BART M. SCHWARTZ - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- AVP, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure
Ahmad Zoua brings to the team vast experience as an engineer and project manager, handling a broad range of projects from inception to completion.
Mr. Zoua has a solid history of delivering strategic solutions, risk management, and client relationship solutions. He is adept at directing teams to deliver design solutions, business development, and maintains excellent communication with clients. He is proficient in creating and streamlining processes to increase effectiveness and is a skilled trainer and project leader, able to direct multiple tasks effectively.
Mr. Zoua has experience working on complex technology projects in multiple verticals, including, but not limited to, aviation, critical facility and healthcare.
His international and domestic project experience is augmented by his advanced communication skills in three languages.
Mr. Zoua has managed many projects in Saudi Arabia, where he delivered medium-to-large IT projects across public and private sectors. Projects delivered include site surveys, data network implementation, data center preparation, and security system design, installation and configuration. In this role, he also directed all testing phases of the quality control process.
Mr. Zoua began his career as a telecommunication site engineer where he directed and performed all aspects of radio frequency engineering, designing and delivering excellent solutions for 3G and LTE tower locations, microwave links and transmission nodes.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Engineering, University of Tishreen
Akiko K. Goldberg is a multilingual attorney with over 14 years of experience managing complex multijurisdictional and cross-border investigations and litigation. She has significant experience in advising on compliance issues particularly regarding financial institution compliance.
Immediately prior to joining Guidepost Solutions, Ms. Goldberg was associated with the international firm of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in New York. During her tenure there she represented corporate clients in white collar criminal, civil, and regulatory investigations and litigation involving antitrust, anti-corruption, sanctions, and ESG matters and advised them on compliance. Ms. Goldberg also worked as a litigation attorney at the New York office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where she managed cross-border and multijurisdictional antitrust and white-collar investigations and advised corporations on compliance program development, structuring and improvement.
While living in Thailand, Ms. Goldberg was a Legal Consultant for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UCHCR) in Bangkok. She developed UNHCR's urban refugee programs in the region and implemented them in cooperation with NGOs and regional government representatives. She also led investigations into cases of urban refugee trafficking, arrests and violence, and improved UNHCR's refugee protection policies based on her findings.
Ms. Goldberg began her career as a Compliance and Risk Analyst, first at Citibank in Tokyo and then at Bank of Tokyo - Mitsubishi UFJ in New York, where she provided counseling to business sections on compliance risks and solutions regarding multiple transactions and projects, coordinated and negotiated multi-bank syndication loans and led seminars on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, U.S. sanctions, U.S. Patriot Act and Bank Secrecy Act for bank executives.
Ms. Goldberg is fluent in English, Japanese, Mandarin, and Cantonese. She also speaks professional French and Thai.
EDUCATION
Master of Laws (LL.M) Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC
MA, International Relations, Yale University
Bachelor of Laws (LL. B), Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
The Chinese University of Hong Kong,
International Asian Studies Programme
Job Titles:
- ABV, CFF, CVA, CFE
- Senior Managing Director, Economic Damages and Business Valuation
Alan A. Schachter leads the Valuation and Economic Damages practice for Guidepost Solutions. His areas of expertise include valuation services, personal and business economic damage analyses, forensic accounting services, intellectual property valuations and related infringement analyses, white collar criminal defense, and expert witness testimony. The results of Mr. Schachter's financial investigations have directly affected the outcome of settlements in favor of his clients, especially in instances where the opposing party had taken great pains to minimize or hide assets, or understate or overstate financial statements, tax returns, and other filings.
Mr. Schachter has provided expert testimony during disputes ranging from bankruptcies to intellectual property infringement as well as white-collar criminal defense, contractual disputes, and matrimonial disputes.
He has also served as a receiver for two healthcare facilities, a high-yield debt fund, and a well-known New York City night club and restaurant. He has also been appointed as a special consultant to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for enforcement matters. Mr. Schachter has also written and lectured extensively on issues relating to economic damages as well as valuation theory and practice. His experience covers a multitude of industries.
Formerly a partner at Citrin Cooperman LLP and a managing director at Willamette Management Associates, Alan brings over 40 years of experience to his engagements.
EDUCATION
Advanced Certificate of Taxation, Pace University
Master of Business Administration, Pace University
Bachelor of Science, Economics, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Alex Z. Balsoy brings more than 5 years of physical security systems experience to the Guidepost team. He is responsible for implementing, programming, and maintaining the integrity of physical security systems.
Mr. Balsoy's programming and implementation expertise includes more than 30 enterprise level security systems for data centers, 40+ access control and video system upgrades, and thousands of security devices for numerous projects. His vast experience covers diagnostics, troubleshooting, and repair of security programming and infrastructure.
Mr. Balsoy has managed pre-deployment testing, documentation, and standardization phases for numerous enterprise technologies, as well as developing and managing effective deployment strategies. He has also managed server and software life cycles.
He utilizes his expertise to deliver end-user training initiatives that streamline operational processes and develop a common baseline of system knowledge across distributed portfolios.
