Faculty
The staff and faculty consists of a mix of full time and adjunct instructor
staff all of whom are dedicated to sharing skills, knowledge and abilities from
the coaching and mentoring perspective:
Full Time Staff
Adjunct Instructors
David L. Johnson, DABSHS, CHS-V
President, ITG® Consultants, Inc.
Mr. Johnson provides executive leadership for ITG
® Consultants, Inc.,
and is responsible for profit and loss, business development and strategic
relationships. He also serves as the director of the Operations Group, providing
program management and supervision for executive and high risk environment
security operations.
Over the last thirty-two years of providing both public and private sector
protective services, Mr. Johnson has coordinated Presidential, Cabinet,
Ambassadorial, and Senior Executive level protective programs. He has protected
political figures and corporate executives in environments with threat levels
ranging from negligible to that of imminent assassination attempts by state
sponsored terrorist organizations. He has also managed large scale security
contracts and operations in Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mr. Johnson retired from the US Army’s Criminal Investigation Command with over
20 years of military service. His career culminated in being assigned as Chief,
Investigative Support for the US Army’s Protective Services Unit which provides
worldwide protective responsibilities for the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and their foreign counterparts when visiting the
United States. Among his accomplishments within the US Army, Mr. Johnson was
responsible for establishing, training and equipping the first protective
organization within the US Army to use modern methodology in response to the
attempted assassination of General Frederick Kroesen, then Commander in Chief US
Army Europe by the terrorist organization known as the Red Army Faction. He
personally led other high risk security operations such as serving as then
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell’s advance security
element to Mogadishu, Somalia during Operation Restore Hope, conducting a
security assessment for the United Nations Special Representative of the
Secretary General to Somalia and the training of a United Nations protective
team to support that official, and establishing a surveillance detection team
that is credited with countering a planned assassination of a nationally known
public figure during classified operations.
Mr. Johnson worked with the US State Department in leading a twenty-month
dignitary protection operation for Haitian Presidents Jean Bertrand Aristide and
Rene Preval during Operations Restore and Uphold Democracy. In this capacity,
Mr. Johnson designed and implemented the complete security program for the
Office of the President and the presidential family. He contributed
significantly to establishing the security environment necessary for the first
peaceful democratic transition of the Office of the President in the 184 years
of Haitian independence. Mr. Johnson subsequently, planned, coordinated, and led
a seventeen-month protective operation in another high threat environment for
the US Ambassador coordinating the electoral process for the three formerly
warring regions of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Republic of Srpska.
The relationships which he has fostered during his distinguished career in
Protective Services provide a wealth of domestic and foreign resources located
throughout The Americas, Europe, and Asia.
As one of the architects of the U.S. Military’s current Executive Protection
School originally located at Fort McClellan, Alabama, Mr. Johnson has continued
to instruct personnel in the private sector. As an expert in high threat
environments, he is an educator and author of several training programs on
conducting advance operations, hostage negotiations, and Evasive Driving. As
part of his own distinguished education in Protective Services, Mr. Johnson was
one of the first Americans to ever be selected for training at the British
Army’s Close Protection Training Course. As a graduate, he remains one of only a
few Americans to have ever received the certification necessary to serve on the
personal protection detail for the British Royal Family.
Mr. Johnson has been the recipient of many awards and honors for his efforts in
the field of dignitary protection including the Department of Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, five US Army Meritorious Service Medals, and official
US State Department recognition. He has been awarded Diplomate status with The
American Board for Certification in Homeland Security and is Certified in
Homeland Security at Level V, the highest level of certification available from
the organization.
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Gale R. Ericksen
Vice President, Consulting Services
Mr. Ericksen provides executive leadership to the consulting business group and
is responsible for the oversight of all consulting projects and Personal
Security Vulnerability Assessments. He also serves as a Senior Instructor and
Subject Matter Expert in the training programs provided by The International
Training Group
®.
Over his twenty-five years experience of international law enforcement,
executive & dignitary protection and training, Mr. Ericksen has coordinated
Presidential, Cabinet, Ambassadorial, and Senior Executive level protection
details. Mr. Ericksen has served in all capacities on Executive Protection
Details from; Advance Security Agent, Follow Car Driver, Close-in Protection
Agent, Command Post Agent, Personal Security Officer, Detail Leader and Director
of Presidential Security Operations for national and foreign dignitaries, VIPs
and a Head-of-State.
