Leadership Team
Dr. Stephen J. Sampson - CEO and Founder
After earning his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University (1981), Steve quickly became a nationally recognized Master Trainer in Interpersonal Communication Skills, and he has presented that training to over 300 agencies and organizations in 40 states. A former Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice (1979 to 1985) and Clinical Professor in the Counseling and Psychological Services department at Georgia State University (1995 to 2004), Steve has developed a unique set of programs that combines scientific and skills based instruction to provide an informative and interactive learning experience. A sample of his course offerings include Social Intelligence Skills for Leaders, Managing Citizen Complaints, Managing Personal Relationships, and Managing Mentally Ill Persons. These courses have been most recently presented to members of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, the Milwaukee Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the National Security Agency.
As a Licensed Psychologist, he is the former Chief of Psychology of Georgia Regional Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia (1993 to 1995).
As a Criminologist, Steve is the former correctional superintendent for Massachusetts Halfway Houses Inc. (1969 to 1973), as well as the former Correctional Superintendent for the Georgia Department of Corrections (1973 to 1976).
As an author, he has published several books including:
Social Intelligence Skills for Law Enforcement Supervisors/Managers
Social Intelligence Skills for Law Enforcement Officers
Social Intelligence Skills for Correctional Supervisors/Managers
Social Intelligence Skills for Correctional Officers Social Intelligence Skills for Government Managers
How to Be in a Personal Relationship
Applied Social Intelligence
Leaders without Titles
Quiet Cop: De-escalation Skills for Law Enforcement Professionals
Conflict Management Techniques for Correction Officers
Conflict Management Techniques for Correctional Administrators & Supervisors
Kerrie Sampson - Director of Operations
Kerrie Sampson joined the Sampson team in 2005 after relocating to the U.S. from her native Australia. In her role as Director of Operations for Sampson Psychological Testing & Training, Kerrie is responsible for all aspects of scheduling and logistics for Sampson-related psychological testing and training programs. Additionally, Kerrie leads a team in executing the day-to-day operations of Dr. Sampson’s other ventures. Prior to joining the Sampson team, Kerrie had a focused career in IT and customer service.
Mark E. Kissel - Training Coordinator
Chief Kissel is third generation law enforcement and has nearly 50 years of experience. He began his career as a police dispatcher in Florida while in high school and college. His formal field experience began with the Gwinnett County Police Department in 1974 and he earned promotions at regular intervals, later serving as Director of Training and Assistant Chief – Uniform Division. In 1998, he served in the capacity of Human-Rights Investigator and Station Commander – Tuzla Region in Bosnia- Herzegovina as part of the United Nations International Police Task Force. On returning home, he was hired to establish the Cherokee County (GA) School District Police Department comprised of 20 sworn police officers, emergency management facilitator and a emergency communications facilitator; he retired after serving 20 years.
Chief Kissel earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Florida State University and a master’s degree in public and urban affairs from Georgia State University. He holds several certifications issued by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council and is certified as a senior instructor. Chief Kissel is a published author of a book, Special Education: The
Potential for Civil Liability and he has taught criminal justice management and other related courses as part-time faculty at Georgia State University.
He has served as President of the Georgia Association of Secondary School Law Enforcement Executives, is a Life member of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP) and a graduate of Leadership Gwinnett. Chief Kissel has been recognized by the Department of Defense for his service to law enforcement officers who have been deployed on active duty.
He has been married for over 50 years and resides in Bethlehem, Georgia.
Dr. Karen Anderson - Grant Specialist
Karen Anderson is a retired law enforcement professional with 41-years of experience. She began her career with the Atlanta Police Department in 1982 and following her retirement in 2007, she continued her career with the DeKalb County Police Department (2007-2015) serving in several administrative capacities including Interim Chief of Police. She has a strong background as a grant-writer and reviewer and in 2019, she served as grants manager/law enforcement manager coordinator for the Rockdale County Sheriffs Office. In March 2022, she was hired as the first female police captain for the newly established Stockbridge Police Department.
Karen holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, a master’s degree in Public Administration, and PhD in Management and Organizational Leadership. As noted, she is a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) peer grant reviewer focusing on the Office of Justict Programs (OJP) programs and serves as a subject matter expert in this field.
She received the Alicia Alexander Glass Ceiling Award by the City of Stockbridge in 2022, and was recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars for Outstanding Performance and Dedicated Service n 2023. Her affiliations include being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and the National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
Charles Walters - Master Trainer
Charles Walters began his law enforcement career with the Gwinnett County Police in 1979. He served in all divisions within the agency, including 11 years in Narcotics and Organized Crime, both as an investigator and supervisor. During his career he commanded the Gwinnett County Police Training Center, the Support Operations Division and the Uniform Division. In 2003, Walters was appointed Chief of Police and commanded an agency with over 1000 employees and a budget of 140 million dollars. He served as the Chief of Police for 11 years until his retirement in 2014.
