Schedule & Agenda
Review the full conference agenda, including workshops, general sessions, breakout discussions, and networking events.
Industry Leaders
Meet the Speakers
Explore the leaders driving innovation, collaboration, and real-world solutions across retail asset protection.
Alan Stevens
Assistant United States Attorney
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Inside the Prosecutor’s Playbook: Getting ORC Cases Adopted
Allison Perdue
Manager, Financial Analysis
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| From Silos to Synergy: It’s Not (Just) LP Technology, It’s an Enterprise Solution
Amy Barnes
Founder & Chief Heart Officer
Wednesday April 22, 2026
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
| Post-Conference Workshop: Developing Your Personal Leadership Commitments and Why It Matters sponsored by RILA's Women in Asset Protection Network
Brad Langer
Senior Manager, Safety Compliance
Brad is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of comprehensive experience in the retail industry, specializing in Asset Protection, Inventory Management, and Process Optimization. Over the course of his career, Brad has demonstrated a strong aptitude for enhancing operational efficiency and mitigating risks within retail environments. In the past 15 years, Brad has transitioned his focus to safety management, where he has excelled in ensuring compliance with safety regulations, process development and implementing best practices. His proficiency in safety compliance, coupled with his adeptness in data process management, has been instrumental in streamlining safety procedures and minimizing workplace accidents.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| The Compliance Crossroads: Rethinking OSHA Readiness in a Fragmented Regulatory Era
Brandon Cummings
Sr Director - Asset Protection
Brandon is a Senior Asset Protection & Safety Leader currently leading the Corporate Asset Protection & Safety Teams at Dollar General. He has proven experience with profit impacting results in both Field & Corporate Asset Protection roles.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Advancing Asset Protection: Training and Structuring Teams for Modern Technology
Brent Boekestein
Vice President, Enterprise Accounts
Brent Boekestein, based in Silicon Valley, leads OpenEye’s Enterprise team. Prior to that, he co-founded Vintra, an AI-powered video analytics company that was used by multiple Fortune 100 companies and the US Government prior to its acquisition by OpenEye and Alarm.com in April of 2023.
Brent has delivered over two dozen talks globally on the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, most recently at GSX. He holds an MSc from the University of Manchester and is a co-author of two patents in the field of computer vision.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| The Strategic Security Director: How GenAI Transforms Your Cost Center into a Revenue-Generating Goldmine
Brett Ward
Senior Vice President
Wednesday April 22, 2026
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
| Post-Conference Workshop: Beyond the Confession -- Using Evidence-Based Interviewing to Build a Credible Case
Brian Friedman
Divisional VP, Asset Management & Risk Protection
Brian Friedman is a seasoned retail security executive and the Divisional Vice President of Asset Protection & Risk Management at REI Co-op. With a career spanning frontline operations to enterprise risk strategy, Brian brings a pragmatic and forward-thinking lens to loss prevention, blending traditional methods with emerging technologies. He’s passionate about bridging the gap between innovation and execution—especially when it comes to leveraging technology and data to keep retail environments safe, welcoming, and resilient.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
9:10 AM - 9:45 AM
| The New Network Effect in Retail Crime: Community + Practical AI
Brian Wedoff
Brian Wedoff is an accomplished security and loss prevention leader with nearly three decades of experience spanning law enforcement and corporate retail sectors. He has served as the Vice President of Loss Prevention Operations at Kohl’s and prior to that led as the Senior Director of Corporate Security & Loss Prevention Operations at Ulta Beauty. His extensive background also includes leadership positions at Target, Mattel, and AT&T. Brian holds a Master of Arts in the Administration and Management of Criminal Justice from Loyola University Chicago and a Bachelor of Science from Truman State University.Brian has served as an Adjunct Professor at the College of DuPage, instructing corporate and law enforcement leadership on emerging security trends.
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Beyond the Numbers: Building a Culture of Care in Safety
Brian Wilson
Deputy Chief, Operations
Brian started his professional working life as a bagger at Safeway and worked through many jobs in the store. He has also helped entrepreneurs in both the retail and service industry build their businesses. He has been employed as a police officer with the Anchorage Police Department since 2007. He has held many positions in the department as he moved up the ranks to the current position of Deputy Chief of Operations. In that role he stood up the Retail Crime Unit which has been tremendously successful at addressing shoplifting and trespassing at local retailers in Anchorage. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage and is a graduate of the 279th session of the FBI National Academy.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Stopping the 10%: A Smarter Approach to Retail Crime
Chance Lee
Investigations Counsel
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Inside the Prosecutor’s Playbook: Getting ORC Cases Adopted
Corey Merritt
Senior Manager, Enterprise Security
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Risk Ranking Stores: The Data Behind Smarter Protection
Cynthia Grizzle
Vice President, Asset Protection
Tuesday April 21, 2026
3:15 PM - 3:50 PM
| Safer Stores, Stronger Teams: The Human Side of Protection
Dan Petrousek
Senior Vice President, Asset Protection
Appointed as Senior Vice President of Loss Prevention at Ulta Beauty in January 2025, Dan brings more than 23 years of dedicated service and leadership within the organization. His career reflects a steady ascent through key roles in both loss prevention and human resources, positioning him as a versatile and forward-thinking executive.
