Matthew A. Miraglia, Founder
Mr. Matthew Miraglia is the Founder of CLPS Consultancy Group (CLPS), a New York based school safety and security consulting firm. There are very few school safety consultants on the market who possess the background, education, and experience as Mr. Miraglia. Prior to starting CLPS, Mr. Miraglia served in the U.S. Marine Corps and with two law enforcement agencies. While serving in the U.S. Marines, he specialized in nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Before receiving an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, he was awarded a meritorious promotion and several commendations, including the National Defense Ribbon. Following his military service, he began a law enforcement career by first joining the U.S. Park Police in Washington, D.C., and later transferring to the Scarsdale Police Department in New York. During his law enforcement career, he amassed a tremendous amount of experience, specialized training and certifications that helped prepare him for a successful career in safety and security consulting. Some of his law enforcement assignments included: street patrol, special operations and criminal investigations. During his law enforcement career, he had the opportunity to work in several specialized units including the youth services unit, where he worked as the school safety liaison between the Scarsdale Police Department and the Scarsdale Union Free School District. He is a certified Juvenile Officer, School Resource Officer and DARE Officer. Mr. Miraglia was a member of New York State Zone 3 Counter Terrorism Intelligence Task Force, where he served as a Field Intelligence Officer. He is a highly decorated police detective who has earned numerous job performance commendations that include: the life saving medal, meritorious service medal, exceptional duty medal, four honorable service medals, three administrative recognition awards, and two command recognitions. He is a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, GA. Mr. Miraglia supplemented his professional law enforcement background by pursuing higher education. He is a graduate of Mercy College, NY, and the University of New Haven, CT, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, and a Post-masters certificate in National Security. Mr. Miraglia continues his life-long journey of learning and is pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), with a specialization in Executive Leadership. Much of his dissertation research will focus on school safety leadership. In addition to safety consulting, he works in higher education as the Director of the Corporate and Homeland Security Program at Mercy College’s School of Business. Mr. Miraglia has an excellent understanding of the unique environment within school districts and the education profession. As a school administrator himself, combined with his several years of real-life experience in law enforcement, emergency management and security, Mr. Miraglia is without doubt an industry leader when it comes to school safety and security consulting.
Charles Boklan, Senior Consultant
Mr. Charles Boklan is the Senior Consulting Manager at CLPS. He has more than 30 years of combined federal, county and local law enforcement experience. Mr. Boklan began his law enforcement career in 1971 when he joined the Fallsburg Police Department, South Fallsburg, NY. After five years, at the rank of Detective, Mr. Boklan left local law enforcement and was appointed a Special Agent in the U.S. Secret Service. He served over 22 years with the Secret Service in investigative, protective and supervisory assignments at duty stations throughout New York and Washington, DC. Some of his duties included domestic and foreign criminal investigations, domestic and foreign protective intelligence investigations and advances, domestic and foreign protective detail and site security assignments, advances and major event management. During his tenure with the Secret Service, he received many commendations and awards for his distinguished service. After retiring from the Secret Service, Mr. Boklan served as Senior Vice President for Corporate Compliance and Security Management at the Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY. He later served as a Criminal Investigator at the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office where he managed the Westchester Intelligence Center. He subsequently joined the consulting staff of the Northrop Grumman Corporation to serve as Operations Manager for the Hudson Transportation Management Center (TMC), Hawthorne, NY, a joint NYS DOT/New York State Police traffic and emergency management center serving the six county Hudson Valley Region of New York State. Mr. Boklan continues to serve as a sworn member of the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department ATAG (Anti-Terrorism) Unit and a Special Investigator at the U.S. Secret Service where he conducts investigations under contract to his former agency. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement from Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, and received basic police training at the Rockland County Police Academy, investigative training at the New York State Police Academy, basic federal criminal investigator training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, GA, and further specialized Basic Special Agent and In-Service training by the U.S. Secret Service at their training facilities in Washington, D.C. He is certified by NYS as a Police General Topics Instructor and a Counter-Terrorism Instructor. He is a member of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) and the Association for Former Agents of the U.S. Secret Service (AFAUSSS) as well as a host of other professional and fraternal law enforcement organizations. He is a member of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) and the Association for Former Agents of the U.S. Secret Service (AFAUSSS) as well as a host of other professional and fraternal law enforcement organizations. As our Senior Consulting Manager, Mr. Boklan brings a tremendous amount of professional experience and knowledge to CLPS clients seeking to enhance safety and security at their schools.
Judith Berger, Senior Consultant
Ms. Judith Berger has over 20 years of combined law enforcement, human rights and child/elder advocacy experience that truly compliments the consulting services offered by CLPS. Ms. Berger’s experience began in 1987 when she volunteered to work in Lima, Peru with Iona College’s Global Family Program. While in Peru, Ms. Berger worked to promote basic human rights and fundamental dignity of destitute Peruvian women through speeches, workshops and writing illustrative pamphlets. In 1989, Ms. Berger went to work for the Westchester County Department of Social Services. While there, she served as a Caseworker for Elder Services and was later appointed as the Child/Elder Abuse Coordinator to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Ms. Berger was later promoted to the level of Senior Caseworker in the Child Protective Service Department. In 1998, she transferred from the Department of Social Services to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. While at the DA’s Office, Ms. Berger served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Appeals and Special Litigation Division. She later was assigned to the Special Prosecutions Division, where she investigated and prosecuted Child/Elder Abuse Cases and Domestic Violence. Ms. Berger has received numerous recognitions, awards and commendations, including in 2000 the Westchester County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award for her efforts in child abuse and elder abuse investigations and prosecutions. Ms. Berger possesses a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Iona College, NY, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Pace University School of Law, N.Y.
