We were lucky to catch up with Kate Califano recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kate, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
In 2020, our lives changed forever.
My husband Eric was involved in a near-fatal crash while serving as an active Pennsylvania State Trooper. The aftermath was brutal. Recovery wasn’t just physical; it touched every part of our lives, our relationship, and our perspective on what really matters.
Years later, as his healing progressed, we found Brazilian Jiu Jitsu through the Adopt A Cop BJJ program. What started as a slow, structured return to movement became something more — a source of empowerment, discipline, and emotional strength. We saw firsthand how powerful BJJ could be, especially for first responders carrying invisible burdens. That’s when we knew: more people needed access to this program.
That’s what inspired Seminar Stack.
At Seminar Stack, our mission is to build stronger, safer communities through skill-sharing, connecting first responders with resources for continued training, promoting health and wellness, and creating space for purpose-driven growth.
But it’s more than a mission statement — it’s personal.
Seminar Stack was born out of real experiences that happens on the mats, in the streets, and in the lives of those who shoulder the weight of service. We bring together law enforcement, military veterans, first responders, and everyday people who want to be prepared — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally — for the real world.
This isn’t just about technique. It’s about resilience, leadership, and community.
We’ve seen what happens when officers are under-supported, departments lack funding, people feel isolated, or adversity hits and there’s not enough training to fall back on. We wanted to create something real — not a checkbox or conference, but a transformative event where people train together, learn from each other, and walk away stronger, more informed, and supported.
That’s why we proudly support nonprofits like Adopt A Cop BJJ and the WeDefy Foundation. We partner with leading training organizations like Invictus LEO, Officer Survival Series, C4C PJJ, and more. Our mission goes far beyond the seminars itself. It’s about access. It’s about advocacy. It’s about equipping those who serve — and the communities they protect — with the tools to survive, thrive, and lead with purpose.
Seminar Stack is how we give back. It’s how we heal. And it’s how we fight for something bigger than ourselves.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m Kate Califano — founder of Seminar Stack, partner at Sozoaid LLC, and someone who’s navigated profound personal change to find strength and purpose through service.
Back in 2020, Eric and I were just dating when life hit us hard. Eric, an active Pennsylvania State Trooper, was involved in a near-fatal crash while on duty. That single incident changed everything. His physical recovery — ongoing, long, and complex — reshaped our relationship and forced us to reevaluate what truly mattered. There were highs and lows, but most of all, there was transformation — especially in how we viewed purpose, healing, and service.
The truth is, Eric is the reason Seminar Stack exists. His relentless commitment to his job and his fellow officers — even in the face of pain, and uncertainty — has been the heart of this entire movement. Watching him fight his way back physically and mentally gave me a front-row seat to what resilience looks like. Through all of it, his passion for law enforcement never wavered. If anything, it deepened. He doesn’t just want to get back to work — he wants to give back, to lead, and to find a way to support others who walk the same hard road.
As part of his healing, we found Brazilian Jiu Jitsu through the Adopt A Cop BJJ program. What started as a structured way for Eric to rebuild strength became a powerful tool for both of us — not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. It has given us connection, purpose, and community at a time when we needed it most. Seeing firsthand how it’s helped Eric — and experiencing its benefits myself — made us realize how many others could benefit the same way.
We initially just wanted to donate to the nonprofit that helped us start this journey. But we quickly realized one small check wouldn’t go far. Organizing something bigger — a fundraiser, a seminar, a gathering — could bring people together and actually make an impact. That’s where the idea for Seminar Stack was born.
Since that first spark, Eric has been at the center of it all — helping shape the event with his experience, insight, and unwavering belief in what it could be. His drive to make a difference for law enforcement, his perspective from living through the worst, and his desire to create real change is fueling our growth.
Seminar Stack is a one-day, high-impact charity event that blends tactical training, wellness, leadership, and purpose. It’s designed not just to sharpen skills, but to strengthen lives — for first responders, veterans, civilians, and anyone who wants to be more prepared and more grounded.
We offer a range of experiences throughout the event, including paid seminars and workshops led by elite instructors, a free community wellness series, and hands-on defensive tactics and Jiu Jitsu sessions tailored for first responders and those passionate about growth and martial arts. We focus heavily on health and wellness — not just for peak performance, but for longevity and quality of life in high-stress careers. Leadership development, mindset coaching, and access to resources are all integrated, ensuring every attendee walks away with something that can immediately make a difference.
We’re proud to collaborate with organizations like Adopt A Cop BJJ, Wedefy Foundation, Invictus LEO, and others who share our mission to uplift and empower those who serve.
