About Us
Melody LaFond
President
Ms. LaFond holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Administration and has an extensive background in governmental policies, procedures, finances, and grants management. She spent more than 27 years of her career in law enforcement administration with 20 years in a supervisory capacity.
Her experience includes 10 years as a leader of the management team of a major Fusion Center, the Central California Intelligence Center (“CCIC”). Ms. LaFond led efforts to establish this Fusion Center, working closely with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. She was instrumental in creating/implementing the center’s policies, procedures, and processes. After the Fusion Center began operations, Ms. LaFond led Financial Program personnel at the Fusion Center and was responsible for approving all programs in the Fusion Center’s territory (which included 34 of the 58 counties of California, encompassing 87,000 square miles), based on the type of grants available, the cost of such programs and their feasibility.
During her tenure with the CCIC, Ms. LaFond was a member of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), served as a Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO), and was tasked with assisting the U.S. Attorney’s Office in financial investigations that combatted money laundering and tracked the funding of terrorists. She also created the Financial Manager’s Committee composed of representatives from each Fusion Center in California to make recommendations to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on financial matters pertaining to Fusion Centers nationwide.
Immediately before she established the CCIC, Ms. LaFond led efforts to convert an Air Force Military Police Station into a 100-Officer Sheriff’s Sub-Station on McClellan Air Force Base in coordination with the Military Police. After the commencement of operations, Ms. LaFond supervised the work of financial personnel, crime analysts and armory/supply personnel in the sub-station. Prior assignments within the Sheriff’s Department include Supervisor of Male Booking at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center and Booking Officer for the Work Project Division and Main Jail Facility downtown. She also created a Collection Program for the Sheriff’s Department saving them millions of dollars and received various awards for her accomplishments.
After retiring from public duties and before becoming President of Vallation, Ms. LaFond also served as the Business Manager for Richard K Lack Consulting in California and as Training Coordinator for DFW Metroplex Training Academy in Texas.
Michael Fisher
CEO
Michael Fisher is the Chief Executive Officer for Vallation Inc. He is also the President and CEO of Scorpion Security Services LLC. a position he has held since starting the company in February 2016. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas the company serves a variety of clients in the national security and border security industry. Scorpion provides operational, strategic, and practical solutions and perspectives to companies that want to understand the complexities of border environments and develop corporate strategies to increase revenue.
Prior to starting Scorpion, Fisher served as Chief of the United States Border Patrol in Washington D.C. for six years, overseeing approximately 25,000 personnel and managing a $3.5B budget. During his tenure as Chief, he led a team and developed a comprehensive national border security strategy to include an operational implementation plan. He frequently advised members of Congress, the national security staff and engaged with industry to explain the new direction of the Border Patrol and their role in the national security mission space.
During the transition to the Department of Homeland Security in March 2003, Fisher was appointed Deputy Director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Anti-Terrorism in Washington, DC where he staffed and directed the office during periods of increased threats and served as the CBP liaison to the inter-agency intelligence community for anti-terrorist planning and operational coordination.
Fisher began his Border Patrol career in 1987 in Douglas, AZ. He served in many key leadership positions throughout the nation including Associate Chief, Headquarters Border Patrol, Washington D.C.; Chief and Deputy Chief Patrol Agent in San Diego, CA; Deputy Chief in Detroit, MI; and Assistant Chief in Tucson, AZ.
Fisher completed the selection process for the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) in 1990 and went on to serve as part of the BORTAC command staff. He led operations throughout the United States and in nine foreign countries.
Fisher earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in business administration. He is a graduate of the Senior Executive Fellows Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and completed the DoD CAPSTONE program at the National Defense University in 2009.
Fisher has almost 30 years of distinguished Federal Service. Upon his retirement he was one of the longest serving Chiefs in the history of the U.S. Border Patrol.
Brandon Rogers
COO
A former Naval Special Warfare Operator, Brandon has served across multiple intelligence and technology commands within U.S. SOCOM both as an operator and technician and has conducted multiple combat deployments working as a U.S. foreign internal defense instructor (FID) ASOT source handler and 1208 program manager throughout the Middle East and across Africa. His time post service has been spent working in the quickly evolving drone technology space supporting efforts in Eastern Europe and throughout INDOPACOM.
Raymond Bull
CTO
Mr. Bull served ten years in the U.S. Army, including two years in Field Artillery. He finished his military career as an Information Technology Specialist. During this time he was a dual-status Technician for the Texas National Guard in the Data Processing Installation (DPI). While in the DPI he worked with a wide range of technologies and was certified as a Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional. His areas of responsibility included administrating the Texas Knowledge Online (TKO) website, managing a VMWare cluster, managing Citrix servers, managing many MSSQL databases, building and maintaining internally developed C# web applications and maintaining an Oracle database.
During Mr. Bull’s time overseas, he maintained and further developed the Access Control program. This program was developed to process the applications of Iraqi local nationals for jobs on military bases. Some of his other overseas roles included rebuilding SIPRNet and NIPRNet networks, assisting the COMSEC Custodian and providing help desk support for the Victory Base Complex.
Mr. Bull has also worked with various local and state entities.
David G Taylor
Cybersecurity Engineer
David is currently serving as the Deputy Chief of Threat Analysis and Mitigation Office with the National Security Office and previously served as an Information Systems Security Engineer with the Department of Defense in the Nuclear Weapons System Cybersecurity Office.
David is a leader, innovator, and security subject matter expert. He is a team builder and a problem solver. David has an immense amount of knowledge of the security industry at a granular level but knows when to bring in other experts to solve the most complex security issues.
David is a decorated, 30-year United States Navy combat veteran and government security contractor trained in every facet of security, both cyber and physical.
He’s currently a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), the highest-level cyber-security credential available in the world, and holds a Master of Science Degree in Cybersecurity Policy and Management, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Network Security.
David is also a Certified Master Anti-Terrorism Specialist, with a long list of global anti-terror combat deployments. He was the Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge of General Stanley McCrystal’s Close Protection Team during his time as the Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan and Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Additionally, David was assigned to the Navy Security Detachment, Washington D.C. He was responsible for the security of all Highly-Classified Navy spaces in the Pentagon as well as the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) responsible for the protection of the Secretary of the Navy, Under Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, the Department Navy Staff and the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy.
David is an expert security trainer as well and has trained everyone from American military personnel to indigenous peoples around the world. David has trained in sign language, through foreign-language interpreters and in non-permissive (war zones) environments