Most recently, Mr. Ericksen has performed personal security missions for
corporate executives, their family members and Hollywood celebrities on three
different continents, in varied threat environments. Mr. Ericksen also provided
protection for jewels valued at approximately 20 million dollars, belonging to a
world-renowned and haute couture designer at an international event in Shanghai,
China.
Mr. Ericksen joined The Presidential Protection Unit (PPU), Haiti in 1998 and
served at every leadership level on this complex and demanding high threat
protective operation. As the Director of Presidential Security Operations, Mr.
Ericksen was responsible for the in-country oversight of contract obligations
with the Government of Haiti, as well as daily operations of both the protection
team and the Presidential Security Training Team (PSTT), providing entry level
and in-service training programs for Haiti’s law enforcement agents assigned to
their internal Presidential Security Unit for both inner and outer cordon
security forces.
In 2004, Mr. Ericksen performed operational and contractual management duties in
the Middle East to include, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq. He managed oversight of
contractual compliancy and provided operational knowledge and experience to
security protective teams in Iraq. In 2005, Mr. Ericksen served as Operations
Manager for a private sector detail of 120 agents in New Orleans, LA in the wake
of Hurricane Katrina, providing security and life support services to clients,
and was able to establish that operation five days before the US Government’s
Federal Emergency Management Agency was able to establish a presence in that
region.
After service in the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Command (CID),
Mr. Ericksen worked with protection details in Bosnia & Herzegovina, for the
U.S. appointed Ambassador to the Organization for Security & Cooperation, Europe
(OSCE). The OSCE Ambassador was responsible for coordinating the electoral
process for the formerly warring regions of Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and
the Republic of Srpska.
Mr. Ericksen served in the U.S. Army for over twelve years, in the Military
Police Corps and CID, as a Special Agent. He was responsible for conducting
felony criminal investigations, personal security vulnerability assessments, and
providing personal protection to cabinet level and senior military officials
within the U.S. Government and visiting dignitaries. He served as a primary unit
trainer, 526th Military Police Detachment, Fort Greely, Alaska; Division
Physical Security Manager, 6th Infantry Division, Fort Greely, Alaska; Chief,
Criminal Investigative Support (CIS), Hawaii District Office, 6th Region,
USACID, and District Training Officer, Hawaii District, 6th Region, USACID.
Mr. Ericksen is a graduate of Central Texas University, with a degree in Law
Enforcement, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation School, Warrant Officer
Candidate School and Warrant Officer Leadership Course. Mr. Ericksen has
received additional training and experience in Hostage Negotiation, Crime Scene
Examination, Advanced Fraud Investigation, Advanced Techniques of Interview and
Interrogation, Counter Narcotics Operations, Unit Training Officer, Physical
Security Operations, Protective Services Training and Evasive Driving.
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Jacob L. Ashton
Senior Instructor
Mr. Ashton serves as a Senior Instructor with ITG
®, providing
assistance and expertise in the Training Services Division. In the past, he
provided executive leadership to the training business group as the Vice
President, Training Services and was responsible for the oversight of all
training programs and course management efforts.
In over twenty years of providing public and private protective services, Mr.
Ashton has coordinated Cabinet, Ambassadorial, and Senior Executive level
protective programs. He has protected senior US government officials and foreign
government leaders in environments with threat levels ranging from negligible to
that of imminent assassination attempts by state sponsored terrorist
organizations.
In addition, Mr. Ashton led the protection team for the executive staff in one
of the largest labor disputes in US history in the San Francisco Bay Area in
2007.
Prior to joining ITG
® Consultants, Inc., Mr. Ashton served as Course
Manager and Senior Instructor for The International Training Group. He was the
project manager for the largest private security contingent and personally led
120 private sector agents into New Orleans, LA in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
providing security and life support services to private sector clients and was
able to establish that operation five days before the US Government’s Federal
Emergency Management Agency was able to establish a presence in that region.
Mr. Ashton retired as a First Sergeant/Special Agent with the US Army Criminal
Investigation Command. During his service he was a Personal Security Officer,
Shift Leader, Protective Agent, and First Sergeant with the Army's Protective
Services Unit, which provides worldwide protective operations for the Secretary
of Defense, The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, other designated senior
DoD officials and their foreign counterparts.
