About Aspirant

Built by Practitioners.
Scaled With Intention.

Aspirant is a public-safety consulting firm for agencies that need serious capability without corporate distance.

Meet Aspirant

Our Origin

From Aspiration
To Implementation.

Founded in January 2022 by Madeline Lewis and John String, Aspirant Consulting Group was built for agencies that operate under real pressure and need advice that can survive contact with the work.

What began as a focused law-enforcement consultancy has grown into a multi-state public-safety firm supporting police, fire, EMS, corrections, 911 centers, and municipal organizations. The work spans policy, accreditation, training, leadership, staffing, selection, operations, and organizational development.

The firm has grown, but the standard has not changed: understand the agency, tell the truth about the problem, build something practical, and stay close enough to help it work.

What Guides Us

High Standards.
Human Approach.

01

Integrity

We are candid about the work, the risks, and what it will take to succeed.

02

Expertise

Our advice is current, specialized, and grounded in direct public-safety experience.

03

Adaptability

No two agencies or communities are the same. The work should reflect that.

04

Accountability

We stay engaged through implementation and own our role in the result.

Founders

The Firm Is Personal Before It Is Professional.

Aspirant’s leadership is not built around borrowed credibility. Madeline and John started the firm from direct experience with the operational, administrative, legal, and cultural realities public-safety agencies face every day.

Madeline Lewis headshot
Founder

Madeline Lewis

AccreditationPolicy DevelopmentTraining CoordinationOrganizational Leadership

Madeline founded Aspirant to give public-safety agencies practical, legally sound, and operationally grounded support from people who understand the work from the inside.

Before Aspirant, she served as a patrol sergeant with the Lower Merion Township Police Department, with assignments spanning patrol, auxiliary services, investigations, and staff and inspections. Beginning in 2016, she served as Accreditation Manager, overseeing PLEAC and CALEA programs, policy updates, training coordination, internal reviews, mock assessments, and assessment preparation.

Her background also includes grant coordination, physical fitness instruction, hostage negotiations team service, and formal training as both an Accreditation Manager and Accreditation Assessor.

John String headshot
Founder

John String

Police LeadershipPublic-Safety AdministrationOperationsAccreditation

John brings executive-level public-safety leadership and command experience to Aspirant's work with agencies and municipalities.

He currently serves as Chief of Police for Narberth Borough and Director of Public Safety for the Borough. Prior to that role, he served as a Lieutenant with the Lower Merion Township Police Department, including assignment as a Patrol Division Watch Commander and prior work in staff and inspections, canine, and field training.

His background includes PLEAC and CALEA reaccreditation supervision, accreditation manager and assessor training, Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command, MALEEDS Regional Command College, FBI-LEEDA Leadership Trilogy training, and graduate study in public administration.

Consultant Bench

Regional Depth.
Service-Line Strength.

Aspirant assembles each project team around the engagement, bringing together the regional knowledge, service-line expertise, and direct experience the work requires.

Regional Bench

Pennsylvania Team

Pennsylvania-based consultants supporting policy, accreditation, staffing, operational review, leadership development, and implementation work.

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Public-Safety Leadership Consultant

Guy Hettinger

Guy brings more than 30 years of law-enforcement and public-safety leadership experience, including 31 years with Penn Township Police, service as Chief, and his current role as York County Executive Director of Public Safety.

Pennsylvania Team
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Regionalization & Strategic Planning Consultant

David Steffen

David completed a four-decade law-enforcement career that included establishing and leading Northern Lancaster County Regional Police. His experience spans regionalization, agency development, complex investigations, strategic planning, accreditation, and statewide police leadership.

Pennsylvania Team
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Accreditation & Security Consultant

Greg Budman

Greg is a Pennsylvania Capitol Police corporal, Accreditation Manager, Chief Intelligence Officer, and leader of its Critical Infrastructure Security Assessment Team. He has managed PLEAC and CALEA accreditation since 2013 and is trained as an accreditation manager and assessor.

Pennsylvania Team
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Accreditation Consultant

John Ross

John is a Philadelphia Police sergeant and longtime Accreditation Manager responsible for PLEAC proof, policy review, compliance inspections, and training. He also serves as an accreditation assessor and member of the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission board.

Pennsylvania Team
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Accreditation & Training Consultant

Nathan Westerman

Nathan is an administrative officer and Accreditation Manager with East Lampeter Township Police following 26 years in patrol. His background includes policy management, training documentation, field training, platoon leadership, and 20 years as a firearms instructor.

Pennsylvania Team
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Multi-Discipline Public-Safety Consultant

Michael Golden

Michael is an Eddystone Borough police officer and Accreditation Manager with experience as an FTO, academy instructor, tactical-team operator, Assistant Fire Marshal, EMS Supervisor, and former Fire Chief. His background spans police, fire, EMS, training, and accreditation.

