Meet Our Board Members

President

Johnathan Gilbert 

Sergeant Johnathan Gilbert has been in law enforcement for 20 years. He is currently with the York County Sheriff's Office where he serves as the Community Engagement Sergeant. Sgt. Gilbert started his career with the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services.  In 2006, he transitioned to the Fort Mill Police Department where he worked as a  Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer,  and Crime Prevention Specialist.  In 2022 Sergeant Gilbert was hired by the York County Sheriff’s Office.  He has been on the York County Multi-Jurisdictional Crisis Negotiation Team for 18 years and currently is 1 of 2 team leaders for his team of 13. In 2019, he joined the SCCNA board, and currently serves as the President after previously serving as Vice President. 

Vice President

Lieutenant  Michelle Lentz  

Lieutenant Michelle Lentz has been with the Greenville Police Department since 2011 and is currently assigned to Field Operations.  She previously worked in the Recruiting & Hiring Unit for 6 years.  She has been a member of the GPD’s Crisis Negotiation Team since 2013, where she currently serves as the Assistant Commander.  Lieutenant Lentz holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is an instructor for the Basic Negotiations, Force Science Realistic De-escalation, and FLETC Critical Communication Skills classes, as well as an instructor in Community-Oriented Policing & Problem Solving and the BICP Patrol Cyclist certification.  Sergeant Lentz has been a board member with the SC Crisis Negotiator’s Alliance since 2023 and also serves on the finance committee. 

Training Coordinator 

Scottie Frier 

Retired Lieutenant Scottie Frier currently serves as an Instructor II at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. His primary teaching responsibilities include providing a 40 Hour course of instruction in Hostage/Crisis Negotiations as well as a 2-day Critical Suicide Intervention course to law enforcement professionals across the State of South Carolina. Scottie has trained hundreds of law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and telecommunicators in the skills needed to successfully perform negotiations and suicide intervention. Scottie is in his 39th year of law enforcement service. Scottie became a member of the SCCNA in 1995 and currently serves as the Training Coordinator.  He is a Past President of the SCCNA and was awarded the associations Bucky Award in 2013.

Board Member

Corporal Daniel Smith

Corporal Daniel Smith has been with the Lexington Police Department since 2012 where he has served in the Special Operations Division, Criminal Investigations Division & currently serves in the Patrol Division. Corporal Smith has been a certified negotiator since 2017. Corporal Smith is currently the Commander of the Lexington Police Department Negotiations Team and he has been a board member with the  SC Crisis Negotiators Alliance since 2021.  

Board Member 

Detective Kristopher Quate 

Detective Kris Quate has been employed with the Rock Hill Police Department since 2005.  He has been on the Rock Hill Police Crisis Negotiations Team since 2014 and on the board for South Carolina Crisis Negotiators Alliance since 2017.  He was moved to the Criminal Investigations Division in 2012 where he currently serves as a detective.  Detective Quate was a recipient of Officer of the Year through the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in 2014, a finalist for the South Carolina Sixteenth Judicial Circuit "Excellence in Law Enforcement" in 2021 and a winner of the award in 2022.  He has composed presentations in Crisis Negotiations, De-escalation, Investigations, Sexual Exploitation Awareness, and other topics.

Board Member

Lieutenant Matthew Treitler

Lieutenant Matthew Treitler has been in law enforcement since 2008. He began his career with the Myrtle Beach Police Department and worked in the patrol and traffic division. In 2014, he transitioned to the Horry County Police Department where he has been a patrol officer and school resource officer. Lieutenant Treitler was promoted to detective in 2016 and worked in various sections during his time (property crimes, special victims unit, and homicide). He was promoted to Sergeant in 2019 and served as a patrol sergeant and sergeant over the street crimes unit. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2025 and is a supervisor in the Criminal Investigations Division. Lieutenant Treitler has been a member of HCPD’s Crisis Negotiation Team, since 2018 and currently serves as an assistant team leader. He has been a board member of the SC Crisis Negotiator’s Alliance since 2020.  

Board Member 

Captain Kevin Howard

Captain Kevin Howard has been with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department since 2001 and currently is the South Region Commander. During his time at Lexington County, he has served in various capacities within the Community Services Bureau and Patrol Division. Capt. Howard obtained a B.A.in History from the University of South Carolina in 1995 and received a M.S. in Business Management from Southern Wesleyan University in 2008. He has been a member of the Lexington County Crisis Negotiations Team since 2014 and currently serves as it’s Commander. Capt. Howard has been a board member with the SC Crisis Negotiators Alliance since 2017 and is a past President (2019).   