Prior to his current role, Dan served as Vice President of People Success, where he led talent and organizational development strategies for Ulta Beauty’s national Supply Chain Network, encompassing seven distribution centers across the United States. He began his journey with the company as a Regional Loss Prevention Manager and progressed through critical leadership positions, including Manager of Loss Prevention Security Systems and Technology, Senior Human Resources Manager, and Director of Human Resources for both retail stores and distribution operations.
Dan is widely recognized for his innovative mindset, cross-functional leadership, and unwavering commitment to continuous improvement. His ability to navigate and lead through change has driven impactful transformation across a range of business functions.
In 2026, Dan led the evolution of Ulta Beauty’s Loss Prevention function into Asset Protection, strengthening enterprise partnership and positioning the team to support continued growth and international expansion.
As SVP of Asset Protection, Dan is focused on delivering comprehensive enterprise security risk management through the strategic integration of technology, process innovation, risk intelligence, and operational optimization to drive profitability. His leadership philosophy centers on people empowerment, team performance, and stakeholder engagement – ensuring Ulta Beauty’s asset protection efforts are as dynamic and future-ready as the company itself.
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Protecting Profit Upstream: Game-Changing Strategy for Early Loss Prevention
David Lund
Staff Instructor, Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates
David Lund is the Executive Director of the International Association of Interviewers and a staff instructor with Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, LLC. In the second act of his career, he is committed to developing professionals, championing ethical practices, and advancing excellence in investigative interviewing.
Over nearly 35 years in retail, David built a distinguished career in leadership, security, and investigations with organizations including Macy’s, Inc., Ralph Lauren, and DICK’S Sporting Goods. He retired from DICK’S in 2024 after 18 years, most recently serving as Vice President of Loss Prevention. From his early days as a store detective to leading enterprise-level security and investigative functions, David has overseen executive protection, global investigations, and strategic asset protection initiatives spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.
A respected voice in the profession, David has contributed his expertise through service with RILA’s Asset Protection Leaders Council and the National Retail Federation Loss Prevention Council. He continues to support the industry through board service with the Loss Prevention Foundation, the Loss Prevention Research Council, Loss Prevention Magazine, and Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Wednesday April 22, 2026
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
| Post-Conference Workshop: Beyond the Confession -- Using Evidence-Based Interviewing to Build a Credible Case
David W. Sunday, Jr.
Attorney General
In 2013, Attorney General Sunday was appointed by the United States Department of Justice as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where he assisted in the prosecution of gang, illegal gun, and drug cases in Federal Court. It was during this time period that he led the prosecution of Operation Sunrise, which was a large scale multi-jurisdictional arrest and prosecution of over 100 members and/or affiliates of the “Latin Kings,” a violent criminal gang operating in York County.
As an elected District Attorney, he led York County’s fight against the opioid epidemic, fought to protect seniors through his role on the Elder Abuse Task Force, helped to forge partnerships with healthcare systems and the courts to deal with the increasing challenges surrounding mental health, and personally tried approximately 50 felony jury trials to verdict including the successful prosecution of more than 10 of the most high profile York County murder trials in recent memory.
In addition to homicides, Attorney General Sunday has successfully prosecuted Murder Conspiracies, the Attempted Murder of a Police Officer, multiple Murders for Hire, Felony Narcotics Deliveries, Aggravated Assaults, Burglaries, Armed Robberies, Bank Robberies, Insurance Fraud Cases, Thefts and Elder Fraud Scams to name a few.
Beyond trial work, Attorney General Sunday previously served as President of the York County Bar Association, Chair of the York Opioid Collaborative, Chair of the Education and Training Committee of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association (PDAA), was appointed to the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing by Speaker of the House Mike Turzai in 2020, and was selected to serve on behalf of the PDAA on the Pennsylvania Commission for Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) statewide Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee.
Monday April 20, 2026
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
| Inside the Gift Card Fraud Fight
Debbie Ho
Senior Manager, Global Investigations
Debbie Ho is a senior investigations leader with over 20 years of experience combating organized retail crime. As Senior Manager of Global Investigations at Walmart Inc., she leads complex ORC investigations throughout California and partners closely with law enforcement and industry stakeholders. Debbie also serves on the boards of Los Angeles Retail Crime Association (LAORCA) and San Diego Organized Retail Crime Alliance (SDORCA), contributing to collaborative, intelligence‑driven approaches to retail crime prevention.
