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In Conversation with Kathy Lavinder

In this powerful and wide-ranging episode, Yolanda “YoYo” Hamblen sits down with Kathy Lavinder, one of the most respected and experienced global recruiters in the physical security sector. With 25 years at the helm of her specialist search firm, Kathy brings clarity, honesty, and deep industry insight into the evolving world of security hiring.

Kathy reflects on the major shifts she’s seen across the industry: the diversification of candidate backgrounds, the rise of more inclusive leadership, and the growing integration of risk disciplines as organisations face more complex, asymmetrical threats. From anti-billionaire sentiment to geopolitical instability, she explains how modern security leaders must operate with eyes wide open to the world outside their door.

Together, Kathy and YoYo unpack the challenges candidates face — from the stigma around mental health disclosures to the discouraging reality of rejection and inconsistent interview processes. Kathy offers grounded advice on culture fit, navigating bias, and why structured interviewing is essential for fairness.

She shares frank guidance on using AI for CVs, preparing for interviews, researching companies properly, and why resilience is an overlooked but vital attribute for anyone on the job market. Kathy also breaks down the myth of “identical candidates,” explains why job descriptions can be problematic, and reminds applicants that interview success depends on aligning their message with what the organisation actually needs.

From the recruiter’s side, Kathy is refreshingly open about the importance of being an honest broker — transparent with candidates, loyal to clients, and committed to integrity over shortcuts. She also offers straight-talking perspective on US hiring realities, including current visa limitations.

This is a must-listen for anyone hiring, interviewing, or navigating their next career step in the security profession. Kathy’s wisdom lands with practicality, humanity, and clarity — a standout conversation on the realities of recruitment in our industry today.

BIO

Kathy Lavinder is the Founder and Executive Director of Security & Investigative Placement Consultants, LLC., (SI Placement) a retained executive search firm. She has 25 years of experience identifying and placing high level security management, investigators, intelligence specialists, and related personnel. Lavinder’s clients have included multinational corporations, financial institutions, academic institutions, healthcare organizations, professional service firms, and the family offices of high-net-worth individuals, as well as NGOs and non-profits in the U.S. and internationally.

Lavinder began recruiting in January 2000 after working in corporate investigations and journalism.  In a career that has bridged these worlds, Lavinder has developed unique insights and extensive contacts. Lavinder is frequently quoted in national publications on security and talent acquisition topics. 

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-lavinder/

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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🎙️ Episode Summary

AI changes the game — but humans still write the rules

with Julian Fisher & Gavin Stone

In this powerful episode of The Security Circle, former British intelligence specialists Julian Fisher and Gavin Stone pull back the curtain on the shifting landscape of espionage, AI, and global security.

We explore the critical truth shaping modern intelligence work:

Technology accelerates intelligence — but it cannot replace human intent, trust, or judgement.

From real-world covert operations to modern disinformation campaigns, they break down:

🔍 Why HUMINT still outranks machine-driven intelligence

🧠 How adversaries are adapting to AI surveillance & identity profiling

🌍 The geopolitical ripple effects of conflicts in strategic regions

🤖 Agentic AI and what it means for future espionage

🛰️ Supply-chain infiltration, deception ops & covert tech

📉 The risk of governments over-relying on technology

👩‍💻 Why younger generations may be the key to a healthy digital future

This is a rare, unfiltered look into the mindset of intelligence operatives navigating a world where data moves faster than diplomacy — and where the strongest weapon remains human insight.

If you care about the intersection of AI, national security, and real-world intelligence, this episode is a must-listen.

Gavin Stone — Podcast Bio

Gavin Stone is a security leader and intelligence specialist known for bringing elite protective-operations thinking into the corporate world. With a background spanning high-risk global environments, behavioural analysis, and threat intelligence, Gavin focuses on strengthening organisational resilience through human-centric security practice. Passionate about professional development in the protective industry, he is a respected trainer, mentor, and advocate for raising standards across the security and intelligence community.

Julian Fisher — Podcast Bio

Julian Fisher is a technology, intelligence and innovation strategist specialising in bridging the gap between emerging capability and real-world operational impact. With experience across national security, enterprise risk and advanced technology programmes, Julian focuses on how organisations can leverage intelligence-driven decision-making, digital transformation and adaptive security architecture to stay ahead of evolving threats. A thoughtful voice in future security culture, he champions ethical leadership, continuous learning, and mission-focused innovation.

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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“Predictability doesn’t make you weak — it’s what frees your brain to lead with strength. The more predictability you build, the more resilient your people become.” JSL.

