Behind The Shield

Shawn Downs is a 25 year veteran of the fire service, currently serving as Deputy Fire Chief of Operations in the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department. We discuss his journey into the fire service, 9/11, their 24/72 shift schedule, the January 6th Capital Attack, the response to the Potomac River arcraft crash, DC's wellness initiatives and so much more."Throughout my career, I have undertaken several initiatives to enhance firefighter safety and health. My team was able to enhance our behavioral health program, implemented fully compliant NFPA 1582 physicals for our members, implemented Near-Miss Reporting System, a Violence Against Responder Reporting System, and developed an array of safety programs internally and externally. These projects demonstrate our commitment to creating a safer and more efficient work environment for firefighters.As a graduate of Columbia Southern University, I hold an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science, a Bachelor of Science in Fire Administration, and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Public Administration. My educational background and a diverse range of fire service accreditations have equipped me with the necessary skills to excel in any leadership position.Beyond my local involvement, I served four years as the Chair of the MW Council of Governments Health and Safety Sub-Committee, where I ensured information sharing on firefighter health, safety, and interoperability among 24 agencies. Furthermore, I led a nationwide working group dedicated to addressing the fire service problem associated with the End of Service Time Indicator (ESOTI) on high-pressure breathing apparatus systems, as well as a host of other safety concerns the fire service faces. I value collaborative relationships and have a proven ability to work closely with labor organizations, city administrators, and executive leadership teams. I am a nationwide speaker on topics related to firefighter safety and health. I have spoken or will speak at - NFPA Conference, IAFC TSI Summit, CFSI, Women in Fire, MD Fire Conference and many more. I firmly believe that exceptional customer service is fundamental in every interaction our members have with the public. Furthermore, my adaptability and energy undoubtedly serve as a catalyst for relationship building. My experience in Washington DC ensures I understand the importance of diversity in any organization."

Katie Hansen, a passionate and talented skydiver and BASE jumper, has been active in the sport since 2003. Her journey began with a jump the day before her high school graduation in Bremerton, WA. Katie's expertise spans wingsuit flying, freeflying, and canopy swooping. She has wingsuit BASE jumped worldwide, including Baffin Island, and competed in events like the World Wingsuit League (WWL) base races and Red Bull ACES. Her level-headed approach and continuous learning make her a standout in the skydiving and BASE communities. Katie's commitment to safety and excellence ensures unparalleled adventure for her clients.After moving to California in 2006, Katie rekindled her interest in skydiving, learning wingsuit flying and achieving her first wingsuit BASE jump in 2010 on her third expedition to Baffin Island. She has shared her expertise by training and mentoring new jumpers. Through pushing the boundaries of skydiving and BASE jumping, Katie’s dedication and achievements make her a respected figure in the field. She is also owner of the local Moab business “Moab Oasis IV Hydration” perfect for post Tandem Base Moab hydration.https://www.tandembasemoab.com/https://www.instagram.com/flywithkatie/?hl=en

Julien Pineau is a world renowned movement specialist and innovator. Julien specializes in getting athletes out of pain my identifying muscle imbalances and correcting them with functional movements. In this sixth conversation, we discuss the damage the pandemic had on the world's health, the fitness industry, influencers, wokeism, his training philosophy and so much more. Sports have been a part of Julien’s life since he was young and he’s been a state and national champion in a number of sports including soccer, swimming, and wrestling. As an adult, he really found something he liked with MMA and Jiu-Jitsu and spent time traveling the world to learn from the best in the industry. That time spent with the best made him want to learn more about sport and movement so that he could coach others.In 1993, he began his coaching career as a conditioning and grappling coach for the MMA gym where he trained and in 2008, he opened his own gym that focuses on strongman training. StrongFit was born and has evolved from a single gym to a full education program. Julien’s brain is wired to see faulty patterns and visualize, in space, how people move.With his knack for diagnosing muscular and strength imbalances, he has developed his own system to identify what issues are and fight the root of the problem. He now travels the world delivering seminars to coaches who have the common goal of fixing people and ridding them of pain.

I'm reposting this episode as we lost Monty yesterday. He was 98 years old. Rest easy brother. Monty Montgomery is a WWII veteran, retired Miami Dade firefighter with 32 years of service and a multiple Spartan race finisher. Monty is the definition of late in life athlete AND young at heart. He ran his first triathlon at 48, first marathon at 58, went skydiving at 75, hang gliding at 89, bungee for his 90th birthday. Monty also holds the world record for the oldest person to finish a Spartan race.We discuss his early life, military service, racism, entering the fire service, retirement, sailing and so much more.