Mr. Balsoy's experience also includes: access control, video surveillance upgrades, migrations and cutovers, technical support, system architecture, audit preparedness, platform assessment, and standards development.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President, Engineering Production
Mr. Mortazavi brings 9 years of experience in electrical engineering and security industry experience to the Guidepost Solutions team. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for the design of electrical systems for commercial, industrial and institutional projects including: office buildings, educational, religious, assisted living/nursing facilities, libraries, fire stations, retail spaces, multi-family units, and high rises. Additionally, his experience includes further involvement in the design of standard and emergency lighting systems; performing circuiting fault current and voltage drop calculations; and analyses and moderate power distribution design. He has also performed design services for:
General power
Motor control centers
Power distribution boards
Electric services
HVAC electrical requirements
Grounding and bonding systems
Low voltage technology
Telephone and data systems
Security and fire alarm systems
Mr. Mortazavi's expertise in the creation of professional design documents will assist in the design layout of the security system during the all phases of document development throughout the project. During implementation, Mr. Mortazavi's expertise will prove invaluable in the coordination of design documents with systems in varying degrees of implementation. Mr. Mortazavi is responsible for:
Engineering design review and quality control of production service
Maintain production quality control for both AutoCAD 2D and Revit drawing packages
Maintaining established drafting standards for the practice
Team Lead for BIM and AutoCAD services
Project scheduling & coordination
EDUCATION
Master of Science, Electrical Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Job Titles:
- Chief Privacy Officer
- Senior Managing Director
- Chief Privacy Officer for Guidepost Solutions
Allison Spagnolo is a senior managing director who has worked on numerous compliance-based engagements involving financial institutions, healthcare organizations and government contractors. This includes reviewing anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions (OFAC) issues for global banks and multi-national companies, as well as advising on financial crime compliance issues specific to cryptocurrency exchanges and Fintech companies. She has traveled extensively in Europe and Asia for the purpose of leading and conducting on-site inspections and reviews related to monitorships, BSA/AML audits and other compliance matters.
Additionally, Ms. Spagnolo has extensive experience in developing risk reviews and assessments for public and private entities in a variety of contexts including sufficiency of internal controls. This experience includes identifying risk vulnerabilities and gaps, recommending enhancements to existing compliance frameworks, and implementing best practices. She is skilled at drafting, developing and operationalizing policies and procedures across a variety of industries.
She also advises healthcare clients, including covered entities and business associates, regarding compliance with HIPAA/HITECH and other federal and state privacy, security, and incident response compliance requirements. Ms. Spagnolo has led SOC2, HIPAA/HITECH and HITRUST readiness examinations and remediation efforts, in addition to providing HIPAA security rule risk assessments, registers and remediation plans.
Ms. Spagnolo also serves as the Chief Privacy Officer for Guidepost Solutions, directing global internal privacy compliance efforts, including issues related to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). She also regularly advises clients on identifying and resolving privacy risks, including developing and strengthening privacy compliance programs, assessing vulnerabilities, evaluating data privacy policies, and enhancing procedures.
Prior to joining Guidepost, Ms. Spagnolo was an attorney with Burt, Blee, Dixon, Sutton & Bloom, LLP, where she focused on the area of corporate law. She negotiated, drafted, and administered contracts, policies, and procedures for corporate clients, including monitoring active contracts and changes in the law to ensure client compliance and protect their legal interests. Additionally, Ms. Spagnolo advised clients in regulatory compliance, general business matters, and corporate governance.
Ms. Spagnolo is admitted to practice in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the Indiana Bar, and the District of Columbia Bar. She has a professional proficiency in French.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Technology Designer
Andrea Wisthoff is an associate technology designer who specializes in security, telecom, nurse call, including infant tagging systems, audio visual, sound paging, fire alarm, distributed antenna systems, and customized GSOC rooms. Her responsibilities include setting up drawings, transferring design work into 2D or 3D drawing documents for all phases of work, coordinating with other trades, performing model maintenance, and completion of the project as record drawings. Ms. Wisthoff upholds high-quality standards in all drawings and documentation throughout the project. She enjoys coordinating and collaborating with both project managers and clients to produce the best possible product and strives to exceed client expectations.
Experience
Salesforce Headquarters Towers in San Francisco, CA and Multiple Locations Worldwide
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President of the Investigations and Private Client Protection Practice at Guidepost Solutions
- President, Investigations Private Client Protection
Andrew J. O'Connell serves as president of the Investigations and Private Client Protection practice at Guidepost Solutions. He is a former federal prosecutor and federal agent with expert investigative and security consulting experience. Mr. O'Connell oversees and conducts private investigations and security assessments throughout the United States and the world. He specializes in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other government enforcement investigations, corporate internal investigations, civil and criminal litigation support, IP matters, and business intelligence.
From 2003 through 2005, Mr. O'Connell was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he prosecuted federal crimes, including various frauds and financial and electronic crimes, firearm and drug offenses, and violent gangs. He was also involved in prosecuting organized crime and terrorism, and asset forfeiture.
Before becoming a federal prosecutor, from 1998 through 2002, Mr. O'Connell was a litigation attorney in the Washington, DC office of the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he was involved in litigating a wide range of civil, criminal, white collar, and government enforcement actions. Before joining Skadden, from 1997 through 1998, Mr. O'Connell was a law clerk to the Honorable William Osteen, United States District Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina.
From 1990 through 1997, Mr. O'Connell was a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service, where he investigated federal crimes, including various frauds, financial and electronic crimes, counterfeiting of U. S. currency, and threats against the President. He also protected the President and visiting foreign dignitaries, and conducted foreign and domestic threat assessments.
Mr. O'Connell is a licensed investigator.
Andrés Otero has extensive investigative experience throughout Central and Latin America. He is also recognized as an expert in dispute advisory and anti-corruption matters. He is an expert in various investigation and intelligence areas, and is involved in issues such as the fight against corruption and maintaining institutional integrity.
Previously, Mr. Otero was a partner at Custom Information Services, Inc., a specialized investigations firm focused on the Americas. He was also president and co-founder of ON Partners, a consulting firm started by Colombian General Oscar Naranjo to advise the Mexican government and private sector clients on complex security, integrity and compliance issues.
Mr. Otero also served as a senior managing director at Kroll and launched its Bogotá office and later led the firm's region-wide operations from Miami. Mr. Otero's industry experience includes positions with Control Risks Group and Pinkerton Consulting & Investigation.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Otero held a number of positions with the Colombian government, the European Union and the Inter-American Development Bank, where he focused on anti-corruption policy initiatives. Notably, he served as the technical secretary for the so-called "Proceso 8,000", an independent commission established to investigate the infiltration of drug money in political campaigns in Colombia.
