26-year FBI veteran Mark Shafer appointed Lipscomb University campus security chief
Kim Chaudoin |
Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Mark Shafer has been appointed Lipscomb University’s chief of campus security.
Later this month, Shafer will retire from the FBI after a 26-year career. He will begin his work with Lipscomb on Sept. 8.
“The safety and security of our students and the entire Lipscomb community is a top priority,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “His expertise in multiple facets of security, identifying and mitigating risk, and proactive response planning and execution of complex security initiatives along with his commitment to Lipscomb’s mission make Mark uniquely qualified to lead this office and will help us continue to expand our focus on this vitally important aspect of our community.”
Mark Shafer
Shafer began his FBI career in 1998 in the Miami field office, where he served as a special agent. During his tenure with the bureau, he was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., and was later assigned as a special agent to the Nashville Division, Nashville Resident Agency, a role that he held for 15 years. Following that assignment, Shafer served as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Office of Congressional Affairs in Washington, D.C. In this role, he served as a liaison to Congress, particularly to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has direct oversight of FBI operations. Shafer succeeds Jeff Dale, who left his post at Lipscomb this summer as he was appointed executive director of the new Multi-Agency Law Enforcement Training Academy envisioned by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee.
“It is an honor to join the Lipscomb community in this capacity, and I am drawn to it because of its Christ-centered mission and the impact it has on the lives of its students,” said Shafer. “I am eager to join the team of dedicated security professionals already engaged in this great responsibility and to continue the great work of my predecessor. I look forward to drawing upon my law enforcement training and collaborating with the faculty, staff, students and parents as we focus on our service-oriented mission to safeguard the Lipscomb community.”
Shafer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law. He is an active member of the Tennessee Bar Association and is a Certified Legal Advisor for the FBI.