Wednesday April 22, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
| Inside Strategic Cargo Theft: Trends, Tactics and Disruption Strategies
Denny DeMarcy
Senior Director, Loss Prevention
Senior Director of Loss Prevention with responsibilities leading all Dick’s Sporting Goods LP functions, to include Supply Chain, Digital LP, Corp. Security, Crisis Management, Executive Protection, Profit Protection, Investigations, LP Operations, and Field LP. Responsibilities centered around development and execution of LP strategies across the organization, building synergy across multiple stakeholders, and ensuring field teams have adequate resources and understanding to effectively mitigate loss and enhance profits through people development, training, investigations, partnership and inventory integrity. Focus is not only on shrink but total loss and how this impacts in stock availability, athlete experience, shrink and sales in both brick and mortar and online environments.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Advancing Asset Protection: Training and Structuring Teams for Modern Technology
Ed Tonkon
President, Zebra Retail Solutions
Ed Tonkon is President of Zebra Retail Solutions, a subsidiary of Zebra Technologies, a $5B NASDAQ listed publicly traded technology company. Ed has over 25 years of senior executive leadership experience in the publicly traded and private equity corporate environments of retail and business-to-business outsourcing, with a substantial logistics component. Ed was formerly CEO of Hart Systems, LLC which was acquired in December, 2013 by Zebra. Previously, Ed was CEO of Noble Logistics a leading national provider of time critical logistics services to the wholesale automotive parts industry. Tonkon earned a Bachelors of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin. Ed serves on the University of Texas System's Chancellor's Council Executive Committee, the McCombs School of Business Masters of Science in Business Analytics Advisory Board, the Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst Center for Private Equity Finance Advisory Board and served on The University of Texas McCombs School of Business BBA/MPA Alumni Advisory Board where he was Chairman from 2012-2104.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Edward Campbell
Vice President, Asset Protection
Monday April 20, 2026
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
| Seeing the Whole Picture: Redefining Loss and Value in Retail
Emily Caraher
Student
I am currently a Master’s candidate in Business Analytics at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. I recently graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing and a Bachelor of Arts in Statistics.
My academic and professional interests lie at the intersection of data analytics, retail strategy, and consumer behavior. Through my capstone project in partnership with Lululemon, I worked closely with their team to analyze retail shrink and develop analytics-driven approaches to better understand and mitigate loss. I look forward to presenting our work at the RILA conference and sharing insights on how data-driven analysis can support more effective loss prevention and operational decision-making in retail.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Eric Conn
OSHA Chair
Eric J. Conn is a founding partner and Chair of the national OSHA • Workplace Safety Practice at the law firm Conn Maciel Carey LLP, where his practice has focused exclusively on all aspects of occupational safety and health law for 26 years. Mr. Conn began his career practicing more than a decade alongside the former first General Counsel of the OSH Review Commission. Eric represents employers in inspections, investigations and enforcement actions involving OSHA, state OSHA programs, the Chemical Safety Board, and other state and local safety-related agencies. He also handles all aspects of OSHA litigation, from contests and appeals of citations to criminal prosecutions. From 2022 - present, CMC’s OSHA Practice has been recognized by Chambers USA as 1 of only 2 “Band 1” rated OSHA law firms nationally, and Eric was personally recognized as 1 of only 7 "Band 1" rated OSHA legal practitioners. He writes and speaks extensively on safety and health law issues, including as author of multiple OSHA law chapters in treatises and as Chief Editor of the award-winning “OSHA Defense Report” blog.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| The Compliance Crossroads: Rethinking OSHA Readiness in a Fragmented Regulatory Era
Erin Knight
Senior Manager, Asset Protection
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Protecting Profit Upstream: Game-Changing Strategy for Early Loss Prevention
Forest LaBruzzo
Senior Vice President, Corporate Security Architect
Forest LaBruzzo is a seasoned corporate security executive with expertise in risk mitigation, crisis management, and safeguarding organizational assets. As Senior Vice President at First Citizens Bank, he leads strategic initiatives to enhance security programs and protect operations nationwide. A Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Forest has held leadership roles at BBVA and Regions Bank, driving innovative solutions and fostering a culture of safety and operational excellence.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| The Strategic Security Director: How GenAI Transforms Your Cost Center into a Revenue-Generating Goldmine
Franco Salinas
Student
Franco Salinas (FRAHN-koh sah-LEE-nahs) is a Senior Analyst specializing in statistical modeling and data-driven decision support. His work focuses on analyzing time-series and panel data, developing feature engineering frameworks, and applying Bayesian statistical models to uncover complex relationships in large datasets. With a background in economics and statistics, he applies rigorous quantitative methods to business and marketing analytics problems. Franco is particularly interested in translating advanced analytical techniques into practical insights that inform strategic decision-making.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Gregg Smith
Vice President, Asset Protection
Gregg Smith is a veteran Asset Protection and Retail Operations leader with over 30 years of experience driving profit protection strategies for top retail brands. As Vice President of Asset Protection at Five Below, he oversees safety and shrink initiatives across 2,000+ stores nationwide.
Gregg’s career includes senior roles at The Children’s Place, Donna Karan/DKNY, Bloomingdale’s, and The Home Depot. He holds a bachelor’s in Criminology Pre-Law from Indiana University of Pennsylvania recently earned his MBA from LSU.
He is LPC and CFI-certified and actively contributes to the industry as a member of RILA’s Asset Protection Leaders Council, the Loss Prevention Foundation, and the Loss Prevention Research Council.
Monday April 20, 2026
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
| Philadelphia: A Proving Ground for Retail Crime Reform
Ian White
Captain
Captain Ian White of the Campbell Police Department is a 23-year law enforcement executive and graduate of the FBI National Academy. He currently leads the Specialized Enforcement Division, overseeing investigations, traffic enforcement, and enterprise-level technology initiatives including the Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC), Drone as First Responder, and public safety camera systems.
