Kathryn Hamel

Kathryn Hamel, Ph. D., is a seasoned executive with over 28 years of experience in the public, non-profit, and private sectors. 

She previously worked as a Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer for two non-profit mental health organizations. 

 Before transitioning into nonprofit leadership, she served as the Senior Vice-President of Human Resources and Organizational Development for a private, accredited international university.

She also served her community for nearly 25 years as a law-enforcement professional for two mid-sized municipal police departments and retired as a police lieutenant in 2019.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Hamel is chairperson of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Engagement and Education Subcommittee, a subcommittee of the Human and Civil Rights Committee. She was recognized as the Advocate of the Year from the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce in 2023, and the Mental Health Professional of the Year from the Mental Health Association of Orange County in 2022. 

She is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, projected to be completed in late 2024.  In addition, she holds a Doctoral Degree in Organizational Public Safety Leadership & Criminal Justice from Capella University, a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Chapman University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocational Education and Occupational Studies from California State University, Long Beach. Dr. Hamel also holds two professional certifications in trauma and resilience and a third professional certification in the prevention of human trafficking from Florida State University.   

She is the author of Body, Mind, and Badge: Strategies for Navigating Law Enforcement Trauma and Resilience and co-author of A Trauma-Informed Approach to Labor & Sex Trafficking, published in Police Chief magazine in 2023.