Mr. Ashton also served as a Master Instructor at the US Army's Protective
Services Course in both military and civilian capacities. He is recognized as a
subject matter expert in executive protection to include planning and operation
functions, motorcade operations (including evasive/technical driving and
accident avoidance), watercraft and aircraft operations, unarmed self-defense
against attack, threat assessment, security formations, command and security
post operations, improvised explosive devices (IED) searches for vehicles and
buildings, firearms tactics training (pistol and submachine gun), and site
advances. He has provided instruction for federal, state, and local law
enforcement and anti-terrorism students. Mr. Ashton was a major contributor in
the development of the US Army's first Protective Services Manual, and served as
a Division Manager at the US Army Military Police School, where he managed 45
resident courses for multi-service military, civilian and foreign nationals, and
supervised over 30 instructors across over a dozen disciplines.
Mr. Ashton is a certified Master Instructor; Police and Security Driver
Instructor; Non-Lethal Weapons Instructor; Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Instructor;
CDT
® Tactical Master Instructor; LRT™ (Last Resort Tactics™) Survive
Instructor; Defensive Tactics Instructor; NRA Law Enforcement Firearms
Instructor; POST Certified Instructor with San Joaquin Delta College &
Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department; and Range Master. In addition, Mr.
Ashton is currently an Advanced Marksmanship Instructor with the United States
Coast Guard.
Mr. Ashton has been the recipient of many awards and honors for his efforts in
the field of dignitary protection including the Department of Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, two US Army Meritorious Service Medals, and five US
Army Commendation Medals. He currently holds a Master’s Degree in Business and
Organizational Security Management.
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Jennifer K. Ashton
Instructor
Mrs. Ashton serves as an Instructor with ITG
® Consultants, Inc.,
providing assistance and expertise in the Training Services Division. She is a
graduate of all ITG
® Courses.
She has worked in the executive protection and private investigations industries
since 2002. As a Protection Agent, she has protected corporate executives,
families, estates & property and proprietary information both in the US and
abroad. Mrs. Ashton assisted in the creation of a newly established security
team in Europe and has worked inner cordon protective details at international
events.
Most recently, Mrs. Ashton has provided protection for jewels (and the
celebrities who modeled them) valued at approximately 20 million dollars,
belonging to a world-renowned and haute couture designer at international events
in Shanghai and Beijing, China. Mrs. Ashton was also part of the management team
for security in one of the largest labor disputes in US history in the San
Francisco Bay Area in 2007.
Within the investigative world, Mrs. Ashton conducted investigations across the
field to include due diligence, insurance fraud, and domestic investigations.
She is well versed in surveillance and counter surveillance techniques,
undercover assignments, interviewing, multi-media equipment and reporting.
Mrs. Ashton has previously held multiple roles (Business Development Consultant,
Project Specialist and Office Manager) with a consulting firm in San Francisco,
CA specializing in Leadership/Management Training & Development. With this firm,
she worked both behind the scenes with design/delivery consultants and with
external clients from multiple industries (high-tech, bio-tech/pharmaceuticals,
retail, consumer goods, etc.). Mrs. Ashton has also worked in Human Resources,
holding a generalist role for an international retail corporation based in San
Francisco, CA. Her work in the human resources field involved recruiting,
benefits, compensation/HRIS, employee relations, and corporate training.
Mrs. Ashton is a certified CDT
® (Compliance, Direction, Takedown)
Tactical Master Instructor, LRT™ (Last Resort Tactics™) Survive Instructor, and
an NRA Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree
in Spanish and Communication from Saint Mary’s College of California, graduating
Summa Cum Laude.
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Ron Bacigalupo
Instructor
Mr. Bacigalupo serves as an Instructor, providing assistance and expertise in
the Training Services Division. He is a graduate of all ITG
® Courses.
Currently, Mr. Bacigalupo is a full-time Correctional Lieutenant for the
California Department of Corrections. He is responsible for the training and
supervision of 54 correctional officers and 10 correctional sergeants that
provide transportation throughout California for Department of Corrections
Inmates. In over twenty years of CDC experience, he has managed and trained
correctional cadets at a basic academy and managed the firearms program for the
California Department of Corrections. Mr. Bacigalupo served as a Special
Emergency Response Team (SERT) Commander for approximately 10 years at several
correctional facilities in California.
