As an internationally recognized, FBI-trained crisis negotiator and mental health advocate, Kevin Briggs has shared his compelling story and personal experience on some of the world’s most respected platforms. His work has been featured in a TED Talk at the 2014 Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED) Conference, as well as on NBC’s Access Live, Yahoo News, The New Yorker, Men’s Health, NPR’s Bob Edwards Radio Show, People Magazine, USA Today, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and numerous other outlets worldwide. His first book, Guardian of the Golden Gate, was released in July 2015.
A retired California Highway Patrol sergeant, Briggs spent many years patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, where he encountered individuals in profound emotional distress who were contemplating suicide. Through compassion, patience, and his philosophy of “Listen to Understand,” he helped guide several hundred people away from taking their lives and toward the possibility of a new beginning. These extraordinary efforts earned him the enduring nickname, “Guardian of the Golden Gate.”
Briggs served three years in the United States Army, three years with the California Department of Corrections, and 23 years with the California Highway Patrol. Since retiring from the CHP, he has dedicated his life to promoting mental health awareness, resilience, and hope worldwide. His personal journey includes surviving child abuse, battling cancer at age 20, undergoing heart surgery, and coping as a suicide loss survivor. He openly shares how faith, resilience, and post-traumatic growth have played a vital role in navigating life’s most difficult challenges