEO Derek K. Poarch.   Front row, left to right: Charlynn Flaherty; Christine Ponce, RPL; Jeffrey Cohen; Maureen Will, RPL; Ann Marie Piddisi; D.T Donaldson; Stephanie Connor, RPL; Erika Wilson. Back row, left to right: Robert Woodhull; Daniel Dunlap; Melanie Mills-Bergers; Charlene Fisk, RPL; Dr. Steve Edwards, CPE Instructor; Dr. Timothy Scanlon; Dr. Bob Miller, CPE Instructor; Martha K. Carter; Derek K. Poarch; Jessica Lynch, RPL; Amy McCormick; Matthew Barstow.

At a graduation ceremony July 19 in Daytona Beach, class president Maureen A. Will, RPL, CPE, addressed her fellow graduates:

“In these past nine working days we have forged bonds and mentorships with one another, have seen ourselves move out of our comfort zones and have had those hard conversations, not just with each other, but with ourselves.

“We are proud to receive the designation of Certified Public-Safety Executive and we pledge … to be the leaders we know we can be, as we begin the mentorship of the next generation.”

Read the complete graduation address.

Drawing on resources from renowned leadership professionals and distinguished academic resources, the CPE Program allows participants to explore topics that include management versus leadership, models/theories of leadership, leadership styles, public safety leadership issues, and executing and managing change.
Instructors include master’s and doctoral level professionals in the field of organizational development and leadership. The CPE program consists of two 12-week online courses and an intensive nine-day capstone seminar at APCO headquarters in Daytona Beach.

Congratulations to the following individuals who have earned the prestigious professional designation of Certified Public-Safety Executive:

Matthew Barstow, CPE, Massachusetts State Police, Framingham, MA

Jeffrey S. Cohen, CPE, APCO International, Alexandria, VA

Stephanie Connor, RPL, CPE, Surry County 911 Communications, Dobson, NC

D.T. Donaldson, CPE, Port of Portland, Portland, OR

Daniel R. Dunlap, CPE, Augusta Richmond County 9, Augusta, GA

Charlene A. Fisk, RPL, CPE, Norton Public Safety, Norton, MA

Charlynn Flaherty, CPE, Prince George’s County Public Safety Communications, Bowie, MD

Jessica Lynch, RPL, CPE, Baker County Consolidated 9-1-1 Dispatch, Baker City, OR

Amy McCormick, CPE, Spokane County 911, Spokane, OR

Melanie Mills-Bergers, CPE, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Topeka, KS

Ann Marie Piddisi, RPL, CPE, City of Alexandria – Department of Emergency Communications, Alexandria, VA

Christine Ponce, RPL, CPE, City of Alexandria – Department of Emergency Communications, Alexandria, VA

Maureen A. Will, RPL, CPE, Town of Newtown, Newtown, CT

Erika Wilson, CPE, Albuquerque Police Department, Albuquerque, NM

Robert Woodhull, CPE, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Florence, AZ

A new CPE session started in July 2018 and applications are being accepted for one beginning in January 2019. While a public safety communications professional need not be an APCO member to apply for the program, APCO members can apply for a scholarship to cover some of the costs, including travel for the capstone course.

CPE applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements: possess an associate’s degree or higher; be a graduate of APCO’s Registered Public-Safety Leader (RPL) Program; or have a high-school diploma and a minimum of 10 years’ experience in public safety communications at the supervisor, manager or director level.

For more information, visit apcointl.org/cpe or contact CPE Program Coordinator Dr. Timothy Scanlon at (386) 944-2486.

APCO International^® (www.apcointl.org)
APCO International is the world’s oldest and largest organization of public safety communications professionals and supports the largest U.S. membership base of any public safety association. It serves the needs of public safety communications practitioners worldwide – and the welfare of the general public as a whole.