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Meet the Speakers

Meet the Speakers

2026 Women in Law Enforcement Conference Speakers

Agent Ashley Ferris, Ret.

Agent Ashley Ferris was a law enforcement officer with Lakewood Police Department in Lakewood, Colorado from January of 2018 to June of 2023. Before becoming a LEO, Ferris was an Intelligence Analyst with the United States Army.

Ferris has received more than 15 awards as a law enforcement officer. Those awards include a Purple Heart, Medals of Valor, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2022 from the American Police Hall of Fame, and Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2022, amongst others.

During a 2021 incident, Ferris was seriously injured and ultimately medically retired from policing in 2023.

Ferris continues and expands her service through LEO training and outreach. Ferris is the founder of A Fighting Chance LTD and is a National Law Enforcement Instructor with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research. She travels around the country to share her experience and lessons learned following her critical incident. 

Ferris lives and loves to serve the community, her organization, and her friends and peers.
Ashley Ferris

Chief Schenita Stewart

Schenita Stewart serves as the Chief of Police for the Evanston Police Department, bringing over 26 years of law enforcement experience and a strong track record in executive leadership and police operations. She is deeply committed to teamwork, goal setting, and moving her team forward with integrity and vision. 

Much of Chief Stewart’s career was spent with the Village of Lincolnwood Police Department, where she led efforts in community engagement, policy development, budgeting, and staff training. Her expertise includes cultural sensitivity, internal investigations, labor-management relations, and compliance with accreditation standards through the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ILEAP). 

She is an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) where she serves on the Rethinking Responses to Common Calls for Service Committee, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), Vice President of the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF) and the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) Board. 

Chief Stewart holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Chicago State University. From 2008 to 2018, she was a team member of the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF), serving as Team Leader from 2014 to 2018. She currently teaches Community Relations to police recruits at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA), emphasizing the importance of building strong community partnerships. 
 
Schenita_Stewart

Chief Schonella Stewart

Schonella Stewart began her law enforcement career in 2006 with the Oak Park Police Department, following earlier experience in social work. Over the course of her career, she has served in a wide range of leadership and investigative roles, including patrol officer, juvenile investigator, detective, tactical officer, patrol sergeant, tactical sergeant, detective sergeant, patrol commander, community policing commander, and investigations commander.

She has contributed to several specialized task forces, including a homicide task force, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, an FBI hijacking task force, and a human trafficking task force, demonstrating a strong commitment to complex investigations and collaborative enforcement efforts.

Chief Stewart is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE). She is a graduate of the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University, where she completed the program in December 2023 and received the prestigious Franklin M. Kreml Leadership Award (SPSC 561).

Chief Stewart holds a Master of Social Work from Chicago State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Barber-Scotia College, graduating Cum Laude.

On December 1, 2025, Schonella Stewart made history as the first Chief of Police of the Beloit Police Department in Wisconsin. Her career reflects a steadfast commitment to public service, leadership development, and strengthening community trust through innovative and collaborative policing strategies. 
Chief Schonella Stewart

Catherine Connell, LCSW ACSW

Catherine S. Connell is a state licensed Clinical Social Worker.  Ms. Connell received her Bachelors of Social Work at Michigan State University.  She received her Masters of Social Work, at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. 

Ms. Connell retired in 2024 from the FBI. She had been employed since 2004 when she was hired as a Child/Adolescent Forensic interviewer (CAFI) with the Victim Services Division.  When Ms. Connell retired she was the Unit Chief for the Child Victim Services where she managed a team of Child/Adolescent Forensic Interviewers and Child Victim Program Advisors. She has been a Child/Adolescent Forensic Interviewer since 1996. 

Prior to the Bureau Ms. Connell was the Director of Intervention and Treatment, at CARE House, a Child Advocacy Center in Pontiac, Michigan.  She was responsible for the collaboration of the multidisciplinary team, conducting and supervising forensic interviews, and the coordination of follow-up services for child victims and their families.  Prior to this, she was the Forensic Interviewer at Care House in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. 

Ms. Connell has been qualified as an expert witness on multiple subjects in civil and criminal cases, in Federal and local jurisdictions.

