Founder & Executive Director
Safe and Sound Schools
Mother, educator, and co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, Michele Gay chose to take action after losing her daughter Josephine Grace on December 14, 2012. Since that time, Michele has channeled her work as an advocate, improving safety and security in schools and communities across our country.
Now a nationally and internationally recognized public speaker and school safety expert, Michele reaches audiences and consults with all levels of community institutions — schools; municipalities; houses of worship; educational and public safety leadership; state and federal governments; law enforcement agencies; and top news media sources. Through her work, and always with a goal of helping others increase the safety within their own communities, Michele shares her personal experiences and the lessons she has learned.
We believe that anything less than zero incidents is unacceptable. Our bold vision drives us to develop solutions that don’t just respond to threats but prevent them—ensuring every school is a place of learning, growth, and well-being.
With a team comprising 40% education professionals and 35% law enforcement experts, we have experienced what our customers experience. That’s why over 21,000 schools across the U.S. trust Navigate360 to provide purpose-built safety solutions, backed by research in educational psychology, law enforcement, and crisis management, that integrate physical security, mental health support, and digital threat assessment—Our impact speaks for itself:
By: Michele Gay, Co-founder and Executive Director, Safe and Sound Schools My daughter, Josephine “Joey” Grace Gay, was extraordinary in so many ways. Her vibrant energy, beautiful smile, and kind spirit endeared her to all who knew her. Joey had many “special needs”...