Captain White has led major modernization efforts including RMS implementation, body-worn camera deployment, mobile connectivity upgrades, fleet video systems, and multiple initiatives focused on transforming paper-based workflows into fully digitized, optimized processes.
In 2025, his agency was recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) for leadership in public-private cooperation based on its innovative RTCC partnerships. He was also the recipient of the 2025 FBINAA Science and Innovation Award.
His work centers on responsible AI integration, strong data governance, and scalable modernization strategies that enhance operational effectiveness while reinforcing transparency and community trust.
Wednesday April 22, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
| Asset Protection of the Future: Building a Virtual Command Center for Real Time Crime Management
Jared Kosina
Advisor, NRTCCA
Jared Kosina is a public safety strategist and advisor with deep expertise in real-time crime center operations, security technology, and multi-agency coordination. He serves as an Advisor to the National Real-Time Crime Center Association (NRTCCA), supporting agencies and private sector partners in building collaborative, intelligence-driven security frameworks. With a background that spans municipal law enforcement technology programs and private security innovation, Jared focuses on bridging the gap between public safety and enterprise stakeholders. His work emphasizes ethical data sharing, situational awareness, and the operational design of next-generation crime prevention infrastructure.
Wednesday April 22, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
| Asset Protection of the Future: Building a Virtual Command Center for Real Time Crime Management
Jeff Bristol
Director, Asset Protection & Safety, Compliance & Operations
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Risk Ranking Stores: The Data Behind Smarter Protection
Jennifer Thomason
Head of Stores Protection
Jen Thomason is Vice President of Stores Protection at Gap Inc., where she leads the field/stores AP strategy across Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta globally. She is responsible for safeguarding people, products, and experiences while advancing modern, risk-based protection strategies across a complex, multi-brand footprint.
With more than two decades of experience, Jen brings deep expertise in retail Asset Protection, operational risk, and executive leadership. Prior to Gap Inc., she held senior leadership roles at Nike, including Global Senior Director of Loss Prevention and Risk Operations, and previously served in Asset Protection and risk leadership roles at Dollar General and EZCORP. Her background also includes law enforcement and consulting. Jen is known for building and scaling industry-leading AP capabilities and high-performing
teams in complex environments. A strong advocate for talent development and inclusive leadership, she aligns AP strategy with business priorities, and future-focused innovation. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of North Alabama.
Monday April 20, 2026
8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
| The Reality of Risk: What’s True in Retail Now
Jeremy Roberson
Regional Manager, Investigations
Jeremy Roberson is the Regional Investigation Manager for Lowe’s , where he supports more than 100 Lowe’s locations across Kentucky and Tennessee. In this role, he leads regional efforts focused on internal theft and organized retail crime, overseeing case identification, investigative strategy, and case resolution.
Jeremy brings more than 25 years of retail experience, having joined Lowe’s in 2001. Throughout his tenure, he has held several leadership positions across store operations and asset protection, including Store Manager, District Asset Protection Manager, and Investigator. These roles have provided him with a broad operational perspective and deep expertise in retail investigations.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Behavioral Intelligence: Building a Speak-Up Culture That Works
Joel Gurley
Senior Manager, Asset Protection Technology and Infrastructure
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Jon Briegel
Senior Retail Partnerships Manager
Jon Briegel brings a unique perspective forged on both sides of the retail asset protection landscape. As Senior Retail Partnerships Manager for North America at Auror, he partners with many of the world’s largest retailers to help solve their biggest challenges with ORC and violence. This role is built upon a strong foundation from his nearly 10-year career in the Asset Protection department at Target, giving him firsthand knowledge of the problems his partners face every day.
His strategic expertise lies in bridging the gap between traditional loss prevention methods and the power of data-driven insights. Drawing from his own frontline experience, Jon is dedicated to stopping retail crime for good by empowering AP/LP teams with insights to create safer stores and communities.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Stopping the 10%: A Smarter Approach to Retail Crime
Jonathan Novack
Manager, Loss Prevention
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Stopping the 10%: A Smarter Approach to Retail Crime
Justin Voss
Senior Manager, Loss Prevention
Justin Voss, is a leader in retail asset protection and operational strategy, currently serving as Sr. Manager of LP Operations: Strategy & Solutions at DICK’S Sporting Goods. In this role, he leverages nearly two decades of operational, investigative, and loss prevention expertise to drive enterprise‑level programs, strengthen organizational resiliency, and advance innovation across the business.
He holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business, a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the State University of New York at Albany, and is a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI).
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| From Silos to Synergy: It’s Not (Just) LP Technology, It’s an Enterprise Solution
Karen Osorio
Head of Security and Compliance
Tuesday April 21, 2026
3:50 PM - 4:25 PM
| Ground Truth in Action
Keely Hogan
Manager, Fraud Strategy
Keely Hogan is a fraud strategy leader at Target, focused on protecting digital and in-store commerce from fraud, scams, and organized retail crime. She operates at the intersection of cybersecurity, fraud and abuse, and product management, driving enterprise strategies to address evolving threats across retail environments.
