The 2024 NGCRC 27th International Gang Specialist
Training Conference (Aug. 5 - August 7, 2024):
A Look at the Presenters
Last Updated: Sept. 18, 2023
Sally-Ann Ashton, Ph.D.
Sally-Ann Ashton is a Psychologist and Research Scientist at the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center at Prairie View A&M University. She has an Mphil in Criminological Research (University of Cambridge, England) and an M.S.c. in Investigative Psychology (University of Huddersfield, England). Her Ph.D. investigated the psychological and social risk factors associated with gang membership, group offending and desistance from crime. She was a recipient of a Frederick Milton Thrasher Award in 2017 for superior accomplishments in gang research and in 2020 for superior accomplishments in gang training.
Andy Bain, Ph.D.
Andy Bain is an assistant professor of Criminal Justice Studies at Westminster College, PA. He holds a Ph.D. in Offender Behavior, a Msc. Criminal Justice and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology. Andy has authored, and edited numerous books, chapters, and articles, on the outlaw motorcycle gangs; law enforcement and technology; and, professional risk working with mental health, social care, and criminal justice, publishing with a number of leading international academic and professional journals. His professional background includes four years with the National Probation Service (England & Wales) and six years running a successful Criminal Justice Consultancy Group, providing guidance and advice to law enforcement agencies and correctional bodies. This, in turn led to the publication of a number of local and national policing and corrections reports.
Chief Scott C. Booth
Chief Scott C. Booth has been in law enforcement for over twenty-eight years and is currently the Chief of Police in Danville, Virginia. Chief Booth first joined the Richmond Police Department, where he served for 19 years, rising to the rank of major. In August of 2015, he joined the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority in Washington, DC, where he served as the Chief of Police. In February 2018, he became the chief in Danville, Virginia, where he has focused on community engagement and reducing violent crime, specifically gang crime in the community. Since his tenure started, Danville has reduced overall violent crime by 64 percent. Chief Booth has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond in Human Resource Management and Leadership Studies and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a graduate of the 268th session of the FBI National Academy and the 48th session of the Police Executive Research Forum’s (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police.
Kenneth Davis
Kenneth Davis retired from the Yonkers Police Department in July of 2017. From 1985-1990 he was assigned to uniformed patrol (task force and public housing) and plainclothes (street-level and undercover narcotics). From 1990-2000 he worked street gangs, graffiti crimes and police academy. From 2000-2009 he was assigned to several middle/high schools as a school resource officer. In 2009 - 2017, as a detective, he continued investigating street gangs, narcotics (search warrants) and graffiti crimes. As the departments liaison, he assisted the YMCA’s Cure Violence/SNUG Program and the Westchester County Department of Corrections Re-entry Program. From 2017-present, he is a NYS private investigator and a graffiti/gang specialist presenting at various regional, national, and international conferences.
Brother Jim Fogarty, M.Div.
Br. Jim Fogarty has worked with gangs on the streets and in jail since 1987 and serves as the Executive Director of Brothers and Sisters of Love (BSL). BSL is a Catholic organization that has worked with gangs on the streets and in jail since 1983. He holds a Master’s in Divinity from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, Illinois (1990) and five summers course work from the Institute for Black Catholic Studies Xavier University New Orleans Louisiana (1989-1993).
George W. Knox, Ph.D.
George Knox earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago. He has extensive field experience with gangs, including interviewing gang members, gang leaders, and gang victims. He has taught in the field of criminal justice and sociology. He serves as the Executive Director of the National Gang Crime Research Center. He was the author of the first full textbook on gangs (An Introduction to Gangs) and other books and monographs on gang topics. His research interests include how to deal with gang problems in probation/parole, juvenile corrections, adult corrections, and gang threat analysis — examining the gang as a unit of social organization.
