History
Summit Exercises and Training™ is a veteran-owned small business that seeks to offer innovative preparedness solutions. When founded, our team sought to develop a more flexible model that could be adapted to serve the needs of any organization - large or small. Drawing on the diversity of experience in emergency management and response, communications, military, government, and the private sector, the team brings a comprehensive perspective to managing and mitigating risk. By applying best practices in management and organizational behavior, strategy and planning, together with the latest developments in learning and technology, SummitET™ has quickly grown its reputation as an industry leader, serving a range of clients. The company's client-centric approach - tailors solutions to organizational needs and goals while offering unparalleled expertise and service - has made SummitET a trusted partner to facilitate preparedness efforts for International and US federal agencies, state and local entities, non-governmental, and corporate customers.
Our mission
To provide proven full spectrum preparedness solutions to threats facing government, non-government organizations, and private entities through industry-leading experts and impeccable customer service.
We will achieve this by:
offering our clients the highest level of customer service
delivering the most comprehensive and customer-specific solutions
proactively adopting new approaches to serve our customer’s needs in the ever-changing world of natural and human-caused disasters
emphasizing an organizational culture that promotes team member growth and work/life balance.
Customized Preparedness Solutions
Want to know more about how SummitET can customize trainings and exercises to meet your needs? Contact us, today.
Our People:
Corporate Leadership

Chairman and CEO
John Duda
John is the Chief Executive Officer at SummitET. Since founding SummitET, John has led and supported multiple exercise and training programs. John has co-authored a research study involving defense-based sensor technology and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and as a Business Continuity Professional.
Prior to forming SummitET, John has served organizations such as the US Department of Energy/NNSA, Publix Super Markets, and the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT). John is also a member of the Advisory Board for the University of North Florida’s School for International Business.
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
M.A., Government (in progress)
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
B.A., International Business; Business Management; Spanish
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP)
Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
Activities & Affiliations
• Advisory Board for the University of North Florida’s School for International Business
• Big Brother Association of America, Mentor
cHIEF Operations OfficeR
Chuck Marrone
Chuck, a former Naval Aviator, is a founding partner and the Chief Operations Officer. He also serves as a Program Manager for SummitET. He has a graduate (MA) degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Military University and an undergraduate from the Merchant Marine Academy. In addition, Chuck has completed the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) training course.
Chuck managed the WMD counterterrorism tabletop exercise program for the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration; jointly sponsored by the FBI. He has designed, coordinated, and facilitated over 100 large scale, interagency tabletop exercises both domestically and internationally; including developing a training program to teach foreign governments how to develop and facilitate their own tabletop exercise programs.
AMERICAN MILITARY UNIVERSITY
M.A., Emergency and Disaster Management, American Military University, 2007
MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY
B.A., Marine Transportation, United States Merchant Marine Academy, 1998
CHIEF Projects Officer
Todd Cannan
Todd, a founding partner and Chief Projects Officer, is a former Naval Aviator. In addition, he also serves as a senior exercise planner. He has extensive experience in emergency response, crisis communications, planning, and training.
As a Naval Aviator, he made multiple deployments in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM - several of which involved the direct support of U.S. and Coalition special operations forces - and participated in Hurricane Katrina search and rescue operations. Todd was assigned to the Joint Operations Center at Headquarters, United States Special Operations Command, in Tampa, FL. He planned and conducted security and emergency management exercises for all levels of government and private industry, both domestically and internationally.
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
M.S., Emergency Management, 2012
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
B.S., Communications, 1997; B.A., English, 1997

