About Don

Don is Founder and Principal Consultant at CrowzNest Consulting, Inc., providing strategic and policy advice on safety and security issues and technologies.  He is also a Lecturer in the Masters of Science in Threat and Response Management Program in the Graham School at the University of Chicago.  In a series of high level public sector posts, Don has gained expertise in safety and security operations, law enforcement, legal operations, risk management, and international affairs. His appointments have included: First Deputy of the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (9-1-1 Center); Deputy Commissioner for Safety and Security for the Chicago Department of Aviation (Airport Security Coordinator at O’Hare and Midway International Airports); General Counsel for the Chicago Police Department; Chief Legal Counsel for the State of Illinois Department of Corrections; and Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago’s Law Department. He retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves where he served in a series of command and staff positions.

Don lectures national and internationally on a range of security and technology subjects.  His professional service commitments include over twenty years as Legal Advisor for the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. In the aviation vertical, Don is a Board Member for the National Safe Skies Alliance and is active in Airports Council International (ACI)-North America (NA) serving on the Steering Group for the Public Safety and Security Committee.  He formerly served on the ACI-World Facilitation Committee and well as the ACI-NA Facilitation and Legal Committees.  He frequently lectures on legal and policy issues at the Airport Law Enforcement Administrators Network (ALEAN) meetings. Don is active in the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) International. He is an ASIS Certified Protection Professional, serves on the Physical Security Council and is the Chair of the ASIS Security Applied Science Council. 

Don holds three degrees from the University of Illinois in law (J.D.), public administration (M.A.P.A.), and history and political science (B.A.). He also holds an M.A. in Security Studies focusing on Homeland Security from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sponsored program though the Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He has completed numerous safety and security related profession education courses including the UN International Civil Aviation Organization AVSEC Project Management Course.