Mr. Otero frequently lectures on topics related to FCPA, litigation support and risk management in the Americas. He is the co-author of Poder, Justicia e Indignidad, published by Fundacion Social.
EDUCATION
Degree of Law, Universidad de los Andes
Master of Public Administration, New York University
Job Titles:
- Named ASIS International Young Professional of the Year
- Vice President, Risk Emergency Management Solutions
Angela J. Osborne, PCI, PSP, CPP specializes in emergency management planning, security risk assessments, and physical security assessments. She has worked with clients in diverse sectors, including education, government, healthcare, legal, energy, manufacturing, and commercial real-estate. In 2019, Ms. Osborne led a multi-disciplined team to complete physical security assessments across 10 criminal court buildings for Cook County in the Chicago-area through a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Urban Areas Security Initiative Program grant. Her notable clients include M&T Bank Stadium (home of the Baltimore Ravens), multinational alcoholic beverages company Diageo, and the Chicago Public Schools.
Ms. Osborne previously worked as a senior analyst at Interos Solutions, supporting clients including the U.S. Department of Commerce, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and General Services Administration. At the Department of Commerce, she helped establish the Supply Chain Risk Management Program in the Office of Cyber Security and evaluated information and communications technology products and software. She led a team of analysts and conducted over 100 risk assessments during her time with Interos.
Ms. Osborne is a past member of the ASIS International Strategic Planning Committee and current Member of the ASIS International Professional Standards Board (PSB), an ANSI and ISO standards developing organization, representing ASIS's 33,000 members. She is an accomplished speaker and published writer and has presented at ASIS Annual and International (now the Global Security Exchange (GSX)) conferences virtually (2020) and in Chicago, (2019), Las Vegas (2018), Dallas (2017), The Hague (2013), and Dubai (2013), as well as ISC West in Las Vegas (2019), ISC East (2018, 2019), Certified InfoSec Conference (2018), and ASIS Leadership Conference (2019, 2020). She spoke on her work with Willis Tower's security program at ISC West in 2020. In 2019, she published, "How Chicago's Willis Tower is Renovating Security" in Security Management.
Ms. Osborne has also briefed U.S. House of Representatives staff on physical security in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and served as a Guest Lecturer for Georgetown University's Security Studies Program and a Consultant Mentor for Georgetown's School of Foreign Service Consulting Day.
EDUCATION
Master of Arts, Security Studies, Georgetown University
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and International and Global Studies, Millikin University
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Chief Legal Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Board Member Corporate Secretary
- Corporate Secretary for Guidepost
Anthony M. Collura has been with Guidepost Solutions since its founding in 2010. He serves as the firm's Chief Legal Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary and is a member of its Board of Directors. Throughout his career, Mr. Collura has provided professional advice to both private and public companies spanning various industries including security, identity management, biometrics, cyber security, data analytics, financial services, telecommunications, transportation, construction, digital media, entertainment, manufacturing, brokerage, insurance and software. He has provided guidance with respect to a wide variety of matters including corporate governance and compliance; securities law compliance and reporting; public and private securities offerings; mergers and acquisitions; sale transactions; secured and unsecured loan transactions; commercial credit and lease transactions; intellectual property transactions; and joint venture and company formation transactions.
Mr. Collura has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Revolutionary Security LLC, a cyber security firm and Signafire Technologies, a big data analytics firm, both of which companies were sold in 2020. Previously, Mr. Collura served as Town Attorney for the Town of Pelham, New York and was the managing partner at multiple New York City based law firms.
In addition to his roles with Guidepost Solutions, Mr. Collura is the Corporate Secretary for Guidepost's parent company, SolutionPoint International, Inc. (SPI). He also serves as General Counsel and equity member of Carriage House Partners, LLC, a principal shareholder in SPI.
Mr. Collura is admitted to the practice of law in the State of New York. In addition to his education, he is a graduate of Fordham Preparatory School.
Antonio Atieh brings significant experience and training to the team with a solid history of delivering strategic and client relationship solutions. He is proficient in creating and streamlining processes to increase effectiveness and is a skilled trainer and project leader, able to direct multiple tasks effectively. As an Associate Project Manager, his practical approach and ability to comprehend the whole project allow him to integrate with the project team seamlessly and provide quality project delivery.
Prior to joining Guidepost, Mr. Atieh worked as an IT Asset Management Analyst and Service Desk Representative, providing IT asset management for the United States Department of Treasury, where he developed and implemented processes to improve assets tracking and operation.
Mr. Atieh's skills include in-depth knowledge of telecommunications infrastructure design, information technology systems, voice and data network architecture, LTE/DAS network architecture, Cloud Computing, and mission-critical.
Mr. Atieh retains a Public Trust Security Clearance and is fluent in Arabic.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Electronics Engineering, Department of Communications and Electronics, Tishreen University, Syria
Master of Science, Information Technology: Telecommunications Management, University of Maryland Global Campus
Job Titles:
- Deputy General Counsel
- Senior Managing Director
Asha Muldro co-leads the Los Angeles office of Guidepost Solutions. As a senior managing director, Ms. Muldro directs an array of investigative, compliance, and monitoring matters for corporations and institutions. In addition, as a deputy general counsel, Ms. Muldro assists with legal and compliance matters for the firm's worldwide offices.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President
- Executive Vice President, Emerging Issues Technology
- Member of the Detroit Jewish Federation 's Local Agency Planning Committee
Bradley Dizik is sought after as one of the nation's top crisis advisers, compliance experts, and investigators for cross-border, sensitive, and emerging issues. His reputation is credited to his creative strategies, unparalleled experience, and understanding of emerging technology in solving clients' most difficult challenges.
