Clark Aposhian, who the Salt Lake Tribune calls “Utah’s Top Gun” is a Utah State registered Lobbyist, and since 1995, is Chairman of the powerful Utah Shooting Sports Council He also represents The National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation for various bills at the Utah Legislature. He is the former chairman of Utah’s concealed weapons board, owner of Fairwarning Tactical, and Host of Gun Radio Utah, No apologies. Clark grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. Before officially settling in Utah. He was a longtime student attending Cal State Hayward, UC Berkeley and the University of Utah. He studied Administration of Justice, Political Science, and international relations focusing on the Middle East and eastern Europe. He married Dr. Kasey Aposhian 5 years ago. They met while he was teaching a CFP course to over 300 school employees at the Maverick Center in Salt Lake City. The next morning, they appeared, side by side, on CNN where Aposhian was grilled about firearms and school shootings. Clark’s training includes jobs as a weapons consultant and firearms handler/Armorer on major motion picture movie sets, including ConAir, Independence Day, Vengeance, Jack’s Law and the Machete movies. Working with such notables as Jon Cusak, Ving Rhames, Danny Trejo, Nicolas Cage, Bill Pullman etc.… He regularly appears on local, national and international news media. He has been recognized as an expert witness in court for cases involving firearm training and tactics. Aposhian v Garland is a case currently pending with the United States Supreme Court regarding the ATF’s banning of bumpstocks.

In June 2015, Angela Armstrong was hired as the administrative assistant for Buckeye Firearms Association. For three years prior to her hiring, she volunteered with the organization. Angela is a certified NRA Basic Pistol Instructor and holds a Tom Given’s Range Master Instructor Certification. For four years, she was an adjunct instructor with the Tactical Defense Institute in southern Ohio. Angela also spends a portion of her time working for Buckeye Firearms Foundation, and its FASTER Saves Lives program. Angela has participated in the FASTER Saves Lives training since 2015. The FASTER program in Ohio and in numerous other states pioneered the concept of arming school staff to protect the staff and their kids during an active of killing event. This program has become the model for Ohio and to date has trained in excess of 3,000 staff members.

Massad Ayoob has been handgun editor of GUNS magazine and law enforcement columnist for AMERICAN HANDGUNNER since the 1970s, and has published thousands of articles in gun magazines, martial arts publications, and law enforcement journals. He is the author of some twenty books on firearms, self-defense, and related topics, including “In the Gravest Extreme” and “Deadly Force,” widely considered to be authoritative texts on the topic of the use of lethal force. The winner of the Outstanding American Handgunner of the Year Award in 1998, Mas has won several state and regional handgun shooting championships. Ayoob was the first person to earn the title of Five Gun Master in the International Defensive Pistol Association. He served 19 years as chair of the Firearms Committee of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers, and several years as a member of the Advisory Board of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association. In addition to teaching for those groups, he has also taught for the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors and the International Homicide Investigators seminars. Mas has received judicial recognition as an expert witness for the courts in weapons and shooting cases since 1979, and served as a fully sworn and empowered, part time police officer for 43 years, mostly at supervisor rank. Ayoob founded the Lethal Force Institute in 1981 and served as its director until 2009, and now trains through Massad Ayoob Group. He has appeared on CLE-TV delivering continuing legal education for attorneys, through the American Law Institute and American Bar Association, and has been retained to train attorneys to handle deadly force cases through the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network. Ayoob served for two years as co-vice chair of the Forensic Evidence Committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He also appeared in each episode of Personal Defense TV (Sportsman’s Channel).

Brad Benbrook litigates high-profile public policy matters throughout the United States. His California-based firm, Benbrook Law Group, regularly represents the Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition in firearms cases. Most recently, Brad and his colleagues obtained injunctions against enforcement of: California’s handgun roster in Renna v. Bonta; California’s egregious fee-shifting statute for Second Amendment cases in Miller v. Bonta; and California’s mandatory sharing of firearms purchasers’ personal data with anti-gun-rights “researchers” at UC Davis in Barba v. Bonta. He is currently litigating a challenge to ATF’s pistol-brace rule in the Northern District of Texas and a challenge to California’s 10-day waiting period in the Southern District of California. Benbrook Law Group also regularly litigates equal protection claims. Brad and his colleagues brought a successful challenge to Oregon’s race-based distribution of Covid relief funds, and they are currently challenging multiple San Francisco “universal income” programs that distribute funds on the basis of race. The firm also regularly submits amicus briefs in the Supreme Court of the United States on a variety of issues. Brad is a graduate of Stanford University and U.C. Berkeley School of Law, where he co-founded the student chapter of the Federalist Society. Brad clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta.