In addition, Mr. Bacigalupo is a firearms and chemical agents instructor for a
P.O.S.T certified police academy. He has worked several details for The Steele
Foundation that include Work Place Violence Issues and security of private
venues in the Bay Area. Also, he was on one of the first security details in New
Orleans directly after Hurricane Katrina, providing security and protection to
clients in the affected area.
With over 32 years of active and reserve duty in the Army National Guard, Mr.
Bacigalupo retired as a Command Sergeant Major of a Military Police Battalion.
He served as a Senior NCO for approximately 600 men and women, as well as other
assignments including: served as Senior Operations Sergeant Major for Operation
Noble Eagle at Fort Lewis, Washington after 9/11; worked in the Crises Action
Center at State Headquarters which provided emergency information to general
staff officers during State declared emergencies; served as the Senior NCO in
charge of approximately 35 enlisted personnel; served a tour in the Ukraine as
the Senior NCO providing logistical and training support to the Ukraine Army and
NCO Corps; served in Saudi Arabia as a First Sergeant to a Combat Military
Police Company assigned to the 89th Military Police Brigade during Desert Storm;
and served several tours in Korea during Team Spirit.
During his career, Mr. Bacigalupo’s has been awarded numerous decorations, both
military and civilian, including his highest achievements of Legion of Merit and
Bronze Star Medals.
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Matt Brett
Instructor
Mr. Brett serves as an Instructor with ITG
® Consultants, Inc., providing assistance and expertise in the Training
Services Division.
Mr. Brett has been involved in Prehospital medicine since 1990, working first as an Emergency Medical Technician
then as a Paramedic for the New York City Fire Department. While a member of the FDNY, he served as a
member of several high profile groups such as the Dignitary Protection Unit and one of 5 Hazardous Materials
Tactical Units in the city. He has also provided instruction at their training academy at the Paramedic level.
A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mr. Brett served as a Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class with the US Navy
Reserve, assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. He served his time in Kuwait and Southern Iraq.
Following his military tours of duty, Mr. Brett operated as a civilian medical contractor in the same area of
operations for approximately three years.
Mr. Brett has been the recipient of numerous commendations in both the civilian and military communities. He has
earned the Fleet Marine Force Enlisted Warfare Designator and was considered a subject matter expert with regards
to emergency medical services and disaster planning. Currently, Mr. Brett is a certified American Red Cross First
Aid/CPR/AED Instructor.
In addition to his emergency medical expertise, Mr. Brett works as the Assistant Director of Security for a
prominent hotel in the Orlando area, and is trained in Open Water SCUBA (PADI), tactical weaponry and corporate executive driving. Mr. Brett is a graduate of the International Training Group
®.
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Edward J. Castillo
Instructor
Mr. Castillo serves as an Instructor with ITG
® Consultants, Inc.,
providing assistance and expertise in the Training Services Division. He is a
graduate of all ITG
® Courses.
He has spent 8 years of providing public and private security
services/instruction within the Military, Law Enforcement, and Private
Protection field. Mr. Castillo served on State Department training details and
private protective details both domestically and internationally.
In addition to ITG
®, Mr. Castillo served as a team leader and
instructor for United States Investigative Services (USIS) on the State
Departments Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program, where he instructed Dignitary
Protection courses in Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Castillo has worked with other private sector security companies as a relief
agent, providing personal protection services in Pakistan for a humanitarian
relief group, as well as conducting cross border protection services between the
US and Mexico. Also, he was on one of the first security details in New Orleans
directly after Hurricane Katrina where he conducted room clearing operations
re-securing over 2,000,000 square feet of property, worked on personal security
details, and conducted convoy operations.
Mr. Castillo served 8 years with the United States Army Reserves, five of which
he was assigned to a training division as a weapons instructor. He has also
served briefly as a Law Enforcement officer within the State of California and
is currently obtaining his EMT-B certification.
Mr. Castillo earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s of
Science Degree in Telecommunications Management.