Pennsylvania Team
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Accreditation Specialist

Dennis Marsili

Dennis brings decades of public-safety experience as a retired detective sergeant, police-academy leader, instructor, curriculum developer, and accreditation manager. He led the IUP Criminal Justice Training Center through CALEA accreditation and reaccreditation.

Pennsylvania TeamRead Full Profile
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Managing Consultant

Courtenay DeLaney

Courtenay is a veteran West Whiteland Township police officer and Accreditation Manager with more than 24 years across Chester and Lancaster Counties. She also served as a negotiator with regional emergency response teams in both counties.

Pennsylvania Team
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Policy, Technology & Investigations Consultant

Richard Zappile

Richard is a Delaware River Port Authority Police sergeant whose experience includes patrol, policy development, investigations, technology, training, and recruitment across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He holds graduate education in homeland-security administration.

Pennsylvania Team
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Leadership & Training Consultant

Joseph Blei

Joseph is an Abington Township Police lieutenant with leadership experience in patrol, tactical operations, reality-based training, field training, firearms, TASER instruction, and agency training coordination. He has also contributed to strategic planning and staffing studies.

Pennsylvania Team
Regional Bench

New Jersey Team

New Jersey-focused practitioners with experience across accreditation, policy, executive leadership, standards, training, and agency operations.

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Executive Leadership & Accreditation Consultant

Eric Higgins

Eric is Chief of West Earl Township Police and previously completed 26 years with Lakehurst Police, culminating as Chief. He guided accreditation work in both agencies and is an FBI National Academy graduate with operational, SWAT, policy, and executive leadership experience.

New Jersey Team
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Accreditation & Executive Leadership Consultant

Jacqueline Luthcke

Jacqueline retired after rising through the Ridgewood Police Department from officer to Chief. She is a past president and current board member of the New Jersey Public Safety Accreditation Coalition, a former accreditation commissioner, and an experienced CALEA assessor and team leader.

New Jersey Team
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Accreditation Consultant

Melissa Bennett

Melissa is a Lakehurst Police Special Law Enforcement Officer and Accreditation Manager with experience in agency compliance, CPR and AED instruction, and casino security management. She holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Stockton University.

New Jersey Team
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Accreditation & Training Consultant

John Bobik

John retired as a captain after more than 30 years in law enforcement, primarily with Cape May Police. His roles included Operations Commander, Administrative Commander, Internal Affairs Supervisor, and Accreditation Manager, leading initial accreditation and three reaccreditation cycles.

New Jersey Team
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New Jersey Accreditation & Policy Specialist

Raymond A. Cogan III

Raymond brings more than 26 years of New Jersey law-enforcement experience in accreditation management, policy development, investigations, patrol leadership, executive administration, and community partnership.

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New Jersey Accreditation Specialist

James Krizek

James brings more than 25 years of New Jersey law-enforcement experience across patrol, supervision, executive administration, accreditation management, and leadership development.

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Regional Bench

Ohio Team

Ohio-led support for policy, Ohio Collaborative certification, leadership development, organizational review, and training.

Scott Hughes
Director of Ohio Operations & Market Development

Scott Hughes

Scott brings nearly three decades of Ohio law-enforcement experience and served as Hamilton Township Police Chief from 2016 until retiring in 2026. He is an FBI National Academy graduate, Certified Law Enforcement Executive, and longtime leadership instructor.

Ohio Team
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Ohio Executive Leadership Consultant

Adam Colon

Adam has served as Franklin, Ohio's Police Chief since 2021 following Army military-police service and progressively responsible Riverside Police roles in patrol, investigations, administration, and command. He holds two master's degrees and is an FBI National Academy graduate.

Ohio Team
Quillan Short
Ohio Accreditation & Leadership Consultant

Quillan Short

Quillan brings more than 24 years of Ohio law-enforcement experience and serves as Hamilton Township Police Chief after progressing through investigative, supervisory, and command roles. His expertise includes Ohio Collaborative standards, accreditation, policy, and professional standards.

Ohio Team
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Ohio Policy, Legal & Investigations Consultant

Robert Merkle Jr.

Robert combines a 20-year Ohio law-enforcement career with experience as a licensed attorney, municipal law director, criminal investigator, police-administration consultant, and policy practitioner.

Ohio TeamRead Full Profile
Service Bench

Fire Services Team

Fire and EMS professionals supporting accreditation, standards of cover, policy, risk management, operations, and leadership work.

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Police, Fire & EMS Consultant

Michael Golden

Michael combines police accreditation work with experience as an Assistant Fire Marshal, EMS Supervisor, former Fire Chief, academy instructor, field training officer, and tactical-team operator.

Fire Services Team
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Senior Fire Services Consultant

Charles "Chas" McGarvey, Sr.

