Dr. Matt Talbot is the Senior Threat Manager for Kroger, Co., developing and operationalizing the workplace violence and threat management program for the fourth largest retail corporation in the world that is comprised of more than 450,000 employees in more than 4000 retail locations, distribution centers, fuel stations, and fulfillment centers across 35 states. He previously served as the workplace violence prevention program coordinator for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System from 2011-2023 where he managed two organizational threat assessment teams and supervised the intimate-partner violence program and staff training and education program in the prevention and management of disruptive behavior. Matt is a member of the Southwest Texas Fusion Center Public Safety Threat Assessment Group (PSTAG), a Fusion Liaison Officer (FLO), and is currently working as an SME on the Texas statewide targeted violence prevention strategy lead by DPS.
Matt is also the current President of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) South Central Chapter and serves on the ATAP National Communications Committee. He became an ATAP Certified Threat Manager (CTM) in 2018 and has more than 19 years’ experience in mental health, crisis intervention, violence risk assessment, and behavioral threat assessment and management.
In 2021, Matt led the development of the first collegiate certificate program in behavioral threat assessment and risk management for Alliant University. He is a founding and executive board member of the Global Team Collaborative (GTC), a Canadian-based emerging global non-profit dedicated to support teams working to assess and manage various forms of threats, risks, and hazards. Matt is also involved with efforts to prevent radicalization and extremist violence having spoken at the Global Summit to Eradicate Hate established in aftermath of the Tree of Life synagogue shootings and is working with government officials in the United States and Scandinavian territories to combat international extremist violence. He recently completed his PhD in forensic psychology researching parents’ perceptions of modern-day mass shooters.
The catalytic power of this Summit in bringing together those who are devoting their lives to pushing back and working to confront, understand and work towards solutions around hate in our society is a noble and difficult task. The Summit not only energized those who attended but led to connecting the dots in a global network of those doing this work. The stories of the victims of hate were painful to witness but their courage in coming forward was inspirational. Those who attended left energized with the hope that by working together solutions can be forged.