Mr. Dizik is executive vice president and leads Guidepost's Emerging Issues + Technology practice group. Mr. Dizik who is a member of the Washington, D.C. and New York Bars is regularly called on to advise board directors and executive officers as strategic counsel for critical business and reputational decisions and in response to their most public and private crises. Clients frequently ask him to conduct sensitive, complex, and cross-border investigations, advise on the development and evaluation of ethics, compliance, cybersecurity, and privacy programs, and forensically trace and recover assets. He has also served as a court-appointed receiver and had key roles on U.S. Department of Justice monitorships.
Mr. Dizik is a member of the Detroit Jewish Federation's Local Agency Planning Committee overseeing the Federation's nearly two dozen agencies and is a member of the Jewish Federation of North America's National Young Leadership Cabinet.
Mr. Dizik provides pro bono asset tracing for victims of cybercrime involving the theft of NFTs, cryptocurrency, and other forms of digital and crypto assets.
Mr. Dizik is a recipient of Michigan State University's Distinguished Young Alumni Award from where he holds a J.D., cum laude and a B.A. in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy with a specialization in Political Economy from its James Madison College. Additionally, he holds an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center which recognized him for "extraordinary academic performance" in International White-Collar Crime. He received the Federal Bar Association's Edward Rakow Scholarship Award for academic excellence in corporate and securities law.
Mr. Doss has a comprehensive range of expertise across the full spectrum of investigative and enforcement activities. This includes developing and leading global cyber security teams, criminal, counterterrorism, and counterintelligence operations in high risk, complex and high-tech environments, as well as addressing complex and politically challenging investigations.
Prior to joining Guidepost, Mr. Doss spent four years in a leadership consulting position serving as the cyber security and incident response global lead for a risk consulting firm. He worked closely with clients to better understand the effectiveness of their cybersecurity programs relative to their risk profile and the context of their cybersecurity program imperatives. Mr. Doss helped clients develop right-sized maturity targets, created practical strategies to meet those targets, and developed and implemented policies, procedures, and controls. He also led and managed the firm's Cyber Security Incident Response Forensics Teams in the U.S., London, Sydney, Germany, Hong Kong, and the UAE.
Mr. Doss spent more than 20 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation rising to the highest levels of leadership, reporting directly to the director of the FBI. He retired as Assistant Director/Director of the Crime Laboratory where he oversaw large, complex programs, a diverse staff of over 40 management staff, 1,100 special agents and professional personnel, and a budget of more than $100 million to provide global, strategic, operational, investigative, and infrastructure support to the U.S. intelligence and law enforcement communities, and ensured compliance with all applicable ISO, NIST and ASCLAD standards. Mr. Doss was also responsible for the Evidence Response Team, both nationally and internationally to support major FBI investigations including the Las Vegas mass shooting and Boston Marathon bombing.
Throughout his tenure with the FBI, Mr. Doss conceptualized, developed, and implemented several successful systems including the FBI's Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), an enterprise-wide software management application which enabled the transition of the world's largest forensic laboratory from a paper-based evidence and case management process to an electronic system designed to record forensic analysis throughout the examination lifecycle while integrating numerous forensic instruments. The application resulted in a significant reduction in administrative workload and annual operating costs. Mr. Doss also initiated the FBI's Data Integration and Visualization System (DIVS), which provided a single sign-on search capability across more than 100 intelligence data sets contained in multiple, disparate systems with various levels of access control. As a result, DIVS became the primary investigative search tool used by the FBI to investigate crime and national security. His accomplishments include the consolidation of two major FBI enterprise data systems used to analyze National Security intelligence into one consolidated system; significantly enhancing the sharing of digital media with other National Intelligence partners by implementing an automated IT solution and process; leading and managing all aspects of three FBI National Security data centers; leading the FBI's strategy and relocation of the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytic Center (TEDAC).
Under the guidance of the FBI Director, Attorney General, and the U.S. Congress, Mr. Doss led a comprehensive review of 36,000 criminal cases linked to a specific scientific principle. These findings were presented during a Special Hearing to Congress, deepening his understanding of the complex concept, extensive research, and effective communication to diverse stakeholders. He successfully completed the review, implemented reforms, and enhanced policies for ensuring future scientific reliability.
Previously, Mr. Doss was selected twice by the Secretary of Homeland Security to serve as the Federal Coordinator for the Kentucky Derby; established a federal incident management, security, and response plan for coordinating communications among federal, state, and local first responders.
Mr. Doss began his career as a police officer with the Gainesville Georgia Police Department before moving on to become a chief investigator at the District Attorney's Office for the Northeastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia.
For his accomplishments, Mr. Doss was awarded Southern Arizona's Most Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Commendation, and the FBI's Outstanding Academic Achievement and Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity Awards.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Public Administration, Brenau University, Cum Laude
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Physical Security and Chief Security Officer
Cathal J. Walsh has over 20 years of security management experience within large multinational organizations and private risk management advisory firms. With his deep industry knowledge of physical and cyber security, fraud, investigations, and crisis management, he delivers solutions that align each discipline with the client's overall corporate strategy, governing regulated environment, and addresses evolving industry risks. At Guidepost, Mr. Walsh advises C-Suite executives, boards, and heads of security with strategic guidance to address their most critical physical security and risk management matters. In addition, he serves as the firm's chief security officer overseeing its security strategy and operations.
Mr. Walsh most recently served as vice president, within the chief security office at Deutsche Bank, where he led the firm-wide global corporate security strategy program. There, he maintained direct oversight of five global teams, supporting 1,700 offices throughout 58 countries and managing a multi-million budget focused on security systems, investigations, travel security, threat assessment, cybersecurity, executive protection, and much more. Additionally, he created the multi-year strategic global technology infrastructure roadmap to prepare digital transformation and modernization efforts. Along with these efforts, he coordinated compliance of security requirements with the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, and European Banking Authority.
