About Us

Our Story
Established in 2023, Videre was founded with a clear purpose: to be the premier provider of personal safety and security training, equipping individuals and organizations with the knowledge, skills, and mindset they need to navigate an increasingly unpredictable world. Our name, derived from Latin, means “to see, observe, and know.” It embodies our mission to empower our clients to see beyond the surface, understand their surroundings deeply, and act with confidence and capability.

Videre’s roots are in the real-world experience of our founders and instructors, who are leaders in personal safety education. We are a collective of experts with extensive backgrounds in national security, law enforcement, intelligence, emergency response, special operations, and corporate safety. Our curriculum reflects our deep commitment to innovation and excellence, blending traditional security techniques with cutting-edge training programs that are dynamic, adaptable, and transformative.
(OR) Our curriculum reflects our vast experience for which we have developed a simplistic and practical, yet detailed and innovative, approach to personal security training.

Our mission is simple yet profound: to enhance the safety and security of individuals, families, and organizations across the globe. We do this by delivering world-class training that instills a deep sense of awareness, empowering participants to become initiative-taking and resilient in the face of potential threats. Safety, for us, is not just a set of skills; it is a mindset, a lifestyle, and a journey of personal growth.

We aim to transform our clients into vigilant, informed, and self-assured individuals who are alert, aware, calm, and relaxed in unfamiliar environments, enabling them to face any situation with poise and determination. By cultivating this level of preparedness, we equip our clients not only to protect themselves but to shape their environments into safer, more secure spaces for everyone.

At Videre, we believe that safety is holistic. It encompasses the mental, physical, and digital aspects of our lives. Our training programs are designed to address all these dimensions comprehensively, providing clients with a well-rounded understanding of how to stay secure in every context—from daily routines to high-risk environments.

Our philosophy centers on making safety an integrated part of life. We do not just teach personal security tactics; we help our clients develop situational awareness into “Informed Awareness.” Having a better understanding of your probable threats and developing a plan to deal with them means knowing what to look for, understanding how to interpret the signals around you, and making informed decisions that enhance your safety and the safety of those around you.

MEET OUR TEAM

Our instructors bring real-world experience from federal agencies, national defense, and private security sectors, offering invaluable insights to make our curriculum highly effective.

Scott McMillen

Founder / CEO

A retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent with decades of experience in extra-territorial investigations worldwide, combined with prior experience as a police officer, US Customs Inspector, Federal Air Marshall and Army Non-Commissioned Officer, Mr. McMillen served as a senior instructor and program manager for the FBI’s highly regarded Overseas Survival Awareness Program. A consummate professional and expert instructor, Mr. McMillen excels in building curriculum and outstanding teams of dedicated and subject matter experts you can rely on to provide firsthand expert instruction in personal security.

Eric Velez-Villar

Founder / COO

With a background as the former Executive Deputy Director of the FBI and VP for Global Security at Disney, Eric brings unparalleled insights into security challenges and solutions. As a national security expert, his leadership has been recognized at the highest levels, earning him the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal. Named one of Security Magazine's 2023 Most Influential People in Security, Eric is a visionary leader with deep expertise and extensive government connections. As CEO and Founder of NtelSec Inc., a SaaS startup based in Reston, VA, Eric drove innovation in the national security information-sharing space. Eric’s achievements and transformative leadership have shaped national security, positioning him as a trusted authority in the field.

Dean Anderson

Executive Director, Awareness and Counterthreat Training

Dean brings over 30 years of experience in Operations and Intelligence disciplines as an operator, planner, leader, and instructor. Dean provides Personnel Recovery Operations Management and Intelligence Analysis support to the US Marshals Service Global Threat Awareness Program office. Dean is a primary instructor for the program’s overseas preparation course in the fields of Personnel Recovery, Situational Awareness, Operational Planning, Risk Management, Defensive Tactics, Performance Driving, Foreign Weapons, and Escaping Capture. Dean is a retired US Army officer with over 20 years of experience and is a certified High Threat Dignitary Protection Specialist.

Anthony Colantoni

Executive Director, Medical Readiness Group

Anthony holds 38 years as a EMT-Paramedic and 36 years as a Registered Nurse working in the Trauma Intensive Care and Emergency Department. He has been a MedEvac Flight Nurse/Chief Flight Nurse and Clinical Instructor for a Nursing Degree Program. As a Special Agent/Supervisory Special Agent for the FBI for more than 20 years, he was a Tactical Paramedic for SWAT and the Hostage Rescue Team. Working with TCCC, Dive , K-9, and Wilderness Medicine. He was the FBI Tactical Medical Program Manager – Tactical Section and Founder of the FBI School of Operational Medicine. In 2021 he became the Founder/Owner/COO of the Medical Readiness Group, which is a licensed Virginia ALS EMS Agency. He is a credentialled instructor for the Training Center and for Federal Contracts.

Matt Godfrey

Executive Director, Training

A former FBI Supervisory Special Agent and Army Green Beret, Matt is currently a senior instructor with the FBI’s Overseas Survival Awareness Program. An outstanding instructor, crisis response and risk management leader, Matt brings decades of experience in risk mitigation, crisis response, and operational excellence having served in the FBI elite Hostage Rescue Team with numerous operational deployments for the FBI and US Army Special Operations.

Christopher "Chuck" Savickis

Executive Director, Training Resources

Chuck Savickis is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent with 30 years of operational experience confronting and resolving the most dangerous, urgent, and complex threats arrayed against the United States both domestically and globally. Chuck is recognized throughout the US Special Operations community as an expert practitioner of both foreign and domestic Counter Terrorism and High-Risk Law Enforcement Operations. Chuck is a 17-year Veteran Operator of the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) and served 5 years as a US Navy SEAL. He is a highly sought after Tactical Instructor who advises and trains US DoD, Federal, State, City and Local Units on individual and organizational best practices to optimize their operational effectiveness.

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Whether you’re an individual, a family, or a corporate team,
we have a tailored solution to meet your safety and security needs.