Ms. Connell has coauthored and published Interviewing Compliant Adolescent Victims, A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words: Incorporating Child Pornography Images in the Forensic Interview and Working Together: Building and Sustaining a Multijurisdictional Response to Missing or Murdered Indigenous Children and Adolescents.  
Catherine Connell

Dr. Jessica Ross Consultant, National Speaker, Sex Therapist, Wellness Advocate

Jessica Ross is a nationally recognized and board-certified psychotherapist with over 15 years of experience in the field of mental health. Licensed as a therapist in Michigan, Arizona, Louisiana, and Maine, she specializes in trauma recovery, sexual functioning, and military and first responder wellness.

Jessica has dedicated a significant part of her career to supporting the unique needs of law enforcement professionals. She brings a diverse and practical background to her work, with professional experience spanning correctional facilities, courtrooms, and federal law enforcement agencies, giving her firsthand insight into the stressors and demands faced by officers and first responders. Jessica currently serves in the Wellness and Resiliency Section with the Michigan State Police as the program coordinator.

In addition to her work within the law enforcement community, she is also the founder and owner of The Center of Wellness in Clinton Township, Michigan, a multidisciplinary mental health facility where she provides couples counseling.

Through her work, Jessica remains deeply committed to promoting wellness, advancing equity and liberation, and fostering resilience in individuals, communities, and systems.
Jessica Ross

Sara Weston, PMP, ENP

Sara Weston, PMP, ENP, is the visionary founder and executive director of 911der Women, Inc. (pronounced 9-1-wonder women), a growing nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift, and equip women working in public safety roles across the nation.

With over 20 years of experience driving innovation in NG911 systems, Sara is also the CEO of Sara Weston Consulting, LLC, where she works on cutting-edge projects that bring the future of emergency response technology to life. Her work has impacted 911 centers coast to coast, transforming the way communities stay safe.

Sara earned her Bachelor of Science in Information Sciences and Technology from Penn State University. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds the Emergency Number Professional (ENP) certification through NENA.

She and her husband, Brad, have two sons, Vincent and Anthony.  
Sara Weston

Deputy Chief Treena MacSween

Deputy Chief Treena MacSween began her policing career in 1998 in Ontario Canada when she joined the Peel Regional Police Service, later transitioning to the Hamilton Police Service in 2001. In April 2024, she was appointed as Deputy Chief with the London Police Service.  She has over 27 years of experience in operational, investigative and administrative roles.     

Her expertise extends to being a Critical Incident Commander and Public Order Unit Commander where she has led many operations for large-scale events and major incidents.  

Deputy Chief MacSween emphasizes forging collaborative partnerships to develop and shape community safety strategies. Throughout her career she has been a staunch advocate for creating inclusive work environments and prioritizing member wellness.  

Described as a trailblazer, Deputy Chief MacSween has broken barriers throughout her policing journey.  Her promotion to Deputy Chief marked a significant milestone in Canadian policing, as she is now the highest-ranking black female officer in Canada. 

Beyond her operational duties, Deputy Chief MacSween is Co-Chair of the Canadian Chiefs of Police Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and is a member of the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement Advisory Council.  

Deputy Chief MacSween cherishes her role as a mother to two daughters, Taylor and Alexis.  Her union with husband Mike, a firefighter, underscores their family’s commitment to public service. 
Trina MacSweem

Dr. Sandy Jo MacArthur

Dr. Sandy Jo MacArthur has a career in policing spanning over 45 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, of which 35 years was full time and the remaining years as a reserve officer. She attained the rank of Assistant Chief before her retirement in 2015 and continues to work with their training and education division in a reserve status. 

During her LAPD tenure as a full-time employee, Sandy Jo was responsible for tracking and implementing many of the requirements of the 2001 Department of Justice Consent Decree, oversight of the LAPD’s 1.6-billion-dollar budget, all entrance level and in service training, the 9-1-1 center, recruitment and hiring, internal behavioral sciences services including officer wellness and peer support, critical incident review, the department internal dispute resolutions program and development of the external ADR program. 

Sandy Jo’s expertise is in several areas including employee wellness, use of force, police tactics, curriculum development, diversity & discrimination, conflict management and community engagement. In retirement, she spent five years teaching for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office - Crisis Intervention: Handling Persons in a Mental Health CrisisShe currently teaches at Pepperdine University in their Mediation Program and in their Caruso School of Law – The Psychology of Conflict Communication. She also co-designed the curriculum for, and currently teaches at, the University of Chicago in the Policing Leadership Academy. 