VICE PRESIDENT & CORPORATE HEALTH PHYSICIST
Steve Sugarman
Steve is a certified health physicist (CHP) and brings more than 30 years of applied health physics experience to SummitET. His primary interest is the integration of health physics into the overall response to radiological incidents. In addition to his vice president responsibilities, his role includes serving as the corporate radiological subject matter expert and providing health physics input/oversight for SummitET projects. Steve supports the outreach agenda via educational course delivery, exercise development/facilitation, invited lectures, and conference/meeting attendance. Having served as a lecturer for many organizations including the International Atomic Energy Agency, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Physics Society, and the National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference, Steve has contributed to numerous publications and guidance documents on various health physics topics and has significant real-world experience in responding to radiological events, both domestically and internationally.
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
M.S., Safety Education and Service, 1997
TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY
B.S., Organizational Management, 1992
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Certified Health Physicist (CHP), 2008
Certified Hazard Control Manager (CHCM), 2000
National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists (NRRPT), 2002 (inactive)
Activities & Affiliations
Served as clinical adjunct faculty member at the Lincoln Memorial University Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
American Academy of Health Physics
Health Physics Society
Contributor to various international and domestic radiation-based guidance documents
Multiple peer-reviewed publications related to dose assessment, emergency response, and radiation protection
Peer Reviewer - Health Physics
Previous Health Physics Project Manager at the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS)
SUMMIT'S PROGRAM MANAGEMEnT
PROGRAM MANAGER
Ron Crane
Ron is a certified firefighter, hazardous materials technician and chemist, communications unit leader, structural collapse technician and interoperable communications SME with over 20 years of experience in the emergency preparedness/management and response fields. He served for over ten years as a healthcare and public sector emergency manager and is certified in numerous technical areas by DHS, FEMA, DOT, and the US Army.
As Senior Exercise Program Manager of IC for the Isotope Crossroads program, he provides training to law enforcement, emergency responders, and government officials at the local, state and Federal level to increase awareness of security issues involving radiological material during transport in multiple locations across the nation. Additionally, he was selected to provide training to foreign governments on developing and improving national radiological response plans and procedures.
BOWDOIN COLLEGE
B.A., History and Government
ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY
M.S. Emergency Management (to be completed 2019)
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Hazardous Materials Technician
Firefighter I & II
Structural Collapse Technician
Communications Unit Leader
Incident Management Team certified
Activities and Affiliations
Board Member - Arkansas Fire Boat School Committee
Hazardous Materials Technician - Pulaski County Hazardous Materials Response Team
Structural Collapse Technician - Arkansas Task Force 1 (AR TF-1)- Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Team
Liaison Officer & Communications Unit Leader (COML) - Razorback Taskforce 1 - Marine Rescue Taskforce
Chairman - Cammack Village, AR Urban Service District
City Recorder - Cammack Village, AR.
Member - Joplin Volunteer Fire Department

PROGRAM MANAGER
Pamela Piersanti
Pamela is highly skilled at strategic operational planning for threat reduction and the response to serious national security threats and incidents. She specializes in leading the development of integrated, comprehensive, multi-disciplined, and multi-jurisdictional response planning, threat and vulnerability assessment, information sharing, and integrated response training and exercises, providing 360 preparedness solutions to build capability and capacity to detect, respond to, and neutralize imminent threats and attacks to save lives. Pamela is a former Supervisory Special Agent and Manager of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). While serving the FBI for over 27 years, her key accomplishments included significant contributions to the current U.S. strategy and Presidential policy for the response to terrorist threats and attacks; and leading a synchronization and planning effort that integrated the strategic, tactical, and technical U.S. domestic response. Prior to her joining the FBI, Pamela served an Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and as a Special Agent of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
M.S., Criminology, with specialty in Law Enforcement and WMD
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN
B.S., Forensic Science
Senior Exercise Planner
Holly Vaughn
Since 2009, Holly has planned, created, and facilitated more than 35 tabletop exercises involving WMD terrorist scenarios for US and foreign civilian and military agencies. She has managed the NNSA CT exercise program and development team for three years. Retiring with the rank of Captain, Holly served over 25 years providing direct operational support to military forces worldwide as a career intelligence officer in the US Navy. Her career included directing an intelligence training school for military and civilian intelligence professionals.
EISENHOWER SCHOOL FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND RESOURCE STRATEGY
M.S., National Resource Strategy
ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA
M.S., War Studies
COLLEGE OF IDAHO
B.S., Zoology
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Certificate in Terrorism Studies, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
The Summit Team
PLANNER
Dan Amraen
Dan is a skilled chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) analyst and planner with six years of experience supporting federal, state, and private sector entities. He has supported various nuclear/radiological and biological projects, including the development of the Nuclear Radiological Incident Annex, and operational response planning in coordination with federal, state, and local planning partners. Dan has an established background in nuclear incident management and operations and has supported operational and tactical team planning with federal, state, and local law enforcement through facilitated workshops and execution of full-scale exercises.
Western Illinois University
B.S., Emergency Management

