Dana Chambliss
Chesterfield,VA
Summary
Emergency management and public safety professional, and doctoral student in Public Safety and Leadership, with more than 15+ years of experience in crisis response, K–12 safety, juvenile justice, and behavioral intervention. Proven record of designing and implementing emergency operations plans, coordinating large-scale events, and leading training across school districts and secure residential settings. Skilled in multi-agency collaboration, threat assessment, restorative practices, and youth-focused safety and rehabilitation.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Emergency Manager & Training Coordinator
Richmond Public Schools
04.2025 - Current
- Experience with designing, creating, coordinating, and updating programs, documents, and databases that support the Office of Safe Schools' emergency operations procedures, training, and infrastructure.
- Working knowledge of researching and proposing updates to emergency response planning based on known best practices and external research initiatives.
- Experience coordinating the annual review of all Richmond City Public Schools Emergency Response Plans and updating them as appropriate; maintain electronic access to the plan and provide paper copies upon request.
- Demonstrating experience in planning and coordinating emergency mitigation strategies and resources for large-scale RPS events (e.g., School Board meetings, demonstrations/protests, graduations).
- Serve as a liaison to principals and directors regarding the administration of safety and security resources and associated funding in schools and departments.
- Collaborate with staff to identify potential emergency management grant opportunities and the necessary resources.
- Develops and maintains strong collaborative relationships with preparedness and response partners, internal and external to the division, and with outside emergency management agencies.
- Cooperates with multi-jurisdictional and stakeholder coordination efforts to determine appropriate courses of emergency action.
- Establish or recommend emergency planning guidelines, and ensure compliance with emergency management mandates.
- Collaborate with school administrators in the development of security plans for graduations and the supervision of security staff at each event.
- Consult with school administrators regarding safety concerns.
- Represent the RPS as liaison to the City of Richmond Office of Emergency Management and support the deployment of emergency operations activities as a member of an assigned Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team upon activation.
- Ensures RPS satisfies all emergency operations plans, drills, training, and record keeping as required by the Richmond School Board, Code of Virginia, Virginia’s Department of Criminal Justice Services, and Federal regulations.
- Monitor weather and attend all weather-related briefings and conference calls.
- Coordinates annual in-service training on school safety topics, as well as training related to crises and emergency management situations/responses, and other staff development training throughout the school year
Lead Care and Safety Associate
Richmond Public Schools
08.2021 - 04.2025
- Working experience in proactively building authentic relationships with students, families, school-based staff, and other stakeholders that are centered on safety and support.
- Experience with supporting the implementation of tiered supports for students struggling to meet behavioral expectations, including participation in alternatives to out-of-school suspensions.
- Demonstrated experience in modeling and implementing trauma-informed and restorative strategies, such as conflict resolution, mediations, de-escalation, including engaging students in conversations about peaceful resolution to conflict, and the importance of using social-emotional skills to resolve conflict.
- Experience in leading community and healing circles with students to support their social and emotional development.
- Working experience collaboratively with school-based staff, including school administrators, to identify and address safety concerns.
- Working experience in conducting School Crisis, Emergency Management, and Response Drills and Planning.
- Supports the implementation of the Student Code of Responsible Ethics (SCORE).
- Conducts home visits with school staff to support student attendance efforts.
- Adheres to the State requirements for the Safe Schools Assessment, planning, and reporting.
- Serves as a member of both school-based threat assessment teams and school culture and climate teams.
- Assists in breaking up physical altercations (when necessary) between students and uses appropriate measures to keep them safe during the duration of a physical conflict.
- Renders First Aid and CPR when appropriate.
- Prepares incident reports.
Security Specialist
Richmond Public Schools
08.2016 - 08.2021
- Experience in monitoring the school climate through the assessment of the interaction of the students and school staff.
- Working knowledge of reporting incidents and personal observations of students.
- Demonstrated experience in reporting situations and trends that indicate a need for intervention by the appropriate school administration, community, social services, or law enforcement agencies.
- Working knowledge in assisting school administration in the supervision of students and visitors to facilitate their safe and orderly movement in hallways, restrooms, building entrances, stairwells, and classrooms.
- Experience in monitoring student movement in parking areas, vehicular traffic, and completing reports to administration as appropriate.
- Demonstrated experience in assisting in the control and removal of persons not officially verified as participants in official functions, and escorting authorized and unauthorized visitors to building administrators as required.
- Demonstrated skill in the use of appropriate restraint methods, in the use of handheld radios, and in the administration of First Aid and CPR.
- Demonstrating experience in assisting with the safe and orderly conduct of school activities, and verifying visitor permits and student hall passes.
- Working experience in participating in investigations and completing reports on time.
- Experience working with the Building Principal and Supervisor of Safety and Security on matters related to building security.
Resident Specialist II
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice
04.2015 - 08.2016
- Demonstrated ability to work independently; to effectively plan, organize, and supervise community/unit staff, and residents; and to effectively communicate orally and in writing.
- Demonstrated ability to review and evaluate records and reports, and to guide the implementation of residential community programming based on the progress of residents.
- Maintaining the safety, care, and well-being of residents, implementing the structured program of care, and the behavior management program.
- Conducts disciplinary hearings and ensures that proper disciplinary procedures have been maintained.
- Working knowledge of conflict resolution and the use of verbal intervention techniques; of safety and security procedures and practices, and of crisis intervention in a residential or secure setting.
