Jonathan Becker, New York State Division of Criminal Justice ServicesPublic Safety Program Specialist 2Jonathan Becker brings more than 28 years of public safety experience, including 19 years in law enforcement. Throughout his career, he has served across law enforcement, emergency medical services, New York State Corrections, and as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown. His law enforcement experience has ranged from foot patrol and School Resource Officer to criminal investigator. Jonathan is a New York State Certified Law Enforcement Instructor, graduate of the FBI National Academy Associates leadership program, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trained, and an FBI National Academy Associates Comprehensive Officer Resilience instructor, among other topics. After a career spent witnessing some of the darkest moments of the human experience, Jonathan developed a deeply personal understanding of resilience and mental health. Like many in public safety, he spent years believing the answer was simply to push through, compartmentalize, and “suck it up.” Experience taught him otherwise. Today, Jonathan combines operational experience, leadership, and resilience training to speak candidly about the cumulative impact of a career in public safety. His practical, relatable approach challenges traditional perceptions of wellness and encourages first responders to view resilience not as weakness, but as an essential component of readiness, leadership, career longevity, and life beyond the uniform.
Darin Perrotte, Saranac Lake Police DepartmentChief of PoliceChief Darin M. Perrotte is a 21-year law enforcement veteran and Chief of Police for the Saranac Lake Police Department. A graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy, Chief Perrotte is a strong advocate for community policing, officer wellness, and peer support. He has served as an instructor in multiple law enforcement academies, sharing his experience and commitment to building healthier, more resilient officers and organizations. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by law enforcement professionals in rural communities, Chief Perrotte helped establish a Regional Peer Support Team serving agencies throughout New York’s North Country, expanding access to confidential support and resources for first responders. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve while advancing a culture that prioritizes the physical and mental well-being of those who wear the badge.
Nadine Zesky, NYS Office of Mental HealthImplementation SpecialistNadine Zesky is a retired law enforcement professional with 25 years of service and a lifelong connection to the first responder community as the daughter and granddaughter of firefighters and veterans. Following her retirement, she focused her career on advancing the mental health and wellness of first responders serving as an EAP coordinator, mental health educator, and fitness instructor. Nadine currently serves as an Implementation Specialist for the NYS Office of Mental Health, Suicide Prevention Center managing CARES UP, an organizational change model focusing on changing culture for first responders. She is passionate about reducing mental health stigma and helping first responder organizations build healthier, more resilient cultures. Nadine is married to a police officer, and together they have two daughters. Her personal connection to the first responder community, combined with more than three decades of professional experience, drives her commitment to helping those who serve build healthier, stronger and more resilient organizations and communities.
Gavin Boyer, New York State Division of Criminal Justice ServicesPublic Safety Program Specialist 2Gavin Boyer brings over a decade of law enforcement experience across high-stress environments, including corrections, corrections transport, SWAT operations, and tactical CERT cell extractions. Having navigated both the chronic hypervigilance of correctional operations and the high-stakes, time-compressed pressure of tactical deployments, Gavin understands firsthand the cumulative impact of critical incidents, shift work, and operational stress on physical and mental endurance. Driven by a commitment to officer longevity and team readiness, and his role as a training director Gavin integrates hard-won perspectives from both the corrections and policing sectors into his training. Recognized for his operational integrity and steady leadership under pressure, he has repeatedly been entrusted with senior roles by leadership and peers alike. Rather than relying on academic theory alone, Gavin’s approach to resilience is grounded in a decade of earned field authority and practical tactical experience. Gavin’s instructional style bridges the gap between battle-tested leadership, human performance science, and field reality. Participants learn real-time physiological stress-regulation techniques to maintain cognitive clarity under fire, mitigate institutional burnout, and accelerate recovery following critical incidents. A staunch and dedicated advocate for officer wellness, Gavin insists that psychological endurance is not a luxury, but a critical tactical requirement for team safety, career longevity, and emotional survival off duty.