Mr. Walsh previously served as director, security risk management and technology consultancy at Guidepost. During this time, he managed the New York office's security team, leading a group of technology consultants providing customer focused state-of-the-art solutions. This work included designing a security program for Hudson Yards, one of the largest real estate development projects in U.S. history, advising professional sports teams on their operational readiness and incident management response activities, implementing a comprehensive asset protection program for a large commercial retailer, and providing executive protection services and investigations for high-net-worth clients.
Previously, Mr. Walsh was a director of information systems at Prudential Financial where he served as the business information security officer. In this role, he was responsible for the development, enhancement, and oversight of the information security program for human resources.
Preceding his time at Prudential, Mr. Walsh served as a senior associate at a corporate investigation and risk consulting firm where he provided security consulting, assessment, engineering, and design services to assist private and government sector clients with mitigating and managing risk throughout all aspects of their organizations. Furthermore, he developed comprehensive corporate security programs designed to reduce risk exposure among business activities with a concentrated focus on enterprise-wide acceptable solutions.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Walsh was a security specialist in Prudential's Global Security Department. His primary responsibilities included assessment, planning, and implementation of comprehensive asset protection systems and programs in support of its Asset Protection and Management Group. He served as a security evaluator at the City University of New York Research Foundation conducting threat and vulnerability assessments during the same period.
Mr. Walsh was also employed as an investigator for IDS Research and Development, Inc. where he performed security assessments, conducted code research, and prepared investigation cases for testimony and depositions. He also assisted in the installation of burglary and fire alarm systems while with the firm.
EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration, International Business, Seton Hall University
Master of Science, Protection Management, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice, Saint Thomas Aquinas College
AFFILIATIONS
ASIS International
Christopher A. Arkin has extensive experience working with clients in connection with sensitive and high-stakes regulatory matters, internal investigations, and criminal and civil litigation. He has represented global companies, financial institutions, boards, executives, and directors involving a wide variety of substantive issues and areas of the law, including anti-bribery and corruption, securities and financial fraud, environmental and safety-related laws, and corporate governance. He has conducted investigations and other assessments in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and throughout the United States.
Mr. Arkin's background also includes developing, implementing, and enhancing compliance programs across a range of countries and industries, including financial services, automotive, utilities, and real estate.
Prior to joining Guidepost Solutions, Mr. Arkin practiced law at two prominent New York law firms. He was an associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, working in the firm's Corporate Governance & Investigations and Litigation practice groups. He also was an associate at Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC, focusing on complex criminal, civil, and regulatory matters and investigations.
While many of Mr. Arkin's matters are not public, some of his past representations include:
The DOJ-appointed Independent Monitor of Toyota as part of a three-year monitorship focusing on vehicle safety and the accuracy of the company's public statements;
Wal-Mart's Audit Committee in an extensive investigation by the SEC and DOJ into the company's global FCPA compliance and allegations of corruption;
A leading financial services institution in various securities-related regulatory matters, to include internal investigations and inquiries by governmental authorities;
A high-profile executive and director of a public company in a government enforcement action and related litigation involving allegations of market manipulation; and
A multinational corporation in connection with anti-bribery and corruption diligence for M&A and other investments and the implementation of effective post-acquisition compliance programs.
Mr. Arkin graduated magna cum laude from Tulane University Law School, where he served as managing editor of the Sports Lawyers Journal. He externed for the Honorable Helen G. Berrigan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Honorable Kim G. Dunning of the Superior Court of California.
Job Titles:
- Senior Managing Director
- Senior Managing Director in Our Washington, DC
Christopher R. Kim is a senior managing director in our Washington, DC, office, focusing on investigations, due diligence, monitorships, and compliance. He brings over 25 years of investigative and/or legal experience in U.S. criminal cases, multilateral development banks sanctions cases, and internal corporate cases.
Mr. Kim's practice is focused on engagements involving investigations including internal investigations, defense investigations for federal, state and/or multilateral development bank sanctions cases and compliance matters involving regulatory actions.
Prior to his private practice, Mr. Kim was a Senior Investigator at the World Bank Group, where he planned, managed, and directed multi-disciplinary teams in the audits of multi-national corporations alleged to have been involved in fraud, corruption and/or collusion in various regions, i.e., Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe and Africa. He also led due diligence efforts involved with the World Bank International Finance Corporation. He has a wealth of experience involving the World Bank Group's sanctions process, i.e., investigations, settlement, litigation, and sanctions board. In addition, he coordinated cases with other multilateral development banks including the Asian Development Bank, InterAmerican Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, European Investment Bank, and the African Development Bank.
Mr. Kim started his career at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where he spent 14 years as a Special Agent, Associate Division Counsel (FBI-New York) and Supervisory Special Agent (International Operations Division). In these different roles, he led major investigations and/or advised on legal/policy matters involving transnational organized crime, public corruption, U.S. export-controlled technology, cyber security, and national security issues. He led and/or worked on task forces with numerous federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, IRS, and ATF. He also worked on international matters in the International Operations Division and in South Korea as the Acting FBI Legal Attaché.
Experience
Leading investigations for criminal and/or civil matters before federal or state agencies:
Job Titles:
- Director, Investigations Private Client Protection
- Guidepost Solutions in 2016 As a Director
Cody Shultz joined Guidepost Solutions in 2016 as a director in the Investigations and Private Client Protection practice. He is a former CIA officer who specializes in privacy matters, reputation management, civil and criminal litigation support, and discreet investigations for ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals and family offices.
Mr. Shultz is sought out as an expert for dealing with the unique challenges of UHNW families and routinely assists clients in matters such as: online vulnerability assessments, "fake news" or negative press suppression, active cyber threat monitoring, digital obfuscation, ransom and extortion response, business due diligence, and global executive protection.
He also works with enterprise clients on managing the privacy and security of their C-suite, focusing on the tax benefits available with IRS Code 132 and working condition fringes. He also assists clients with social media unmasking, to identify digital bullies and cyber criminals who harass or make online threats against executives and their families. Mr. Shultz has written several articles on these subjects and his work has been featured in Security Magazine and Security Info Watch.
