The University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu, in collaboration with the Hawai‘i Office of Homeland Security, presented the 5th annual Hawai‘i Threat Assessment Conference (HTAC) — a statewide educational opportunity that welcomed over 200 attendees and featured presentations from more than a dozen leading local and national experts in threat assessment and management.
The advanced-level conference, which took place July 14-16 at UH West O‘ahu, focused on threat assessment trends and topics, and case studies to keep participants up-to-date on the latest information in the field.
“The focus for this year’s conference was ‘The Threat Continuum’ — it means understanding the difference and importance of both threat prevention/threat management and threat response as mitigation efforts,” said HTAC co-organizer Bev Baligad, who serves as the Director of Compliance, Title IX Coordinator, Clery Compliance Officer, and manager of the threat assessment function at UH West O‘ahu.
“Making our communities safer through the incorporation of both mitigation strategies helps to limit injuries and loss of life, as well as potential liabilities,” said Baligad, who also previously served as the Chair of Threat Team Hawai‘i. “It should never be about choosing one over the other. Embracing efforts to support the entire threat continuum is the key.”
HTAC featured presentations from organizations such as the Honolulu Police Department, WomenSV: Survivor Voices, Ola Hou Clinic, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Center for Safe and Resilient Schools and Workplaces. Session topics included “After the Tragedy: How to Recover, Regroup, and Recharge,” “The Role of Leadership in Behavioral Threat Assessment: Setting the Stage for Open Communication and Effectiveness,” and “Implementation Made Easy.”
Among the guest speakers was Ed Howard, owner and CEO of Pax Bello Security Solutions Hawai‘i, LLC, a professional security, safety, and emergency planning consulting and training firm. Howard co-presented “Bridging the Gap Between Threat Assessment and Active Threat Preparation and Response.”
Howard said an event like HTAC is so important because of today’s rapidly changing threat environment.
“Threat assessment and management is very important because it’s such a preventative practice that you can really get red flag warnings, you can see the concerning behaviors, and then you can act on it on the front end,” he said.
Howard, who has a combined experience of 40 years in law enforcement and private security management, added, “Across the mainland U.S., threat assessment and situational awareness are … the biggest trends for personal safety, for community safety, for organizational safety.”
Another guest speaker, Steven MacDonald, Executive Director of Safer Schools Together, presented, “Radicalized Communities: Proactive Threat Assessments for Hawai‘i’s Safety Teams.” MacDonald also reflected on the significance of HTAC.
“This gathering shows the great work that’s already being done across the islands, across the Pacific,” MacDonald said, noting “all the incredible resources” that were brought together at the conference and shared among event attendees.
“That’s going to be the one of the greatest ways for our communities to continue to grow and get stronger,” MacDonald said.
HTAC, which was founded by UH West O‘ahu, was funded this year by a State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) Grant of $100,000 awarded to UH West O‘ahu’s Baligad.
Additionally, Baligad was the recipient of two U.S. Department of Homeland Security Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention grants for 2021 and 2022 totaling over $1.3 million; a 2024 U.S. Department of Justice STOP Grant totaling $2 million; state FEMA grants totaling $170,000; and $600,000 from the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program — to help train and build state threat assessment and management capacity, and boost community awareness efforts across all islands.
This event is one of the “50 Acts of Pueo Pride” — events highlighted as part of the University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu’s 50th anniversary in 2026.
