Our Founder

Mark G. Childers, Founder and Principal of Defend 13, brings more than 26 years of federal law enforcement and executive security leadership to the firm.

Before founding Defend 13, Mark served as the Associate Vice President and Chief Safety and Security Executive at Baylor University, where he oversaw the Department of Public Safety. His leadership encompassed all operational law enforcement, safety, and security divisions — including the Police Department, Physical & Technical Security, Emergency Management, and Global Safety & Research Security.

Credentials

• Master of Criminal Justice, Boston University

• Certified Master Peace Officer, State of Texas

Federal Law Enforcement Experience

Mark’s distinguished career includes service as both a Deputy U.S. Marshal and a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service:

• U.S. Marshals Service (Miami, Houston, Dallas):
  Conducted high-threat operations within the Special Operations Group (SOG), safeguarded the federal judiciary, supported the Witness Protection Program, and provided international counter-terrorism training through the U.S. State Department’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program (ATA) and International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in El Salvador.

• U.S. Secret Service (1996–2014):
  Served in Dallas, Washington D.C., Crawford, and Waco, leading protective operations for U.S. Presidents and foreign dignitaries, including President George W. Bush.
  As Team Leader for the Counter Assault Team (CAT), he provided tactical operational support to the Presidential Protective Division.
  Later, as Training Coordinator for Protective Detail Training (PDT), Mark prepared presidential candidate protective details for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign.

After retiring as a Supervisory Special Agent in 2014, Mark continues to apply his operational expertise to support clients in strengthening safety, preparedness, and resilience.

Who We Are

Defend 13, LLC specializes in providing strategic advisory security services designed to enhance resilience for individuals, universities, and organizations.
Our comprehensive portfolio includes expertise in counter-threat mitigation, executive protection consulting, and risk management strategies — all grounded in a proactive, intelligence-driven approach to security.