2021 Mid-Atlantic Regional Director

Director John Blaisdell

John has been a member of IACLEA for approximately 20 years, having served as an IACLEA organizational peer reviewer at three different universities throughout the country. John’s background in Law Enforcement and Public Safety within Higher Education are extensive and diverse for the past 40 years. John resides in New Paltz, NY, with his wife and daughter. Their oldest son resides in Orlando and their youngest is a Junior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Current job responsibilities include the administration and management of all aspects of the Safety and Security Department at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. This includes enforcement of policies, life safety technology, fire prevention, and parking. Marist is a private comprehensive institution with 3,500 residential students and an approximate total enrollment of 6,500. The two international campuses in Italy and France and also John’s responsibility. The Department presently consists of approximately 40 non-sworn and unarmed personnel.

John’s work experience includes:

• Tempe Police Department, Tempe, AZ / Retired 1979 - 2000
• Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge MA / Director of Security 2001 – 2005
• Rhodes College, Memphis, TN / Director of Campus Safety, 2005- 2010
• Rhodes College, Memphis, TN / Associate Dean of Students 2010 - 2016
• Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY / Director of Safety and Security 2016 to present

Educational Highlights:

• Arizona State University, Tempe. AZ – B.S. - Public Programs
• Northwestern University, Evanston, IL – Police Staff and Command
• DEA, Washington DC – Drug Unit Commander School
• FBI, Redstone, AL - Hazardous Devices School