Chas is a former Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner and former Chief Fire Officer and Fire Marshal for Lower Merion Township. He is a National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer graduate and holds the CPSE Chief Fire Officer designation.

Fire Services Team
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Fire & Special Operations Consultant

Chris Murtaugh

Chris is a Philadelphia Fire Department captain with 20 years of service and prior leadership assignments in special operations and hazardous-materials training. His experience includes rescue, hazmat, incident preparedness, and technical operations.

Fire Services Team
Shayna Hurst
Fire Accreditation & Risk Consultant

Shayna Hurst

Shayna is Risk Management Officer and Accreditation Manager for Overland Park Fire Department, where she led reaccreditation and authored a comprehensive Standards of Cover. Her background spans accreditation, GIS, analytics, emergency management, policy, and organizational risk.

Fire Services Team
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Fire Consultant

Scott Little

Scott brings 25 years of federal, state, and local fire-service experience spanning command, incident operations, instruction, hazardous materials, technical rescue, and emergency management. He serves as Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator for Manheim Township Fire Rescue and previously served as a senior enlisted leader with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

Fire Services Team
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Fire & Special Operations Consultant

Devon Richio

Devon is a Philadelphia Fire Department battalion chief and special-operations leader with more than two decades of experience in hazardous materials, homeland security, CBRN readiness, UAS program development, incident command, and leadership instruction. He is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran, CPSE peer reviewer, and credentialed Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer.

Fire Services Team
Service Bench

Training and Instruction Team

Instructors focused on leadership, operational readiness, wellness, resiliency, supervision, and practical public-safety training.

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Training Instructor

Patrick Dolly

Patrick brings bi-state law-enforcement experience in supervision, curriculum development, field training, policy implementation, use-of-force review, and academy instruction in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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Heidi A. Ramsey
Leadership & Resiliency Instructor

Heidi A. Ramsey

Heidi retired after 23 years with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and is an attorney and instructor for law-enforcement executives at the FBI National Academy. Her work focuses on leadership, employee wellness, resilience, and at-risk personnel.

Training and Instruction Team
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Senior Leadership & Training Consultant

Mark T. Williams

Mark is a patrol sergeant with more than 20 years of law-enforcement experience, an adjunct professor and police-academy instructor, and a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command.

Training and Instruction Team
Matt Petrillo
Crisis & Strategic Communications Instructor

Matt Petrillo

Matt directs communications for Temple University's Department of Public Safety after more than a decade in television journalism. His work focuses on crisis messaging, media relations, public narratives, and organizational credibility.

Training and Instruction Team
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Law Enforcement Training Instructor

Eric Fries

Eric is a Lower Merion Township Police patrol sergeant who previously served as a field training officer and platoon investigator. He is also a member of the department's Emergency Response Team and previously worked for the Philadelphia Housing Authority Police Department.

Training and Instruction Team
Ian Thornton
Law Enforcement Leadership Instructor

Ian Thornton

Ian is the Detective Sergeant of the Lower Merion Township Police Department. His experience spans patrol, criminal investigations, recruitment, officer development, frontline supervision, and leadership within the department's Emergency Response Team.

Training and Instruction Team
Selection Services

Executive Search & Promotional Testing

Experienced selection professionals supporting executive recruitment, promotional processes, candidate assessment, and defensible hiring decisions.

Kelley Warner
Senior Consultant

Kelley Warner

Kelley brings more than three decades of law-enforcement and command-leadership experience to executive search, promotional testing, candidate assessment, and executive-level hiring.

Executive Search & Promotional Testing
Subject-Matter Bench

Specialized Consulting Services

Specialists who add focused depth in leadership, policy, command operations, communication, technology, digital investigations, and implementation work.

Michelle J. Caron
Senior Consultant

Michelle J. Caron

Michelle retired as an Inspector after a 23-year career with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. Her background spans command leadership, special operations, policy, training, use-of-force review, organizational management, and communication, including leadership during major National Special Security Events.

Specialized Consulting ServicesRead Full Profile
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Technology & Database Specialist

Jake Galloway

Jake supports public-safety systems, infrastructure, mobile technology, reporting platforms, and camera systems. He holds an information-technology degree from Drexel University, ITIL and MCSE credentials, and additional law-enforcement cybersecurity training.

Specialized Consulting Services

How the Firm Works

Small Enough to Stay Close.
Deep Enough to Solve the Problem.

Practitioner-Led ReviewProjects are shaped by people who understand standards, law, operations, leadership, and agency culture.
Implementation FocusThe work is not complete when a report is delivered. Policies, training, proof, and recommendations have to become usable systems.
Right-Sized TeamsAspirant assembles the right consultant mix around the discipline, state, service line, and complexity of the engagement.

Let's Get to Work

Bring Us the Challenge.
We’ll Help Build the Path Forward.

Tell us what your agency is facing. We’ll start with a practical conversation, not a sales pitch.

Talk With Our Team