Jared Bonvell is an executive federal law enforcement professional and 17 year Air Force veteran with 8 years of experience conducting and directing large-scale, multi-jurisdictional criminal, fraud and counterintelligence investigations, security operations, and counter-terrorism operations.In this conversation, we discuss his journey into the military, law enforcement, his deployment in Afghanistan, the healing power of medical marijuana, Kentucky law and so much more.

Dixon Phillips is a former collegiate athlete, Pasco County firefighter and union president of IAFF Local 4420. In this second conversation, we discuss the incredible results Pasco has seen over the last eighteen months, since announcing their transition to the 24/72, 42 hour work week. We discuss the explosion in recruitment, slashing of overtime, the influx of paramedics, fitness standards, annual physicals, reciprocity, mental health tools and so much more. "As President of IAFF Local 4420, Pasco County Professional Firefighters, I proudly represent over 800 members who serve our community with dedication and professionalism. In this role, I lead collective bargaining efforts, negotiate contracts, handle member grievances and disciplinary matters, and advocate for legislative change and appropriations that directly impact the fire service.With nearly a decade of experience as a firefighter paramedic, I understand the challenges our members face on the job and fight every day to ensure they have the support, protections, and resources they need. Whether it's pushing for better benefits, addressing workplace issues, or securing funding at the local and state level, I am committed to advancing the rights and well-being of our membership."

John Doolittle is a retired Navy SEAL Captain and the Director of the Florida Chamber Health Council. In this second conversation, we discuss hurricane response, Florida's Special Mission Unit, first responder mental health, the healing power of eTMS, Kaatsu and so much more.John was raised in Walnut Creek, California. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the United States Air Force Academy in 1992 and a Master of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2005. After more than 25 years in the Navy, he retired from the SEAL Teams and began applying his Navy experience in the private sector before landing at the Florida Chamber of Commerce.After an inter-service transfer and cross-commissioning from the Air Force to the Navy in 1992, John joined the Navy and worked as a hard-hat salvage diver for three years. He then completed Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S) training, serving as the Class Leader of Class 213. From 1996 to 2017, John advanced through the officer ranks, was assigned to various SEAL Teams, and conducted multiple deployments across the European, African, Pacific, and Middle Eastern theaters of operations. Additionally, while pursuing his Master’s degree, he completed a solo swim across the English Channel in memory of a fallen teammate and friend (Neil Roberts) to raise funds for the UDTSEAL Association and the Navy SEAL Foundation. Much of his Navy career focused on the military’s response to 9/11, a hectic period for John and his family. His last duty station in the Navy was at U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), where he led the Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) program. The program supports the 73,000 personnel of USSOCOM, offering physical and behavioral health resources throughout the force. These critical personnel are now integrated into all USSOCOM command elements, aiming to sustain our nation’s most vital weapon system: the Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine.In 2017, John joined the team at KAATSU Global to improve the lives of wounded warriors in America. At KAATSU, John also began sharing his unique perspective with students, athletes, and corporations. John continues to speak to schools, organizations, and teams about the importance of resilience, leadership, and trust.In 2025, John transitioned from KAATSU to join the Florida Chamber of Commerce team as the Executive Director of the Florida Chamber Health Council. His new mission is to improve behavioral health and mental wellness across Florida, much like he did for USSOCOM: “There is no health without mental health.” John is a member of the Florida State Guard Special Mission Unit (FSG-SMU) and an ambassador for both the UDT/SEAL Association and the Navy SEAL Foundation.John and his wife, Katie, live in St. Petersburg, Florida, while their children—Meg (18), Ryan (21), and Sean (22)—attend college. The Navy has taken the Doolittle family around the world, and now John enjoys sharing his proven leadership lessons as he strives to enhance the lives of Floridians through his new role at the Florida Chamber of Commerce