🎙️ Podcast Summary: “Rewiring Resilience: From Surviving to Thriving”

In this powerful episode of The Security Circle, Yolanda “YoYo” Hamblen sits down with Jennifer Selby Long, an executive coach and transformation leadership expert who has guided over 300 leaders through the toughest moments of their professional and personal evolution. Together, they unpack the real meaning of resilience — and why it’s not about “soldiering on,” but learning to surf the waves of change.

Jennifer explains how our early life experiences shape the neural networks that influence how we lead, react, and recover under pressure. She introduces the concept of inner saboteurs — those self-defeating mental patterns like the Judge or the Hyper-Rational — and shows how leaders can quiet those voices to unlock empathy, creativity, and calm under chaos.

The conversation flows from neuroscience to leadership psychology, touching on predictability as a secret weapon for resilience, the importance of silence and self-reflection, and how leaders can turn stress into strength by mastering their inner game first.

From personal insights to professional breakthroughs, this episode is a roadmap for anyone ready to rewire resilience, build emotional intelligence, and move from surviving to truly thriving — both in leadership and in life.

BIO

Jennifer Selby Long is the founder and CEO of Selby Group, LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders win at transformation and change. 

The firm has been in business since 1997, when she founded Selby Group as a sole proprietorship. Today Jennifer and a small team of executive coaches partner with technical leaders as well as business leaders who find themselves leading and responding to large-scale change and transformation.

Selby Group’s services include:
1. For Leaders: Optimize leadership performance through coaching and advisory services
2. For Leadership Teams: Build and support well-aligned high-performing leadership teams through team assessments, strategic off-sites, and leadership team-building
3. For Organizations: Strengthen management and workforce ability to thrive in continuously-changing times through our tightly-focused workshop curriculum

Key Competencies
• 30+ years in the global technology sector
• 300+ leaders coached
• Influenced over 3000 executives, leaders, managers, individuals, and teams through large and small group work
• Focus on organizational transformation, leadership, teamwork, self-awareness, strategic thinking, communication, and influence
• Veteran of multiple large-scale changes and organizational transformations, often driven by new developments in technology

Client experience includes: Airbnb, LinkedIn, Ciena, Cisco Systems, Nestlé, News Corp, Dow Jones, US Data Security, and many others.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferselbylong/

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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“In aviation security, there are no true competitors — just allies in the air, all working toward the same goal: keeping people safe.”

Nigel Williams — Global Head of Security, Virgin Atlantic

Nigel has extensive intelligence, investigative, and corporate security experience, having worked in both the public and private sectors, including business intelligence, UK counterterrorism and global aviation operations.

Nigel has been with Virgin Atlantic since 2016 leading their global security operations and developing their security management system into a world and industry leading capability.

He was an officer in the British Army with 25 years of operational experience, and he retired as a lieutenant colonel. 

Following his military career Nigel was engaged in 10 years of counter-terrorism operations for the UK Government; renowned for breaking down the intelligence barriers between Governments and Industry.  

Prior to his role in Virgin Atlantic, he spent 3 years in the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), providing security guidance on numerous thematic threats to the highest levels of the UK and foreign governments, the intelligence community, law enforcement and industry. 

 He continues to represent the aviation security sector at the National Aviation Security Committee, the IATA Security Council and is an advisory board member of the TingG terrorism information network. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigel-williams-400694240/

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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Bio:

Dr Grant Van Ulbrich is an internationally recognised pioneer in Personal Change Management and the founder of Scared So What®, the world’s first personal change model, methodology, and app. His work empowers individuals and organisations to embrace transformation through leadership development, executive coaching, and scalable technology.

A Forbes, Wall Street, Entrepreneur-featured thought leader and TEDx speaker with just over 2M views, Grant’s career spans over two decades in global leadership roles within the cruise and hospitality industry before dedicating his research and practice to sales transformation and change leadership. He is the first person worldwide to be awarded both an MSc in Leading Sales Transformation and a Doctorate in Sales Transformation, achieved through the Consalia Sales Business School and Middlesex University.

Grant is a Fellow of Personal Change Management at the Integrity Centre, a Founding Fellow of the Institute of Sales Professionals, a Fellow of the Institute of Training and Occupational Learning (ITOL), and a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University School of Management. His award winning publications, including Transforming Sales Management: Lead Sales Teams Through Change (Kogan Page, 2023), and peer-reviewed articles in The Oxford Review and Change Management Review, are widely referenced in the field.

Through his leadership at Scared So What Ltd, Grant continues to advance the practice of Personal Change Management, helping leaders, teams, and organisations transform with integrity and purpose.

Podcast Summary

🎙️ Podcast Summary: “Change Breaks You. Transformation Builds You.”

In this deeply moving and inspiring episode of The Security Circle, Yolanda Hamblen sits down with Dr. Grant Van Ulbrich — a man who has turned adversity into action, fear into fuel, and personal change into a global framework for transformation.

