Frank DeAngelis was a staff member at Columbine High School in the Jeffco School District in Littleton Colorado, since 1979, starting as a Social Studies teacher and filling the roles of Head Baseball Coach, Assistant Football Coach, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal, before becoming the Principal in 1996. Frank is a Colorado native, completing his K-12 education in Denver-area schools, proceeding to graduate from Metropolitan State College and subsequently from the University of Colorado with a Masters Degree in Secondary Education and Social Studies, his Principal’s License and Masters Degree from the University of Phoenix. Frank has been involved in numerous professional activities and associations, and has received multiple awards for his teaching, leadership and coaching skills. He has also been called upon to speak about recovery after a school tragedy at a variety of conferences, and has assisted as a consultant after a number of other violent school events. He was selected as Colorado High School Principal of the Year and was one of the three finalists for National Principal of the Year. He received the Jefferson Country Lifetime Achievement Award and the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builders Award. He retired in June of 2014 after 35 years at Columbine High School. He is presently serving as a consultant for safety and emergency management for the Jeffco School District in Colorado. He is one of the founders of the Principal Recovery Network and continues to deliver speeches in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Susan Payne, the founder of Safe2Tell, is a nationally recognized expert in school safety, prevention, early intervention, investigation, crisis response, threat management and recovery strategies. Her distinguished career began with 28 years in law enforcement, including as a Detective at the Colorado Springs Police Department and later as the first Special Agent in charge of school safety at the Colorado Department of Public Safety. She then served as Executive Director of Safe Communities, Safe Schools at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, where she led comprehensive community safety and school security efforts, including the pioneering Safe2Tell Colorado initiative. Safe2Tell, developed in the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy, has been instrumental in breaking the "Code of Silence" and promoting safety by empowering students to report concerns anonymously. Susan Payne was brought in by the Governor and Attorney General of Colorado to work with the Columbine Commission in the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy to focus on lessons learned and building best practice strategies in school and community safety moving forward.

Throughout her career, Susan has served as a research associate and subject matter expert with notable institutions such as the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at Colorado University. She has contributed to numerous pivotal studies, including the Bystander Study, Safe School Initiative, and Protecting America's Schools. Susan has also provided expert guidance to states across the U.S. on implementing bystander reporting, threat assessment practices, and intervention strategies.

Her expertise spans across academic research, technical assistance, and practical application in the field, where she has been instrumental in helping schools build proactive safety frameworks. Susan’s leadership has been sought after during national crises, including the tragedies at Columbine, Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, Parkland, and Oxford. Her work in crisis response, behavioral threat assessment, and safety management has been critical in supporting local and state leaders in the aftermath of these events.

In addition to her work with schools and law enforcement, Susan has been a key player in shaping safety practices in school districts nationwide, especially in both rural and urban settings. She has worked to establish armed security teams and integrated threat assessment models, ensuring these strategies are both practical and effective in diverse school environments. Her ability to bridge the gap between policy development and real-world application has fostered collaboration among school boards, law enforcement, and community stakeholders, ensuring that safety measures are implemented with fidelity and impact.

Susan's commitment to building safer schools and communities, alongside her advocacy for victims, has left an indelible mark on the landscape of school safety. Through her leadership and hands-on involvement in school safety initiatives, she continues to influence and shape the future of safety practices across the nation.