Get to know us…

The Verity Group team brings a rare and powerful blend of experience to the teaching of negotiation — forged through decades in law enforcement and refined through years of high‑level success in real estate. Their work is grounded in a simple belief: the most effective negotiators are the ones who understand people, stay steady under pressure, and communicate with clarity and compassion.

Together, they have built a reputation for excellence rooted not in scripts or tactics, but in human connection.

Marcella Oakley: Coach at The Verity Accord, Retired Detective and Hostage Negotiator, Advocate, Realtor.

Marcella began her law enforcement career in her early twenties, serving 14 years in law enforcement. She specialized as an SVU detective and hostage negotiator in Northern Virginia. She was mentored by Derek Gaunt, one of the most respected voices in modern hostage negotiation — a relationship that shaped her approach to listening, emotional intelligence, and trust‑building in moments where the stakes could not be higher.

As a trained forensic interviewer specializing in crimes against children, Marcella learned to navigate some of the most complex human dynamics imaginable. Her work required deep empathy, disciplined communication, and the ability to stay grounded in situations where every word mattered. These skills became the foundation of her approach to negotiation and leadership.

In 2013, Marcella transitioned into real estate, bringing with her the same steady presence and human‑centered communication style that defined her law enforcement career. She is a team lead on The Oakley Group. She quickly became known for guiding clients through life‑changing decisions with clarity, confidence, and care. Her expertise later led her to coach with The Black Swan Group, where she trained professionals across industries in advanced negotiation under pressure. She now equips real estate professionals with hostage negotiation strategies designed to build trust and strengthen outcomes at the negotiation table through The Verity Accord.

Will Oakley: Coach at the Verity Accord, Lead of a Northern Virginia Real Estate Team, Investigator, Strategic Communicator & Coach

Will served 28 years in law enforcement, including time in street-level narcotics and as a homicide detective and as President of the Police Union. Over the course of his career, he worked several high‑profile cases across Northern Virginia and frequently trained in advanced interview and interrogation  techniques, including kinesic interviewing, a discipline focused on understanding a person's non verbal behavior and body language, among other indicia of truth or deception.  Will also studied statement analysis as applied to both written and verbal communications. 

Will’s work required navigating crisis, conflict, and emotionally charged conversations with precision and integrity. He is a team lead of The Oakley Group and coaches and trains agents through The Verity Accord. His leadership style is thoughtful, measured, and grounded in a deep respect for people — qualities that continue to shape his approach to negotiation and coaching today.

Barbara Thomas, Coach at The Verity Accord, USAF Veteran, retired Detective and former Hostage Negotiator with the San Antonio Police Department, Coach and Trainer

Barbara Thomas brings a rare blend of service, skill, and entrepreneurial spirit to every room she enters. A United States Air Force veteran, retired Detective, and former Hostage Negotiator with the San Antonio Police Department, Barbara has spent her career at the intersection of communication, crisis leadership, and human behavior.

During her years with SAPD, Barbara served in some of the most demanding and emotionally complex roles in law enforcement. As a Hostage Negotiator, she learned to navigate high‑stakes conversations where clarity, empathy, and precision were non‑negotiable. Her work required deep emotional intelligence, the ability to build trust under pressure, and a calm, strategic presence in moments when outcomes truly mattered.

Barbara later brought her expertise to The Black Swan Group, where she coached professionals across industries in advanced negotiation techniques. Her teaching style is grounded, practical, and deeply human — shaped by real‑world experience rather than theory. She has helped leaders, teams, and organizations learn how to communicate with intention, uncover hidden dynamics, and influence outcomes through connection rather than force.

Today, Barbara is an entrepreneur and small‑business owner, running Pandora’s Bookstore and Coffee Bar in San Antonio, Texas — a community‑centered space that reflects her love of learning, conversation, and connection. Her transition from law enforcement to business ownership is a testament to her adaptability, creativity, and commitment to building spaces where people feel seen and supported.

A native Californian now proudly rooted in San Antonio, Barbara holds an M.A. in Counseling from Texas A&M University–San Antonio. Her academic background in counseling complements her negotiation and crisis‑communication experience, giving her a uniquely holistic understanding of human behavior, motivation, and interpersonal dynamics.

Whether she is coaching, teaching, or serving her community through her business, Barbara brings the same values that have guided her throughout her career: service, integrity, curiosity, and a deep belief in the power of communication to change outcomes — and lives. She now enjoys creating content, coaching and teaching realtors for The Verity Accord.

Elia Alfono, Coach, The Verity Accord — Patrol Lieutenant and Crisis Negotiation Team Commander

Born and raised in New Jersey, Elia built a career around service, leadership, and helping others perform their best under pressure. After relocating to Virginia in 1999, Elia entered law enforcement — a career now spanning more than two decades and continuing today in an active leadership role as Patrol Lieutenant.Throughout that career, Elia has developed specialized expertise in use-of-force analysis, officer performance, crisis response, and leadership development. Recognized as a Subject Matter Expert in Useof Force and certified as a Force Science Analyst, Elia applies evidence-based principles to training, incident review, decision-making, and operational performance.

Crisis communication and human behavior have remained central to the work. Elia has served on a Crisis Negotiation Team since 2006 and has led that team since 2016, guiding complex incidents that require communication, emotional intelligence, tactical coordination, and calm leadership under pressure.Beyond operational assignments, Elia’s experience includes incident management across multiple certification levels, organizational leadership, and recruiting, retention, and hiring initiatives — with significant time dedicated to developing people and strengthening teams through training, mentorship, and strategic personnel development.

Outside of law enforcement, Elia is deeply committed to personal growth and performance, holding a Life Coaching certification and maintaining a strong passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as an extension of discipline, resilience, leadership, and continuous improvement. Elia also speaks multiple languages and values the ability to connect across cultures and communities. Across every role — from patrol operations and crisis negotiation to coaching and mentorship — the focus remains the same: leading with competence, developing others, and bringing steady decision-making to environments where people need it most.