Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, Ltd.

Rick Michelson - Director

Rick started KSA Ltd., in 1990 and has taught hundreds of police officers, firefighters and correctional officers in preparing for promotions using assessment center methods.  His experience in Law Enforcement includes positions as sworn officer, Sgt.,  Lt. and as an "Interim" Chief with a Community College Police Dept. He recently retired from the San Diego County Sheriff's Dept., where he was also a Reserve Lieutenant, in Backgrounds & Training.

 He has a Masters Degree in Public Administration, has written a variety of articles, study guides, and books. He conducts workshops on Promotional Preparation, featuring Supervisory Skill Building and Assessment Centers, for those who wish to prepare themselves for this challenging process. Rick is a facilitator for the Public Safety Leadership & Ethics course in conjunction with the California State Chancellors' office for Community Colleges, and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK).

He has developed a series of intensive, "hands-on" workshops designed to help police, corrections and firefighters experience those skills needed for that next rank! This helps in leadership development, since they are able to demonstrate their abilities in key scenarios related to the actual job they are aspiring to achieve. It also helps them prepare for performance based exercise. The program has been presented nationally, with students from throughout the U.S. Many of his former students have benefited from the training and have been promoted. Promotions have ranged from Sergeants, Lt's, Captain's, up to Deputy Chief for police and Fire Capt's to BC & DC's.

Amy Mitchell has been a trainer with KSA for since 2001 and specializes in performance management, career planning, subordinate counseling, writing, oral boards, group facilitation, and public speaking.
 
 She is a Human Resources Manager for an international software development company that specializes in reducing the response time for Fire and Emergency Medical Services. She has designed and delivered Ethics Training for senior management and command staff at various companies.
 
 Amy completed her bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration and Certificate in Human Resource Management. As a Senior Thesis, she wrote a $350,000 grant to create a Leadership and Ethics Institute in Public Safety for the California Community College system for the state Chancellor’s office. She served on the Citizen’s Review Board for Police Practices to review citizen complaints of police misconduct. She also served internships with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and San Diego County Probation Department. She is a former California Highway Patrol Officer.

Commander LaDonna M. Harris

LaDonna Harris is currently the Division Commander for Detentions and Corrections Division and has been with the Alameda County Sheriffs Office since 1980. She has a wide variety of law enforcement services including: Countywide Services Division, Law Enforcement Services Division.

LaDonna progressed through the ranks, successfully passing both written and oral assessment tests, from Sgt. to Commander.  She has a Teaching Credential and is a part-time instructor for Las Positas-Chabot Community College and Pleasanton Unified School District.  She has been an instructor at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Center since 1995.  She teaches in the Basic Academy and in the Sheriff’s Office Sergeants’ Course.

 LaDonna received her Bachelors Degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco and her Masters Degree in Leadership from Saint Mary’s College of California. 

Dr. Linsey Willis

Dr. Linsey Willis graduated with honors with a Doctorate in Public Administration and specialization in Human Resource Management from the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship of Nova Southeastern University. She holds an M.A. degree in Forensic Studies from Indiana University, and also graduated with honors from Florida Atlantic University with an M.P.A. (with an HR management concentration) degree. Dr. Willis received her Bachelors’ degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky. The Human Resources Certification Institute of Society of Human Resource Management certifies her as a Senior Human Resources Professional (SPHR). 

Dr. Willis is the Director of L.J. CRAIG & Associates, Inc., which is the culmination of 26 years of Human Resources and management experience. The firm specializes in the design and delivery of “People Management Systems” including employee training, the design and administration of assessment centers, structured-behavioral interviews, written exams, employee handbooks, performance management systems and job analysis, to name a few. Recent training programs include Organizational Leadership, Performance Appraisal, Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment, Time Management, and Managing and Motivating Employees. 

Dr. Willis is the author of “Strategies and Methods for Competency-Based Selection and Leadership Development: Four Case Studies”, in Current Practices, Insights and Perspectives, the 2006 Pfeiffer Annual Human Resource Management (editor, Robert C. Preziosi).  She is a member of the Education and Training Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. 

Dr. Willis also provides expert witness services to employment law attorneys. She frequently speaks at national and international conferences on pertinent topics. She is a member of the Education and Training Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

She is an active member in many professional associations including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Society of Human Resource Management, American Society of Training & Development, Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Florida Speaker's Association.

Pat Maher, D. Crim., co-author of the texts, is a former Lt., with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. He also has written extensively on the Assessment Center Method and has written a Manual for Assessors. The Manual is designed for those who wish to become Assessors. Pat also teaches for the Calif. Commission on Peace Officer’s Standards of Training in their Supervisory Leadership course. Pat is the President of Personnel and Organization Development Consultants, 714-827-1780. He conducts Assessment Centers for public safety agencies as well as for businesses. Pat has been an instructor with the POST Supervisory Leadership Institute and is an active member of the International Congress on the Assessment Center Method. Rick, Pat and Linsey have been presenters with the International Congress' annual conferences. Rick also has presented "Succession Planning for Public Safety Agencies," which is linked to his PhD program.

"Practicing your supervisory and or managerial skills may not make you perfect, but it will make you better!" Dennis Joiner, Assessment Center professional.

There are those who make things happen…
There are those who watch things happen…
Then there are those who wonder, “What happened?”
Which are you?

And what will they say about YOU in your assessment center or promotional interview panel?
 

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