He holds a Professional Certified Investigator certification through ASIS International and is a Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator.
From 2013 to 2016, Mr. Shultz was the senior investigator for ACT, Inc., where he brought his experience as a federal investigator to the educational testing industry. He stood up an entirely new investigative division, responsible for international security matters, which included intellectual property protection, developing country-specific risk assessments, creating, and deploying data analytics to detect testing misconduct, and managing ACT's global hotline reporting system.
Mr. Shultz began his career with the Central Intelligence Agency. Throughout his tenure, he performed personnel security, counterintelligence, and counterterrorism investigations in Eastern Europe, South America, and the Near East.
Experience
While at Guidepost, Mr. Shultz:
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant
- Security Consultant at Guidepost Solutions
Connie Brandon, a security consultant at Guidepost Solutions, brings more than 20 years of business experience in roles such as private ownership, human resources, and physical security management.
Ms. Brandon's physical security responsibilities have included physical security operations and management, operational risk threat, vulnerability assessment and surveys, guard force management, operational efficiencies, emergency response deployment/management and training initiatives; investigations; staff and budget management; policy and procedure development; compliance audits - security device placement/compliance (spots & dots); conducts security vendor bid specifications, and contract negotiation. She has expertise in managing multiple client projects, identifying areas of vulnerability for remediation, and developing recommendations for corrective action. Ms. Brandon's market sector experience includes government, construction, healthcare, utilities, data centers, residential, global logistics, and corporate.
Before joining Guidepost, Ms. Brandon held several positions within Securitas, including branch manager, account, and field service manager. She was responsible for maintaining client relationships and enhancement of the overall client security program, managing security operations, and leading, training and developing security officers to align with corporate objectives.
Ms. Brandon earned an Associate of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Security Management both from the University of Phoenix. Certified as a CPP through ASIS and is an active member of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) International, where she serves as an active board member to the North Texas Chapter. She is also a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professional (ATAP), InfraGard and volunteers for her community as a Community Emergency Response Team member under the CERT organization.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Organizational Security Management, University of Phoenix
Associate of Arts in Psychology, University of Phoenix
Job Titles:
- Senior Managing Director
- Technology Expert
Courtney H. Fletcher is a nationally recognized technology expert with significant experience including database collections and analysis, eDiscovery, implementing and maintaining cybersecurity programs, software analysis, and performing independent regulatory and compliance assessments. He is responsible for the development and implementation of case and matter strategies that leverage technology to assist corporate and legal clients in matters involving complex technology issues and investigations.
Mr. Fletcher has advised clients in complex litigation and large-scale investigative matters. He has assisted clients in federal, state, and international matters involving securities litigation, breach of contract disputes, intellectual property matters, accounting malpractice, and other corporate investigations. His services cover the data preservation and acquisition through analysis, production, and supporting testimony. Specifically, he has assisted clients with addressing "meet and confer" obligations, providing technical and compliance support to government appointed monitors, intellectual property theft investigation, and advising multinational clients on cross-border discovery conflicts.
Mr. Fletcher has navigated the unique issues facing public and private clients. Most notably, he is currently assisting a government appointed monitor with a technology review to confirm compliance with a final judgement where parties agreed to prompt divestiture of certain assets, data, and information; assisted a government contractor with an internal investigation by analyzing big data and leveraging behavioral analytics to identify patterns and irregularities to isolate potential fraud within the organization; a joint defense team representing former directors and officers (D&O's) of a global financial derivatives broker against the bankruptcy trustee who was seeking to shut down and liquidate systems that contain potentially relevant information to the D&O's defense related to the bankruptcy; the Chief Litigation Counsel for a large multi-national company to perform an eDiscovery Health Check; and, a pharmaceutical company with developing an operational integration playbook that incorporates repeatable processes and workflows to use during a merger, acquisition, or divesture.
Experience
Retained by defense counsel to provide discovery services related to a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) litigation into an alleged false marketing scheme where hidden fees were charged to customers. Our team identified, acquired, consolidated, analyzed, and produced to FTC over 6 billion records and multiple terabytes of data from current and legacy financial systems.
Currently assisting Monitoring Trustee with technology review to confirm compliance with a final judgement where parties agreed to prompt divestiture of certain assets, data, and information.
Assisting Federal Monitor with the development of a centralized data repository, customized technology solutions, and providing comprehensive reporting to support monitorship.
Assisted counsel and claims administrator with developing a strategy to potentially identify potential survivors of a proposed class action settlement related to litigation against a higher education institution. Specifically, our role was to interview IT business owners and identify all relevant historical and current systems and create a centralize repository for analysis.
Retained by joint defense team representing former directors and officers (D&O's) of a global financial derivatives broker against the bankruptcy trustee who was seeking to shut down and liquidate systems that contain potentially relevant information to the D&O's defense related to the bankruptcy. We reviewed relevant systems and documentation, met with trustee's counsel and IT consultants, performed mapping analysis, aided in the responses and updates to trustee and Court regarding the systems, and helped prepare deposition outline and topics.
Retained by the Chief Litigation Counsel for a large multi-national company to perform an eDiscovery Health Check that focused on assessing overall eDiscovery environment, interviewing key stakeholders and relevant documentation, and creating recommendations for remediation of identified areas of concern.
Retained by a pharmaceutical to act as an IT expert to evaluate, review and confirm destruction of documents in possession of client's prior eDiscovery vendor. Responsibilities included providing written and oral testimony. In supporting my client's Application to modify a Variation of the Freezing Injunction, the Court relied heavily on proffered expert testimony that selected devices within the facility needed to be properly deleted or wiped.
Retained by counsel to provide technical support of opposing 30(b)(6) witness (Chief Information Officer) in a large class action against a consumer-packaged goods company. Specifically, we were asked to assist in preparing the outline, topics and attending the deposition.
