Speakers and Instructors

The brains and talent behind the Writers' Police Academy

Hank Phillippi Ryan

Hank Phillippi Ryan

Guest of Honor

Hank Phillippi Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of 14 psychological thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also the on-air investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors. Book critics call her “a master of suspense,”…

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Steven Spingola – “The Spingola Files: An Evening with Steven Spingola”

Steven Spingola

Special Guest Speaker

Friday Special Presentation

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Dr. Katherine Ramsland

Dr. Katherine Ramsland

Special Guest Speaker

Saturday Special Session

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Bruce Robert Coffin

Retired Detective Sergeant and Award-Winning Mystery Author

Bruce Robert Coffin is the award-winning author of the Detective Byron mystery series. A former detective sergeant with more than twenty-seven years in law enforcement, he supervised all homicide and violent crime investigations for Maine’s largest city. Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, Bruce spent four years investigating counter-terrorism cases for the FBI, earning…

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Mike De Sisti

Mike De Sisti

Special Guest Speaker

Mike De Sisti has been a photojournalist with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel since 2008. He covers everything from breaking news, professional sporting events including the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks and Brewers to features, and business assignments. His work has allowed him to travel to China for a story on paper production, Prague for Harley Davidson’s (a…

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Michael A. Black

Award-Winning Author/Chicago Area Police Officer (ret.)

Michael A. Black is the award-winning author of 48 books, most of which are in the mystery and thriller genres. He has also written in sci-fi, western, horror, and sports genres. A retired police officer from the Chicago area, he has done everything from patrol to investigating homicides to conducting numerous SWAT operations. Black was…

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Holly Maas

Certified Crime Scene Analyst and Property and Evidence Specialist - Public Safety Academy Certified Instructor

Holly Maas has worked in the field of forensic science since 2013, beginning her career at Grand Chute Police Department in Wisconsin. In that time, she was employed as their fulltime Evidence Technician and was responsible for processing crime scenes, training patrol officers and investigators from around the county, and maintaining evidence at the station….

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Ryan Peterson

Public Safety Academy and Criminal Justice Associate Degree Program Instructor

Ryan Peterson has 14 years full-time law enforcement experience. He previously worked for the Sun Prairie Police Department and Fox Valley Metro Police Department. During that time, he was a SWAT team member, Officer in Charge for second shift, field training officer, evidence technician, firearms instructor and tactical emergency casualty care instructor. In 2017, Ryan…

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Ian Nishimoto

Master Instructor - Defensive and Arrest Tactics, Firearms/Tactical Rifle, Scenario Assessment, Tactical Response.

Ian Nishimoto’s mother and father were born and raised in Hawaii. His father served in the US Army for 30 years, giving Ian the opportunity to live in many areas of the United States and hence his place of birth was Staten Island, New York. Ian completed his master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin—Stout…

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Curtis Green

Elected Coroner, AS-EMTP (retired), ABMDI-F (retired)

Curtis is currently the Elected Coroner for Manitowoc County WI.  He has held this position for 16+ years and is serving his final term in that position. He earned his basic EMT certification in 1983 and became licensed as Wisconsin’s youngest Paramedic in 1985. He began his career at County Rescue Services, Metro Ambulance Service…

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Alex Roberts

Public Safety Academy Certified Instructor - EVOC, Defensive Tactics, Tactical Response

Alex Roberts is a six-year veteran law enforcement officer in the Green Bay area, with 2.5 of those years spent as a night shift patrol officer for the Green Bay Police Department. He currently works as a Public Safety Officer—Police Officer, Firefighter, and Paramedic on 24hr shifts—for the Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety, just south of…

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Lyn Schuh

Co-Founder - Operational K9 Medical Team

Lyn Schuh is a co-founder of The Operational K9 Medical Team of Wisconsin. Along with the assistance of Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians, and various members from the Human Medical Community, she and Dr. Lisa Converse have been educating K9 law enforcement handlers across the State of Wisconsin on prehospital medical care for their K9 partners for over a decade. 