Over the past several years, Keely has led high-impact initiatives spanning gift card fraud, account protection, and threat detection. She partners across cybersecurity, analytics, engineering, and business teams to deliver scalable controls and strengthen fraud prevention outcomes. Her work emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, data-driven decision making, and building durable solutions that enhance both security and customer experience.
Keely is actively engaged in industry collaboration to address emerging fraud trends and advance collective defense strategies across the retail sector.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| The Evolving Gift Card Fraud Threat Landscape
Khris Hamlin
VP, Asset Protection
Monday April 20, 2026
8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
| The Reality of Risk: What’s True in Retail Now
Kimberly Esack
Assistant District Attorney, Supervisor Economic Crimes Division
Graduated from LaSalle University in 1994 and The Dickinson School of Law in 1997. Worked as an Insurance Defense Civil Attorney at Wilbraham, Lawler and Buba from 1998 to 2000, and then Hecker, Brown, Sherry and Johnson from 2000 to 2001. In 2001, left Civil Defense Law to become a Prosecutor at the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office working in the Major Trials Unit for 2 years. In 2003, moved back to Philadelphia and joined the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office working in the Municipal Court, Pre-Trial, Juvenile, Felony Waivers, Majors, and Economic and Cyber Crime Units, as well as being briefly assigned as acting Director of the IT Department. Currently assigned as the Supervisor of the Economic Crimes Division, which is comprised of the Financial Crimes Unit, the Insurance Fraud Unit, the Elder Justice Unit, the Unemployment Compensation/Welfare Fraud Unit, the Labor Crimes Enforcement Unit, the Organized Retail Theft and Deed Theft Task Force, the Carjacking Enforcement Unit, the Auto Theft Unit and the Cleaner Greener Enforcement Unit. Member of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Fraudulent Conveyance Task Force, Philadelphia Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Group, PA Auto Crimes Investigators Association, Delaware Valley International Association of Special Investigation Units, International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators, and the Delaware Valley Financial Security Officers Group. Participant in our local Organized Retail Theft Task force with the Philadelphia Police Department as well as the newly formed collaboration between NDAA/RILA on Organized Retail Theft and a member of that Retail Theft Criminal Advisory Board.
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Inside the Prosecutor’s Playbook: Getting ORC Cases Adopted
Kristine Gentilella
VP, Internal Audit & Asset Protection
Senior executive with 30+ years of global leadership experience across Asset Protection, Internal Audit, and Compliance. Currently serving as VP of Internal Audit and Retail/DTC Asset Protection (CAE), leading enterprise risk, audit, and loss prevention strategies across multinational operations. Proven track record of driving business performance, strengthening controls, and delivering measurable financial impact through fraud reduction, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation.
Monday April 20, 2026
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
| Seeing the Whole Picture: Redefining Loss and Value in Retail
Kyle Wondrash
Director, Asset Protection
Kyle Wondrash is a Director on the Asset Protection team at Walmart with deep experience driving enterprise strategies across shrink reduction, inventory integrity, merchandise protection, and operational risk. He is known for turning complex, cross‑functional challenges into practical, scalable solutions that protect product while preserving the customer experience.
Kyle’s work focuses on modernizing asset protection through data‑driven decision making, thoughtful technology deployment, and close alignment with store operations and merchandising. A people‑first leader and trusted advisor, he brings a practitioner’s perspective shaped by years in both field and home office roles.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| From Silos to Synergy: It’s Not (Just) LP Technology, It’s an Enterprise Solution
Leana Maxwell
Director, Fraud and Abuse Investigations
Leana Maxwell is the Director of Fraud & Abuse Investigations within the Cyber Defense team at Target, where she leads strategic efforts to identify and disrupt complex fraud schemes. Since founding the Internal Fraud & Abuse Investigations team in 2021, Leana has expanded the investigation scope to include Threat Actor Investigations and triage incident response operations, focusing on everything from account takeovers and payment fraud to gift card scams, return abuse, and broader digital fraud crimes. Most recently, her team played a key role in the creation of the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance, now under the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). With more than 14 years at Target, Leana brings deep expertise in fraud analytics, cyber fraud investigations, and operational risk management. She is passionate about protecting both the company and its guests through innovative technology and collaborative defense strategies. Leana holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Saint Benedict.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| The Evolving Gift Card Fraud Threat Landscape
Lisa LaBruno
Executive Director, RILA Communities Foundation
Monday April 20, 2026
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
| Inside the Gift Card Fraud Fight
Luis Torres
Director of Business Protection and Safety
Luis is a U.S. Marine Corp veteran and an experienced leader in asset protection, safety, and risk management. He serves as Director of Business Protection and Safety at Sprouts Farmers Market, where he oversees safety and the asset protection operations for more than 480 stores across 25 states. In this role, he leads cross-funtional teams and coordinates the company's Crisis Management Team, helping to ensure a secure, resilient, and efficient environment for team members, customer, and overall business operations.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| The Strategic Security Director: How GenAI Transforms Your Cost Center into a Revenue-Generating Goldmine
Mark Stinde
VP of Asset Protection
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Protecting Profit Upstream: Game-Changing Strategy for Early Loss Prevention
Matt McCray
Assistant Attorney General
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Inside the Prosecutor’s Playbook: Getting ORC Cases Adopted
Melanie Millaway
Senior Director, Investigations & Enterprise Security
Melanie Millaway is Senior Director of Asset Protection Investigations & Enterprise Security at PetSmart, where she leads enterprise-wide strategies to safeguard company assets, mitigate fraud, and reduce financial risk across stores and eCommerce operations.
