Keynote Speaker 2020
Timothy Rountree, Detective, Mesquite Police Department
Greg Smith
Greg Smith has been involved in public service for his entire adult life. He served in the United States Navy Submarine Service for ten years. Upon leaving the service, he began a career in law enforcement, serving on both police departments and sheriff’s offices in South Carolina, Missouri, and Kansas for 18 years.
In 2008, Smith left law enforcement to pursue a career in public education. He taught high school history and U.S. government classes in Kansas. In 2010, Smith ran for public office and was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives where he served on various committees, including the House Committee on Corrections & Juvenile Justice and the House Judiciary Committee. He championed issues such as the “Penn State” law, compliance with the Adam Walsh Act, and Caylee’s Law – all of which successfully passed in Kansas. In 2012, Greg was elected to the Kansas Senate, serving as the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and the chairman of the Senate Committee on Corrections & Juvenile Justice. In the Senate, he was the sole sponsor of legislation that improved the reporting and investigation of missing persons. He also worked to successfully strengthen the penalties for the crime of murder as well as several crime-victim-centered reforms.
In 2007, Greg’s daughter, Kelsey Smith, was abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered. The case made international and national news and led Greg and his wife Missey to start the Kelsey Smith Foundation® (KSF).
The work of the Foundation has led to awareness of the Kelsey Smith Act throughout the United States. This life-saving legislation, now law in 23 states, allows immediate access to cell phone location data by law enforcement for persons who are missing and deemed in peril of bodily harm or death. Work is underway to pass the measure at the federal level. KSF also provides seminars on various safety topics to youth and young adults across the United States as well as training about Kelsey’s case and the impact it has on law enforcement operations.
Smith currently serves on the Johnson County (KS) Sheriff’s Office.
Emily Vacher
Director of Trust & Safety Team
Facebook
Emily Vacher joined Facebook in 2011 and is currently a Director with Facebook’s Trust & Safety team. Vacher is responsible for law enforcement outreach, global safety initiatives, safety education, and security policy matters. She is currently focusing on Facebook’s AMBER Alert program and child safety issues. Vacher works extensively with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), where she serves as a member of NCMEC’s executive board and the law enforcement/operations committee and also serves as a member of NCMEC’s Team ADAM/Project Alert. Vacher works closely with the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) on global missing children’s issues and alert system development and training. Before she joined Facebook, Vacher was a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for more than a decade, specializing in crimes against children matters. Vacher holds a BS from Cornell University, MS and MPA from Syracuse University/Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, and JD from Syracuse University College of Law.
Mike Cormaci
OffenderWatch
President & Co-Founder of Watch Systems
As President and co-founder of Watch Systems, Mike Cormaci is responsible for the overall business strategy, sales objectives, and leadership of the executive team. Cormaci works closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to understand their public safety and compliance needs. He currently serves on several committees with the National Sheriffs’ Association and advises state associations on issues of sex offender registration, verification, collaborative investigations, and community notification.