Verkada forms School Safety Advisory Board

Verkada, a provider of cloud-based physical security solutions, announces the formation of its School Safety Advisory Board. The board is comprised of nationally recognised pioneers in school safety and security. It will play a critical role in guiding Verkada's efforts to create safer learning environments across K-12 and higher education institutions.

With products deployed in more than 6,500 districts and schools serving nearly 20 million students, Verkada formed the School Safety Advisory Board to advance their shared mission of protecting people and places.

Crisis response programs

"Creating safe learning environments requires more than just technology — it demands partnership, trust, and deep expertise," said Alana O'Grady Lauk, Vice President of Public Affairs & Global Communications, adding "We are honoured to work alongside these respected leaders whose lifelong dedication to student safety will help us better serve schools across the country."

The School Safety Advisory Board consists of individuals who bring decades of experience in school safety, emergency response, and education leadership:

• Frank DeAngelis: Former Principal of Columbine High School and national advocate for school safety. Frank is the founder of The DeAngelis Foundation, a nonprofit organisation supporting schools and community safety through evidence-based training focused on prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
• Pat Hamilton: Alliance Director for The "I Love U Guys" Foundation, a national non-profit organisation that operates programs and training to standardise crisis response programs across schools, districts, departments, agencies, and organisations. Prior to his work with the foundation, Hamilton spent 23 years in the 12 Five Star School District in Adams County, Colorado, in numerous positions, including Chief Operating Officer, before joining the Foundation in May of 2024.
• Ben Fernandez, MS.Ed: Director of Mental and Behavioral Health Programs at the national nonprofit Safe and Sound Schools, which supports school crisis prevention, response, and recovery with the goal of protecting every school and every student, every day. Before joining the Safe and Sound team, Ben served as a school psychologist and crisis intervention specialist, bringing more than 28 years of experience as a practitioner in K-12 environments.

Safe learning environments

These leaders will collaborate with Verkada to identify today's most pressing school safety issues to ensure the company's initiatives align with real-world needs.

"This board is committed to helping schools prepare for and respond to today's complex safety challenges," said Frank DeAngelis, adding "Creating and maintaining safe learning environments requires support from everyone in a community, including educators, families, law enforcement, and technology partners."

This initiative builds on Verkada's existing partnerships with Safe and Sound Schools and The "I Love U Guys" Foundation — organisations that share Verkada's commitment to empowering educators, students, and school communities.