From growing up in conservative Kansas and serving in the U.S. Navy, to finding himself homeless — not once, but twice — Grant’s story is one of extraordinary resilience and reinvention. He shares how every setback became a stepping stone, leading him to a 25-year career at sea and ultimately to founding SCARED So What, a model for managing personal and organizational change.

Grant and Yolanda explore what it truly means to transform rather than just change, the power of vulnerability in leadership, and why transactional leaders fail while transformational leaders thrive. Together, they challenge listeners to rethink resilience, embrace uncertainty, and find courage in their own chapters of transformation.

Ted talk

https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FB4-yyN7zWyQ%3Fsi%3Db74MfVCV9nOcDG7W&trk=flagship-messaging-web&messageThreadUrn=urn%3Ali%3AmessagingThread%3A2-YzRhNmU3ZjYtMGFkNy00ZGExLTgyNzEtOWEzMTc0MjFlN2M1XzEwMA%3D%3D&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_messaging_conversation_detail%3BDMALpyRcRf%2Br2fAcH6Gdkg%3D%3D

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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“Leadership isn’t about the badge on your chest or the title on your card — it’s about the respect you earn and the trust you build.”

Episode Summary: No Titles, Just Leadership

In this candid conversation, Guy and Phil dive deep into what real leadership looks like in the security industry. They strip away the labels and titles to focus on the qualities that truly inspire trust and respect — humility, authenticity, and the ability to listen.

The pair reflect on their own journeys: from navigating setbacks and learning from failures, to building confidence and finding their voice as leaders. They stress that leadership isn’t about command and control, but about creating environments where people feel valued, respected, and motivated.

The episode also takes a hard look at the security industry’s challenges: the lack of recognition for frontline professionals, procurement systems that reward price over quality, and the resulting issues of attrition and low morale. Both highlight that fixing these systemic problems requires leaders who are brave enough to challenge the status quo and invest in people.

Key themes:

• Leadership is about trust, not titles.
• Failures are valuable learning opportunities.
• Confidence grows through humility and self-awareness.
• Procurement and attrition remain pressing issues in security.
• The industry must value people if it wants to grow and retain talent.

Takeaway:

Great leadership in security isn’t about the badge on your chest — it’s about the respect you earn, the trust you build, and the people you empower.

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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Jennifer Fraser is an author, award-winning educator, and consultant. She has a PhD in Comparative Literature and her books have always focused on how we have the capacity to transform ourselves. We can go from being readers to writers of culture. We can reject society's demands that we suppress our emotions and instead come alive with them. We can question the bullying dynamic we've been raised in and ask wouldn't empathy and compassion be healthier? Her fourth book, The Bullied Brain: Heal Your Scars and Restore Your Health, introduces brain research into our wellness journey. It shares the empowering and inspiring neuroscience and neurobiology that informs the evidence-based practices we can all do in order to have happier, healthier, more high-performing brains. 

Website: https://bulliedbrain.com/

Link to Book: https://bulliedbrain.com/the-bullied-brain

Psychology Today "Bullied Brain" series: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-bullied-brain

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bulliedbrain/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bulliedbrain

I acknowledge, with gratitude and respect,  that I live and work on the unceded lands of the Lekwungen speaking peoples

https://www.bulliedbrain.com/

(250) 896-3325

https://www.amazon.com/Bullied-Brain-Scars-Restore-Health/dp/1633887782

The Gaslit Brain Pre-Sales https://www.amazon.com/Gaslit-Brain-Gaslighting-Institutional-Complicity/dp/1493090925

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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🎙️ Podcast Summary — The Security Circle Big Scoop: Sir David Omand

In this episode, I sit down with Sir David Omand, one of the UK’s most accomplished intelligence leaders, for a rare deep dive into a career at the very heart of national security.

From Director of GCHQ to UK Security & Intelligence Coordinator reporting directly to the Prime Minister, Sir David has shaped strategies that defined Britain’s response to crises — from 9/11 to modern cyber threats.

We explore:
🔹 How spies really think — and the decision-making frameworks that apply to all of us
🔹 The creation of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST) and lessons from 9/11
🔹 What went wrong with Iraq intelligence and how the community rebuilt trust
🔹 The digital revolution in intelligence — from Morse code to AI and disinformation
🔹 Why resilience is as much about individuals and businesses as governments
🔹 His philosophy on staying relevant after decades at the top

This conversation goes beyond history — it’s about the future of intelligence, the rise of AI, and how leaders everywhere can anticipate, adapt, and survive crisis.

👉 Tune in for a candid, insightful, and surprisingly human look inside the world of intelligence with Sir David Omand.

Sir David Omand GCB

Visiting Professor, War Studies Department

King’s College, London

Sir David is a Visiting Professor in the War Studies Department, King’s College London and sits on the advisory board of Paladin Capital, investing in cyber security start-ups. During his long career in British government service he held senior posts in security, intelligence and defence.