Walters earned a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from Brenau College and an M.S. from Georgia State University’s College of Public and Urban Affairs. He is a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy, Session 175. He is a graduate of the Georgia Regional Leadership Institute and Leadership Gwinnett.
Chief Walters has been a CALEA Assessor since 2000 and a Team Leader since 2003. He has participated in numerous on-sites throughout the U.S. and abroad for agencies of all sizes. He is currently a Master Trainer for Sampson Testing and Training and provides communications
and leadership training to law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Additionally, Chief Walters is a member of the faculties at the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the Leadership Development Institute of Georgia at Georgia State University.
Chief Walters has been recognized by the Department of Defense and the Veterans of Foreign Wars for his service to law enforcement officers who have been deployed on active duty. He was also recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice for his efforts in combating criminal gangs. Chief Walters is also a member of the Board of Directors for Care for Cops that provides financial support for the families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. He is a Life Member of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.
Chief Walters resides with his family in Dacula,GA.
Andy Carrier - Master Trainer
Andy served with the Georgia State Patrol for 31 years, retiring as a captain and Director of the Office of Public Safety Support. He began his career in 1987 with the Richmond County Sheriffs Office prior to moving to the Georgia State Patrol. During the latter part of his career, he was awarded a graduate research assistantship at the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government while pursing his master’s degree in clinical social work.
In addition to his master’s degree in social work, he also holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Brenau University, a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University and is pursing his PhD in social work from the University of Kentucky. Andy is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy-Session 245.
Andy is a licensed as a clinical/independent social worker in the states of Georgia, South Carolina, and New York and in that capacity, he assists members of the public safety community who have been involved in traumatic incidents. In the aftermath of the Robb Elementary School shooting, he was sent to Uvalde, Texas to assist the public safety members and the community.
In 2019, he was appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to the Composite Board of Social Workers, Professional Counselors, and Marriage and Family Therapists. He has published in the Washington Examiner, the FBI National Academy Associates Magazine, and IACP’s Police Chief Magazine.
Jamie Cabe - Master Trainer
Jamie Cabe has 27 years of experience working in various positions within local and state government. He began his career working as a dispatcher for a city police department, after serving as a volunteer police explorer all four years of high school. During his paid career, he also worked as a Jailer, patrol officer, field training officer, patrol sergeant, crime intelligence sergeant, city marshal, internal affairs lieutenant, and captain.
For a period of approximately five years, Jamie served as a Chief Deputy Clerk of Superior and State Courts, a Clerk of Superior and State Courts, and Chief of Staff for a County Government. He holds GAPOST certifications as a general instructor and specialty instructor in various areas. He has experience as a lead instructor for basic mandate and currently works for the State of Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.
Jamie earned a Bachelor degree in a social science from Mercer University and a Master of degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University. He has over 400 hours of supervision and management training. He has served and continues to serve on the board of many local community civic organizations.
Connie B. Sampson - Master Trainer
Connie B. Sampson, MS
Chief of Police
Chief Connie Sampson is a thirty-year law enforcement veteran. She began her career with the University of Georgia Police Department and in 2017, she retired from Georgia State University as Associate Vice President for Critical Infrastructure, Building Security, and Safety after serving as the university’s Assistant Vice President/Chief of Police since 1996.
She has also served as interim chief of police throughout the southeast at such institutions as Maryville College, Young Harris College, and Forsyth Technical College. Connie holds a degree in criminal justice from Brenau University and a master’s degree in public administration from Georgia State University.
Chief Sampson’s expertise lies within the ability to attract and retain competent personnel and ensuring that training sets standards for personal, professional growth and the efficiency of police operations.
She is an Expert Peer Review Consultant with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. This entails using a framework consistent with professional standards and providing clients with an overall assessment of their agency’s policies and practices. The peer review examines significant aspects of public safety administration including organizing and management, operations, enforcement, administrative, technical services and human resources
Johnny Knatt - Master Trainer
Johnny Knatt, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CCATC
Founder and Principal Consultant, JJK Workplace, LLC
Johnny Knatt is an intuitive and empathic advisor, known for his selflessness and compassionate approach to helping others. With a diverse background in leadership spanning across Human Resources, Law Enforcement, Organization Development, Emotional Intelligence, Recruiting, Staffing, Employee Relations, Training, Sales, Coaching, and Manufacturing Management, Johnny brings a wealth of experience to his role as a consultant.