Melanie began her career with PetSmart in 2007 and has held a variety of leadership roles within Asset Protection since 2012, including Field Asset Protection Business Partner, Area Director, and Enterprise Physical Security Director. She currently leads and develops high-performing teams across internal and external investigations, eCommerce fraud prevention, and enterprise physical security, ensuring comprehensive protection of the company’s people, assets, and brand.
She spearheaded the development of PetSmart’s Omni-Channel Loss Reduction Strategy and 5-Year Long-Range Plan, driving $30M in loss reduction. Most recently, her team avoided $25M in eCommerce fraud while achieving an industry-leading .19 chargeback rate.
Under Melanie's leadership, her team developed a stratified asset protection solution framework leveraging data-driven methodologies to optimize security placement and risk mitigation strategies that resulted in a 54% shrink reduction in select high-risk locations.
In addition to overseeing $30M+ in security spend, she drives cost-savings initiatives and leads high-impact financial loss prevention projects, including compliance modernization, new investigative reporting platforms, counterfeit detection testing, and the creation of an Emergency Operations Center framework to manage high-risk incidents.
Melanie is known for building strong cross-functional partnerships across HR, Legal, IT, Digital, and executive leadership teams, and for designing investigative frameworks that ensure legal compliance, policy adherence, and operational excellence. She is passionate about leveraging intelligence, data, and collaboration to stay ahead of evolving retail threats.
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Risk Ranking Stores: The Data Behind Smarter Protection
Meredith Plaxco
Asset Protection Leaders Council Chair, RILA; VP Global Asset Protection and Safety
Meredith Plaxco is the Vice President of Global Asset Protection and Safety at PetSmart. She serves as Chair of RILA’s Asset Protection Leaders Council and is on the boards of the Loss Prevention Foundation and One Community Arizona and supports the AP program at the University of South Carolina College of Retailing. With over 24 years at PetSmart, her experience spans various leadership roles, including operations, corporate PR/communications, finance and enterprise asset protection and safety. Her education and experience outside of PetSmart includes a background in finance and communications, veterinary M&A and operations, mass and specialty retail, and she maintains her Loss Prevention Certification (LPC) from the Loss Prevention Foundation.
Mike Suppe
Director, Asset Protection
Michael Suppe, LPC, is a recognized leader in retail asset protection with more than 25 years of experience, including 17 years in the convenience store industry. As Director of Asset Protection at Casey’s, he oversees strategies that reduce Total Retail Loss, enhance safety, and protect organizational assets across a growing network of stores.
Prior to his retail career, Michael served 10 years in law enforcement, specializing in investigations and risk mitigation—experience that laid the foundation for his expertise in security and compliance. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice and maintains his Loss Prevention Certified (LPC) credential.
Michael is passionate about leveraging analytics, operational efficiencies, and cross-functional collaboration to align safety and profitability. He actively contributes to industry advancement through his roles on the RILA Asset Protection Advisory Board and the LPRC Operational Excellence Working Group, helping shape best practices and innovation in the asset protection field.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Using EBR to Gain a Seat at the Table
Milford H. Beagle, Jr.
Lieutenant General (Retired)
Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General with 35 years of public service. Led modernization, education, and leader development initiatives that transformed organizations and influenced more than 1 million people worldwide. Proven track record in strategic planning, institutional reform, and crisis leadership reflects a career defined by impact and excellence
Tuesday April 21, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:10 AM
| Clarity Under Pressure
Missy Bertrand
Enterprise Director, Safety
Missy Bertrand has been with Best Buy for 36 years and currently serves as Director of Enterprise Safety. In this position she provides leadership, professional knowledge and expertise in the development, implementation and execution of corporate wide safety and compliance program strategies for all of Best Buy US operations. She oversees, supports and manages the development of the Enterprise Safety Team and mitigates risks and drives results through effective implementation of training, reporting, written programs and assessments.
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Beyond the Numbers: Building a Culture of Care in Safety
Nicholas Ferrara
Detective Sergeant
Experienced Detective Sergeant with 28+ years with the Gainesville Police Department. A demonstrated history of investigating a variety of felony crimes and more recently, significant financial crimes committed by Organized Groups. Skilled in Criminal Intelligence, Facial Recognition identification, open and closed source intelligence search tools, SWAT, fraud prevention, criminal investigations, counterfeiting, identity theft and credit card fraud. A driven industry leader who strives to improve himself and his team each day. An education foundation built on a Bachelor of Science (BS) focused in Criminology from University of Florida, and numerous continuing education courses throughout a 28+ year career. Many consider me a nationwide expert in the field of Facial Recognition/Matching with several thousand leads generated to date.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
9:10 AM - 9:45 AM
| The New Network Effect in Retail Crime: Community + Practical AI
Niladri Nath
Student
Niladri Nath is a student at The University of Texas at Austin holding a BBA in Management Information Systems and pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics. His academic work focuses on data analytics, inventory systems, and applying data-driven insights to real-world business problems.