- Demonstrated ability to assess situations and provide the appropriate response quickly; to effectively supervise and work with residents, serving as a positive role model.
- Oversees and assumes an active role in the daily activities of the residents assigned to the unit community, including group treatment program requirements, therapeutic environment, rehabilitation, recreation, education, work assignments, meals, personal hygiene, general maintenance of living environment, and standard operating procedures.
- Working knowledge of safety and security procedures and practices, crisis intervention in a residential or secure setting, facilitating and/or implementing treatment programs, and adolescent development.
- Assists residents in achieving personal improvement goals through the provisions of life skills curricula, including but not limited to aggression management, conflict resolution, problem solving, social skills, personal hygiene, etc.
- Conducts orientation of residents to the rules and expectations of the unit community.
- Facilitates group discussions of relevant program topics
- Demonstrated skill in the use of appropriate restraint methods, in the use of handheld radios, and in the administration of first aid.
- Completes all administrative and program documentation and prepares reports.
- Ensures that employees are trained in safety procedures and fosters a safe work environment
- Coordinates and schedules treatment services, security, and training requirements.
Juvenile Correctional Officer Senior
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice
01.2007 - 04.2015
- To protect and serve through a balanced approach of comprehensive services, while providing the opportunity for delinquent youth to develop into responsible citizens.
- To ensure the protection of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia by providing supervision and security to juvenile offenders and implementing treatment programs that offer opportunities for reform.
- Maintaining the safety, care, and well-being of residents, implementing the structured program of care, and the behavior management program.
- Working knowledge of safety and security policies and procedures, crisis intervention, and the appropriate implementation of treatment programs.
- Demonstrated skill in the use of appropriate restraint methods, in the use of handheld radios, and in the administration of first aid.
- Demonstrated the ability to communicate with residents effectively; provide guidance to residents both in general life skills and in specific treatment areas; maintain proper and accurate records and documentation, and prepare reports.
- Working knowledge of behavior modification, offender rehabilitation, mental and emotional crisis intervention techniques; experience developing, implementing, and monitoring treatment programs in a correctional setting.
- Working knowledge of the principles and practices of therapeutic counseling; knowledge of casework treatment methods.
- Experience monitoring residents’ progress; ability to counsel and appropriately interact with offenders; ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
- Maintaining proper files and documenting case activities. Investigate, report, and follow up on alleged violations to determine appropriate and available sanctions.
- The ability to deal with mental and emotional crises, as well as the ability to solve complex situations.
- Directly monitor youth offenders and ensure that disciplinary procedures are followed.
- Conducts safety and security checks as stated in the department policies and procedures, and reports all problems to ensure that security, public safety, and health are maintained.
- Experience in controlling individuals and materials in designated areas.
Customer Service Representative
Spherion Inc.
10.2006 - 01.2007
- Document, submit, and follow up on Medicare claims.
- Working knowledge of Medicare policies and procedures; Working knowledge of third-party billing.
- Maintain accurate records of telephone calls.
- Respond to all telephone inquiries.
- Experience in using computer skills for data entry purposes to access online accounts.
Education
Doctor of Public Safety And Leadership - Criminal Justice
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN06-2028
Master of Science - Criminal Justice
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN01-2026
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
ITT Technical Institute
Chesterfield, VA07-2010
No Degree - Criminal Justice
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VASkills
- Emergency management & crisis response
- K–12 school safety & security
- Threat assessment & risk mitigation
- Behavioral intervention & de-escalation
- Trauma-informed & restorative practices
- Policy, plan, and procedure development
- Incident reporting & documentation
- Training design & facilitation
Certification
- Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services – School Security Officer Trainer
- Handle With Care Behavior Management Systems Instructor
- First Aid & CPR
- MANDT
- Intensive Behavior Redirection
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Timeline
Emergency Manager & Training Coordinator
Richmond Public Schools
04.2025 - Current
Lead Care and Safety Associate
Richmond Public Schools
08.2021 - 04.2025
Security Specialist
Richmond Public Schools
08.2016 - 08.2021
Resident Specialist II
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice
04.2015 - 08.2016
Juvenile Correctional Officer Senior
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice
01.2007 - 04.2015
Customer Service Representative
Spherion Inc.
10.2006 - 01.2007
Doctor of Public Safety And Leadership - Criminal Justice
Walden University
Master of Science - Criminal Justice
Walden University
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
ITT Technical Institute
No Degree - Criminal Justice
Virginia State University
Certifications & Specialized Training
- Completed specialized Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) training focused on crisis survival skills, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation to support individuals in high-stress or escalated situations.
- Trained in Intensive Behavior Redirection, applying structured behavior management strategies to safely redirect unsafe, disruptive, or escalating behaviors in youth-centered environments.
- Completed specialized MANDT System training, a holistic, trauma-informed approach to behavior management that emphasizes healthy relationships, de-escalation, and the safe, limited use of physical intervention when necessary.
- Qualified Handle With Care Behavior Management Instructor, including verbal de-escalation and safe physical intervention techniques designed to recognize early signs of escalation and support students in regaining control while maintaining dignity and safety.
- Qualified School Security Officer Trainer through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, authorized to deliver school security officer training in accordance with state standards and best practices for K–12 safety.
- Certified in First Aid and CPR, ensuring readiness to provide immediate medical assistance during emergencies in school and residential settings.