Contact Information
Mailing Address:
National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive #5193
Hattiesburg, MS 39406
Physical Address:
Trent Lott Center, Second Floor
Tel: 601-266-6183
Fax: 601-266-6125
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Center Staff
Director
Lou Marciani Ed. D 601-266-5675
Lou.Marciani@usm.edu
Lou is presently the Director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety & Security. His extensive administrative role in sport provides him great insight into addressing the issues constituting potential and actual threats and risks to the ongoing security and safety of fans at sporting events and venues. His background includes an extensive career in sport administration serving as athletic director at several universities and executive director of several national sports governing bodies. He served as athletic director at Western Kentucky University, Drexel University, East Stroudsburg University and Salisbury University. He held positions within the United States Olympic Committee, serving as executive director for two sport governing bodies.
He is the principal investigator of four externally funded grants through the Office of Homeland Security to conduct vulnerability assessments and game day audits of university sport venues, develop a simulation system for stadium evacuations, implement a national pilot for sport venue safety and security and design, develop and implement a national risk management certification for sports events. He has also completed threat/risk assessment training through the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center. Dr. Marciani is an active speaker on sport safety and security at international and national sport organization annual conferences. He has presented at the Annual NASCAR Security Summit and the International Sports Security Summit in London, England.
Associate Director
Stacey Hall Ph.D. 601-266-4616
Stacey.A.Hall@usm.edu
Dr. Stacey Hall is the Associate Director of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) and an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM). She has earned a Bachelor's degree in Management, a Master’s in Business Administration, and Ph.D. in Sport Administration at USM.
Dr. Hall’s expertise is in the area of sport security management. She has been published in leading sport management, homeland security, and emergency management journals, and has recently co-authored two textbooks. Dr. Hall has presented at international and national conferences, and conducted invited presentations for U.S. federal and state agencies, college athletic conferences, and professional sport leagues, including Major League Soccer (MLS).
Dr. Hall has been the principal investigator on external grant awards in excess of $4M. Funded projects included awards from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to: develop risk management curriculum for sport security personnel at NCAA institutions; conduct risk assessments at college sport stadia; and develop training programs for sport venue staff.
Dr. Hall has been involved in several service projects, including development of a risk assessment tool for U.S. sport stadia in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security and International Association of Assembly Managers; and development of a disaster mitigation plan post-Katrina for the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority.
Dr. Hall teaches undergraduate and graduate sport management courses in economics, law, finance, and security. She developed a graduate level emphasis area in sport security management for the Master’s program at Southern Miss. Dr. Hall also developed a professional certificate program in sport security and currently serves as program director.
Research and Development
Walter Cooper Ed. D. 601-266-4117
Walter.Cooper@usm.edu
Walter's experience includes teacher/coach in public schools, faculty member/administrator in higher education, and management trainer/facilitator in organizational development. He is presently the Training Director in the Southern Miss Center for Spectator Sport Security Management. He has completed training at Sandia National Laboratories; The National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC/TEEX) and New Mexico Tech's Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC). Among his achievements with colleagues are: assisting in achieving Office of Homeland Security funded grants; the development of the Sports Event Security Aware (SESA) seal of approval system; and participation in numerous conferences and training sessions including the 2005 NASCAR Security Summit and the 2006 International Sports Security Summit, London England. Cooper has also published in several research and trade journals and has assisted in doctoral dissertation projects related to sports event security management.
Special Projects
James A. McGee 601-266-6734
James.A.McGee@usm.edu
Prior to joining the faculty at The University of Southern Mississippi, James A. McGee was employed as a Supervisory Special Agent by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He retired from the FBI after 21 years of service. During his career with the FBI he addressed Counterterrorism matters to include United States Government Crisis Response preparations for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, multiple Super Bowls and other Special Events both domestically and internationally. Mr. McGee has a Master of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Science degree from California Polytechnic State University. Mr. McGee is certified by the FBI as a Crisis Management Coordinator, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator and Special Events Management Coordinator. Mr. McGee is married and has four daughters.
Project Manager
Lauren Cranford 601-266-5758
Lauren.Cranford@usm.edu
Prior to joining the Center, Lauren has worked in program management for over 7 years in various organizations that include the Executive Master of Public Health Program at Southern Miss, The Partnership for a Healthy South Central Mississippi and the American Lung Association. Her role in the Center is to manage and coordinate all aspects of grant operations and budgets. In addition to her work at the Center, she also teaches public health classes for the Department of Community Health Sciences. She received her Master of Public Health Degree from The University of Southern Mississippi with an emphasis in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. She received her Bachelors degree in Community Health Sciences with an emphasis in Health Promotion. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.
Program Coordinator
Corey Berry 601-266-6186 corey.berry@usm.edu
A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Software Engineering. I am currently working with the Center for Spectator Sports Security Management on the implementation of a security oriented simulation system that involves the planning of events, training of personal and assessment of emergency response capabilities. My position also involves the ongoing creation of an user-friendly graphical user interface for the simulation system, creation of user manuals for help on using the simulation system and linking of software components for integration in future applications. I am familiar with many computer languages and have experience in implementing graphical user interfaces that are easy to use. I am thankful to be involved with this project and hope to substantially grow my skills while working for this department.