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT
Jim Dougal
Jim currently serves as a Law Enforcement and Tactics Subject Matter Specialist for SummitET. He specializes in critical events involving terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and active shooter preparedness and response. Jim Dougal is a retired U.S. Army Reserve Officer, former Savannah Police Officer, and retired Supervisory Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). With over 30 years of experience, Jim provides vast knowledge regarding WMD, active shooter, personnel security, human intelligence (HUMINT), and tactical operations. During his career, Jim gained over 20 years of law enforcement field experience, including 8 years as the Jacksonville FBI Senior SWAT Team Leader and 5 years as an Operator on the FBI Hostage Rescue Team.
Activities and Affiliations
FBI Adjunct Instructor in WMD and personnel security
FBI Tactical Instructor
FBI Sniper School Instructor
FBI Firearms Instructor
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Master of Professional Studies, Homeland Security, 2014
EMBRY RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY
B.S., Aeronautical Science, 1986
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Licensed State of Florida Firearms Instructor
Licensed State of Florida Private Investigator

ACCOUNTant
Karen Duda
Karen Duda has over 15 years of experience in accounting. Before coming to SummitET, she worked as an assistant director at the University of Central Florida and an auditor for Ernst & Young.
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
B.S., Accounting, Summa Cum Laude

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT & PlANNER
Jerry Furniss
Gerald “Jerry” Furniss is a retired Green Beret with 32 years of Special Operations experience. He has provided support to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Theater Special Operations Command, National Mission Force, and Crisis Response Forces. He joins the SummitET Team from Special Operations Command- North, as the Special Operations Liaison Officer to the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Directorate in Washington, DC. Jerry’s last active duty position was the Senior Special Operations Forces (SOF) advisor and action officer for the J37 & J5 Joint Staff. He has completed numerous security, emergency management, leadership courses.
WEBSTER UNIVERSITY
Master of Business Organization and Security Management, 2010
EXCELSIOR UNIVERSITY
B.A., Liberal Arts, 2004
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Project Manager Professional (PMP)
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT
Donald C. Heath, Jr.
Don Heath is a Tactical Law Enforcement Subject Matter Specialist. He specializes in Critical Infrastructure Threat Assessment, Flight Medicine, Helicopter Search and Rescue, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, Wilderness Medicine (w/ emphasis on Prolonged Field Care), and Wilderness Search and Rescue. Don is a Master Deputy Sheriff with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office assigned to the Emergency Management Bureau, specifically Homeland Security as the Critical Infrastructure Threat Assessor, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) as the Tactical Medical (TACMED) Coordinator; Aviation as a Tactical Flight Operator (TFO); and Training Bureau as a Criminal Justice General Instructor, and Criminal Justice High Liability Instructor.
FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY
B.S., Criminal Justice
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Paramedic
State of Florida Criminal Justice General Instructor
International Board for Specialty Certifications Tactical Paramedic (TP-C
Combat Casualty Care Course Coordinator/Affiliate Faculty
National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) Search and Rescue Technician II (SARTECH II) and Lead Instructor/Evaluator
State of Florida Criminal Justice General Instructor
State of Florida Criminal Justice and High Liability Instructor
State of Florida Law Enforcement Office
State of Florida Paramedic
Activities and Affiliations:
Tactical Paramedic - Certified (TP-C) Job Analysis Working Group for the International Board for Specialty Certifications (IBSC
Tactical Responder - Certified (TR-C) Job Analysis Working Group for the International Board for Specialty Certifications (IBSC)
Tactical Paramedic (TP-C) Law Enforcement Liaison Subcommittee for the International Board for Specialty Certifications (IBSC)
Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) Editor and Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Special Operations Medicine (JSOM)
Member of the Board of Directors for the National TEMS Council
Member of the TEMS Committee for the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA)
Vice-President (Civilian) of the Board of Directors for the Special Operations Medical Association (SOMA)