Maria Miraglia, Senior Consultant
Ms. Maria Miraglia’s domestic and international experience in health and safety management and corporate compliance truly enhances the consulting services offered by CLPS. Ms. Miraglia began her safety/security career working for the British National Health Service at the University Hospital of Wales, in the United Kingdom. She spent 10 years at the University Hospital of Wales working in human resources where she conducted internal affairs investigations and was in charge of risk management. She later was promoted to Assistant Hospital Administrator and was responsible for managing the main facility in Cardiff, Wales. In 2000, she left the National Health Service and went to work for First Choice Limited, a corporate management company based in the City of London. Ms. Miraglia was hired as a health and safety manager. Her primary responsibilities included overseeing background screenings of new hires, professional development training of employees, and risk assessment and safety auditing of facilities throughout Europe and the Middle East. While with First Choice Limited she had assignments in the United Kingdom, Italy, Gran Canaria, Egypt and Cyprus. Ms. Miraglia later relocated to the United States, and in 2003 took a position with Silberzweig Partners International Law Firm, in New York, NY. While with Silberweig Partners she was in charge of employee screening and professional development training programs. In 2009, Ms. Miraglia began school safety and security consulting with CLPS. She is a dynamic workshop presenter who brings a tremendous amount of real-life domestic and international experience to the table. Ms. Miraglia received extensive training and certifications in health and safety management, corporate compliance, and risk assessment. She has received advanced training in emergency management and crisis leadership through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and various other U.S. Department of Homeland Security training courses. Ms. Miraglia possesses a Bachelors degree in Business & Finance from the University of Wales, College at Newport, UK. She is strongly committed to creating safer and more secure schools.
Fred Goldberg, Senior Consultant
Mr. Fred Goldberg has amassed over 39 years of experience in public education in urban and suburban school districts. After teaching for sixteen years in the Bronx, N.Y., Mr. Goldberg assumed supervisory and administrative posts in Queens, N.Y., and suburban Westchester County, where he currently serves as the Assistant Principal of Scarsdale High School. A master at securing funding for working with underprivileged and “at risk” youth, Mr. Goldberg has helped develop successful grant-funded programs with the aid of the Ford Foundation, the Mott Foundation, the New York Daily News, and the Reader’s Digest Foundation. In 1991, after serving as an English Department chairman in New York City and New Rochelle, N.Y., Mr. Goldberg accepted the role of House Principal at New Rochelle High School, a large multi-cultural high school. There, he worked collaboratively to develop successful security and attendance policies and helped oversee a security department of more than thirty staffers. That experience led to an offer from Scarsdale High School to join its administrative team as its Assistant Principal. There, too, he helped develop the school district’s security plan and the high school’s code of conduct, and he developed a working partnership with the Scarsdale Police Department. He is the high school’s threat assessment manager and crisis intervention and management leader. Mr. Goldberg possesses a Bachelors degree in Mathematics from Hunter College, and a Masters degree in English from New York University. He completed the requirements for New York State certification in supervision and administration at New York University.
John Spagna, Senior Consultant
Mr. John Spagna’s law enforcement experience combined with his education and advanced emergency management training is second to none when it comes to security and safety experts. Mr. Spagna began his public service career in 1986, when he joined the New York City Transit Police Department, N.Y. While with the NYC Transit Police he worked in the Patrol Operations Division, was a member of a city-wide Anti-Crime Task Force, and was an Instructor at the NYC Transit Police Academy. In 1990, Mr. Spagna transferred from the NYC Transit Police to the Scarsdale Police Department, N.Y. While with the SPD he worked in the Patrol Division and Investigations Division. In 1997, Mr. Spagna worked as a Detective conducting criminal investigations, applicant investigations, civil investigations and internal affairs investigations. In 2000, he moved from the Investigations Division back to the Patrol Division as a Patrol Sergeant/Supervisor. Mr. Spagna underwent extensive training in crisis management, and in 2001 was appointed the department’s Head Instructor of Police Rapid Response to Dynamic Incidents. Additionally, Mr. Spagna trained local school district officials on Emergency Response to Major Incidents. Mr. Spagna has an impressive list of specialized training and certifications, which includes: Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings, Tactical Management of Special Threat Incidents, Police Response to Dynamic Incidents, Major Incident Command, Background Investigation and Selection of Potential Employees, and Street & Youth Gang Related Violence. Mr. Spagna possesses a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from SUNY College at Brockport, N.Y., and a Masters degree in Public Administration from Marist College, N.Y., School of Management.