The Aegis leadership team has decades of experience mitigating crisis in a variety of clinical settings. We understand behavior management and crisis intervention training solutions that work.
Matt Smith
National Training Director
Matt is a nationally recognized crisis intervention expert and has been interviewed on podcasts, radio, and quoted in print in various news articles to talk about crisis de-escalation and keeping organizations safe from workplace violence.
Matt has trained thousands of professionals in crisis prevention and de-escalation techniques across North America, working with individuals of all backgrounds including those in residential programs, hospitals, emergency departments, public education, corrections, and law enforcement. He believes that the ability to intervene early before crisis escalates is the key to preventing workplace violence.
Before becoming a trainer, Matt spent over a decade in the field of mental and behavioral healthcare as a front-line professional. He understands, firsthand, what it’s like when a client exhibits escalated behavior. He has been employed in direct care, behavioral intervention, staff development, and various supervisory roles. Matt has directly mitigated hundreds of incidents where the skills of de-escalation were critical to the safety of everyone involved.
Throughout his professional experience, Matt became aware of a void in the field. Even before Aegis, creating a new standard in safety and best practice became Matt’s passion and journey. Aegis was the result of the overwhelming demand for a more clinically sophisticated approach to crisis intervention. He co-founded Aegis Training Solutions, LLC in 2013 and organized the development and implementation of The Aegis System™.
“Matt is great to work with….I appreciate the ability to scale the training to meet the needs of our organization. Matt is a quality instructor. The “product” is good, outcomes are good, and the instruction is exceptional.”
Craig Primo
Co-Founder, CFO
Craig has over 20 years of experience advising business owners in merger, acquisition, and capital raise transactions. He has completed more than 50 transactions including sell side M&A, buy side projects, and capital raise transactions. Craig’s role reaches further than ownership over Aegis’ financial functions. He leverages significant industry experience to monitor the vital signs of the company’s operations. Craig is a passionate outdoorsman and has an affinity for volunteer work.
Jason Sibley
Master Trainer (T⁴)
Jason has over a decade of experience working in the behavioral healthcare field and with I/DD provider(s). He began his career in the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare world, worked for a leading I/DD support agency in Vermont, and has also been an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). He brings a wealth of practical experience and perspective as a leader, and teacher, to his work with Aegis.
In his various roles, from front-line staff to Mentor to Associate Executive Director, Jason has led and trained hundreds of staff and other professionals in de-escalation techniques, effective communication, workplace culture and sustainability. He is passionate about organizations developing systems and culture that will help protect all involved and support as many people as possible. He appreciates the perpetual need for the safety industry to grow, improve, and provide skillful, sophisticated, and effective support for those that need it. He is excited to continue having this opportunity as an Aegis Trainer.
Jason spends his free time backpacking, exploring new communities, being the best uncle he can possibly be, and continuing to read and explore history.