Speakers 2026
Ken Culbreath, Director, Office of Emergency Management & School Safety, Region 4 Education Service Center
Ken Culbreath brings over 30 years of distinguished service in public administration to his role as Director of the newly established Office of Emergency Management and School Safety at Region 4 Education Service Center. Appointed on January 23, 2023, Culbreath leads efforts to provide comprehensive resources and support for school districts facing increasingly complex safety threats. He believes that school safety is essential to academic success and that every student deserves a genuine connection to a secure and healthy learning environment. Throughout his career as a Chief Deputy and Chief of Police, he has successfully managed and led both large and mid-sized police organizations. His experience includes serving as in. He also served as a full-time SWAT team leader for a significant portion of his career, demonstrating exceptional leadership in high-stakes situations. As a law enforcement executive, Culbreath has managed executive-level searches, recruiting, and the human resources department. As the Chief of Police for a Region 4 school district, he oversaw integrating emergency management and school safety within the police department to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. In 2022, the Texas Police Chiefs’ Association selected Culbreath as the only school district Chief of Police to contribute to the operational review (program evaluation) of the Uvalde CISD Police Department. Culbreath’s service has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Public Safety Hero’s Award from the U.S. House of Representatives, the 100 Club Officer of the Year award, and the Combat Cross, an honor bestowed for heroic action under life-threatening circumstances. He holds a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in Disaster and Emergency Management from Sam Houston State University. His leadership training includes graduating from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, Session 257, where he was a finalist for the Distinguished Graduate Award. He also graduated from the Bill Blackwood Leadership Command College (LEMIT), class 69, and completed executive-level training at the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, Kentucky. Culbreath is a current member of the Harris County Safe School Commission and serves on the Southeast Texas Behavioral Threat Assessment Team, led by the Texas Department of Public Safety. He also serves as an adjunct instructor at the Bill Blackwood Leadership Command College (LEMIT) for law enforcement executives. His deep expertise, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to student and staff safety are instrumental in fostering secure, supportive learning environments across the region.