Board Member 

Lieutenant Ben Treaster

Lieutenant Ben Treaster began his law enforcement career in 2010.  Lieutenant Treaster is currently employed with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and is assigned to the Detention Bureau.  Among many duties at LCSD Lt Treaster is a team leader on the LCSD Crisis Negotiation Team. Lt Treaster, his wife and three children reside in the Pelion area of Lexington Co.

Board Member 

Nate Brooks

Nate Brooks is retired law enforcement officer with 25 years of experience in crisis negotiations, investigations, and police administration. He is currently a professor of criminal justice at Clemson University, where he instructs courses in Criminal Investigations, Ethics in Criminal Justice, and Policing. He also operates a private polygraph consulting firm, Carolina Polygraph Services, through which he conducts polygraph examinations for the private and public sector.

Board Member 

Lieutenant James Leewood

Lt. Lee-Wood has been with the Greenville Police Department since 2014. Prior to that he worked for 7 years in law enforcement in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Lt. Lee-Wood is veteran of the US Army and current member of the US Navy Reserves. Lt. Lee-Wood holds a B.A in History and a master’s in public administration.  Lee-Wood has served in a variety of capacities during his tenure, including uniform patrol, general investigations, and violent crimes. Lt. Lee-Wood supervisory experience includes patrol sergeant, patrol lieutenant, as well as the lieutenant over the Crime Response Team and School Resource Officers. Lt. Lee-Wood is currently the lieutenant over the criminal investigations division and is the Commander of GPD’s Crisis Negotiation Team. Lt. Lee-Wood has been a finance team member on the SCCNA board since 2022. He is married and the proud father of two daughters.

Board Member 

Captain Nate Heard 

Captain Nate Heard has been in law enforcement for over 28 years. His career started at the Clemson University Police Department and where he served 3 years on Patrol before taking a job with the Clemson City Police Department. Nate has climbed the ranks from Patrol Officer to Operations Commander, where he manages the Patrol Division amongst other duties. Nate has been a certified negotiator for over 10 years and currently leads the Police Department's negotiations team.Captain Heard is currently the State Director for the RAD Program and holds many other certifications. He was nominated and received the H.E. "Bucky" Phillips award in 2022. 

Board Member 

Timothy Compton

I am a Retired Lieutenant for the Florence, SC. Police Department after 31 years of service, during which I worked in the patrol division, community relations division, accreditation manager, Detective Sgt. of the Financial Crimes Unit and was the Detective Lieutenant/Assistant Division Commander over Investigations. During my years of service, I was awarded officer of the year twice, received accommodations from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the United States Secret Service (USSS) and awarded a gold record from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for investigative services provided. I received a Purple heart from the Police Chief Association for injuries sustained during the apprehension of an armed robbery suspect. I was trained and certified in crisis negotiations in 2006, formed the negotiations team for the Florence Police Department and was the lead Crisis Negotiator for the department. I Have been a board member for the South Carolina Crisis Negotiators Association since 2013 and the past president in 2021. I have an Associate Degree in Law Enforcement and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration. I retired in May 2015 and opened my own Private Investigators business, Compton Investigative Associates. I am a Licensed South Carolina Private Investigator and a member of the South Carolina Association of Legal Investigators.

Board Member 

Sergeant Lamar Sparks

Sergeant Sparks has been in law enforcement for 15 years, all of which with the Sumter Police Department where he serves as a Patrol Sergeant. During his tenure at the agency, Sgt. Sparks was also a Narcotics Detective from 2015-2022. Sgt. Sparks serves on the agency’s Quick Response Team as well as the Team Leader of the Crisis Negotiation Team (which he has been a member of since 2020).  Sgt. Sparks holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice: Criminal Psychology from Liberty University where he will also be pursuing his Master’s in Mental Health Therapy.

Board Member 

Karen Taylor

Karen Taylor has been employed by the County of Lexington for 39 years, serving as a Victim Advocate and Sr. Administrative Assistant to the Major of Operations at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department for most of her career.  Karen is a 2014 graduate of the South Carolina Advanced Victim Assistance Academy and is a certified Victim Service Provider with the State of South Carolina.  She is a member of the SC Law Enforcement Victim Advocate Association.  She has participated in multiple trainings on Mental Health, Excited Delirium, Psychiatric Emergencies, Trauma Informed Policing and Post Critical Incidents.  Karen actively volunteers with the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life and was named their Midlands Volunteer of the Year in 2022.  Karen was also selected as the first Lexington County Sheriff’s Foundation Civilian Employee of the Year in 2010.  Karen has been a SCCNA board member for 12 years.