The International Foundation for Protection Officers would like to celebrate International Women's Day -- as part of Women's History Month -- highlighting the women who make the IFPO a leader in worldwide security education and training. The IFPO also wishes to recognize all women in security for a job well done and their continued contributions in the security industry!

IFPO Executive Director Sandi Davies:

"I began my career in security in 1980 with one of Canada’s largest contract security agencies," Davies writes. "At that time I was in personnel/human relations and quickly recognized the need for educational opportunities for security officers. Over the next 8 years in conjunction with the co-founder Ron Minion, CPP, CPOI, CPO we worked at making this a reality – hence the International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO) was formed."

"In 1992 I became the executive director of the IFPO and moved the organization to Florida in the United States. I report directly to the IFPO Board of Directors in our effort to met the goals and objectives of the IFPO. I have been involved in the publishing of 14 books, many of which have become the course curriculum for our many certification programs."

"I have been the chairperson for the ASIS, International - Security Services Council. I currently serve on their Book Awards Committee and additionally work closely at making available scholarships to our programs with the ASIS Foundation. In 2016 I was the recipient of the Karen Marquez Award which recognizes women in the security industry by way of their contributions and professionalism. I also was the recipient of the Charles A. Sennewald Distinguished Service Accolade."

 

IFPO Board Chairman Dr. Linda F. Florence, Ph.D., CPP

Florence is the founder of The Florence Group, a management consulting firm specializing in executive development, organizational consulting, and leadership coaching for the security profession with a wide range of successful consulting and training engagements. Florence has more than 25 years of experience driving enterprise security risk management to best-practice levels with an expertise in leading organizations through crisis events.

She has experience leading the security function for Fortune 500 companies in various industries including banking, retail, telecom, hospitality and healthcare: integrating security and enterprise risk management as essential elements of business strategy and culture. She is a sought-after speaker on security and leadership topics, an expert witness for security, researcher, published author, and currently serves on the ASIS Professional Standards Board. Her academic experience includes serving as Dean of Security studies for Henley-Putnam University and University of Phoenix, and she continues to mentor doctoral candidates.

Florence brings a passion for volunteer leadership and previously served as the President and Chairman for Foundation Board of Trustees for ASIS International; she was previously elected to the ASIS Board of Directors and served as the President of the Professional Certification Board. Florence earned a Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology, focusing on workplace violence prevention and leadership. Additionally, Florence is a two-time recipient of the ASIS President’s Award of Merit and the 2018 honoree of the ASIS International - Karen Marquez Award from the ASIS Women in Security Council.

 

IFPO Secretary/Treasurer Marianna Perry, M.S., CPP:

Marianna A. Perry is a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) through ASIS International and has 35+ years of progressive experience in law enforcement, physical security, safety and loss control. Marianna received her B.A. Degree from Bellarmine University and her Master’s Degree from Eastern Kentucky University. She is a safety and security consultant and is a frequent presenter at the annual ASIS International Seminar.

She is also adjunct faculty at Sullivan University in the Department of Justice and Public Safety Administration. Marianna is a former trooper and detective with the Kentucky State Police and was previously the Director of the National Crime Prevention Institute (NCPI) at the University of Louisville. She is a member of the ASIS International School Safety and Security Council as well as the Women in Security Council. Her recent books (with Larry Fennelly) are titled, The Handbook for School Safety and Security & Security for Colleges and Universities.

 

IFPO Director Bonnie Michelman, CPP, CHPA

She currently is the executive director of Police, Security and Outside Services at Massachusetts General Hospital and the security consultant for its parent corporation, Partners Healthcare Inc.,  an organization comprising 15 hospitals, hundreds of offsite facilities, and a workforce of more than 80,000. She oversees a licensed police department in this role, among other departments.

Michelman was a senior executive at First Security Services Corporation (now Securitas), overseeing security for 60 diverse operations and assistant vice president for general services/operations at Newton Wellesley Hospital, managing 16 operational and support departments.

In the realm of education, Michelman has been an adjunct professor at Northeastern University's College of Criminal Justice in its graduate and undergraduate programs for more than 25 years. In 2010, she was appointed by then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, holding that position until 2015, and chaired the DHS Faith-Based Security Advisory Committee.

In addition to her many leadership positions nationally and internationally, Michelman lectures and consults on areas of healthcare security, workplace violence, hate crimes, active shooter training, domestic violence, risk assessment/management, disaster planning, leadership, change management, strategic business planning and communications.

In 2017, Michelman received the Karen Marquez Award.