Who We Are
Who We Support
Our Expertise
Who We Are
Who We Support
Our Expertise
Who We Are
Who We Support
Our Expertise
Our Values
Safety
Reliability
Integrity
Quality
Our Team
Dr. Stephen D. Hart
Director and Threat Assessment Specialist
Stephen is a Director and Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. He obtained a BA degree in psychology and MA and PhD degrees in clinical-forensic psychology from the University of British Columbia. His work focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of decision support aids for violence risk assessment and management and mental disorders associated with violence risk, including psychopathic personality disorder. He is qualified in Canada as a Certified Threat Assessment Professional or CTAP (C). Outside of Protect International, he is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University. He is also a Researcher in the Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry at Helse Bergen-HF and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia.
Stephen has co-authored more than 275 publications and more than 600 papers presented at scientific and professional conferences. His decision support aids are widely used and have been translated into more than three dozen languages. He has consulted for government agencies worldwide and led more than 600 training workshops for professionals. He has given expert evidence before courts, tribunals, review boards, inquests, and parliamentary committees in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. He was a Founding Editor of the International Journal of Forensic Mental Health and the Journal of Threat Assessment and Management; currently, he serves as Associate Editor of Legal and Criminological Psychology and is on the Editorial Boards of seven other journals. Stephen is President of the Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (CATAP) and previously served as President of the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) and the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services (IAFMHS). He has received awards for distinguished contribution to research and practice from organizations such as the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, AP-LS, the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, CATAP, IAFMHS, and the Society for Clinical Psychology.
Dr. Kelly A. Watt
Director and Threat Assessment Specialist
Kelly is a Director and Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. She received a BA degree in psychology from Simon Fraser University and MA and PhD degrees in clinical-community psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her work focuses on violence risk assessment and management with a special focus on victim safety planning, coordinated community responses, and threat assessment teams. Outside of Protect International, Kelly is a Workplace Consultant in the Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry at Helse Bergen-HF. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology and a member of the Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute at Simon Fraser University.
Kelly has co-authored more than 113 publications and conference presentations. She is also the co-author of several manuals for risk assessment and safety planning, including the Aid to Safety Assessment and Planning, the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol, and the Aid for Violence Risk Triage. Kelly is currently the editor of Intelligence, an e-newsletter that keeps professionals informed of advances in threat assessment worldwide by sharing the knowledge and experiences of leading experts in the field. She has consulted with government agencies in numerous countries and led more than 358 workshops for various sectors, including mental health, law enforcement, corrections, security, victim services, social services, human resources, occupational health and safety, and legal professionals across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Kelly serves as President of the Global Team Collaborative (GTC), an information exchange and resource center whose goal is to enhance the knowledge and support the practice of interdisciplinary teams responsible for managing diverse problem behaviours and situations of concern.
Dr. Brianne Layden
Director and Threat Assessment Specialist
Brianne is a Director and Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. She obtained a BA degree in psychology and MA and PhD degrees in clinical-forensic psychology from Simon Fraser University. Her work focuses on the assessment and management of risk for violence, with a special focus on self-directed violence, multiple risks, and personality disorders. She is qualified in British Columbia as a Registered Psychologist or RPsych. Outside of Protect International, Brianne is a contract psychologist with Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission of British Columbia and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University.
Brianne has co-authored more than 75 articles and conference presentations. She is currently developing structured professional judgment guides for triaging, assessing, and managing the risk of self-directed violence. She has provided training workshops and presentations to professionals in forensic mental health, law enforcement, corrections, security, victim services, and higher education worldwide. She serves as Associate Editor for both Intelligence and the International Journal of Forensic Mental Health. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services.
Dr. Kevin S. Douglas
Threat Assessment Specialist
Kevin is a Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. He obtained a BA degree in psychology and MA and PhD degrees in clinical-forensic psychology from Simon Fraser University, as well as an LLB degree in law from the University of British Columbia. His work focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of decision support aids for violence risk assessment and management and mental disorders associated with violence risk, including psychopathic personality disorder. Outside of Protect International, Kevin is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University. He is also a Researcher in the Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry at Helse Bergen-HF and Oslo University Hospital-HF and a Senior Research Advisor in the Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry at Oslo University Hospital-HF.
