Our Background
The Digital Haven Project (DHP) was founded by Ken Tisdel and Kris Carlson, two former founding members and supervisors of multiple law enforcement computer crime units throughout the US.
During their tenure, Ken and Kris led task forces that achieved the highest numbers of arrests and convictions nationwide.
After retiring from successful law enforcement careers, Ken and Kris transitioned their investigative expertise to the private sector, focusing on digital forensic investigations and electronic discovery for civil litigation. Their work involved identifying and preserving critical evidence, tracing the misuse of proprietary assets, and collaborating with legal teams to build strong, defensible cases. Drawing on their law enforcement background, they combined forensic precision with legal insight to help businesses protect their intellectual property and maintain their competitive edge.
Alarmed by the surge in Child Exploitation cases—over 32 million reports per year, with only 10,800 arrests in 2023—Ken and Kris founded The DHP to leverage their expertise, and that of their former colleagues, to reverse this trend.
Ken Tisdel
CEO & Co-Founder
Ken is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Digital Haven Project. He brings over twenty-five years of experience in technical, forensic, and specialty investigations, with eighteen years specifically dedicated to complex and sensitive computer forensic investigations. He founded the DHP with the mission to leverage retired computer crimes detectives and special agents, funded by private donations, to bring justice to the most vulnerable left behind by limited government resources.
After serving as an Air Force KC-135 Combat Crew Member during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Ken worked full-time as a Certified Police Officer and Detective for over a decade. He was assigned to the Northern New England Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the Vermont Internet Crimes Task Force (VTICTF), where he played an active role in the units achieving the highest number of arrests of online child predators in the nation. In these roles, he collaborated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate computer and internet-based crimes against children, as well as anti-terrorism efforts post-9/11.
In the early 2000’s Ken arrested a predator with over 1,000,000 individual, unique, exploitative images of children that the predator had created from his access to students and their siblings over multiple years working as a grade school teacher. That predator’s collection eclipsed the total number of child pornography images on the internet at the time. This chilling discovery further ignited Ken’s lifetime commitment to help put predators like that behind bars.
In 2005, Ken left his role in law enforcement to start a company focused on complex computer investigations in civil litigation, primarily around Intellectual Property theft and Trade Secret misappropriation. Since then, Ken has observed the ever-increasing number of online crimes against children rising at a rapid and continuous pace, while the arrests and convictions failed to increase equally with the trend.
Kris Carlson
VP & Co-Founder
Kris, currently serving as the VP & Co-Founder of the Digital Haven Project boasts an impressive 26-year career in civil and criminal investigations, digital forensics, and high-tech computer and internet investigations.
Before transitioning to civil work, Kris had a distinguished law enforcement career. Starting in 1999, he joined the Northern New England Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), one of the first ten ICAC task forces established by the United States Department of Justice. During his tenure with ICAC, Kris received extensive training in computer forensics, undercover operations, and complex technical investigations. He was subsequently promoted to Detective and served with the county-wide Special Victims Unit (SVU) task force in the state’s largest county, leading investigations into sexually based offenses, sexually motivated homicides, serious child abuse, and child fatalities.
Kris advanced to the position of Detective Sergeant and became the Director of the SVU, overseeing all operations and investigations. Additionally, he served as a supervisor for the statewide Vermont ICAC task force. Later, as Detective Lieutenant, Kris resumed his role as Director of the SVU and was appointed Vermont ICAC Commander, assuming full operational oversight of the statewide task force and its affiliates for over six years.
Kris was a primary instructor for the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council for over 13 years and a trainer for the national ICAC Technical Assistance and Training Program, among other national programs. He has presented to and trained thousands of law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and civilian support staff across the United States and Canada on topics including technical investigations, sexual assault/abuse investigations, interview and interrogation, and mental health wellness. Kris has also testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee regarding ICAC task force operations.
He is one of the founding members and a primary presenter for the SHIFT (Supporting Heroes in Mental Health Foundational Training) program, focused on the wellness of those exposed to traumatic materials.
In his role as Vice President of the Digital Haven Project, Kris leverages his vast experience with ICAC to lead initiatives aimed at combating child exploitation. His leadership and expertise are critical to the DHP’s mission of protecting vulnerable populations and ensuring justice.
Kris Carlson
VP & Co-Founder
Kris, currently serving as the VP & Co-Founder of the Digital Haven Project boasts an impressive 26-year career in civil and criminal investigations, digital forensics, and high-tech computer and internet investigations.
Before transitioning to civil work, Kris had a distinguished law enforcement career. Starting in 1999, he joined the Northern New England Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), one of the first ten ICAC task forces established by the United States Department of Justice. During his tenure with ICAC, Kris received extensive training in computer forensics, undercover operations, and complex technical investigations. He was subsequently promoted to Detective and served with the county-wide Special Victims Unit (SVU) task force in the state’s largest county, leading investigations into sexually based offenses, sexually motivated homicides, serious child abuse, and child fatalities.
Kris advanced to the position of Detective Sergeant and became the Director of the SVU, overseeing all operations and investigations. Additionally, he served as a supervisor for the statewide Vermont ICAC task force. Later, as Detective Lieutenant, Kris resumed his role as Director of the SVU and was appointed Vermont ICAC Commander, assuming full operational oversight of the statewide task force and its affiliates for over six years.
Kris was a primary instructor for the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council for over 13 years and a trainer for the national ICAC Technical Assistance and Training Program, among other national programs. He has presented to and trained thousands of law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and civilian support staff across the United States and Canada on topics including technical investigations, sexual assault/abuse investigations, interview and interrogation, and mental health wellness. Kris has also testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee regarding ICAC task force operations.
He is one of the founding members and a primary presenter for the SHIFT (Supporting Heroes in Mental Health Foundational Training) program, focused on the wellness of those exposed to traumatic materials.
In his role as Vice President of the Digital Haven Project, Kris leverages his vast experience with ICAC to lead initiatives aimed at combating child exploitation. His leadership and expertise are critical to the DHP’s mission of protecting vulnerable populations and ensuring justice.