Job Titles:
- Investigator
- Senior Managing Director, West Region
David C. Cook, a seasoned investigator, leads the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices of Guidepost Solutions. He specializes in litigation support, internal investigations, due diligence, fraud and theft of trade secret investigations.
David Katz specializes in corporate monitorships, regulatory compliance, and internal investigations. He helps clients identify and mitigate regulatory risks and assists them in developing robust compliance programs to prevent future and recurring regulatory problems. Over the last 25 years, Mr. Katz has developed extensive experience in several areas including securities, tax, anti-money laundering, antitrust, and financial fraud.
Mr. Katz's engagements with Guidepost include serving as a key member of the leadership teams monitoring:
an international shipping company, which pled guilty to price fixing in violation of U.S. antitrust laws
a major U.S. multinational delivery services company, which settled with the New York State Office of the Attorney General and the City of New York to resolve allegations concerning the shipment of illegal cigarettes
a U.S. automobile manufacturer in connection with its deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice, which arose out of its failure to timely recall of millions of vehicles equipped with defective ignition switches
a global bank, which had been sanctioned by New York regulators for anti-money laundering and sanctions violations
He has also served as an independent consultant as part of a FINRA settlement with a broker-dealer to conduct a comprehensive review of the firm's compliance with FINRA's suitability rules and engaged as an independent consultant as part of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission settlement with a registered transfer agent to conduct a comprehensive review of its policies and procedures.
Mr. Katz previously held senior positions with the U.S. Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, and the National Association of Securities Dealers (now Financial Industry Regulatory Authority/FINRA). He also served as a federal prosecutor for eight years specializing in white collar fraud prosecutions.
As Senior Counsel to the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Mr. Katz advised the Subcommittee and its Chairman Senator Levin on investigative and legislative matters. He has conducted high-profile investigations involving major multi-nationals and financial institutions including global banks and hedge funds. The range of issues he investigated included offshore tax avoidance schemes, excessive speculation in the commodities markets, structural problems in the equity markets, and abusive structured transactions.
Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Mr. Katz was a Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the Large Business and International Division at the Internal Revenue Service, where he provided guidance on the taxation of financial services entities; led an initiative to identify compliance risks and enforcement issues related to hedge funds and private equity firms; and participated as a member of the Executive Board in the development of the policies and procedures of the IRS' Whistleblower program.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Katz served as Assistant Chief Counsel and later as the Director of Fraud Surveillance in the Market Regulation Department at NASD. As the director, his primary responsibility was to oversee the fraud surveillance for the NASDAQ, the American Stock Exchange, and the Over-The-Counter Markets. In this capacity, he directed and led his staff in hundreds of investigations for fraud and manipulative trading schemes, including micromanipulations such as pump and dumps, wash sales, marking the close, as well as matched and fictitious orders schemes. Earlier, as assistant chief counsel, he oversaw a team of lawyers who prosecuted member firms and brokers for violations of NASD rules and the federal securities laws.
Mr. Katz began his career at the U.S. Department of Justice as a trial attorney for the Fraud Section of its Criminal Division in Washington, DC, investigating and prosecuting high profile white-collar cases, including securities and telemarketing fraud, bribery, and government program fraud.
Mr. Katz's private sector experience includes serving as a partner at Petillon, Hiraide, Loomis & Katz LLP where he represented broker-dealers and corporations and their employees in connection with financial fraud, insider trading, and securities fraud matters before FINRA and the SEC. He also represented clients in civil litigation and arbitration proceedings involving securities related claims.
Dennis M. Walsh is an experienced litigator and former prosecutor with deep experience in monitoring and compliance matters as well as complex investigations.
Previously, Mr. Walsh practiced law at large New York City firms, as well as his own, handling a range of commercial litigation, criminal defense, investigations, monitoring and compliance review cases. Among other matters, he was retained to assist in monitoring international corporations in the automotive, energy, financial and technology sectors. He has had extensive interaction with in-house counsel and compliance officers and has written detailed reports presented to regulators, courts and the Department of Justice. His cases have involved a range of issues involving contracts, product liability and negligence, competitive intelligence, securities, natural gas and oil trading regulations, banking regulations and compliance, construction, labor, and criminal issues. He also conducted an extensive multi-city investigation of Medicare billing practices on behalf of a national hospital corporation.
Mr. Walsh served as the Review Officer in United States v. District Council of Carpenters in the Southern District of New York. He was responsible for enforcing a Consent Decree and other orders of the District Court in a long-standing civil RICO matter, and was given broad authority to monitor, investigate and reform the administration and governance of the New York City District Council of Carpenters, its Taft-Hartley Benefit Funds (with a combined value of $5 billion) and its eight affiliated local unions, with more than 20,000 members. He filed nine lengthy reports with the District Court and his efforts have been the subject of articles in The New York Times, New York Daily News, the New York Post and Crain's.
Mr. Walsh was a member of the Guidepost monitoring team that worked to ensure that the New York City Housing Authority complied with a federal agreement to correct chronically poor housing conditions and was in charge of the monitor's lead-based paint and mold mitigation and remediation work streams, among other oversight responsibilities. He also led a team investigating the trademark infringement of non-fungible tokens for a major internet-based media company.
Mr. Walsh served as an Assistant Deputy Attorney General with the New York State Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force, where he investigated La Cosa Nostra racketeering involving labor unions. He worked closely with many law enforcement agencies, including the New York Police Department, the FBI and the United States Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General. He also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in both the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Mr. Walsh received the Louis J. Lefkowitz Memorial Award for outstanding performance on behalf of the Office of the New York Attorney General and people of the State of New York.
