Meet Our Leadership

Chief Executive Officer

Paul Llanez

Paul has more than twenty-five years of experience working in law enforcement, security, and risk management. He spent several years working as a task force agent and was promoted to acting task force commander with the California Department of Justice. For the last eighteen years, he has testified as an expert witness in both State and Federal court regarding narcotics, violent crimes, and workplace violence prevention. Paul has also been court-appointed as a subject matter expert on school safety and emergency preparedness for California schools. He currently serves in other leadership roles such as the elected Mayor for the City of Los Banos, a director on the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG) board and a director on The League of California Cities Executive Committee.

Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Luiana Irizarry

Luiana received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from CSU Stanislaus. She brings more than 20 years of experience in business administration, investment, and financial accounting. Prior to joining Knowledge Saves Lives, Inc. in 2018, Luiana proudly served for 7 years in the public sector at the Stanislaus County Employees’ Retirement Association, where she participated in the management of a 1.7-billion-dollar pension system. During this period Luiana experienced how a financial institution persevered through the challenges of the Great Recession through teamwork, prudence, and strategic problem-solving. Luiana is versed in three languages and immigrated to the United States from Angola with her family in the early '80s. She is grateful, and proud to be an American Citizen, and attributes her success as a Portuguese African woman to the opportunities offered by the American dream. Through organization, process improvements, and implementation of new systems, Luiana provided an environment for Knowledge Saves Lives, Inc. to operate more efficiently and grow. In turn, the company was able to create a Southern California Division, Products Division, and Marketing Division. These are all improvements made with the intent to better serve the client and to capitalize on talent already residing within the company.

Chief of Facilities & Engineering

Phillip Anderson

Phil began his education attending Columbia College and becoming part of the fire service. For the last twenty years he has worked in the food processing industry and serves as an OSHA instructor and confined space search and rescue trainer and supervisor. In 2010 he began to research and test school safety products as well as workplace violence mitigation tools. During his research, Phil designed and invented the first California compliant classroom lockdown device, the STEP1 device. In 2019 Phil authored the patent for the STEP1 device and began working with US

Chief of Staff

Daniel Woods

Daniel is a 20-year law enforcement veteran currently working as a K9 operator for the Tracy Police Department. Daniel has held many positions in his career including Field Training Officer, Range Master, narcotics investigator, and served as member for two different regional SWAT teams. Daniel also has an extensive military background and is a United States Marine Corps veteran. He has been involved in several critical incidents over his career and has investigated and responded to situations of workplace violence. Daniel has interviewed and recruited some of the top violence mitigation experts in the Country. Daniel has taken his extensive knowledge of workplace violence prevention and mitigation, narcotics, criminal street gangs, and firearms, and applied his expertise to our programs.

Chief of Operations

Preston Jelen

Preston brings a distinguished 15-year tenure in law enforcement. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Services Management with a specialized focus on Homeland Security, he has a comprehensive understanding of his field. Preston's career showcases specific proficiencies cultivated through roles such as School Resource Officer, POST Training Manager, Patrol Supervisor, and SWAT, Team Leader. Preston's credentials include being a POST-certified instructor proficient in delivering diverse law enforcement courses, including but not limited to Active Shooter protocols, Defensive tactics, and Range Master. His commitment to staying abreast of industry dynamics is evident in his concurrent commitment to overseeing security operations at a prominent hospital. This role has further enhanced his expertise, in critical areas such as Life Safety, The Joint Commission, CMS, Environment of Care, and OSHA regulations and standards. Preston's dedication to ongoing training facilitated by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), emphasizes his commitment to remaining at the forefront of the industry. Preston has played a pivotal role in developing courses for essential programs like the California Senate Bill (SB1626 and SB390) campus security initiatives. He is a subject matter authority in workplace violence prevention and mitigation, as well as campus safety and security, which is evidence of his commitment to safety. His educational endeavors have comprised a diverse audience, ranging from law enforcement officers, educators, and school administrators to healthcare professionals and other relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, Preston has provided expert witness testimonies about firearms and gang-related matters. He was awarded the Life Saving Medal of Valor for his role in a hostage rescue operation in 2011.

KNOWLEDGE SAVES LIVES