Program Coordinator
Nick Nabors 601-266-4694 Nick.Nabors@usm.edu
Prior to joining the Center, Nick was a graduate student pursuing a dual masters degree in business and sports management at the University of Southern MIssissippi. Nick now holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Management, a Master of Science degree is Sports Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Insurance and Risk Management. His role in the Center is the Project Logistical Coordinator on the National Risk Management Training Grant.
Program Coordinator
Rickey Bradley 601-266- 6546
Rickey.Bradley@usm.edu
Rickey is presently a project coordinator in the Center. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a major in Criminal Justice and an emphasis in law enforcement. He has a minor in Coaching and Sports Administration. Rickey has over seven years experience in law enforcement on the local level with county and city municipalities. In the Center, he will be responsible for identifying and testing the essential competencies needed for a professional sports security director. The goal is to establish the critical duties and responsibilities of a sport security director that will address the challenges of homeland security in the sports industry. He will be working with the USM Athletic Department to serve as a test bed in establishing these competencies.
Director, Systems Integration
Steve Miller 601-266- 6186
Steven.G.Miller@usm.edu
Steve is the Director of Systems Integration for the National Center for Spectator Sport Safety and Security. Steve is responsible for coordination, execution, and report compilation of activities for assessing and validating systems and technologies for security solutions. He is also responsible for the daily operations of the NCS4 learning environment laboratory.
Steve was previously the Director of the Lean Enterprise Center at the University of Southern Mississippi where he spent 12 years leading continuous improvement workshops and rapid improvement events for industry and government entities. He began his career in the aerospace industry where he worked for 10 years as an instrumentation engineer and later project manager for Lockheed Martin at the John C. Stennis Space Center. Steve graduated from Mississippi State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, an M.B.A. from the University of Southern Mississippi, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Capital Development at USM.
IT / Communications
Luca Giardino 601-266-6183
Luca.Giardino@usm.edu
Prior to joining the Center, Luca attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where he completed his undergraduate work with a Bachelor's degree in Consumer Marketing and a Minor in Computer Technologies. Luca completed his Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing and Management at the University of Southern Mississippi concentrating in the area of Sport Risk Management.
Luca's responsibilities at the Center consist of managing and maintaining IT programs such as the Center's websites, online training, membership & Sport Securtity Watch E-Newsletter, as well as the developent of NCS4's future web based initiatives.
Assistant Program Coordinator
Joslyn Zale 601-266-4876
Joslyn.Zale@usm.edu
At the Center, Joslyn manages geospatial data analysis and modeling for projects funded through grants from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education. She is completing graduate work in Geographic Information Technology at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her study area involves the use of remote sensing, geographic information systems, and cartography in hazard analyses and risk assessments. She collaborates frequently with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Joslyn received a M.S. in Sport Management from Southern Miss while supervising the campus’s aquatics programs, facility, and staff, and serving on the Department of Recreational Sports’ risk management committee. Part of her research included completing NIMS training to determine the feasibility of incorporating it into the curriculum for the M.S. in Sport Management with the Sport Event Security Emphasis.
Joslyn is a Health and Safety Instructor for the American Red Cross and was an adjunct instructor for USM’s School of Human Performance and Recreation. She volunteers as an assistant instructor with the university’s scuba program.
Project Assistant
Clifton Douglass 601-266-4862
Clifton.Douglass@eagles.usm.edu
Clifton is a recent graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi where he attained a Master’s Degree in Sport Management with an emphasis in Sport Event Security Management. Clifton was an intern with the center during his final semester of graduate school and is now working as a project assistant. Prior to coming to Southern Miss, Clifton attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Alcorn State University.
Intern
Andrew Maher 601-266-6183
Andrew.Maher@eagles.usm.edu
Prior to joining the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security, Mr. Maher graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Entertainment Industry with an emphasis in Production.
Currently, Andrew is pursuing a graduate certificate in Non-Profit Studies and is earning a Master of Science degree in Sports Administration with an emphasis in Sport Event Security. Mr. Maher is certified in Hazard Mitigation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Emergency Management Institute, Prevention and Deterrence of Terrorist Acts and Foundational Awareness of Weapons of Mass Destruction/ Terrorism through the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training at Louisiana State University’s Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education, and recently completed the course Understanding and Planning for School Bomb Incidents through New Mexico Tech’s Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center.
Andrew began his work as an Intern for NCS4 assisting with research in Alcohol Management for Sport Facility and Event Measurements, among other center projects. He now serves as Project Assistant for the National Sports Security Laboratory. His responsibilities include promotions for NSSL projects, as well as identifying and researching companies producing innovated security technologies for the homeland, whose solutions will later be evaluated by the lab and introduced into the sports market. Mr. Maher also assists the Associate Director in research projects. He is an active member of The Southern Miss Alumni Association, The Neuropathy Association, The Christian Golfers Association, The Golf Tournament Association of America and St. Timothy United Methodist Church on the Northshore.
