Meet our Founder and Executive Director. Steve Schofield

Steve knew early on in life that he wanted to be an attorney, and it wasn't long after that he knew he wanted to use that career to help people. While he was an undergraduate student at Grand Valley State University, Steve took a course on Volunteerism and the Nonprofit Sector and as part of that course was a volunteer for a nonprofit organization that represented abused and neglected children. That experience solidified for Steve just exactly what he wanted to do as an attorney.

He graduated from Grand Valley State University in December 2000 with his Bachelors of Science degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration. Steve spent from 2001 to 2005 trying to find his way to law school. Steve was born with a birth defect and lives life in a wheelchair and so he did not drive and could not attend law school anywhere that wasn't a reasonable drive from home. Thomas M. Cooley Law School launched a satellite campus in Grand Rapids, near to where Steve lived in Cedar Springs, and he immediately began to work towards gaining admission. Steve started his journey towards this career in September of 2005. Unfortunately, due to undiagnosed health issues he was unable to continue past the first term. He vowed to get those issues back under control and to return.

Starting in November of 2007 Steve embarked on an alternative path. One that would keep him engaged in a meaningful way with his plans to return to law school. He enrolled in Kaplan University (now part of Purdue Global) online to pursue his master's degree in criminal justice. Over the next two years he worked through his coursework often making the dean's list and never receiving any grade lower than a C. In May of 2009 he successfully defended his master's thesis "Are Juveniles Being Heard?" in which he concluded that in his home state of Michigan the quality of the legal representation a child often received in court had to do with what County they resided in and whether that county was a rich or poor county. From that point forward Steve knew that his chief goal in life would be to force changes in the way children were given representation and to make sure that no matter where a child lives that their attorney is knowledgeable, experienced and had the resources they needed whether that attorney was hired by someone for the child or appointed by the State.

In 2010 Steve returned to Thomas M. Cooley Law School, he geared his curriculum and his activities towards a career in juvenile law to the extent possible. He founded and served as the first president of the Children's Law Society, a student group working to shed light on the need for more attorneys in the field of child and juvenile law. Steve graduated from Cooley Law School in May of 2014. He passed the Alabama Bar Exam in September of 2014. In December of 2014 he completed the necessary requirements to become a member of the State Bar of Alabama, an organization he has maintained a good standing in to this day.

Wesley "Wes" Watson is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with over 30 years of experience spanning military and civilian sectors. Currently serving as a Product Security Leader at Johnson Controls, he oversees cybersecurity strategies for Access Control/Video Surveillance (ACVS), Intrusion, and other connected solutions. Wesley has held pivotal roles in cyber operations and policy development, including leadership in the Illinois, Florida, and Ohio Air National Guards, as well as in government civilian roles at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) and the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Before focusing on cybersecurity, Wesley spent over a decade working in enterprise IT at State Farm Insurance. There, he developed a strong foundation in IT infrastructure, disaster preparedness, and technology integration, which laid the groundwork for his transition into the cybersecurity field. This experience gives him a unique perspective on enterprise operations, complementing his deep technical expertise in cyber warfare and Operational Technology (OT) security.

As Chief of Cyber Operations at the Continental Region, First Air Force, Air Forces Northern (CONR-1AF/AFNORTH), a component of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), Wesley directed defensive cyber operations to protect critical command and control systems and integrated cyberspace capabilities into operational plans for homeland defense. A retired military officer, he is a graduated squadron commander, having led cyber operations in support of national defense objectives, and has led critical infrastructure protection initiatives. Wesley is a graduate of the United States Air Force Air War College and holds advanced degrees in Human Development Counseling and Military Operational Art & Science.

His expertise in cyber warfare, risk management, Operational Technology (OT) security, and organizational leadership is further reinforced by certifications in Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). Based in Huntsville, Alabama, Wesley is committed to advancing secure and innovative solutions to protect critical systems and infrastructure.

Hi, Jeff Rush here. Here's a little about me. My doctorate is in Public Administration from the University of Alabama. I hold a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership both from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I thought I was retired from full time university teaching after 30 years, but like Michael Corleone I got sucked back in. ! continue to teach as an adjunct instructor both online and in person. My professional experience spans more than 40 years as a law enforcement officer, juvenile probation officer and work in private security. I continue to serve in law enforcement as an A.P.O.S.T.C. Deputy Sheriff as well as continuing work in private security, mostly in special events, concerts, executive protection, and church security.

Along with my wife, The Warrior Goddess, we work in Human Trafficking as advocates, trainers, outreach and security. I am a former board member, and past Chairman of the Board of the Faith Based Security Network (FBSN), a past chairman of the Police Section, and a board member of the Security and Crime Prevention Section both sections of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Other Board of Director members: Stacie Reed Board of Directors Carol Gunter