Throughout his 30-year career with Procter & Gamble, Johnny honed his skills in various areas, developing a reputation for exceptional leadership, effective communication, and relationship-building abilities. His passion for team building has proven instrumental in boosting employee productivity, enhancing organizational performance, and driving high retention rates.
Among his notable positions, Johnny has served as the Director of Human Resources at the Georgia Department of Community Supervision and as the Deputy Human Resources Director at the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
Johnny's success is grounded in his remarkable ability to establish trust-based relationships with clients and colleagues alike. This foundation of trust has been critical to his achievements as an advisor and consultant.
Johnny holds an impressive array of certifications and accreditations, including SHRM-SCP, Executive Coaching, Emotional Intelligence Facilitator for North America, Working Genius, Goalster, and DiSC.
Keith Howard - Master Trainer
Keith Howard has been married to his wonderful wife since 1993, and they have two amazing adult sons. Keith served in the United States Army as a military police officer and is a member of the American Legion Honor Guard. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Morgan County Boys and Girls Club and was elected to serve three-terms as a member of the Morgan County Board of Education. His family are members of the Bostwick United Methodist Church. He has devoted his life to public service and committed himself to civic duty.
In 1988, Keith started his career with the University of Georgia Parking Services directing traffic and supervising South Campus parking. In early 1990, he assisted the Governor’s Task Force coordinating aircraft. From 1990 to 2005, Keith served as an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation where he was certified as a criminal profiler. Currently, he is the only deputy in the nation who is certified as a criminal profiler. While assigned to the GBI Crime Analysis Unit he supervised three programs consisting of 21 Crime Scene Specialists, 15 Child Abuse Specialists, and 4 Behavioral Science Profilers. He also served several years as President and Past President of the International Criminal Investigative Analysis Fellowship training profilers internationally.
In July 2005, Keith transferred from the GBI to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. He would eventually be appointed as the GPSTC P.O.S.T. Academy Director as the Assistant Director.
In November 2015, Keith assisted the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to prepare and professionalize the 28 University Police Departments with over 830 officers by creating the Policing in a Higher Education Environment Initiative at the request of a Board of Regents Resolution and Governor Executive Order.
On April 1, 2017, he retired with 30 years of state public safety service. On November 1, 2017 he became the Chief Deputy at the Morgan County Sheriff's Office where he serves as a member of the Georgia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Taskforce. In November 2021, while serving as Chief Deputy, he agreed to train two GBI Agents to become the next generation of criminal profilers. The 36-month understudy program is scheduled to be completed by December 2024.
Keith has taught college courses as an adjunct professor at various universities. He taught 24 years for Columbus State University’s Command College Professional Management Program and 12 years for Thomas University’s online program. He currently teaches for the University of Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center – National Forensic Academy.
During his many years in law enforcement, he has worked on over 1500 local, state, national, and international cases to include the death of Jon Benet Ramsey with the Boulder Colorado Police Department and prosecution of former DeKalb County Sheriff Sydney Dorsey for the murder of Sheriff-Elect Derwin Brown. Four of his cases have been featured on Court TV’s Body of Evidence and one case has been featured on the Oxygen Channel’s the Price of Duty.
Tate McCotter - Adjunct Trainer
Tate McCotter, MCJ, NCCE, CJE, is the Executive Director for the National Institute for Jail Operations (NIJO) and CEO of Accreditation Audit and Risk Management Security (AARMS). He also serves as the Chief Editor of the National Institute for Jail Operations website and top-rated corrections podcast “The Shakedown.” McCotter has assisted with and coordinated the
development, advisement and implementation of legal-based jail guidelines, standards, policies and procedures, officer certification, training initiatives and corresponding inspection and accreditation programs for hundreds of jails across the United States. He has authored and written legal-based jail standards and policy and procedure for agencies from more than two dozen states. As an expert presenter, McCotter has trained on policy writing, creating constitutionally safe jails, PREA, legal-based administrative issues, developing auditing and inspection programs, and numerous operational issues at national conferences, state sheriff association meetings, state jail administration seminars and other training venues for correctional staff and administrators. During COVID, he orchestrated what has become the highest attended corrections conference in US history, with over 30,000 hours of completed training.
Among other recognition, McCotter received the National Sheriffs’ Association President’s Award in 2013 and Lifetime Membership Award for his work in furthering the interest of jails and corrections on behalf of the sheriffs and jails nationwide. He actively serves on the Western States Sheriffs’ Association advisory board with their Jail and Detention Committee
and participates in similar roles for many other state organizations. He is passionate about improving the corrections profession and the need for increased legal-based resources.