Deepa Patel, MSW
Deepa Patel is the Co-Founder of Trauma and Hope. Trauma and Hope specifically focuses towards survivors of violence, sexual exploitation, gang prevention and intervention, and sex offender evaluations and treatment. Deepa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider, and a Gang Specialist through the National Gang Crime Research Center. She is a dynamic clinician who has developed an expertise in treating non-voluntary clients, specifically juvenile and adult gang members, survivors of sexual trauma, and sex offenders. Deepa draws from a range of therapeutic approaches to support individual and families. She specializes in developmental trauma, complex trauma and mood disorders. She uses trauma-focused modalities to support traumatized individuals and families. Deepa is clinically trained in modalities such as Havening, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), ad Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT). She has extensive experience in the field of trauma and has been in the field since the early 2000's. Most recently, Deepa was selected for the Virginia Commission on Human Trafficking formed by Governor Youngkin to enhance services for survivors, increase response from law enforcement and prosecution and enhance prevention education.
Captain Philip J. Swift, Ph.D.
Mr. Swift, Ph.D. is a husband, father, and a 23-year law enforcement veteran. Since April of 2018, Mr. Swift has served as the Fort Worth City Marshal. Prior to becoming the City Marshal, Mr. Swift rose to the rank of Captain in the Denver Sheriff Department. During his law enforcement career he served as a City Marshal, Director of Security, Watch Commander, FTO Commander, Gang/Intelligence Unit Commander, K-9 Unit Commander, Internal Affairs Bureau Investigator, Conduct Review Office Sergeant, Emergency Response Unit member and Sergeant, Court Services Sergeant, and as Adjunct Training Academy Instructor. Mr. Swift holds a MS and Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology from Walden University and has also received dual MBA’s and a BS in Criminal Justice from American International University. Mr. Swift is a published author (Gangs, Outlaw Bikers, Organized Crime & Extremists; Looseleaf Law Publishing), a contributor to Inside Police Psychology: policepsychologyblog.com, and is frequently asked to speak locally and nationally on topics related to gang, criminal, inmate, and law enforcement culture, forensic psychology, and jail gang investigations.
Dr. Martha Wall-Whitfield
Dr. Martha Wall-Whitfield is an educator from Little Rock, Arkansas where she is currently the Principal at the state’s largest juvenile facility for incarcerated youth. During her time in Arkansas, she also has been the District Principal for Rite of Passage, overseeing all correctional education in the state. She taught for six years at the University level as an Assistant Professor for Averett University. She currently serves as an Adjunct for Arkansas State University, teaching in the school leadership program. Dr. Whitfield is a mom of five and a Mimi to three. She has been active in both her church as a Sunday School teacher and the community as a foster parent and foster parent trainer for the state.
Dr. Charla Waxman
Dr. Charla Waxman is a staff member of the National Gang Crime Research Center and takes great pride in the work the Center does to combat the threat of gangs in communities, schools and correctional facilities. Charla has worked with gang involved youth and young adults for nearly 30 years and has utilized her expertise to testify, develop programs, and, of course, provide training on gangs, mental health, and adolescence related topics. Her book on gangs, An Interview Study with Male and Female Members of the Latin King Nation is the culmination of her dissertation. Charla has also published two chapters in The 21st Century Social Issues Encyclopedia on “The History of Gangs” and “The History of Mental Illness”. Charla has published in the areas of adolescence and behavior, eating disorders, and anger management with youth in the workplace. Charla has been featured on local news, cable, magazines, and in the Charthouse series; School of Fish! Charla has received many awards for her work and is proud to say that the Milton Thrasher award through the NGCRC is among them. Charla is available for speaking, training and consulting on a variety of topics.
Major David Whitley
Major David Whitley has 20 years experience working for the Danville Police Department, spending the first five in patrol, becoming sergeant in 2017 working on street crimes and gang homicide. He served as commander of the Civil Disturbance Unit and the Hostage Negotiations Team. He holds a Master of Arts degree. He has had a number of different special recognitions (Award for Lifesaving, VGIA Gang Investigator of the Year Team Award, Distinguished Service medal, Homicide Investigator of the Year Award, and more).