Meet the Board

Drawing on his service as a United States Air Force Security Forces Defender, including deployments to Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, James has firsthand experience protecting critical infrastructure and coordinating responses in high-threat environments.

His career as a Procurement and Contracting Officer gives him a rare ability to connect real-world security needs with budgets, contracts, vendor evaluation, regulation, and long-term implementation.

At Code Red, James focuses on developing practical, sustainable safety solutions that move schools beyond check-the-box compliance and toward executable plans designed to work under pressure.

Cory began his security career as a United States Air Force Security Forces Airman and served for 21 years across stateside assignments and multiple deployments.

During his final posting, he spent nine years as a Red Team member for the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, helping assess and strengthen protection for one of the world’s most strategically significant facilities.

He has also supported organizations including the CIA, DIA, and United States Capitol Police in developing and strengthening Red Team programs. Through Code Red, he now applies that expertise to help schools identify vulnerabilities before they become emergencies.

As CEO of MaxWork Consulting LLC, Cory specializes in leadership development, organizational transformation, and strategic execution.

In his federal government leadership role, he provides enterprise-level oversight, supports resource allocation, strengthens workflows, and translates organizational strategy into measurable action.

His leadership foundation was shaped by 23 years of service in the United States Army. At Code Red, he helps schools build stronger systems, clearer communication, and accountable structures that make safety a sustainable organizational capability.

Paul began his career with the Lafayette Sheriff’s Department in 1992 before joining the Louisiana State Police in 1994. He served on the State Police SWAT team and worked across patrol, investigations, narcotics, protective services, and detective assignments involving officer-involved shootings.

As a Louisiana State Police Training Academy drill instructor and certified trainer, he trained personnel in physical fitness, defensive tactics, driving, officer survival, and firearms. After retiring from State Police in 2018, he continued his public service through dignitary protection with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office and later led 27 agents as director of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control enforcement division.

In 2020, Paul returned to Louisiana State Police to lead a statewide school safety grant initiative. He now oversees the School Physical Assessment process for more than 1,650 Louisiana schools, bringing Code Red practitioner-based expertise in large-scale assessments, readiness evaluation, safety planning, and violence prevention.

Chief Hughes is a law enforcement executive and campus public safety leader from Nashville, Georgia. He holds a doctorate from Middle Georgia State University and is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College.

Throughout his career, he has led police operations, emergency management, and critical incident response in both municipal and campus environments.

He also served for five years as Dean of the School of Public Safety and director of a regional Law Enforcement Academy, where he successfully increased enrollment and strengthened partnerships with law enforcement agencies.

At Code Red, Chief Hughes helps advance innovative, technology-driven public safety strategies while fostering professionalism, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement to protect students, employees, and the communities they serve.