LevelUP! 2024 Schedule

November 12 - Day 1

7:00 - 8:00 AM: Breakfast and Registration

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM : Opening Ceremonies

8:30 AM - 8:50 AM : Opening with Sheriff Weekly from Douglas County Sheriff’s Office & Chief Garrison from Brighton Fire Department

8:50 AM - 9:00 AM : Break

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM : Nick Metz, Jordan Long, and Sara Metz discuss the “5 Pillars of Wellness”

Physical, spiritual, financial, relational/emotional, occupational

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM : Break / Vendor Meet and Greet

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM : AK Dozanti- Burnout & Compassion Fatigue

A former Deputy Sheriff turned First Responder Wellness Coach & Specialist. In 2015 the affects of life and law enforcement caught up with her, and she burned out just months after being named Officer of the Year. There’s a lot more to the story but she now focuses on helping first responders prevent burnout in their own lives so that they can free themselves from their mental battle.

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM : Videos and Raffle Giveaways

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM : Lunch with comedian Vinny Montez

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM : Modality Options for Responders & Families

Panel of Professionals and Modalities

  • Neurofeedback by Rachael Lambert, LPC, BCN

  • Counseling with ART and EMDR by Dr. Kait Parker, Psy.D

  • SSRIs and Ketamine by Karen Laber, PMHNP-BC

Modality Patient Experiences

  • EMDR, ART, Ketamine, Neurofeedback

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM : Break / Vendor Meet and Greet

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM :  Justin Dodge - Denver Police Department

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM :  Raffle Giveaways and Announcements

End of Day 1 :  Make Good Choices Event

Performance by Camaira Metz

November 13 - Day 2

7:00 - 8:00 AM : Breakfast and Registration

8:00 AM - 11:30 AM : Breakout Sessions -

Attendees will split into two groups and participate in each of the following breakout sessions for 1.5hrs. Breakout sessions include:

  • Organizational Wellness by Mel Hanover, MS, LPCC

    • Former Aurora911 dispatcher, Mel Hanover, MS, LPCC highlights the importance of focusing on organizational wellness across entire departments, not just on responder health. Participants will explore how neglecting the wellbeing of civilian staff—such as dispatchers and administrative personnel—can lead to burnout and weaken the department from within. Practical strategies will be shared for fostering a culture of wellness that supports all team members, strengthening department resilience and unity.

  • Financial Wellness 360 by Chad Leigh

    • Chad Leigh, a seasoned expert and owner of Leigh Wealth, explores how financial hardship affects not only individual wellbeing but also family dynamics and stability. Participants will examine the emotional, social, and psychological tolls of financial stress and gain insight into the broader implications for family and community health.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM : Breakout Session 1

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM : Break

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM : Breakout Session 2 - Attendees will stay within their original groups from earlier in the day as they transition to the other breakout session they have yet to experience.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM : Lunch in the downstairs Atrium

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM : Center for Relationship Education

Join Lauren Reitsema and Kelli Nordan-Gilchrist from the Center for Relationship Education for an insightful class on building healthy relationships! Human thriving depends on relational health, but many are left navigating without a roadmap. This class offers practical tools to break toxic cycles and foster deep, loving connections.

2:15 PM - 2:30 PM : Break

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM : Will Bates Video

Will Bates, a former police officer and the founder of WillBinspired, candidly shares his transformative law enforcement journey, highlighting how exercise served as his personal outlet and subsequently became the foundational ethos driving his business.

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM : Key Note Speaker, Damon West

Damon is a college professor, internationally renowned speaker, and 3x Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His book, The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change, was named one of Forbes' “Top Twenty Books You Need to Read to Crush 2020.”

Damon's powerful story of redemption—from a life-altering addiction and prison sentence to becoming a symbol of transformation—continues to inspire audiences worldwide. Don’t miss his incredible message of resilience and change!

4:00 PM : Closing Thoughts from the Founders of LevelUP!

  • Retired Chief of Police, Nick Metz, will wrap up the discussions by delving into the It's A Calling Foundation's inception and its transformative role in addressing the dearth of mental health services for responders and military personnel. Additionally, he will elaborate on the mission of Code-4 Counseling, and its provision of culturally sensitive mental health services for both responders and their families.

  • Jordan Long will spotlight his company, Revital, and its innovative approach to fostering responder well-being in outdoor settings.