Vision
Established in 2011, under the ownership and guidance of Shannon Stephenson, Vertical Consult LLC has formed a company of pioneers within the work at height industry. We believe our job is to be bold in guiding the rope access industry in performance, safety and efficiency. We are energized when challenged with inventing solutions to difficult access projects. Understanding that success is measured against finding the possible, not debating the probable. That's why Vertical Consult is the go-to leader for clients who demand high quality service, expertise and capability from work at height professionals.
Meet the Team
Our Associates and Instructors
Globally, we provide specialized teams of highly skilled access technicians who carry out full service solutions without the use of traditional access such as scaffolding or staging. Our group of experienced professionals are actively engaged with projects that demand advanced knowledge, skill, and abilities in the work at height industry. Our Associates and Instructors are required to have real world experience, which includes construction, fabrication, electrical, structural inspection, concrete and telecommunications. Vertical Consult can operate worldwide and our members have worked on projects throughout North America, Canada, Europe and the Middle East.
Each member of our instructional staff has over 2 decades of education and experience in safety, work at height,and emergency response professions. Many of them work with standard making organizations and equipment manufacturers to move our professions in a safe and sensible direction. The majority of AVC trainers currently serve in public safety, fire, police, military, EMS and rescue organizations.
Globally, we provide specialized teams of highly skilled access technicians who carry out full service solutions without the use of traditional access such as scaffolding or staging. Our group of experienced professionals are actively engaged with projects that demand advanced knowledge, skill, and abilities in the work at height industry. Our Associates and Instructors are required to have real world experience, which includes construction, fabrication, electrical, structural inspection, concrete and telecommunications. Vertical Consult can operate worldwide and our members have worked on projects throughout North America, Canada, Europe and the Middle East.
Each member of our instructional staff has over 2 decades of education and experience in safety, work at height,and emergency response professions. Many of them work with standard making organizations and equipment manufacturers to move our professions in a safe and sensible direction. The majority of AVC trainers currently serve in public safety, fire, police, military, EMS and rescue organizations.
Owner/ CEO
Shannon Stephenson, a Chattanooga native, received her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Tennessee Wesleyan University, followed by her MBA from Lincoln Memorial University. She is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Tennessee and a doctoral candidate at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Shannon spent almost a decade of service as a volunteer firefighter in East Tennessee and Northwest Georgia where she was credentialed in Confined Space, Advanced Extrication, Firefighter 2 and Certified Disaster USAR Canine handler. She has since achieved certifications as a Level 1 Rope Access Technician, a Communication Tower Climber and National Cave Rescue Commission Level 1.
Shannon Stephenson, a Chattanooga native, received her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Tennessee Wesleyan University, followed by her MBA from Lincoln Memorial University. She is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Tennessee and a doctoral candidate at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Shannon spent almost a decade of service as a volunteer firefighter in East Tennessee and Northwest Georgia where she was credentialed in Confined Space, Advanced Extrication, Firefighter 2 and Certified Disaster USAR Canine handler. She has since achieved certifications as a Level 1 Rope Access Technician, a Communication Tower Climber and National Cave Rescue Commission Level 1.
Senior Project Manager & Lead Trainer
Doug Stephenson Doug Stephenson joined the fire service in 1991. Throughout his career he served urban, suburban and rural communities with paid, combination and volunteer organizations. Doug retired in 2018, having spent his professional career in metro Atlanta and Northwest Georgia, obtaining rank as a Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Chief of Operations. He has an extensive background in specialized rescue training and made significant contributions to the development and implementation of the Technical Rescuer series of classes for the State of Georgia Technical Rescue Program. Doug has numerous Pro Board certifications including Fire Instructor III, rope rescue, trench rescue, structural collapse rescue, confined space entry and rescue, cave rescue specialist and formerly as a NAEMT-Paramedic for 25 years. He was selected as a Task Force Leader in 1998 in response to the Florida wildfire disaster and again in 2005 as a search manager for the Katrina Hurricane response in New Orleans. Doug has many years of experience working at height. His credentials in the work at height industry include Telecommunications Competent Climber/Rescuer, SPRAT and IRATA Level III rope access certifications, and he is an OSHA Authorized Trainer in Construction Safety. He has performed construction, maintenance and inspection on bridges, dams, telecommunication towers, wind turbines, high-rise buildings and stadiums. As a work at height trainer, Doug was instrumental in implementing unique training concepts and practices that lead to his involvement in teaching industry professionals and emergency responders throughout North America as well as in Europe and the Middle East. From 2004-2018, Doug was selected as a principal member of a National Fire Protection Association committee where he worked to improve standards on rope rescue equipment, swiftwater and technical rescue protective ensembles. He continues to participate in several work-at-height standards committees and is often sought by rope and equipment manufacturers in research and development of new products. Since 1997, Doug has been asked to teach annually at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) hands-on training session where he is responsible for development and delivery of a variety of programs in technical rescue and fireground operations.
Doug Stephenson Doug Stephenson joined the fire service in 1991. Throughout his career he served urban, suburban and rural communities with paid, combination and volunteer organizations. Doug retired in 2018, having spent his professional career in metro Atlanta and Northwest Georgia, obtaining rank as a Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Chief of Operations. He has an extensive background in specialized rescue training and made significant contributions to the development and implementation of the Technical Rescuer series of classes for the State of Georgia Technical Rescue Program. Doug has numerous Pro Board certifications including Fire Instructor III, rope rescue, trench rescue, structural collapse rescue, confined space entry and rescue, cave rescue specialist and formerly as a NAEMT-Paramedic for 25 years. He was selected as a Task Force Leader in 1998 in response to the Florida wildfire disaster and again in 2005 as a search manager for the Katrina Hurricane response in New Orleans. Doug has many years of experience working at height. His credentials in the work at height industry include Telecommunications Competent Climber/Rescuer, SPRAT and IRATA Level III rope access certifications, and he is an OSHA Authorized Trainer in Construction Safety. He has performed construction, maintenance and inspection on bridges, dams, telecommunication towers, wind turbines, high-rise buildings and stadiums. As a work at height trainer, Doug was instrumental in implementing unique training concepts and practices that lead to his involvement in teaching industry professionals and emergency responders throughout North America as well as in Europe and the Middle East. From 2004-2018, Doug was selected as a principal member of a National Fire Protection Association committee where he worked to improve standards on rope rescue equipment, swiftwater and technical rescue protective ensembles. He continues to participate in several work-at-height standards committees and is often sought by rope and equipment manufacturers in research and development of new products. Since 1997, Doug has been asked to teach annually at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) hands-on training session where he is responsible for development and delivery of a variety of programs in technical rescue and fireground operations.