Sandy Jo consults with law enforcement agencies across the Nation assisting with several projects pertaining to community engagement, training reform, early warning systems, trauma reduction and officer wellness. She is currently involved with research teams out of the University of Chicago in which they are studying reduction of bias, leadership development, crime reduction and increasing trust within the community. Sandy Jo earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 1979, her Master of Arts in Behavioral Science, specializing in Negotiations and Conflict Management in 1997, and her Doctorate 
in Psychology in 2021
Sandy Jo MacArthur

Rebecca McGinnis

Rebecca McGinnis is a retired Corrections Sergeant from the Kent County Sheriff's Office, where she dedicated 26 years of distinguished service to the citizens of West Michigan. Throughout her career, she demonstrated steadfast leadership, professionalism, and a deep commitment to the safety and security of both her colleagues and the community. Her tenure in corrections was marked by mentorship, operational excellence, and a strong belief in the importance of training and preparedness.

Following her retirement, Rebecca continued her service to the profession as an instructor with the Michigan Sheriff's Coordinating and Training Council. In this role, she provides instruction to new Corrections Officers attending Michigan’s required 160-hour academy. She is passionate about equipping recruits with the knowledge, skills, and ethical foundation necessary to succeed in a demanding and evolving profession.

Rebecca is also a support specialist with Frontline Strong Together 5 and a certified instructor in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), qualified to support both individuals in crisis and groups experiencing the impact of traumatic events. Her work in crisis intervention reflects her deep understanding of the mental and emotional challenges faced by first responders. She is committed to fostering resilience, promoting wellness, and ensuring that those who serve have access to the support they need.

Her dedication to the first responder community is both professional and personal. As the mother of two certified Police Officers serving in West Michigan, Rebecca understands firsthand the sacrifices and responsibilities carried by those who wear the badge. Being part of the Frontline Strong Together Team holds special significance for her, as supporting first responders is not just a career commitment—it is her family’s calling.
Rebecca McGinnis

Mike Wierenga

Mike Wierenga is a seasoned public safety professional with more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and 18 years of service as a firefighter. As co-founder of Two The Rescue L.L.C., Mike has dedicated his career to strengthening the preparedness, resilience, and effectiveness of emergency responders. His extensive background includes thousands of hours of classroom and hands-on instruction delivered to police, fire, and EMS departments, as well as colleges, universities, hospitals, and security agencies.

Mike’s training and field experience are deeply rooted in critical incident response. He has completed more than 600 hours of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) programming and has applied that knowledge in countless real-world situations. His frontline involvement spans line-of-duty deaths, officer-involved shootings, suicides, violent tragedies, and other traumatic events—providing him with both the clinical framework and lived experience necessary to support first responders during their most difficult moments.

Within his department, Mike serves as an active team leader for the Cop to Cop Critical Incident Stress Management peer support team, where he provides guidance, mentorship, and direct support to fellow officers. He was also instrumental in developing and implementing a proactive pre-incident wellness education program designed specifically for new recruits and their families. This forward-thinking initiative reflects his belief that emotional resilience and family support are foundational to a sustainable and healthy career in public safety.

In addition to his leadership and training roles, Mike is a Support Specialist with Frontline Strong Together 5 and a passionate advocate for mental health support for first responders. His commitment to emotional wellness and responder safety is evident in his engaging professional presentations and hands-on approach to peer support. Mike’s work continues to make a meaningful impact by promoting resilience, reducing stigma, and ensuring that those who serve their communities receive the care and support they deserve.
Mike Wierenga

Panel: Save a Seat for a Sister

Sgt. Conner Mabie, Moderator           
Michigan State Police, Office of Behavioral Science

Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young
Kent County Sheriff's Department

Capt. Jennifer Johnson                           
Michigan State Police, Seventh District Headquarters

Harriet Rennie-Brown                     
Executive Director, National Association of State 911 Administrators 

Capt. Jennifer Wolf            
Michigan Department of Natural Resources - Law Enforcement Division