What sets us apart is our authenticity and our effort to improve access. We’re not a corporate-run training company — we’re a grassroots movement built on real experiences. Attendees build their own schedules, explore new disciplines, and step into seminars they may have otherwise been too intimidated to try. It’s personal. It’s intentional. It’s designed to meet people where they are and help them leave stronger.
I’m incredibly proud of how this work has grown, and even more proud of the man who inspired it. Eric’s strength, humility, and love for his community are the foundation of Seminar Stack. We’ve seen our event give people tools to navigate hard seasons, and build bridges between agencies, disciplines, and lives.
At its core, Seminar Stack is more than just an event. It’s a movement — one rooted in service, resilience, and the belief that healing and leadership go hand in hand.
Whether you’re stepping onto the mat, wearing the badge, or simply believe in the power of community and connection — we’d be honored to have you join us. See you on the mats.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
April 24, 2020 — everything changed. Eric, now my husband, was an active-duty Pennsylvania State Trooper when he was involved in a serious crash while responding to a call. At 6:00 AM, he was dispatched to a vehicle accident on I-81. After arriving on scene, Eric exited his patrol car to check on a truck that had crashed into the left lane median. Once the truck was cleared, he returned to his cruiser to begin coordinating the appropriate emergency response teams.
In that brief moment, his cruiser was violently struck from behind by a vehicle traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour. The rear end of his cruiser was crushed, and because Eric was unrestrained, he was launched forward into the dashboard. He sustained severe, life altering injuries including serious head trauma, a torn shoulder, multiple lacerations to his face, over 100 stitches to his scalp, a broken eye socket, concussion, and severe whiplash.
I received a call that he was at the hospital and that I should come down immediately. Navigating this was made even more challenging due to COVID-19 restrictions—no visitors were allowed. Eric was released less than six hours later, without even having the residual blood cleaned off him. When I arrived, I found him sitting outside the hospital in a wheelchair, attended by his supervisor.
Eric survived, but not without significant trauma. His injuries were extensive and included broken bones, internal damage, and a traumatic brain injury that continues to affect his balance, cognition, vision and mood. The recovery has been slow, painful, and ongoing. But what many don’t see is how deeply an injury like this changes a person — not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. For Eric, it wasn’t simply about returning to work. It was about reclaiming his identity. When your job is your calling, your community, your pride—and suddenly it’s taken away—the impact is profound.
As someone watching from the outside, I’ve had to navigate not only his pain and frustration but the complete upheaval of our daily lives. We were just dating at the time, but that crash pushed our relationship into uncharted territory almost overnight. We faced a choice: fold under the weight of it all, or find a way forward — together.
We chose forward.
That journey led us to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, something neither of us had ever tried before. We discovered Adopt A Cop BJJ, and Eric and I began training at a local academy. Initially, it was simply a way to slowly rebuild strength and regain movement. But over time, it became so much more—a place to quiet the chaos, rebuild confidence, and reconnect with community. BJJ didn’t fix everything, but it gave us a new way to fight back. It became a vital tool for resilience, recovery, and reconnection.
That slow, messy, and real process of healing inspired us to create Seminar Stack.
Eric’s story is one of grit, humility, and unwavering service. Even after all he’s been through, his commitment to law enforcement and helping others has only grown stronger. It’s because of his daily resilience — his quiet strength in the face of hardship — that Seminar Stack exists. His story is the foundation of everything we do.
Resilience isn’t always loud. Often, it’s found in the quiet decisions — the choice to keep showing up, to keep pushing forward, even when no one sees the battle. That’s the kind of strength we hope to share through our work.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy for growing our clientele has been a combination of authenticity, persistence, and collaboration — and being willing to ask for help when we need it.
We’ve been fortunate to share our story on several podcasts, which has been a powerful platform for reaching people who resonate with our mission. Putting ourselves out there in honest, raw conversations has helped us connect with others who share our values and want to support what we’re building.
Beyond podcasts, we actively pursue opportunities to engage directly with our community. That means attending seminars, messaging people on social media, and reaching out to organizations aligned with our purpose. We focus on collaboration rather than competition, building relationships with those who share the same mission.
One key lesson we’ve learned is not to grow too fast simply for “fame” or recognition. True growth happens when your mission is your North Star — when you genuinely believe in what you’re doing and work tirelessly toward that vision. If you stay mission-focused and put in the work, the growth and recognition will naturally follow.
In short, honesty, hard work, and building authentic connections have been the backbone of our growth strategy — and that’s what continues to fuel Seminar Stack’s momentum.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seminarstack.com
- Instagram: @seminarstack
- Facebook: Seminar Stack
- Linkedin: Kate Califano
- Other: @bidsgonebjj
@califanokate
