TRAINING &

CREDENTIALS

At Nicole Miller & Associates, Inc., we are passionate about continuing education and ongoing training. Our staff attends professional development events each month consisting of either internal training seminars developed by NMA staff or trainings hosted by outside organizations on important topics and matters relative to the focused investigations we conduct. We are certified and/or expertly licensed in all areas of investigative services we provide. Training courses, certifications, and ongoing education have historically been a part of what sets us apart from our competitors and makes us leading experts in our field.

Certifications

Our investigators have been trained in the Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) framework, which is a science-informed and practice-based interviewing methodology that considers how high stress and trauma impact memory, communication, and recall. This interviewing framework emphasizes techniques such as empathic listening and following the same interview methodology for all subjects of the investigation to ensure the most impartial and equitable experience for all participants while maximizing information collection.

We are a member of the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA), which offers certifications and training courses related to Title IX, which prohibits sex and gender discrimination in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. We have completed the following ATIXA courses such that we are able to operate in compliance with current Title IX regulations in a variety of roles.

Title IX Coordinator One: Foundations; Title IX Hearing Officer and Decision-Maker Training & Certification Course; Rational Writing Workshop for Decision-Makers and Investigators; Civil Rights Investigator Three: Sexual Violence/Sexual Harassment Case Processing and Resolution; Investigation Report Writing; Title IX Advisor Certification Course; Informal Resolution Level One: Foundations

All training materials for the above ATIXA courses may be found HERE

Trauma Institute International (TII) provides a wide-array of certifications in trauma treatment and services. We have participated in the following TII certification courses aimed at teaching trauma-informed principles and practices so as to provide quality service to survivors of trauma.

Certified Trauma Support Specialist (CTSS) – This training was designed to help non-clinical care professionals aid the recovery of trauma survivors.
Certified Family Trauma Professional (CFTP) – This training focused on effectively supporting and encouraging families and caregivers to participate in the trauma recovery process for children and youth.

The National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that provides training and certifications related to school and workplace safety through prevention and intervention.

Case Study Application: Using NABITA Risk Rubric – This training focuses on use of the most widely used risk rubric by K-12 behavioral intervention teams in the United States. The goal is to apply specific factors and behaviors seen in a school-aged population to assess and classify risk.

We are a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI), which is a professional membership association for those who conduct, manage or have a professional interest in workplace investigations. AWI offers publications and training courses to assist practitioners in staying at the forefront of the field of workplace investigations.

Navigating Bias, Cultural Competence and Microaggressions - This training focuses on understanding and navigating implicit biases, understanding microaggressions and how to investigate them, and increasing cultural competency in investigations, all of which are critical to the work we do as investigators.

Nicole Miller & Associates Internal Training

Our team also holds a number of internal training seminars on a variety of subject matter to keep our investigators abreast of updated regulations, revised procedures, and other advances in matters pertaining to our field of work. Some of these trainings are detailed below:

Title 5 Unlawful Discrimination Investigator Training Course – This training seminar focused on providing a definition and overview of Title 5 regulations and guidelines in pre-K-12 schools and community colleges.

Title IX Training Series – These internal trainings have covered the roles Title IX Coordinators, Investigators, Decision-makers and Advisors, as well as various topics relevant to Title IX proceedings, such as informal resolutions, report writing, hearing practices, and more.

Defining Affirmative Consent - This staff-led training focused on making legally defensible findings regarding affirmative consent.

Board Policies and Administrative Regulations in Investigations - This training focused on understanding the board policies and administrative regulations of various school districts with which we work and using them to guide investigative findings in our reports.

Conducting Background Investigations – This specialized training addressed the process and compliance/legal requirements for conducting effective background checks and pre-employment checks.

Using Lybarger Admonitions – This training seminar taught when and how to utilize Lybarger admonitions when there exists reasonable belief that allegations could result in criminal charges.

Credentials and Experience

Nicole is a Subject Matter Expert for the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). She regularly contributes to the profession of licensed private investigators and assists the BSIS in its occupational analysis and exam development process by providing knowledge and experience as a qualified manager. Nicole and her team of investigators are licensed to investigate crimes, civil complaints and misconduct; the identity of a person; the location of lost or stolen assets; the cause of losses, accidents, damage or injury; and to secure evidence for legal purposes.

In addition to the above training and credentials, NMA hosts a variety of training events for public and private agencies tailored to that organization’s specific needs.