He was Director of GCHQ (the UK Signals Intelligence and Cyber Security Agency), Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office and UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, responsible to the Prime Minister for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and “homeland security”. He also served in the Ministry of Defence as Deputy Under Secretary of State for Policy and was Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Defence during the Falklands conflict. He served for three years with the Diplomatic Service as the UK Defence Counsellor in NATO, Brussels. He served for seven years on the UK Joint Intelligence Committee.

He was educated at the Glasgow Academy and was a foundation scholar in economics at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he is an honorary Fellow. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by Birmingham and Glasgow Universities. He gained a first in maths and theoretical physics with the Open University in 2008.

He has written extensively on security and intelligence matters with Securing the State (Hurst, 2010), Principled Spying: the Ethics of Secret Intelligence (with Professor Mark Phythian, Oxford University Press, 2018), How Spies Think: 10 Lessons in Intelligence (Penguin, 2020) and most recently How to Survive a Crisis: Lessons in Resilience and Avoiding Disaster (Penguin Viking, 2023).

E: [email protected]

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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“Resilience isn’t about never falling — it’s about getting up one more time than you fall.”

🎙️ Episode Summary
In this inspiring episode of the Security Circle Podcast, Yolanda sits down with Connie Moorehead, CEO of the CMOOR Group, trailblazer, and lifelong mentor in the security industry. Connie opens up about her journey from being underestimated and dismissed — even called “sugar tits” in the early days — to becoming a respected leader driving change across security, fire, and life safety.

Together, they explore the power of resilience (“fall down seven times, get up eight”), the importance of male allies and mentorship, and why confidence is built not by never failing, but by weathering storms and learning from them. Connie also shares how her fierce independence and passion for giving back fuel her leadership and inspire the next generation of women in security.

This episode is packed with hard truths, bold insights, and plenty of inspiration for anyone navigating challenges in their career — whether you’re just starting out or leading from the front.

BIO

Connie Moorhead is a highly accomplished chief executive with 35 years of experience across physical security, fire and life safety, and professional development industries. As the CEO of The CMOOR Group, she leads the overall executive vision and oversees implementation of strategic plans to facilitate growth.

Connie holds a BA degree in Psychology and Philosophy. Connie served on the board of a 501 (c) 3 as the Executive Director of School Dangers Organization from 2017 to 2019. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Western Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (WBFAA). When Connie is not running her business, she serves on one of the many industry groups or volunteer committees in which she participates, including the SIA Women in Security Forum, the ASIS Women in Security Community, and the California Alarm Association’s Women In the Security Evolution (WISE). Connie is an active ASIS, SIA, TMA, and a Learning Guild member. She also serves as the Treasurer of her local ASIS chapter.

In 2022, Connie was honored to be included in the SIA Women in Security Forum Power 100 list.

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers

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“In private investigation, every case is different — but the human stories, the scams, the vulnerabilities, remind us why raising professional standards has never mattered more.”

BIO

With over 25 years of experience in the private sector, I am an accomplished international investigator and business leader with a proven track record in managing complex international investigations. My expertise spans a wide range of high-stakes cases, including fraud investigations, litigation support, risk management, and asset tracing.

I am privileged to serve as President of the Association of British Investigators (ABI) and hold a distinguished position as Past President of the World Association of Detectives (WAD), where I made history by being elected Chairman for three consecutive terms. Throughout my career, I have been recognized for my contributions to the industry, including receiving the WAD Investigator of the Year Award (2016) and The Richard-Jacques Turner Award for Excellence (2019).

As Co-Founder and CEO of Conflict International, I successfully merged two London-based investigation agencies in 2008, positioning the company as a global leader in intelligence and international investigations. With offices in London, the US, Spain, and Cyprus, Conflict International provides comprehensive investigative services tailored to meet the complex needs of clients worldwide.

I am regularly invited to speak at global conferences, where I share insights on best practices, strategies, and emerging trends in the investigative field. Known for my hands-on, approachable style, I also contribute as an expert to international media outlets, providing analysis on a wide range of issues within the investigations sector.

* Key Areas of Expertise:

* International Investigations & Intelligence

* Asset Tracing & Recovery

* Global Surveillance Operations

* Risk Management & Mitigation

* Litigation Support

* Fraud Investigations & Due Diligence

* Background Checks & Pre-Employment Screening

* OSINT/HUMINT/SOCMINT Investigations

* Blackmail & Harassment Investigations

* M&A Due Diligence & Corporate Intelligence

* Tracing Difficult-to-Locate Individuals

Security Circle ⭕️  is an IFPOD production for IFPO the International Foundation of Protection Officers