As part of a capstone project with lululemon, Niladri is analyzing RFID and inventory data to better understand patterns of retail shrink and operational loss. He is interested in how data and technology can improve decision-making and operational efficiency in retail environments.
Niladri previously worked as a Data Analyst Intern at USAA, where he built SQL-based monitoring systems and automation workflows using Snowflake. He is particularly interested in how data infrastructure and analytics can improve decision-making in large-scale retail and logistics operations.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Oscar Arango
Vice President of Retail Strategy
Pete VanDerlyke
Sr. Director EHS/WC
Dr. VanDerlyke has 30 years of experience in workers’ health and safety. He has worked with companies in the chemical, retail and food manufacturing sectors. Currently, he is Corporate Sr. Director of EHS and WC with Harbor Freight Tools, responsible for the health and safety of 28,000 associates at several different processing and live facilities. He was also an Adjunct Professor at Mansfield University, where he taught safety classes for students looking to receive their Associates or Bachelor’s degree in safety. He is a certified safety professional (CSP) who received his PhD in safety science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP); his MS in EHS Management from Rochester Institute of Technology; and his BS in biology from Mansfield University.
Monday April 20, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Beyond the Numbers: Building a Culture of Care in Safety
Peter Menakis
Strategy Manager
Peter Menakis is a Manager in Accenture’s Retail Strategy practice, specializing in Total Retail Loss and Store Operations Transformation. He helps retailers develop strategies to mitigate loss and redesign store processes to improve customer and associate experience, while enabling technology-driven transformation within the store, and across the enterprise. Peter brings an operator perspective shaped by more than 10 years of store, field, and home office experience in retail prior to joining Accenture, where he held roles across loss prevention and store operations. Today, he works with leading retailers to reduce shrink, improve safety, and drive store productivity through process transformation and the application of technologies.
Monday April 20, 2026
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
| Seeing the Whole Picture: Redefining Loss and Value in Retail
Peyton Gibbs
Student
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Phil Thomson
CEO & Co-founder
Phil is co-founder and CEO of global Retail Crime Intelligence software company, Auror. Since it was founded in 2012, Phil has been focused on building Auror into a trusted company with a global outlook and helping retailers and law enforcement work together through technology to address the large scale of retail crime impacting our communities. Auror is now used by more than 85,000 retail stores and in 3,500 law enforcement agencies across North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Phil is passionate about modernizing public safety by digitally enabling communities to better collaborate. Alongside his co-founders, he was named New Zealand’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022. Prior to founding Auror, Phil was a commercial privacy and intellectual property lawyer.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
9:10 AM - 9:45 AM
| The New Network Effect in Retail Crime: Community + Practical AI
Raymond Evers
Police Inspector
Monday April 20, 2026
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
| Philadelphia: A Proving Ground for Retail Crime Reform
Rick Beardsley
Senior Director, Loss Prevention
Rick has been with At Home over 12 years and has seen the company grow from 58 to over 222 stores. He leads the Loss Prevention, Safety and Business Continuity/Crisis Management functions for the organization. Rick is a member of the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC) Board of Advisors and Fellow, is active on the Axis Communications Retail advisory Board and the LP Magazine Editorial Board. Additionally, Rick participates on the RILA AP leaders’ group and Board of Advsors. He has over 25 years of loss prevention and risk management experience.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Using EBR to Gain a Seat at the Table
Rikki Twyford
Director of Security and Loss Prevention
Rikki Twyford is the Director of Security and Loss Prevention for Costco Wholesale, overseeing a team that protects her Company’s assets, from merchandise to employees.
She started in the Costco food court after high school, and by the time she graduated college, was in love with Costco. As she transferred through several locations in various states, she filled different manager positions, including Assistant General Manager in Lancaster, PA - home of the only warehouse with Amish horse and buggy parking. Her love for training attracted to her a job as an Operations Auditor and then her growing family drew her to a non-traveling position as an Assistant Buyer. Perfect timing brought the opportunity to join the Security/Loss Prevention team and (finally!) use her Criminal Justice degree. A promotion to Director then took her whole family from West Virginia back to Washington.
Rikki is a long time advocate of Children’s Miracle Network, serving as chair of the Northeast Charity Golf Classic for 7 years - raising almost $12M. She also served 2 terms as a City Councilwoman before also being elected Vice President of her County Board of Education. Her passion for community involvement also led to serving on the Board of Directors for the Old Opera House and as the Vice President of her American Legion Auxiliary. She is a graduate of several prestigious leadership programs.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Advancing Asset Protection: Training and Structuring Teams for Modern Technology
Rishi Rahude
Student
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Rory Stallard
Director, Asset Protection - ORC
As the Director of Organized Retail Crime for Ulta Beauty, Rory Stallard is a thirty-one year veteran of loss prevention who has specialized in combating ORC for nearly three decades. His career is distinguished by his foundational role in creating or expanding the ORC programs at four major national retailers: Ulta Beauty, The Home Depot, Toys R Us, and Target.
