John D. Wintersteen
Director of Public Safety Programs
The Williams Institute for Ethics and Management
Since October, 2009, John D.Wintersteen has been the director of TWI’s Public Safety Programs, developing and conducting ethics, leadership and communication training programs, as well as agency assessment and consulting. John is passionate about offering innovative and interactive programs that are relevant to today’s Public Safety needs and that provide practical and applicable skills, tools and information for improving professional effectiveness.
John’s work with TWI continues a successful professional life that has been dedicated to serving his community and country. He was Chief of Police for the Town of Paradise Valley for 13 years. He continued to serve as the Town's Director of Public Safety until June 30, 2009, overseeing the construction of two fire stations, fire and ambulance operations, emergency management and other functions, as well as continuing to serve as Town Marshal. In 1994, John retired from the United States Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel. Mid career, John was assigned a senior management role at the U.S. Army maximum security prison, where he also served as president of the institution's Parole and Clemency Board. He culminated a 29-year career with a four year assignment as Head, Security Branch, Operations Division, Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters Marine Corps, in Washington, DC, heading up all Marine Corps related law enforcement and security operations throughout the world. Besides serving as a Marine and a peace officer, he has also been a working journalist, as a photographer, reporter and editor, for two daily newspapers.
John is active in a variety of professional organizations, chairing or serving on committees at both the state and national level. John served as the both Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police and the U.S. Attorney Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee Training Chairman for many years. From 2007 to 2009, he served as a member of the steering committee of the International Associations of Chiefs of Police combat veterans project. John is also a lifelong volunteer in youth programs, including the Boy Scouts of America, where he is presently a member of the Executive Board of Grand Canyon Council. He has also been heavily involved in Red Cross, Girl Scouts, Rotary, and Special Olympics youth programs.
John received a B.A. from Thiel College in Pennsylvania and an M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. He is a l983 graduate of the FBI National Academy.