Michael J. McMains earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Since 1982, he has worked as the mental health consultant on over 500 crisis/hostage cases while attached to the special operations unit/crisis negotiations teams of the San Antonio Police Department and the Bexar County Sheriff's Office in Texas. He served as associate editor of the Journal of Police Crisis Negotiation, an international journal; has written multiple articles on crisis negotiations; developed hostage negotiation curriculum for the U.S. State Department; has written for international publication; and taught crisis negotiations locally, nationally and internationally.

Wayman C. Mullins received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Arkansas. Since 1984, he has been a faculty member in the School of Criminal Justice, Texas State University, where he is a full professor. He is also a commissioned law enforcement officer and a member of the Hays County SO/San Marcos PD Crisis Negotiation Team. Dr. Mullins has been involved in negotiations as a team member, trainer, lecturer, and writer for over 35 years.

Andrew T. Young received his Ed.D. in counselor education from Texas Tech University. Since 1996, he has been a full professor of psychology and counseling at Lubbock Christian University. He has been a hostage (crisis) negotiator and psychological consultant with the Lubbock Police Department's SWAT team since 2000, with the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office since 2008, and with the Texas Department of Public Safety (Region 5) since 2015. He has published research and lectures nationally on negotiating and crisis intervention, and has also written "Fight or Flight: Negotiating Crisis on the Frontline".