Dominique D. Majon is a BIM coordinator with more than 24 years of experience working with Autodesk products, designing and drafting systems for buildings. He has coordinated work with other trades using the BIM process and has led that process using Navisworks for clash detection and building infrastructure pre-planning. In addition to BIM, Mr. Majon has experience designing security, telecom, fiber, power, fire alarm, audio visual, nurse call, infant tagging systems among others. He has in-depth knowledge of autodesk revit, autodesk autocad, autocad MEP, autodesk navisworks and bentley microstation. Mr. Majon can also program points for use in the nomad tool from Trimble.
Experience
Designed and coordinated security, telecom, electrical, fire alarm, nurse call, audio-visual and other systems for healthcare clients including the University of Chicago Hospitals, Kaiser Permanente, Methodist Healthcare, and Children's Memorial hospitals.
Designed and coordinated security, electrical and telecom systems for data center clients including Digital Realty, NTT, T5, QTS, Verizon and others in the US, Europe, and Africa.
Designed and coordinated electrical and security systems for high-tech clients including the Texas Center for Proton Therapy and Merck/MSD.
Eddie Koh is a seasoned professional with more than 15 years of experience in the enterprise security industry. As the APAC regional director at Guidepost Solutions, Eddie leads a dedicated team to design, manage, and implement robust security compliance policies, cutting-edge technologies, and seamless fit-outs across a variety of industries.
Mr. Koh began his professional career in the early days of the internet, where he developed applications and later ventured into managing fit-outs for clean energy plants and datacenters. In his previous role, Eddie served as a solution sales manager for a regional security integrator, leveraging his extensive industry knowledge to lead a major account sales team to success.
Throughout his career, Mr. Koh has collaborated with organizations of all sizes, from nimble startups to renowned industry giants in sectors of semiconductor, data centers, pharmaceutical and healthcare, banking and finance, oil and gas, business services, and technology. He understands the importance of building trust as the foundation for cultivating long-term relationships.
Having immersed himself in the vibrant cultures, nuances, and dynamic business landscapes of Asia, Mr. Koh has a deep understanding of regional intricacies and excels at bridging gaps and finding common ground. He welcomes opportunities for collaboration and is eager to explore how he can help to achieve remarkable outcomes.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science (Hon.), Computing, Portsmouth University
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Investigator
Elan Parra is an experienced investigator with extensive management, litigation, and construction-related experience serving public and private sector clients. Throughout his career, he has successfully led investigative teams, identified obscure issues, and provided innovative solutions to serve clients' objectives. He is a licensed attorney with more than 15 years of experience in the public and private sectors and has led investigations involving fraud, corruption, and illegal activity.
Mr. Parra's experience includes supervising the inquiry into a building trade union's improper payout of benefits and mishandling of members contributions; investigating allegations of illegal disposal of environmental contaminants; and evaluating procedures to ensure adequate controls were in place to prevent fraud. Mr. Parra has also provided advisory consultive assistance to real estate businesses and liaised with law enforcement to develop new security practices and to develop training for security contractors.
Mr. Parra is currently on the leadership team working on the Federal Monitorship of New York Public Housing Authority (NYCHA). He works closely with the executive team at the Authority and oversees work on its reorganization efforts. He provides recommendations and monitors the development of NYCHA strategic initiatives to address required improvements in operations, management, information technology, capital delivery, governance, and procurement. He also monitored NYCHA's efforts to develop an RFQ to spend a $450M grant by New York State for infrastructure improvements across its properties in New York City.
Prior to joining Guidepost Solutions, Mr. Parra was a managing director with a consulting firm focused on complex investigations and regulatory compliance. During this time, he directed operational components and logistics for a multi-year tax compliance engagement in Zurich, Switzerland for Credit Suisse Bank; led audits of federal grant-funding recipients for the New York State Governor's Office of Storm Recovery efforts; and supervised the construction monitorship of an affordable housing development project in New York City.
Mr. Parra has also held several high-level positions with the City of New York. While at the Mayor's Office during the Bloomberg Administration, he managed a billion-dollar public works portfolio, overseeing major construction and development projects. As the director of the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement, he led a multi-agency team that investigated compliance violations throughout the city. He also directed logistics, including deployment of private sector contractors and multi-agency inspection teams on behalf of City Hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Mr. Parra began his career as a prosecutor and then litigated §1983 civil rights cases on behalf of the New York City Police Department.
Job Titles:
- Controller
- Member of the Operations Team
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Director of IT
- Member of the Operations Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Operations Team
- Vice President, Marketing
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Job Titles:
- Member of the Operations Team
- Senior Vice President, People Operations
Job Titles:
- President, Security Technology Consulting
Joseph Jaffe - CEO, Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- General Counsel
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Senior Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice Chairman
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President, Global Investigations Regulatory Compliance
Job Titles:
- President, Strategic Accounts
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Security Technology Consulting Division
Mr. Edward Batchelor brings more than 12 years of experience in physical, technical, and operational security design and consulting. He develops results-oriented solutions tailored to meet the needs of clients and specific project requirements for the protection of assets in multiple vertical markets including higher education, corporate, institutional and government. Mr. Batchelor's expertise includes global project management, security master planning, budget analysis, enterprise technical system standardization and design, operational policies and procedures, and risk and vulnerability assessments.
Mr. Batchelor has a keen ability to apply the fundamentals of physical security to a wide range of complex and unique projects and approaches each project with innovation in security methodologies that support the user experience and organizational culture while providing a safe and secure environment. His security and design experience has been essential in providing system commissioning and technology assessments for several stadium security projects.
Prior to joining Guidepost Solutions, Mr. Batchelor served as a senior security consultant for Jensen Hughes where he led large, complex project teams for global clients. During his tenure, he increased the security practice by leading global business development efforts, mentoring young professionals, and was the subject matter expert for the security division.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Security Management, DeVry University
Associates Degree, Engineering Technology, Morrison Institute of Technology
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President, National Security Practice
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President, Monitoring and Investigations
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Leadership Team
- Member of the Leadership Team