Business Continuity specialist
Heather Long
Heather is the current business continuity specialist for Duquesne Light Company in Pittsburgh, PA. In her part-time support role for SummitET, Heather assists with proposal submissions and serves as a subject matter expert on a variety of the emergency management opportunities within SummitET's portfolio. Heather has 10 years of emergency management experience, including emergency operations planning, continuity planning and instruction, response and recovery operations and community resiliency.
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
Masters in Emergency Management, 2012
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
B.A., Criminal Justice, 2005
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Certified Emergency Manager as accredited by the International Association of Emergency Managers
FEMA Type III Incident Management Team Finance/Admin Section Chief

Human resources Team Relations Specialist
Randy Melton
Randy has over 30 years of experience working for Publix Supermarkets Inc., a Fortune500 company, with a strong background in Human Resources, Management, and Customer Service. As a Regional Associate Relations Specialist, he provided HR support to divisional Vice Presidents, Regional Directors, District Managers, and Store Management, as well as over 9000 associates in over 60 + facilities. As a field representative, Randy played a key role in facilitating communication between the corporate Human Resources Department and the company’s operational units. He has facilitated numerous management training sessions and workshops and contributed to numerous projects still in use by Publix such as the Management Mentoring Program, Associate Transfer process, and Child Labor Hours Policy.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
A.A. Human Resources
Activities and Affiliations
Society of Human Resources Management
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Christine Moore
Christine serves as a Research Analyst and Executive Assistant for Summit. She has 3 years of experience in U.S. Government and 4 years of experience as an administrative/executive assistant. Through her studies she has pursued research in security, structure, and current challenges of the United States government and European Union. For Summit, Christine completes research, video and document editing, various administrative tasks, logistics, and communications support.
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
B.S., Political Science, 2015
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Microsoft Office Specialist: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Completed HSEEP training
Planner
Chris Norris
Chris has extensive experience supporting U.S. Government clients in various consulting capacities, such as data analysis, research, and exercise design and facilitation. As senior exercise planner with the Silent Thunder Program, Chris provides site specific, tailored training to law enforcement, emergency responders, and government officials at the local, state and Federal levels. He develops counterterrorism and counterproliferation capacity building exercises to various foreign governments and militaries.
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
B.A., Political Science, 2002

Development Manager
Neil Platt
Neil serves in a Business Development role for SummitET. He brings a customer-service focused background to team SummitET. A career in the fitness and hospitality industries have provided a solid foundation on which his client-centered approach to business development is built. Developing opportunities for team SummitET’s experts to utilize their skills while cultivating personal relationships with current and future clients is his priority. In addition to his business development responsibilities, his role at SummitET includes research and proposal writing assistance.
OHIO UNIVERSITY
B.S., Exercise Physiology, 2013

Business Development and DOD acquisition
Mike Ammons
Mike is a dynamic senior professional with expertise in supporting multiple national and corporate initiatives during his 30 years of service in the U.S. Army and as a defense contractor. During his 21 years of military service, he amassed a broad spectrum of Middle East work experience facilitating international partnership development in counter-terrorism, humanitarian demining, counter-proliferation, and border security. Mike has more than nine years of corporate experience serving in senior management positions supporting DoD contracts. His expertise includes program management, strategic planning, proposal writing, and leadership. Before coming to SummitET, he was a Program Director in Blackbird Technologies, a Raytheon company since 2015.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
M.A., Middle Eastern Studies, 2000
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA
B.S., Physics (Distinguished Military Graduate), 1988