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Dr. Lisa J. Converse

Co-Founder, Operational K9 Medical Team

Dr. Converse, a Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Specialist has more than 25 years of clinical, educator, and administrative experience in veterinarian healthcare settings.  Her positions have included veterinarian practice ownership, Medical Director, Radioactive Iodine Department Director, Clinical Instructor, and Volunteer Veterinarian.  Dr. Converse was a founding member of Operational K9 Medical Team of Wisconsin,…

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Neil Dorner

Public Safety Academy Certified Instructor - Multiple Unified Tactics

Neil Dorner is a 21-year law enforcement veteran with experience working at the Algoma Police Department, Sturgeon Bay Police, and the Mishicot Police Department. He served as an entry team member on the Door and Kewaunee County SWAT teams for 13 years. He has a strong evidence background with over 15 years’ experience as an…

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Nick Place

Drug Recognition Expert - Instructor

Nick Place is the owner of Route 961 Training and Consultants, a company that provides training courses focusing on drug trends, Novel THC, opiates, and identifying drug impairment, to name a few. Route 961 courses are available to both law enforcement and the public.

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Jeff Steeber

Jeff Steeber

Master Instructor - Instructor Development, Vehicle Contacts, Officer Wellness, EVOC, Firearms, Defensive and Arrest Tactics, Scenario, Tactical Response, Constitutional Law

Jeff Steeber is a full-time criminal justice instructor at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC). Prior to employment at NWTC, Jeff spent 15 years as an officer for the Fox Valley Metro Police Department.

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Angel Van Noie

Angel Van Noie

Wisconsin Department of Justice Instructor - Officer Wellness, Constitutional Law, Defensive and Arrest Tactics, Physical Fitness, Hazardous Materials, OWI/SFST, Tactical Response, EVOC, Scenario, Vehicle Contacts, Firearms, Professional Communications

Angel is 20-year veteran police officer of the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department. During that time, Angel worked patrol and served as a School Resource Officer in the West De Pere School District.

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andrew opperman

Andrew Opperman

Professional Standards Division Lieutenant, Wisconsin Department of Justice Certified Instructor - EVOC, Firearms, OWI/SFST

Andrew is currently a Professional Standards Division Lieutenant for the Green Bay Police Department. He has served as a supervisor in the investigation division and in patrol. Prior to becoming a supervisor, he spent 7+ plus years as a patrol officer.

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Nicole Crocker

Nicole Crocker

Detective - Wisconsin Department of Justice Master Instructor Vehicle Contact, Certified Instructor - EVOC, Tactical Emergency and Casualty Care, Officer Wellness, OWI/SFST, Professional Communications, Scenarios. 

Nicole is presently assigned as a detective with the Oconto Police Department. She is also a Wisconsin Department of Justice certified instructor.

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Mike Knetzger

Mike Knetzger

Certified Use of Force Analyst/Expert Witness, Wisconsin Department of Justice Training Certified Instructor - Victims, Defensive & Arrest Tactics, Firearms, Vehicle Contacts, Professional Communications Skills, S.P.E.A.R.

Mike Knetzger, a certified use of force analyst for the Force Science Research Center and recipient of the J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Award, is a 28-year law enforcement veteran who recently retired as a patrol sergeant with the City of Green Bay.

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Jon Nejedlo

Jon Nejedlo

Wisconsin DOJ Certified Instructor - Emergency Vehicle Operation and Control, Vehicle Contacts, Firearms, Defense and Arrest Tactics, Scenario Instructor, Tactical Response, ALERRT

Jon Nejedlo is a Police Officer for the City of Green Bay Police Department who’s served 19 years as a Patrol Officer. He is currently assigned to the Operations Department as the Range Master.

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brian jordon

Brian Jordan

Master Instructor Trainer - Defensive and Arrest Tactics, Firearms, Tactical Response, Scenario Instructor

Brian is a 25-year law enforcement veteran and currently a Patrol Sergeant, Field Training Officer and Training Unit member with the Green Bay Police Department.

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Jason Feucht

Jason Feucht

Investigations Lieutenant - Large-Scale Drug Investigations and Homicide Investigations

Jason currently serves as a patrol lieutenant for the Fox Crossing Police Department. In his time at the police department Jason has also worked as a patrol officer, drug investigator, and detective.

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erik walters

Erik Walters

Public Safety Training Complex Specialist - Wisconsin Department of Justice Certified Instructor in Defensive and Arrest Tactics, Vehicle Contacts, Scenario, EVOC, Tactical Response, Physical Fitness, Firearms

Erik is the Public Safety Training Complex Specialist at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.  In that role, Erik oversees all the public safety training facilities and equipment at 4 different locations. 

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