STAND Safety Summit

A Day of Education, Awareness, and Community Action

The STAND Safety Summit is a one-day public safety conference designed to educate, equip, and empower our community through expert-led sessions on some of the most urgent issues facing families today.

STAND stands for Safety, Technology, Awareness, Narcotics, and Defense. This summit will bring together law enforcement, community leaders, educators, advocates, mental health professionals and prevention experts to provide practical information that attendees can take home and apply immediately.

From online safety and exploitation awareness to domestic violence, narcotics education, mental health and personal protection, STAND is built to give our community the knowledge and tools needed to recognize danger early, respond wisely, and help create a safer Burleson.

Why STAND Matters

Communities today are facing challenges that are more connected and more complicated than ever before. Parents are navigating online dangers their own generation never experienced. Schools, churches, and businesses are seeing the effects of mental health struggles, substance abuse, exploitation and family violence. Law enforcement and community organizations cannot address these issues alone.

The STAND Safety Summit was created to meet that need with a proactive approach. Rather than waiting until tragedy strikes, STAND is focused on prevention. It is designed to help individuals, families, and organizations better understand modern threats and learn how to respond before crisis happens. This is more than a conference. It is an opportunity for our community to come together, learn from trusted voices and leave better prepared to protect the people around us.

Featured Speakers and Special Guests

STAND will feature a strong lineup of speakers and presenters who bring professional expertise, real-world experience, and powerful personal insight.

One of the summit’s most notable guest speakers is Jim Schmidt, stepfather of Gabby Petito and co-founder of the Gabby Petito Foundation. Following Gabby’s tragic death, Jim Schmidt and Gabby’s family turned personal loss into a mission of advocacy, awareness, and prevention. Schmidt has become a respected voice on domestic violence awareness and first responder training, helping communities better understand warning signs that are too often missed.

His presence at STAND brings national relevance and powerful perspective to the summit. His message speaks directly to the importance of recognizing abuse, responding with urgency and making sure victims do not go unseen. Additional speakers will address topics related to child safety, digital awareness, narcotics education, mental health, victim advocacy and community defense.

Who Should Attend

The STAND Safety Summit is designed for a wide range of attendees, including:

• Parents and grandparents
• Teachers and school staff
• Church leaders and ministry teams
• Law enforcement and first responders
• Counselors and mental health professionals
• Business leaders and community partners
• Anyone who wants to help make Burleson a safer community

What You Can Expect

Attendees can expect a full day of informative sessions, practical takeaways, community connection and access to valuable resources. STAND is designed to be both educational and actionable, giving people tools they can use in everyday life, at home, at work, at church and in the community.

Whether you are concerned about online safety, domestic violence, youth challenges, narcotics trends or broader community awareness, this summit will provide relevant information from people who understand these issues firsthand.

Be Part of the Conversation

The STAND Safety Summit is about more than awareness. It is about action. It is about bringing our community together to learn, engage and stand for a safer future.

Join us on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Pathway Church for a day that has the potential to inform, strengthen, and impact lives across Burleson and beyond.