Gregory Allen, Colonel, US Army retired, brings a wealth of knowledge and over 30 years of leadership experience to Highlander Six team. Greg is a former Army Green Beret and Army Ranger with multiple combat tours to the Middle East. As the Director of Operations and Chief of Staff for the Washington National Guard, he oversaw the National Guard’s Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) program and was responsible for the physical security program for an organization consisting of over 9,000 Soldiers and Airmen and 30(+) armories across the State. He worked closely with the Seattle Police Department to augment security operations during the 2014 Seahawks Super Bowl Parade in downtown Seattle. Upon retirement in 2015, Greg founded Highlander Six Consulting, a risk management consulting company specializing in security assessments and crisis management planning. Additionally, he served as the Security Director for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) during the peak of the protests in North Dakota in 2016. In 2019, he built the Puget Sound Disaster Response Plan for the Real Estate and Facilities (RE&F) Department, Microsoft and later assessed their emergency communications at the Redmond campus. Recently, he served as a senior security consultant and advisor for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC 2023) Conference in San Francisco
Sam Patrick is a graduate of the Joint Special Operation Medical Training Center’s Special Operations Combat Medic Course. As a member of the military’s most elite aviation unit, Task Force 160, he served from entry level flight medic to being the senior enlisted medical advisor and senior Battalion medic. Sam deployed in direct support to combat operations 13 times between Iraq and Afghanistan, 6 times in support of operations in the Pacific Area of Responsibility, and countless times around the United States in support of training operations. He has served at the highest levels developing and advising contingency plans supporting international and domestic operations. He has experiencing working directly with U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Army Rangers, U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Teams, U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Squadrons, Joint Special Operations Command units, and many other government agencies. Since 2020 he has worked as a tactical medicine for law enforcement instructor through the Washington National Guard Counter Drug Program’s training center. He works with hundreds of local, county, state, and federal first response agencies to develop and execute medical training plans. Additionally, he has directly advised these agencies on developing appropriate contingency plans in the event of major incidents. He is a Nationally Registered Paramedic, a Certified Flight Paramedic, a Certified Tactical Paramedic, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Science from George Washington University in Disaster Management and Leadership. He is incredibly passionate about giving individuals and organizations the tools to manage the most complex of incidents and how to take steps to mitigate incidents from happening. He has also served as a senior consumer reviewer for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program grant program for 4 years.
Matthew James, Brigadier General, US Army National Guard, has over 26 years of leadership, risk, operations, and training experience. Matt is a highly decorated, Ranger-qualified Infantry Officer with multiple combat deployments to Iraq and a Stability and Support deployment to Kosovo. He managed an annual $80 million dollar budget as the Director of Operations for the Washington National Guard and oversaw the synchronization of orders, pay, training, and equipping for over 3,000 Guardsmen during COVID and George Floyd response operations. Matt has extensive partnership experience with Fire and Police in Incident Command Systems (ICS) and All Hazards training via his time as the Operations Officer for a Civil Support Team; is Dual Status Commander qualified confirming his ability to command all components of the military during Domestic Response operations; and is currently a Deputy Division Commander for an Infantry Division of over 21,000 Soldiers spread across five states.
Lynn Jones’ training and experience comes from over twenty years in law enforcement at a local level. She performed various specialized duties including Peirce County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Deputy, Investigator for the Background and Hiring Unit, Community Service with the Gig Harbor Police Department, and Tactical Analysis Coordinator in the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) at South Sound 911. Lynn’s certifications in training include but is not limited to: Interviewing, Interrogation, and Investigation Techniques, Crime Scene Investigations, Problem Oriented Policing, Identity Theft, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, Department of Justices’ Crime Mapping & Analysis Program, ICS 100/200 FEMA, Internet Profiling & Intel Gathering, Workplace Violence Tactics for Survival, Violent Crime Investigation, Child Crime Investigations, and Internet Crimes. Lynn’s focus as a Correction’s Deputy was on keeping peace, security, and safety in the Pierce County Jail. She implemented security procedures to include crisis prevention and intervention. As the Community Service Officer for the Gig Harbor Police Department, Lynn welcomed the challenge to create, develop and conduct public safety curriculum that address an array of concerns in the community relating to workplace violence, school safety, Bully Prevention, Drug Prevention, internet, and social media issues.
Advisor and Law Enforcement liaison, Paul Osness, retired in 2021 from the Lakewood Police Department after nearly two decades of public service. During that time Paul worked as a School Resource Officer assisting several Junior High Schools and grade schools manage their student safety and security protocols. He also worked with his department’s Community Oriented Policing unit where much of his time was spent dealing with property and residential management to mitigate and deter criminal activity on their sites. Paul has been an instructor for most of his career teaching numerous topics that include use of force, tactics, communication, resilience, firearms, and active shooter both for his agency and the state police academy training new Police Officers and Deputies throughout Washington State. After retiring, Paul joined his wife’s real-estate brokerage where they work as a team helping first responders, military, ER nurses and Teachers with their Hero’s 1st program. His passion is for public safety and security, especially schools.
Joseph Kolp is a retired United States Army Master Sergeant and retired Washington State police officer. Joseph brings upwards of 40 years of experience to the organization. During his military career as a Special Forces Senior Sergeant, he served in numerous world-wide assignments that included high-threat risk assessment/mitigation procedures and mid-level planning and intelligence preparation. He served on a senior staff of a regional Special Operations Command (Pacific Area) and as a member of the planning staff (S-3) for a Special Forces Group. Joseph attended numerous specialized courses focused on the National Incident Management System and response to terror attacks/mitigation of said attacks. Joseph spent 21 years as a law enforcement officer, retiring in 2018. He performed numerous assignments including patrol response, special operations, provisional undercover robbery detective, patrol supervisor, SWAT team leader and eventually tactical commander of a multi-agency SWAT element. He was hand-picked to help build an initial active shooter response protocol and develop a working relationship with local school staff related to risk mitigation and active shooter response. Joseph has responded as a SWAT team leader to real-world active shooter events including the Tacoma Mall shooting in 2005. He has received multiple distinguished service medals and lifesaving medals
David Hamilton is a recently retired US Army Colonel and retired Master Police Officer from the Seattle Area. He brings 35 years of operational, planning, institutional training, and leadership experience in public safety, military, and intelligence. David has served as a firefighter and EMT, with his law enforcement specialty in emergency management coordination, ICS trainer, and event planner. In addition to multiple combat tours in Iraq and the Levant, David has held several senior leadership positions of military organizations providing support to civil authorities in the areas of CBRN consequence management, counter-narcotics intelligence support, and military unique training to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. He was a member of the Washington State Association of Police Chiefs and Sheriffs, an advisory board member for the Northwest High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA.) In 2016, David was detailed to the Central Intelligence Agency’s Counter Terrorism Center as deputy chief of an interagency effort to defeat the Islamic State, responsible for a broad range of activities from cabinet-level coordination of proposed USG effects to direct targeting coordination with Joint Special Operations and international partnerships. He retired in 2020 as a Senior Advisor to the HQ, Department of the Army.