Introducing Verkada’s School Safety Advisory Board

Every school community deserves to feel safe, supported, and prepared. That’s why we’re proud to announce the launch of Verkada’s School Safety Advisory Board – a group of respected leaders with decades of experience in school safety, emergency response, and education leadership. Together, we’re working to better understand the safety challenges schools face today and how we can work together to solve them.

A new chapter in our commitment to school safety

Verkada’s products are deployed at more than 6,500 districts and schools serving nearly 20 million students. From the classroom to the school parking lot, we’ve seen how cloud-based physical security solutions can transform the way schools respond to safety threats. But we also know that true school safety goes beyond technology – it takes community, collaboration, and trust. Our new School Safety Advisory Board will play a key role in shaping Verkada’s education-focused solutions and initiatives. 

Meet Verkada’s School Safety Advisory Board

Each member of our advisory board brings a unique perspective and deep commitment to protecting students and educators:

• Frank DeAngelis: Former Principal of Columbine High School and national advocate for school safety. Frank is the founder of The DeAngelis Foundation, a nonprofit organization 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 organization that operates programs and training to standardize crisis response programs across schools, districts, departments, agencies, and organizations. 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 starting with 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. 

A Shared Mission of Protection

We’re proud to work alongside some of the most dedicated minds in school safety. Together, we’re continuing our mission to protect people and places – so every student can learn, every educator can teach, and every family can feel confident that their school is safe.

For more information on Verkada’s education solutions and initiatives, please visit our education solutions page.