FREE | BRMAC Special Event: Preventing Targeted Violence & Extremism in Our Communities

Event Description

The Buckley Regional Military Affairs Council (BRMAC) invites community, military, education, business, and civic leaders to attend a FREE special event focused on preventing targeted violence and extremism in our communities.

This BRMAC Special Event is hosted in partnership with the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (CELL) and will feature Dr. William Braniff, a nationally recognized expert on terrorism prevention, polarization, and targeted violence.

Dr. Braniff is the Director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University, where he leads cutting-edge research and programming to prevent violent extremism, targeted violence, and the drivers of polarization in American society. Braniff most recently served as the Director of the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In that role, he was responsible for advancing the federal government’s efforts to prevent acts of targeted violence and terrorism through community-based partnerships and evidence-informed public health approaches. Under his leadership, CP3 expanded its engagement with civil society, improved coordination across government, and implemented innovative violence prevention strategies across the country.

Prior to his federal leadership at DHS, Braniff served as the Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) and as a Professor of the Practice at the University of Maryland, where he led major federally funded research initiatives and helped train a new generation of counterterrorism scholars and practitioners. Earlier in his career, Braniff was the Director of Practitioner Education at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) and an instructor in the Department of Social Sciences. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as a Company Commander in the U.S. Army. He later earned a master’s degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and served as a foreign affairs specialist for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

The program will be structured as a moderated discussion followed by audience Q&A, offering participants the opportunity to engage thoughtfully on how targeted violence develops, why prevention must occur before incidents happen, and what roles institutions and community leaders can play in strengthening awareness and resilience.

The event will begin with self-guided tours of the CELL facility, providing insight into CELL’s mission, research, and educational approach, followed by the moderated discussion.

This is a nonpartisan, educational event intended to inform, not advocate, and to support constructive dialogue across military, civic, education, business, and community sectors.

Event Schedule

• 10:00 – 11:00 AM: Self-guided tours of the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (CELL)

• 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Moderated discussion and audience Q&A

Event Details

📅 Thursday, February 12, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (CELL)
99 W 12th Ave
Denver, CO 80204
💲 Cost: FREE (advance registration required)

Who Should Attend

• Military personnel (recommend civilian clothes)

• Local government and public safety professionals

• Education and workforce leaders

• Nonprofit and community organization leaders

• Business and civic leaders interested in community resilience and prevention

Registration Note

Advance registration is required. Attendance is limited due to space constraints.