Will Bergstrom is an attorney with the firm of Cooper & Kirk, PLLC, in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the Cooper & Kirk, he clerked for Judge Jonathan A. Kobes on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and was an associate at a large international law firm. He has litigated a variety of Second Amendment cases in courts around the country, including challenges to bans on modern semiautomatic firearms and standard capacity magazines, laws restricting the rights of 18-to-20-year-olds to carry or purchase firearms, bans on nonviolent felons possessing firearms, and the ATF’s recent redefinition of “firearm” under federal law.

Sean Caranna founded the Florida Open Carry Movement immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment applied to state and local law on June 28th 2010. Six months later, Florida Carry, Inc. was born of a necessity to expand the original mission of Florida Open Carry to include firearms preemption enforceability, campus carry, knife rights, and other issues facing law-abiding gun and defensive weapons carriers. He has dedicated himself to reforming Florida’s gun, knife, and self-defense laws to protect the ownership and possession of defensive arms by law-abiding citizens. In 2012, and again in 2015, Mr. Caranna was awarded the Second Amendment Foundation’s “Defender of Liberty” Award. Florida Carry was awarded the CCRKBA Grassroots Organization of the Year in 2016 and 2022 and was selected as the 2021 Affiliate of the Year. “My solemn oath, sworn before God, to protect and defend the Constitution, had no expiration date.” Says Mr. Caranna, “I am bound by my oath to do whatever I can to protect today’s most widely abused individual right, the right to bear arms. My sworn duty to our cherished Bill of Rights demands it.” Mr. Caranna spent eight years in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman, including active duty service in the U.S., South America, S.W. Asia, Western Europe, and Bosnia; he subsequently served in the Florida Army National Guard. Mr. Caranna has been accepted as an expert witness in Florida courts on issues relating to the history and traditions of firearms laws and legislative history, small arms, and defensive tactics. Sean is an active Certified Firearms Instructor and Range Safety Officer who formerly taught military small arms tactical and combat vehicle gunnery for a US defense contractor. Since leaving the military he has worked primarily in health care informatics, radiological imaging, and defense training & simulation. Sean is also an avid private pilot, who enjoys the outdoors, and has been with his wife Cindy since 1999.

Patrick Collins is the CEO of TheGunFood.com, an ammunition supply company based in Atlanta Georgia. TGF started in response to a pressing need when Instructors and law enforcement agencies faced challenges sourcing ammunition and has since expanded offering a safe pro 2A ammunition source for all shooting enthusiasts. Patrick’s journey began with competitive shooting in the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) and International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) Leagues. This marked the start of a transformative path that led him to become a respected instructor. Patrick’s instructional reach spans over a dozen states and seven countries, where he imparts his extensive knowledge to novices, professionals, celebrities, protective detail/armed security. Patrick’s commitment to safeguarding the Second Amendment and championing gun rights can be seen on local, state, and national levels.He is a firm believer in “…shall not be infringed” and upholds individual rights while promoting responsible gun ownership. He is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Second Amendment Foundation, and GA2A (formerly known as Georgia Carry).

Charlie Cook is a certified instructor with the NRA, MA State Police, Utah BCI, SABRE, & USCCA. His YouTube channel “Riding Shotgun With Charlie” features him conducting interviews in the “stagecoach” while driving in various locations around the country with his “shotgun passengers”, which have included Masaad Ayoob, Hickok45, Cam Edwards, Ashley Hlebinsky, and many others. RSWC is publish on Ammoland, and repurposed with Armed Lifeatyle Magazine for a column called “Writing Shotgun With Charlie.” He is co-host on “The Polite Society Podcast” and he writes for News2A.com.

John Correia is a nationally-recognized subject matter expert in private citizen defensive encounters and law enforcement use of force, a master firearms instructor, martial artist, court-admitted expert witness, and teacher of teachers whose passion is to help people from all walks of life better protect themselves and their loved ones from criminal violence. He is the founder and President of Active Self Protection, whose YouTube channel is the most-viewed channel in the world related to self-defense with over 1.5 billion lifetime channel views.