Program Manager
Mart Stewart-Smith
Mart has extensive experience in counterterrorism and counter-WMD policy, four of which he spent conducting international, multilateral exercises and workshops for the Department of State. His primary interest are policy and organizational traits the enable effective operations in complex, emergency environments. With SummitET, Mart supports domestic and international exercises for local authorities responding to radiological incidents Mart’s international work provided capacity building opportunities for mid- to senior-level policy makers and decision makers from over 60 countries. He has served a speaker and facilitator at multiple international conferences, including the International Atomic Energy Agency and other multilateral fora.
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
M.A., Security Studies, 2014
PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
B.A., Political Science, 2012
PLANNER
Mark Strauss
Mark is a retired senior military intelligence analyst/officer with detailed knowledge of the Intelligence and the Law Enforcement Communities. As an exercise planner with the Silent Thunder Exercise Series, Mark applies his considerable COOP experience and expertise to provide site specific training to law enforcement, emergency responders, and government officials at the local, state and federal levels.
US ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLLEGE
Graduate, Command and General Staff College (CGSC)
FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
B.A., Political Science, 1989
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Certified Continuity of Operations (COOP) Practitioner
Completed HSEEP training

program Manager
Leanne Vreeland
Leanne retired from the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel where she served as a military intelligence officer. Leanne currently serves as SummitET's healthcare preparedness subject matter expert. As an exercise planner working under several programs, Leanne designs exercises, develops exercise materials, and provides training to local, state and Federal agencies to increase awareness of the security of radiological materials used at healthcare, research and industrial facilities located across the nation.
WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
B.A., Visual Communications Education
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Certified Healthcare Provider Continuity Professional
Completed HSEEP training
Affiliations and Activities
Disaster Recovery Institute International

Counterterrorism Exercise Planner
Jesse Smith
Jesse has supported U.S. Government clients at the Departments of Defense, State, and Energy in conducting international counterproliferation training and implementing national counter-WMD terrorism policy. He has focused on improving coordination among stakeholders in order to prevent, investigate, and respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism incidents in regions around the globe. As an exercise planner with SummitET, Jesse supports exercises for local, state, and federal authorities responding to radiological incidents.
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
M.A., Security and Intelligence Studies, 2015
VIRGINIA TECH
B.A., International Studies, 2013

Crisis Communication subject matter expert
Ron Edmond
Ron brings more than 30 years’ experience as a crisis communication subject matter expert to SummitET. He assists domestic and international agencies with integrating risk communication best practices into their public-facing communications. His emergency preparedness experience extends into topics such as school safety and preparedness, active shooter, communicable and occupational diseases, transportation of radioactive waste, chemical weapons and manmade and natural disasters.
Ron designed and taught DOD’s the first-ever crisis communication program; served on CDC’s inaugural Crisis Emergency Risk Communication training team; taught crisis communication at Lee University; and facilitated numerous workshops for CDC-RSB and Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD). He has been a guest lecturer at NREP, Institute for Nuclear Security-University of Tennessee, World Nuclear University, National Stakeholders Transportation Forum, DOE’s Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group, and the American Nuclear Society.
Ron has contributed to numerous publications; served as a Controller/Evaluator for full-scale exercises, drills, and tabletops; worked as a Joint Information Center (JIC) Facility Manager and Spokesperson Advisor; designed and conducted JIC-specific functional training across the DOE complex; served as a communication first responder during the Colorado-Waldo Canyon Wildfires; and worked for the Utah Public Safety Command during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
EdD, Executive Leadership, 2011
LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
Educational Leadership, 2004
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
MEd, Human Resource Development, 1989
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
BS, Mass Communication/Speech, 1974
Activities and Affiliations
Serves as adjunct faculty member for the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS)
Multiple publications and presentations related to crisis/risk communication
Former Acting Technical Director, ORAU, National Security Program-Emergency Management Laboratory
Certifications, Specialized Training & Licensure
Conceptual Leadership: Aligning Leadership Practices with Strategic Plan
Organizational Problem Solving: Meeting New Challenges as Member of Management
Leadership Development Program
American Management Association: Principles of Professional Selling
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