Kevin has co-authored more than 190 publications and 250 conference presentations and workshops. He is the lead author of the most recent version of the HCR-20, which is the most commonly used violence risk assessment guide in the world, translated into more than 30 languages and used in more than 45 countries. He has consulted extensively with government agencies and served on the boards of professional associations, including as President of the American Psychology-Law Society (Division 41 of the American Psychological Association) and Treasurer of the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services. In recognition of his work, he received the Saleem Shah Award for Early Career Excellence in Psychology and Law, awarded jointly by the American Psychology-Law Society and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology.
Dr. P. Randall Kropp
Threat Assessment Specialist
Randall is a Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. He received his BA degree in psychology from the University of British Columbia and his MA and PhD degrees in clinical psychology from Simon Fraser University. The focus of his work is the assessment and management of violent offenders. Outside of Protect International, he is a psychologist with the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission of British Columbia and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University.
Randall has co-authored numerous publications and conference presentations, including violence risk assessment guides such as the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide, the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk, the Sexual Violence Risk – 20, the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol, the Guidelines for Stalking Assessment and Management, and the Assessment of Risk for Honour Based Violence or PATRIARCH. He has consulted with provincial, state, and federal governments on matters related to violence against women and children and the assessment and treatment of violent offenders. He has led workshops for mental health professionals, police officers, corrections staff, and others in North America, Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Ms. Yan Lim, MA
Threat Assessment Specialist
Yan is a Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. She received her BA (Hons.) degree in psychology and criminology at the University of Melbourne, her MA in psychology at Simon Fraser University, and is currently completing her PhD in clinical-forensic psychology at Simon Fraser University. Her work focuses on the assessment and management of violence risk in institutional and community settings, personality disorders, cross-cultural considerations, and complex mental health problems. Outside of Protect International, Yan is a staff psychologist with Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission of British Columbia, Canada. Prior to moving to Canada, she worked as a prison psychologist at the Singapore Prison Service.
Yan has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications. He has also co-authored more than 60 papers presented at conferences across North America, Europe, and Asia. She serves as the Administrator for the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services.
Dr. Gérard Labuschagne
Threat Assessment Specialist
Gérard is a Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. He received his BA, MA, and PhD degrees in Psychology and his MA degree in Criminology from the University of Pretoria. He also received his LLB degree in law from the University of South Africa. His work focuses on violence risk assessment and management. He is licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in South Africa, is an Advocate (Barrister) of the High Court in South Africa, and is qualified as a Certified Threat Manager (CTM) by the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals in the United States, and a Certified Threat Assessment Professional (CTAP) by the Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. Outside of Protect International, Gérard is an honorary associate professor in the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand. Prior to moving to Canada, he was the head of the behavioural sciences unit of the South African Police Service, where his responsibilities included criminal profiling and other investigative support for violent and serial crimes, hostage negotiation, and threat assessment, and resigned at the rank of Brigadier.
Gérard has co-authored articles and chapters and presented numerous conference presentations. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Threat Assessment and Management. He consulted with and provided training for corporations worldwide regarding workplace violence. He has extensive experience testifying as an expert witness in criminal and civil matters. Gérard currently serves as the Director of Partnerships for the Global Team Collaborative (GTC).
Mr. Jean-François Laporte
Threat Assessment Specialist
Jean-François is a Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International. He received his BA and MSc degrees in Criminology from the Université de Montréal. His work focuses on clinical-forensic criminology, with a special focus on the assessment and management of violence risk, as well as personality disorders and mental disorders associated with crime. Outside of Protect International, he is a criminologist and clinical advisor at the Institut national de psychiatrie légale Philippe-Pinel and a lecturer in the École de criminologie, Université de Montréal.
Jean-François has presented training workshops and presentations to mental health professionals in Québec and in Europe. He is fluently bilingual in French and English, and has prepared French translations of several violence risk assessment guides, including the Aid for Violence Risk Triage, the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk, and the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide
Ms. Nicole Russell
Conduct Investigation Specialist
Nicole has provided presentations and workshops for private businesses, financial institutions, post-secondary institutions, and healthcare facilities. She also facilitated the Anti-Harassment and Avoiding Mistreatment Workshops at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia for several years, and has received extensive training on conflict resolution, conduct investigations, and violence risk assessment. She is currently developing a structured professional judgment guide for conduct investigations. Nicole works closely with non-profit and charitable organizations. She serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for both the Semiahmoo House Society and the Peninsula Estates Housing Society, and on the Board of Directors at the Semiahmoo Foundation.










