VPTRC upcoming event

Featured Speakers

Dr. Lina Alathari

Dr. Alathari is the Chief of the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), where she oversees the center’s targeted violence behavioral research program. The findings from these projects have identified behaviors, motives, and triggers of individuals who engage in various forms of targeted violence to include school violence, workplace violence, terrorism, attacks against government officials and facilities, and mass attacks in public spaces.

Dr. Alathari also oversees NTAC’s training and consultation programs. She has testified before congress, frequently presents on threat assessment, and provides guidance to government agencies, K-12 schools, universities, and corporations on threat cases and establishing threat assessment programs.

Dr. Alathari was named a 2020 Safety, Security and International Affairs Finalist for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, and was the recipient of the 2024 Presidential Rank Meritorious Executive Award, 2024 DHS Secretary's Meritorious Service Silver Medal Award, 2022 DHS Secretary's Award for Innovation, 2019 Secret Service Director’s Team Impact Award, and the 2015 DHS Law Enforcement Information Sharing (LEIS) Visionary Award.

Dr. Alathari's previous experience includes mental health treatment, behavior analysis, and crisis intervention. Immediately prior to joining the U.S. Secret Service, Dr. Alathari worked at the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute, an inpatient state psychiatric facility, where she oversaw the behavior management program for patients who posed a risk for violence, self-harm, and suicide.

Dr. Alathari earned a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuropsychology from The George Washington University.

Courtenay McCarthy

Courtenay McCarthy is the lead school psychologist in student preventive behavioral threat assessment and management for Salem-Keizer Public Schools. She is also chair of the Mid-Valley Student Threat Assessment Team and is a member of the Marion County Threat Advisory Team. While partnering with John Van Dreal, she has refined the Salem-Keizer student threat assessment system to reflect leading practice in behavioral threat assessment, violence prevention, early intervention, and equitable practices. Courtenay has over two decades of experience in prevention, threat assessment and management, psychoeducational evaluation, intervention with at-risk youth and families, and behavioral consultation and intervention. As a certified threat manager and nationally certified school psychologist, she regularly provides training and consultation on student threat assessment systems implementation and youth violence to school districts and community agencies throughout the nation. She also provides workshops, symposiums, and content presentations to national audiences. In addition, Courtenay is a contributing author to the book, Assessing Student Threats: Implementing the Salem-Keizer System – Second Edition (Van Dreal, et al. 2017) and a co-author on the book, Preventing Youth Violence: The Pathway Back through Inclusion and Connection (released in March of 2022).

John Van Dreal

John Van Dreal is a school psychologist, the chief architect of violence prevention solutions for Public Consulting Group, and the retired director of Safety and Risk Management Services for the Salem-Keizer School District. He continues his career consulting with school districts and communities on behavioral threat assessment systems and violence prevention. He has over 35 years of experience in threat assessment and management, psycho-educational evaluation, crisis intervention, behavioral intervention, and security and risk management systems consultation. He is the recipient of the 2024 Association of Threat Assessment Professional’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is recognized internationally as an expert in threat assessment and as a pioneer of multidisciplinary threat assessment.

In 1999, he began the development and implementation of the Salem-Keizer Cascade Model, an evidence-based, multi-agency student threat assessment system considered by experts to be a best practice. Through that collaboration, he has worked daily with educators, law enforcement, trial court personnel, juvenile justice, and mental health personnel in preventive behavioral threat assessment—the management of youth and adult threats of aggression within the schools, institutions, and the community. He served as Chair of Oregon’s Mid-Valley Student Threat Assessment Team from its inception in 2000 through 2015 and continues to provide consultation to its membership. He has served as a member of the Marion County Threat Advisory Team since 1999. He is the editor and principal author of the book Assessing Student Threats: Implementing The Salem-Keizer System, Second Edition and has advised on, or contributed to, a number of threat assessment guides, publications, articles, and documentaries. His third book (authored with Courtenay McCarthy and Coleen Van Dreal), Preventing Youth Violence: The Pathway Back through Inclusion and Connection, was released in March of 2022. He regularly provides training and consultation to audiences nationally on threat assessment systems, preventing and mitigating human violence, school security, and response options for violent intruder and active shooter situations.

John is dedicated to his community, patronizing locally owned establishments and supporting nonprofit arts and human services organizations. He is a musician, a published poet, and a nationally renowned fine artist with paintings in several notable collections. Finally, he is lucky to be the partner of a gifted school counselor, the proud father of two brilliant adult children, and a loving companion to his dog, Jojo.

The VPTRC Previous Events

VPTRC Overview | Threat Assessment Certificate Program | VPTRC: About Us | VPTRC Events | VPTRC Research |VPTRC Media Appearances | VPTRC Resources | VPTRC Contact Us