Jim Poole is the CEO and President of Solace Lifesciences, a neuroscience company focused on personalized evidence-based wellness and performance and the creator of NuCalm.Dr. Blake Holloway, the inventor of NuCalm, spent several years immersed in the intriguing and exotic research of bio and neurophysics. His objective in inventing NuCalm was to design a software that would have direct physiological outcomes to combat stress and anxiety in the brain.He believed that focusing on the brain’s electrical activity and finding a way to entrain the brainwaves to a particular frequency, such as alpha or theta, could be a targetable physiological phenomenon that would aid his mission of combating anxiety. He began by researching bio and neurofeedback training, which are therapies that require patients to train, in a reward-based manner, their breathing, heart rate or brain electrical patterns to reach the desired therapeutic levels. This type of training was shown to be very effective in lowering heart rate, respiration rate and brainwave frequency, but it required active effort and more time from participants.In search of a more passive way to entrain brainwaves, Holloway researched evoked potentials. These are spikes in brain electrical activity observed in response to the presentation of a stimulus, whether it be visual or auditory. Multiple stimuli delivered a certain amount of times per second, mimicking the desired brain frequency level, could create evoked potentials in the brain at that same frequency level. For example, Holloway tested the effect of flashing a light 10 times per second (10Hz) and saw that the brain would sync into the alpha rhythm (8-12Hz). This research led him to finally implement auditory evocation to obtain a frequency following response with binaural beats.The Advent of NeuroacousticsTo create an auditory evoked response at a frequency range between 4-12Hz (from theta to alpha), it is a little more difficult because human ears cannot receive sounds delivered under 20Hz. This is where the binaural beats become a critical part of the equation. This method involves simultaneously delivering two tones with different frequencies into the left and right ears (ex. 250Hz to right ear, 255Hz to left ear). These sound waves will initially meet in the superior olivary complex, a structure in the brainstem, where they will interfere constructively and create a resultant beat frequency calculated by the difference between the two tones’ frequencies (ex. 255 – 250 = 5Hz beat frequency).The beat frequency at any level can then be transmitted to and perceived by the auditory cortex of the brain. Repeated presentations of binaural beats will create repetitive auditory evoked potentials which will induce a frequency following response in the brain, meaning multiple neural networks will begin oscillating at that specific beat frequency. This brainwave synchronization has been verified in electroencephalography (EEG = brain electrical activity imaging) studies conducted by Holloway and Solace Life Sciences. This is the applied NuCalm method to entrain the brain to flow from everyday beta brainwaves of consciousness to deeply healing and restorative theta brainwaves. The creative collaboration with music producer Dan Selene adds a further level of complexity to the tracks, integrating music to the neuroacoustic physics to augment the outcome.

Aaron Williamson’s path is one of relentless drive and reinvention. After proudly serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he emerged with a mindset rooted in discipline and a passion for pushing limits. That same intensity launched a career that now spans elite fitness coaching, on-screen performance, and high-profile transformations for some of the biggest names in entertainment.In 2000, Aaron was screened and selected for the Marine Corps World Famous Body Bearers where he spent nearly 4 years conducting funerals out of Arlington National Cemetery, and again, he traveled the world assisting in joint service events. In 2003, Aaron was screened and selected to become personal security for the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), General Peter Pace; here he spent the remainder of his Marine Corps career before he ended his active service in 2005. As Aaron was departing from the Marine Corps, he was offered a contractor position in Iraq assisting in the biometric operations mission; Aaron returned to Iraq as a contractor contributing to the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) for 4 years. In 2009, Aaron’s contract came to an end which is when he finally made the decision to return to the United States in New Orleans. Aaron’s influence goes far beyond physical training. Known for reshaping the physiques—and mindsets—of actors, athletes, and executives, he brings a unique authenticity to every role he plays, whether in the gym or on screen.Beyond Hollywood, Aaron is deeply committed to giving back. He supports animal welfare through the SPCA, mentors troubled youth, and actively contributes to veteran-focused non-profits. His purpose is clear: to lead with strength, live with intention, and inspire others to rise to their potential—on every stage of life.

Aaron has spent over 15 years in strength and conditioning and is now the Pulic Safety Wellness Coordinator for Virginia Beach. We discuss his journey into coaching, training the tactical athlete, injury prevention, programming, sleep and performance and so much more. "I am a dedicated health and wellness professional committed to supporting the physical and mental resilience of our city's frontline heroes. With over 15 years of experience, I specialize in designing and managing comprehensive wellness programs that enhance the quality of life and performance of first responders.My career began in the healthcare field, focusing on strength and conditioning within a physical therapy clinic in Virginia. There, I also led exercise sessions for medically supervised weight-loss patients. During this time, I was awarded an internship with Old Dominion University’s Olympic Sports Program under the mentorship of Yaw Baidoo—an experience that greatly shaped my approach to high-performance training.After my internship, I transitioned into the private sector as a sports performance coach with the same healthcare system. This role allowed me to work with a diverse range of clients, including youth, professional athletes, tactical populations, and the general public. I was later promoted to Sports Performance Coordinator, and then Regional Performance Coordinator, where I oversaw multiple facilities, staff, budgets, contracts, and performance analytics.It was during this time that I began working with first responders—an experience that led me to my current role with the City of Virginia Beach.Currently, I lead initiatives aimed at building resilience and reducing operational injuries within the city’s police, fire, and sheriff academies. I utilize data-driven strategies and cutting-edge technologies, including advanced training software, to monitor and evolve the Virginia Beach Fire Department’s daily fitness protocols. My work also includes developing and instructing customized training programs for SWAT and Fire Academy recruits. These programs integrate physical preparation with classroom instruction on tactical readiness, ensuring high performance in demanding real-world environments."