A recognized authority in the field, Rory has shaped public policy by testifying before state senate hearings in CA, GA, and WA on the need for ORC legislation. His leadership, recognized with honors like the GRAORCA Partnership of the Year Award, the LP Hall Award, and Distinguished Criminial Justice Professional Award from East Tennessee State University, is demonstrated through his board position with CALORCA and his work co-founding the Georgia Retailers ORCA, cementing his role as a key architect of key partnerships that protect retailers and communities.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Stopping the 10%: A Smarter Approach to Retail Crime
Ryan Mueller
Director, Sales and Marketing
Mueller spent the past 11 years in the physical security industry, building experience across manufacturers, integrators, startups, and manufacturer representative firms. That diverse background has given him a well-rounded perspective on how security solutions are developed, positioned, deployed, and scaled in real-world environments.
Throughout his career, Mueller worked across both physical and electronic security, including guarding services, video surveillance, analytics, and AI-driven technologies. Mueller operate at the intersection of technology, operations, sales, and marketing, focused on connecting innovative solutions with real-world security challenges. His experience spans solution design, channel development, revenue leadership, and go-to-market strategy, helping organizations implement security programs that are both effective and scalable.
Mueller committed to continuous growth and to elevating the industry through education, strategic insight, and practical knowledge sharing. His goal is to help security professionals adapt, improve, and lead in an evolving market, while helping organizations across every vertical build stronger, smarter, and more resilient security programs.
Monday April 20, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Advancing Asset Protection: Training and Structuring Teams for Modern Technology
Scott Cornell
Board Chair
Wednesday April 22, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
| Inside Strategic Cargo Theft: Trends, Tactics and Disruption Strategies
Shaili Jain
MD, Adjunct Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
Shaili Jain, M.D., is a psychiatrist, PTSD specialist, and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. A Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, her work focuses on the science and lived experience of trauma, and on expanding compassionate, evidence-based care for those affected by it. Drawing on over two decades of clinical work with trauma survivors, Dr. Jain brings a rare blend of scientific insight and deeply human storytelling to her writing and speaking. She is the author of The Unspeakable Mind: Stories of Trauma and Healing from the Frontlines of PTSD Science, a powerful exploration of how trauma shapes the brain, body, and spirit, and how healing becomes possible. Her work illuminates the complexity of trauma while offering hope, understanding, and a path toward recovery.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
3:15 PM - 3:50 PM
| Safer Stores, Stronger Teams: The Human Side of Protection
Sharjeel (Serge) Ahmad
Global Head of Asset Protection, Safety and Security Operations
Sharjeel (Serge) Ahmad, serves as the Head of Global Asset Protection, Safety, and Security Operations at Wayfair, where he leads enterprise strategies focused on protecting people, assets, and brand integrity across retail and corporate environments. He is recognized for elevating asset protection into a strategic business function, building high-performing teams, and driving disciplined risk management through strong cross-functional alignment. Serge is regarded as a forward-thinking industry leader who brings clarity, discipline, and strategic insight to complex, high-growth environments.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
3:50 PM - 4:25 PM
| Ground Truth in Action
Stephanie Coutts
Student
Tuesday April 21, 2026
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
| Decoding Shrink: What Inventory and RFID Data Reveals
Steve Fahey
Global Head, Retail Strategy
Wednesday April 22, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
| Inside Strategic Cargo Theft: Trends, Tactics and Disruption Strategies
Tony Paixão
Vice President, Investigative Platforms
Tony Paixão is a seasoned investigative strategist with experience across local and federal law enforcement, corporate asset protection, and behavioral threat assessment. He currently serves as Vice President of Investigative Platforms at Verensics, where he applies evidence-based methodologies and psychological frameworks to help develop human intelligence collection technologies. Tony has led major curriculum overhauls in the investigative interviewing space, developed investigative interview training for global agencies/organizations, and regularly speaks on the intersection of human behavior, decision-making, and intelligence collection. Tony earned his masters degree in forensic psychology through Arizona State University, and is currently pursuing his doctorate in clinical psychology at Midwestern University.
Tuesday April 21, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
| Behavioral Intelligence: Building a Speak-Up Culture That Works
Victor Jacinto
Manager, US Safety and Security
Tuesday April 21, 2026
3:15 PM - 3:50 PM
| Safer Stores, Stronger Teams: The Human Side of Protection
Walter Palmer
Senior Advisor
Walter is an industry insider and advocate with over 40 years of experience in asset protection, operations, inventory control, and strategic consulting. He works with top retailers, academics, asset protection practitioners, and industry associations in the US and around the world to advance our profession, examine key trends and issues, and support their key goals and objectives. He is a co-founder of LP Magazine, has been an invited speaker at more than 120 conferences around the globe, and has authored over 60 articles for industry and mainstream media.
He currently serves as Senior Advisor for CAP Index, the leader in crime risk forecasting.
Monday April 20, 2026
8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
| The Reality of Risk: What’s True in Retail Now
See Who Attends
We’re excited to bring together the industry’s leading minds in asset protection, workforce safety, retail operations and emerging technology!
Plan Your Experience
Explore More
Browse key information to help you make the most of your conference experience.
