FBINAA | UTAH CHAPTER

Youth Leadership Program

Inspiring Leadership, Citizenship, and Service

The FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBINAA) hosts a week long training event for high school students at the FBI Academy every summer called the Youth Leadership Program (YLP). Qualified candidates must be 14, 15, or 16 years old at the start date of the program. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE TO THE AGE REQUIREMENT.

Each of our 48 chapters may elect to send a student to represent their chapter during this prestigious program. To be selected, a student must have demonstrated high academic standards and good citizenship, and they must be nominated by an FBINA graduate in good standing. Chapter representatives interview the candidates and select their choice to attend the program. The candidates’ qualifications are reviewed by the Executive Office and the YLP Coordinator, who make the final selection.

The program is made possible through the cooperation of the FBI, and both tuition and lodging are free. Each chapter pays for their candidate’s travel expenses, and most chapters send some spending money with the student. While the program is not offered exclusively for those choosing a career in law enforcement, interested candidates should possess a desire to gain knowledge in the American system of criminal justice, including police organization, leadership and the structure and operation of criminal courts. Participants will also be expected to share the knowledge gained with their peers following completion of the program.

The 2026 YLP Program is scheduled for July 9 – 17 2026.

Completed applications, including the required essay, must be submitted to Lt. Brian Wahlin through email at brian.wahlin@utah.edu, by 5:00pm on February 2, 2026.

The application and essay paperwork can be obtained from Lt. Brian Wahlin at: brian.wahlin@utah.edu or you may contact him at 801-349-9494 with any questions.

Interviews will be held in March 2026 (date/time TBD), at the Salt Lake City FBI Office. All candidates who meet minimum requirements, and have submitted their completed applications and essay, will be notified of their exact interview time prior to the interview date.

Candidates must meet or exceed the following basic qualifications:

  • Rising Sophomore & Juniors, who will be age 14, 15, or 16 at the start of the YLP session;
  • Must have an equivalent of a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
  • Must have a satisfactory school attendance and citizenship record;
  • Must be physically capable of participating in ALL elements of YLP; and,
  • Must have health insurance.

 

2026 YLP Timeline

November 28, 2025
Applications available from the Chapter’s YLP Coordinator.

February 2, 2026
Deadline for Applications to be submitted to the Chapter’s YLP Coordinator.

March 27, 2026
All Candidate Nominations Packages from Chapters/Associations are due to the FBINAA Executive Office. No candidate nominations will be accepted after this date.

April 10, 2026
The Executive Office will make final vetting /selection of YLP students and Chapters/Associations will be notified of their candidate’s acceptance.

April 17, 2026
Acceptance letters, File of Life and other pertinent information will be sent to candidates.

July 9, 2026
Program commences; Students arrive and are picked up at Reagan National Airport.

July 17, 2026
Program ends; Students Graduate and return home.


Additional information:
https://www.fbinaa.org/membership/youth-leadership-program

Sergeant Michael Kennon

Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Winter Haven, FL

Sergeant Kennon’s presentation on AI will cover how bad actors are using AI for criminal activities; how LE can use AI to identify these criminal activities and solve crimes.

  • AI – Defining AI (Machine Learning, Camera Vision, Generative Pre-trained Transformers, etc.)
  • AI Policy Considerations
  • How AI is used for nefarious activities (case studies from work and media sources)
  • How Law Enforcement can use AI to assist in investigations and beyond
  • Demo – AI Chat Application that was built in-house at Polk CO SO
  • Discuss different commercial applications (natural language processing, translation, transcription, etc.)
  • What are challenges in using AI? (e.g., hardware, security, cost, training, ever-evolving technology, etc.)

Sergeant Michael Kennon’s​ Bio

Sergeant Michael Kennon, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Winter Haven, FL, has been in law enforcement for the past decade after nearly 20 years working in the information technology sector. His blend of experience in both fields has equipped him to take on the challenges of new artificial intelligence technologies and implementing solutions for the criminal justice field. Currently he supervises the Polk County Sheriff’s Artificial Intelligence Lab. Their unit works closely with the local Florida Polytechnic to bring AI projects to life.

