Rob
Young

Rob Young's presentation was both deeply moving and powerfully motivational. His personal story of surviving one of the earliest mass school shootings and later dedicating nearly two decades to law enforcement left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. 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. Rob's message of resilience and purpose resonated strongly with me, reminding me that even the most difficult experiences can be transformed into a lifelong mission to help others. His engaging delivery and authentic passion made this session an unforgettable highlight of the conference.

I've known Rob Young as a cherished, dear friend for many years, and he's the kind of person who radiates loyalty, deep compassion, and genuine warmth, always ready with wise insight or a heartfelt laugh when life demands it. His journey is profoundly inspiring: as a young child, he survived being shot in the devastating 1989 Cleveland Elementary School shooting in Stockton. That unimaginable trauma ignited an unbreakable resolve, leading him to become a decorated police officer — coming full circle by stepping up to neutralize an active shooter threat during his service. Rob's presentations to schools and organizations are electrifying and transformative. 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. Audiences are riveted, empowered, and left profoundly hopeful. If you seek a truly exceptional, soul-stirring speaker who embodies courage and turns adversity into ironclad conviction, Rob is unparalleled. I recommend him wholeheartedly!

I have attended what I think must be approaching 100 active attack presentations over my career. I have listened to them delivered by victims, researchers, police officers, school personnel and resource officers. I rarely encounter a perspective I haven't heard before. However, Sergeant Rob Young's presentation at the 2025 ALERRT conference was truly unique.

What sets Rob apart is his rare “360-degree” background. He speaks not only as a long-time police officer and SRO, but as an active shooter survivor and a responder. I have never heard a single presenter weave those separate roles into such a cohesive, thoughtful, and professional narrative. He shares the raw reality of his career and his struggles — both physical and mental — with an authenticity that provides fresh insights into training and school safety. He managed to put together a variety of perspectives that I had never seen integrated into one place before.

For any organization looking for a speaker who brings veteran authority, tactical experience, and survivor empathy, I cannot recommend him enough. He is easily one of the best new presenters I've heard in the last five or six years, and his insights are essential for anyone involved in school safety or active shooter training communities.