Keynote speaker & training consultant

ROB YOUNG

When pressure
rises.
Leadership
matters.

A school shooting survivor. A retired police sergeant. An active shooter responder. Rob brings a full-circle perspective to the way people lead, prepare, and respond.

Book Rob to speakExplore the keynote
Rob Young, keynote speaker and founder of The Voice of Reason Media
Experience that informs every word.Available nationwide
Nearly two decades in law enforcement
Survivor & responder a full-circle perspective
Keynotes & training for leaders and their teams
Why Rob Young

Credibility earned
in the moments
that matter.

The decisions people make under pressure affect everyone around them.

Rob connects the human consequences of crisis with the responsibilities of leadership. Drawing on nearly two decades in public safety and his own experience as a survivor, he helps audiences examine how they prepare, communicate, and move forward through adversity.

A rare perspective

The survivor’s experience and the responder’s responsibility, brought together in one story.

Relevant to your people

Lessons in readiness, judgment, and resilience that connect to the challenges your audience faces.

The signature keynote

Forged
Under Fire.

Leadership. Resilience. Readiness.
A full-circle story with a purpose beyond the stage.

Discuss your event

What we carry forward from adversity can shape how we lead.

From surviving the 1989 Cleveland Elementary School shooting to helping stop an active shooter as a police officer in 2013, Rob’s journey examines the choices that turn experience into service.

Through that lens, Forged Under Fire invites leaders and their teams to take ownership of their response, build a culture of readiness, and find purpose in what comes next.

  • Lead with greater awareness. Recognize how your decisions and communication affect the people who depend on you.
  • Make preparedness a practice. Approach readiness as a shared responsibility in everyday work.
  • Respond with purpose. Identify what remains within your control when circumstances change.

Leadership under pressure

Accountability, communication, and judgment when uncertainty puts people and teams to the test.

Resilience through adversity

Using difficult experiences to inform your next chapter, strengthen perspective, and serve others.

Preparedness & active threat awareness

A practical approach to awareness and readiness, grounded in experience as both a survivor and a responder.

Keynotes · Seminars · Workshops · Training sessions

Your audience. Your objectives.

Relevant where
leadership counts.

From corporate conferences to public safety forums, Rob connects his experience to the responsibilities, challenges, and people at the center of your event.

Corporate & business

Leadership conferences, company meetings, and teams focused on resilience and workplace readiness.

Associations & government

Annual conferences and leadership forums exploring service, accountability, and preparedness.

Education & school safety

District leaders, educators, and school safety professionals responsible for their communities.

First responders

A peer perspective on leadership, crisis response, and the lasting human impact of the work.

Faith & community organizations

Conversations about purpose, resilience, and caring for others through difficult circumstances.

Youth & student leadership

A personal story that opens conversations about choices, responsibility, and the future young people can help shape.

Rob Young during his law enforcement career
Nearly two decades of service. A lifetime of perspective.
About Rob & The Voice of Reason Media

The story behind
the voice.

In 1989, Rob Young was a first-grader at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California, when a gunman opened fire. Rob was shot twice. His experience as a child would become part of a much larger story of service.

He went on to serve nearly two decades in law enforcement, rising to the rank of sergeant. In 2013, he was one of six officers who helped stop an active shooter. The child who had needed protection had become one of the people others depended on.

Today, Rob is the founder and CEO of The Voice of Reason Media. Through keynote speaking, training, and media, he translates that experience into conversations about leadership, preparedness, resilience, and purpose.

Alongside his wife, Lisa, Rob is building a business around a clear mission: helping people live ready and use their experience to make a difference in the lives of others.

Survived the Cleveland Elementary School shooting.
Helped stop an active shooter as a police officer.
Brings that full-circle perspective to audiences nationwide.
Our mission
“We prepare people not to live in fear, but to live ready—FORGED with confidence, resilience, and purpose.”
From the audience

A perspective
people remember.

Feedback from people who have heard Rob’s story and experienced his approach firsthand.

“I have never heard a single presenter weave those separate roles into such a cohesive, thoughtful, and professional narrative.”
Sgt. Reed TannerCache County Sheriff’s Office · Utah

From his review of Rob’s 2025 ALERRT presentation

“The way he connected his childhood experience to his career in public safety was not only inspiring but also reinforced the importance of preparation, leadership, and compassion in times of crisis.”
Sarah DrennanALERRT Center
“With raw authenticity and commanding presence, he shares his triumphant story while delivering expert, life-saving training on active shooter response, emergency preparedness, resilience, and healing from trauma.”
Erin HaightCommunications Specialist / Radio Personality

Excerpts from testimonials.

Our team

A shared commitment
to service.

The Voice of Reason Media brings Rob and Lisa Young’s commitment to people, preparedness, and purpose into every aspect of the business.

Rob Young

Founder & CEO
Keynote Speaker | Training Consultant

Rob Young is a retired police sergeant, school shooting survivor, and keynote speaker whose career has centered on service and preparedness. His law enforcement experience includes patrol, crisis and hostage negotiation, crisis intervention, and active shooter instruction.

As founder of The Voice of Reason Media, Rob brings together his personal history and professional experience to help audiences explore leadership under pressure, resilience, and the responsibility to prepare. His signature keynote, Forged Under Fire, connects his full-circle journey to the choices people make in their own lives and organizations.

Email Rob

Lisa Young

Chief Operations Officer
The Voice of Reason Media

Lisa Young serves as Chief Operations Officer of The Voice of Reason Media. She serves as a custodial deputy sheriff and training officer at a Central California law enforcement agency, bringing a public safety and training perspective to the company’s work.

Working alongside Rob, Lisa helps guide the business as it grows its speaking, training, and media presence. Together, they share a commitment to service and a belief that preparedness, resilience, and purpose can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Email Lisa
Bring Rob to your event

A meaningful
conversation.
A lasting perspective.

Let’s discuss your audience, your objectives, and the role Rob can play in your next event.

Based in California. Available nationwide.
Keynotes, seminars, workshops, and training.

Start a booking conversation

Share your event date, location, audience, and goals. We’ll discuss availability and the presentation that fits your program.

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Email Rob directly

Email Lisa directly