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Gregory W. Faught
Instructor
Mr. Faught serves as an Instructor with ITG
® Consultants, Inc.,
providing assistance and expertise with the International Training Group. He is
a graduate of all ITG
® Courses.
Mr. Faught’s expertise with ITG
® is provided in the realm of
Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Improvised Explosive Devices. In addition to his
current assignment, Mr. Faught’s Collateral Duty is as an FBI certified
Hazardous Devices/Bomb Technician. He has planned and continues to conduct
training for the FBI accredited regional Bomb Squad he serves with on topics
ranging from Explosives Safety and Destruction, IED Render Safe Procedures, to
various IED Recognition and EOD exercises. These courses have been conducted not
only for EOD personnel, but also Police, SWAT, Fire Department and Executive
Protection personnel. In 2008, Mr. Faught designed and presented training to all
officers and first line supervisors in his agency on IED/Explosives recognition,
including live explosives demonstrations. Also in 2008, Mr. Faught co-presented
a seminar with Mr. David Johnson on IED’s at the American Board for
Certification in Homeland Security’s National Conference in San Diego.
Currently, Mr. Faught is a full-time Police Officer with a department in central
California of approximately 400 sworn personnel, which is noted for its
challenging work environment due to its high crime rate. With over 22 years of
experience in diverse police settings, he has held several assignments such as:
Uniformed Patrol Officer, Street Crimes Unit member (Conducting high profile
street level drug interdiction, Gang impact, Prostitution, and regular operation
in a plainclothes capacity to purchase narcotics from street level dealers) Hit
& Run Investigator, Auto Theft detail, and currently is his departments
Rangemaster/Armorer. In this capacity, Mr. Faught oversees and is responsible
for all day to day operations of the department’s firearms training facility
which includes all aspects of firearms training, scheduling, and maintenance of
the facilities six active ranges and range house. He holds an Advanced
Certificate from the CA Peace Officer’s Standards and Training commission and is
certified by his department as a Master Police Officer.
Mr. Faught served in the California Army National Guard with the 76th Infantry
Detachment-Pathfinder (Airborne) from 1982-1987, and in this capacity led
independent Pathfinder operations as a team leader on numerous occasions. He
served in the US Army Reserve from 1987-1988 with the HHC 3rd Battalion/12th
Special Forces Group (Airborne) in an administrative position where he was
allowed to continue to utilize his knowledge as a Pathfinder until entry into
law enforcement. He received an Honorable Discharge.
During his career, Mr. Faught has earned two Gold Medals as a competitor in the
“Police Action Pistol” event during the California Summer Olympic Games in “A”
Class. He was the Event Coordinator/Match Director for the 2004 California
Police and Fire Games “Police Action Pistol” competition with over 300
individual and team competitors. He also was the top Law Enforcement participant
at the National Tactical Invitational hosted and held at Gunsite Training
Center.
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Ali Tehrani
Security Consultant / Adjunct Instructor
Ali Tehrani serves as a Security Consultant and is responsible for project
development and delivery of consulting engagements for ITG® Consulting Services.
He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor in the dynamic training programs offered
by the International Training Group™.
Mr. Tehrani has more than twenty years of international experience in both the
military and private sector conducting security management, protective
operations, training development, and consulting services. His private sector
experience includes providing close protection to a number of dignitaries;
leading asset security teams in several business sectors and various threat
environments; instructing the fledgling Secret Service of a high-risk, third
world nation; and serving as a security consultant in numerous aspects of the
energy sector.
During his distinguished military career, Mr. Tehrani served honorably in both
the United States Marine Corps and United States Army, the former in the
capacity of a Force Reconnaissance Marine and the latter as a Special Forces
Soldier. There he rose through the ranks to become an instructor of other
Special Forces Soldiers in numerous military specialties, and also conducted
several humanitarian missions.
Throughout his career, Mr. Tehrani has been involved in protective services,
consulting projects, and mobile training teams on five continents. He has led
units in such high and extreme risk environments as Haiti, Iraq, and numerous
locations in Africa. He has repeatedly proven himself calm under fire while
operating in extremely hazardous conditions throughout much of his distinguished
career in the security industry.
Mr. Tehrani is a remarkable linguist and speaks at least seven languages
fluently. He received a Baccalaureate Degree in Business & Foreign Languages
from the European School in Luxemburg.
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