Shawn VanSlyke

Principal

  • Americas
  • Cyber and Digital
  • Workplace Violence Prevention and Threat Management


Shawn VanSlyke is a Principal within Control Risks’ Crisis and Security Consulting Practice for North America, based in Washington, DC. Shawn focuses on issues of workplace violence within the corporate environment, specializing in threat assessment, case management, and the creation of prevention and response programs.

Shawn collaborates with key stakeholders—including executive management, security, legal and human resources—to develop creative strategies to protect the organization and the workforce.

Recent tasks that Shawn has worked on include:

  • Providing threat mitigation guidance for companies and non-profit organizations faced with potentially life-threatening situations. Many cases involve the analysis of concerning communications, followed by an assessment of the risk and advice on the implementation of additional security measures. 
  • Facilitating a two day Behavioral Threat Assessment workshop for security professionals that incorporated innovative, interactive behavioral simulation exercises with content expertise based upon industry-leading assessments, case studies and research on active shooters, violent extremists and other malicious insiders.

  • Shawn retired from the FBI as a senior manager with over ten years of combined leadership experience in advancing the FBI’s behavioral and negotiation specialty programs. His last assignment included oversight of the multi-agency Behavioral Threat Assessment Center, which routinely collaborated with both the public and private sector to fashion innovative violence prevention and management strategies. As Chief of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Unit, Shawn significantly contributed to the creation of the national policy that directs the USG response to international hostage matters. 

    Shawn holds a law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law School, and has been a member of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bar Association since 1998. He is a regular contributor to media, appearing on Good Morning America and Dateline. He also served as the law enforcement working group chair for the 2011 ASIS/SHRM American National Standard on workplace violence prevention.

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