Mike has been married for 31 years and has two sons. He has a BS in Management Information Systems from the University of South Florida and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Florida Southern College. He is also a current PhD candidate at Liberty University in Criminal Justice.

Richard M. Slavin

Assistant Chief of Police
Scottsdale Police Department

INTEGRATING AI INTO STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

Chief Slavin has cultivated an expertise in using AI as a strategic thought partner. He will share an analytic tool he created to assess technology, crime heat zones and CAD data to determine optimized deployment of LPR and human resources.

Richard M. Slavin’s Bio

Rich Slavin serves as Assistant Chief of the Uniformed Services Bureau for the Scottsdale, Arizona Police Department (SPD). He leads four Patrol District Stations, the Special Operations Division, the Training Section and the Detention Facility. Slavin was previously the Assistant Chief of the Investigative Services Bureau for SPD and was the SWAT Commander with more than 600 missions over the course of 14 years.

MILITARY SERVICE | EDUCATION | EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Rich is a United States Air Force veteran and has 27 years of service with the Scottsdale Police Department. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from Grand Canyon University and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership (M.OL) from Northern Arizona University.

Slavin is a graduate of several highly competitive executive development courses including: the Arizona Leadership Program; the FBI-LEEDA Command Leadership Training; the US State Department WMD Tactical Commander Management and Leadership Training; the Scottsdale Management Development Series XXXI; and the FBI National Academy Class 274 (2018).

EDUCATING AND INSTRUCTING LEADERS

Throughout his career, Rich has always placed great emphasis on developing exceptional leaders. In 2017, after creating from the ground up the Emerging Leadership Program, Slavin earned the Scottsdale City Manager’s Award of Excellence for providing a “Special Contribution to the Agency’s Future”.

Rich is an Adjunct Professor for Northern Arizona University where he teaches courses in Law Enforcement Leadership; Critical Issues in Policing; Juvenile Justice in the US; and Leadership Theory in Justice Administration. Slavin instructs at several national LE Command Colleges/Leadership Academies like the FBI Intermountain Law Enforcement Executive Command College and the Polk CO SO National Innovation Academy. Most recently, Slavin and his associates at Advance Team Leadership Training partnered with a select number of universities to develop the first ever leadership academy that brings LE leaders and community executives together to work alongside one another to shape the safety of the communities they serve. He previously taught Command Tactical and Leadership Courses internationally for DEA and the US State Department. Slavin has instructed more than 400 international students spanning 10 Central and South American countries and Mexico.

Joe Deese

Senior Investigator III
Cannabis Compliance Board Enforcement Division

Joe Deese serves his community as a Peace Officer for the State of Nevada with the Cannabis Compliance Board Law Enforcement Division (CCBED). Joe has over 18 years of experience in law enforcement with the Sparks Police Dept., Washoe County School Police Department, Nevada Fish and Game Warden, and his current assignment with the CCBED. During his time as a Police Officer, he has logged many patrol hours and some assignments include Field Training Officer, Drug Recognition Expert, DUI task force, Bike Patrol, underage drinking task force, active shooter instructor, firearms instructor, OC spray instructor, and stop the bleeding instructor. Joe was the Officer in Charge of the Nevada Air Guard Security Forces (Military Police) augmented program for 4 years. He was also a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force Officer investigating drug and human trafficking offenses in Northern Nevada and California.

In addition to his Law Enforcement commitment, Joe served as the Commander of the 940 Force Support Squadron for the Air Force Reserve, Beale AFB, California where he was responsible for the effective management of the wing’s Military Personnel Flight, Training Flight, Sustainment Flight which included Lodging and Dinning Facility and Communication Flight

Joe is a 2015 Air University graduate with a Master of Military Operational Art and Science degree. He is also a 2001 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management of Technical Operations. Upon graduation from the Air Force Officer Training School in 2001, he was assigned to the 192nd Operations Squadron as a Navigator.

Joe has deployed multiple times as a Navigator in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. During his deployments, he served as C-130 Command Navigator, where he received the Air Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster for flying over 100 combat missions to Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Djibouti, and Kenya are some of the locations. Joe has over 1300 flying hours in the C-130 aircraft as a Navigator.

