Webinar: Building a Strong Security Game Plan for Every Level of Sports

Watch On Demand Here

From youth tournaments to major championships, event security is everyone’s responsibility. Ensuring the safety of participants, spectators, and staff isn’t just a box to check—it’s the foundation of a successful event. In this essential webinar, security experts will share practical strategies to help you strengthen your safety plans, prepare for unexpected situations, and build confidence among your teams and attendees. Whether you manage a local youth competition or a regional showcase, you’ll come away with actionable insights to make every event as safe and secure as possible.

Participants:

Dr. Stacey A. Hall
Executive Director

National Center for Spectator Safety and Security

Dr. Stacey A. Hall serves as the executive director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) and a professor of sport management at the University of Southern Mississippi. Hall leads the NCS4 mission to provide training, research and outreach programs that promote the safety and security of sports and special events. Key programs and services include the DHS/FEMA-approved national training program, eLearning portfolio, research reports, conferences, and the publication of best practices and guidelines for practitioners.  Hall has published in leading academic journals and professional magazines. She has co-authored three textbooks, including “Security and Risk Assessment for Facility and Event Managers,” and is the editor of the Handbook of Sport Security. She has served as the principal investigator on federal grant awards to develop security and risk management training workshops for the public safety and first responder community, as well as venue owners/operators, and event organizers.

Nicole Deal
Chief of Security & Athlete Services
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee

Nicole Deal is an accomplished service-driven leader with over 25 years’ experience in management, operations, and strategic planning; currently serving as the chief of security and athlete services for the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. In this critical role, she is responsible for overseeing security operations, safeguarding athlete welfare, and enhancing resources for Team USA athletes beyond their athletic pursuits.

Before joining the USOPC, Deal served as a special agent in the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security from 1999–2017. She served in critical roles as regional security officer and principal security attaché, providing counsel to U.S. Ambassadors at embassies in Algeria, Kosovo and Venezuela. Her strategic and tactical expertise was also used as the assistant special agent-in-charge for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s protection detail. Deal’s expertise was further highlighted by her ability to successfully coordinate and manage large-scale operations at major international sporting events. She served as the security coordinator at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and played pivotal roles at the Athens and Salt Lake Games.

Moderator:

Jason Gewirtz
VP/Managing Director, Northstar Meetings Group Sports Division
Publisher, SportsTravel

Jason Gewirtz is the vice president and managing director of the Sports Division of Northstar Meetings Group and the publisher of SportsTravel. Gewirtz joined SportsTravel in 2008 as managing editor and has served a variety of roles since, overseeing editorial coverage of SportsTravel and content at the Sports Division’s events, including the TEAMS Conference & Expo, TEEAMS Europe and the EsportsTravel Summit. A veteran daily newspaper journalist and editor prior to joining SportsTravel, Gewirtz worked for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, where he started as a city hall reporter and was promoted to executive city editor in charge of city and business coverage. He also worked as a reporter at the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado, and at the Broomfield Enterprise in Broomfield, Colorado. He is a member of the board of directors for the Sports Events & Tourism Association. Gewirtz graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and has won numerous awards as both a writer and editor.
 

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