Certification Profile: JoAnn Ugolini, CPP, PSP

While JoAnn Ugolini’s undergraduate coursework was preparing her for a degree in sports medicine, she found herself drawn into security management by way of a serendipitous conversation at her part-time job.

Through that one connection, “I was introduced to the world of public figure protection and threat assessment and management,” she reflects. “I was hooked!”

Over nearly 30 years, Ugolini established a strong career in behavioral threat assessment and management. She now serves as a Control Risks consultant embedded at an international tech firm. As safe workplace lead, she works with stakeholders throughout the organization to develop policies, programs, and training to promote employee resilience and workplace violence prevention.

She worked as a consultant early in her career and became active in ASIS International when transitioning into the corporate security environment. “ASIS was a go-to resource for education material that proved very useful to me and the teams that I was hired to train,” she says. “ASIS membership gave me access to a global community that enabled me to expand my network through the annual conference and local meetings.”

Ugolini pursued the Certified Protection Professional (CPP®) certification in 2008, when the designation was a requirement for an employer’s security managers. She credits the certification process for rounding out her security understanding and providing flexibility in her career.

After earning her CPP, Ugolini chose to then pursue the Physical Security Professional (PSP®) certification as well—seeking an enhanced understanding of physical security systems and implementation, including assessments, applications, design, and tools.

Now Ugolini is sharing her knowledge with the next generation of security leaders. She recently provided her expertise in the field of personnel management to the 2021 revision of the Protection of Assets (POA), the premier reference for the security industry.

“There are so many exciting avenues and aspects of the security field,” she reflects. “I’ve supported members of the ASIS Young Professionals Community and volunteered my time to speak to college students about the wide range of opportunities that exist in security careers.”

Profile by Steven Barnett, ASIS Communications Specialist