EDUCATION

2000 Associates Financial Management, Community College of the Air Force
2001 Associates Education and Training Management, Community College of the Air Force
2001 Bachelor of Science, Management of Technical Operations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
2001 Academy of Military Science, Knoxville, Tennessee
2015 Air Command and Staff College, Joint Warfare, Air University, Alabama
2015 Master of Military Operational Art and Science Degree, Air University, Alabama
2021 Air War College, Air University, Alabama

CERTIFICATIONS

Field Training Officer – 2008
Instructor Development – 2009
Drug Recognition Expert – 2010
Firearms Instructor – 2022
Glock Armorer – 2022

OC Instructor – 2022
Rifle Instructor – 2024
Shotgun Instructor – 2024
Active Shooter Threat Instructor – 2025

Dr. Benjamin Stone

Sigma Tactical Wellness

Biography: Dr. Benjamin Stone is an internationally recognized speaker and thought leader with over 20 years of experience inspiring audiences around the world. A dynamic presenter known for his compelling storytelling and unmatched expertise, Dr. Stone empowers organizations and individuals to rethink wellness, leadership, and human performance.

A graduate of the University of Arkansas and Oxford University, Dr. Stone holds a PhD in Human Physiology with an emphasis in cardiovascular genomics and metabolism. His academic journey led him to groundbreaking research in exploring the role of amino acid Lglutamine in recovery and physical resilience. He also worked with the British Olympic Medical Institute at Northwick Park Hospital, pioneering screening methodologies to prevent sudden cardiac deaths in young athletes due to a disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

At just 24, Dr. Stone was appointed Senior Lecturer at the University of Oxford’s Department of Physiology, where he delivered regular lectures on nutritional biochemistry, energy metabolism, and pathophysiology to medical and nursing students. He later served as Assistant Professor in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Central Arkansas and as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he also co-chaired the committee determining medical curricula.

In 2015, Dr. Stone co-founded Sigma Tactical Wellness, where he served as CEO until its acquisition by Telemed2U in 2025. Under his leadership, Sigma became the national authority in advanced cardiac disease prevention for first responders, developing innovative research and screening protocols that have saved countless lives in police and fire agencies across the United States.

As a speaker, Dr. Stone is sought after for his depth of knowledge and ability to connect complex science to real-world application. He has delivered keynote addresses for the FBI National Academy, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and numerous state-level associations and conferences. His presentations inspire action, spark meaningful change, and leave audiences with practical strategies to improve health, performance, and wellness-forward leadership culture.

Whether addressing top law enforcement executives, medical professionals, or corporate leaders, Dr. Stone’s presentations consistently earn rave reviews for their authenticity, impact, and visionary perspective.

Captain Sete Aulai

Utah Attorney General’s Office

Sete Aulai currently serves as a Captain in the investigations division at the Utah Attorney General’s Office. Sete oversees the AG evidence department, agency policy, and serves as the Commander of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force

Sete began his career in 2010 with the West Valley City Police Department. While at WVCPD, Sete served as a patrol officer, field training officer (FTO), Special Victims Unit (SVU) detective, School Resource Officer (SRO), and SWAT Operator.

In May of 2016, Sete started as a Special Agent in the ICAC unit at the Utah Attorney General’s Office. In 2021, he promoted to Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) for the Utah ICAC Task Force. In April of 2023, Sete was promoted to Captain and named Commander of the Utah ICAC Task Force.

Under Sete’s leadership, the Utah ICAC Task Force has grown to 90 affiliate agencies (federal, state, and local) throughout the State of Utah, with over 200 investigators. Utah’s ICAC task force is one of the more aggressive task forces in the country – executing several residential search warrants weekly statewide and apprehending numerous offenders who perpetuate the demand for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) all while rescuing and identifying over 100 children a year. `

Sete graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology (2008) and Masters of Public Administration (2015). Sete has twice been named ICAC investigator of the year (2107 & 2018), special agent of the year for the Utah Attorney General’s Office in 2020, and is a 2025 candidate for the FBI LEEDA Trilogy award. Sete is married with three children and resides in Saratoga Springs Utah.