Robert J. Cottrol is the Harold Paul Green Research Professor of Law, and Professor of History and Sociology at the George Washington University. He has also taught at the Boston College and Rutgers Law Schools in the United States and has lectured on American Law at La Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Pontifical University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and Augsburg University in Bavaria, Germany, among other universities. A specialist in legal and constitutional history, Bob Cottrol received his B.A. and Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University and his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. He has published six books and over 70 articles, essays ands book chapters. His interest in the Second Amendment stems from his longstanding interest in the history of civil rights. His first article on the right to bear arms “The Second Amendment: Toward an Afro-Americanist Reconsideration,” (co-author Raymond T. Diamond) has been cited several times in Supreme Court cases. Bob Cottrol’s new book To Trust the People with Arms: The Supreme Court and the Second Amendment (co-author Brannon P. Denning) is being published by the University Press of Kansas this October. He is also a retired Air Force reserve lieutenant colonel.

I am licensed in California, New York, the District of Columbia, and North Carolina, with admissions to practice before the United States Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit, First Circuit, all the federal district courts of California, the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina, and several other federal district courts around the country. I have 20 years’ experience handling civil and criminal cases at all levels of the judicial and administrative process, from the ground level to the courts of highest review, in a wide variety of complex litigation matters before many different courts and administrative bodies. This work includes numerous civil rights matters over the last nine years involving rights and interests under the Second Amendment, challenging laws, regulations, and enforcement actions in California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Colorado, Tennessee, and in the federal regulatory system. The issues in these cases have run the gamut, from carry restrictions to handgun rosters, “assault weapons” restrictions, “ghost gun” and self-manufacturing bans, one-gun-per-month laws, restraints on firearms-related speech, and many more. And now, after Bruen, many of these cases are being relitigated all over again. There’s never a dull moment, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of my experiences at the conference this year.

John Dillon developed a robust firearms law practice while associated with Gatzke, Dillon & Ballance LLP. In 2020, John formed the Dillon Law Group APC and acts as the firm’s principal attorney. John’s current practice covers a broad range of firearms-related matters including constitutional law and civil rights matters and firearms litigation arising under the Second Amendment in federal and state courts. John has worked on a number of Second Amendment cases challenging unconstitutional state bans that include assault weapons bans, age restrictions on gun purchases, home-built firearms regulations, COVID gun shop closures, and state and federal bans on switchblades. Additional firearms-related practice areas encompass: • Firearms regulation and compliance • Licensing regulation and compliance • Gun rights restoration; and • 5150 Involuntary Holds and GVRO/Red Flag Order, and gun rights restoration; John is a certified firearms specialist in the operation and classification of firearms, ammunition, National Firearms Act weapons, other weapons, curio and relics, and various other complex firearm and munitions categories. John also appears regularly as a special guest host of the popular radio show, “Gun Sports Radio,” on AM 1170 The Answer San Diego – KCBQ. John received his J.D. from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 2013. He is currently admitted to the State Bar of California, California Supreme Court, U.S. District Courts of California for the Southern, Central, Eastern, and Northern Districts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Eighth Circuit. John obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Chad Flores is a nationally recognized appellate specialist handling civil litigation and government controversies. Headquartered in Texas, his practice supplies appellate expertise and manages complex litigation across the country. For ten years running, Chad has been named a Super Lawyer and/or Rising Star in Appellate Law by Thompson Reuters. He was recently recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the field of appellate litigation. In 2023 Benchmark Litigation named him to their “40 & Under” lists for both Commercial Litigation and White Collar Litigation. Chad founded his own practice after specializing in appeals for over a decade at Beck Redden LLP, where he was a partner in the appellate section. He has been Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2012. Before entering private practice, Chad clerked on both the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Texas. Chad teaches appellate advocacy at the University of Houston Law Center’s Blakely Advocacy Institute. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and American University’s Washington College of Law.

I am a Washington State Senator and active IDPA shooter and hunter. I have watched as the liberals in our state have continued to move the anti-gun agenda with one infringement after another. I totally support the Second Amendment Foundation in their fight to protect our freedoms.

Eric J. Friday has specialized in firearm and self-defense issues for 15 years. This has included advancing citizens’ rights through both litigation and lobbying for the right of self-defense, and for civil rights under the Second Amendment. Eric is General Counsel and lobbyist for Florida Carry, Inc., the largest independent Second Amendment organization in Florida. He has drafted and lobbied to pass self-defense immunity legislation, argued before the Florida Supreme Court for open carry, and litigated numerous, preemption, gun-rights and self-defense cases on behalf of Floridians.

John Fund is National Affairs Columnist for National Review magazine, a contributor to Fox News.com and an on-air analyst for Newsmax. He is an often-quoted expert on the interconnections between politics and economics. He previously served as a columnist and editorial board member for The Wall Street Journal. for 27 years. He is the author or co-author of several books, including Our Broken Elections: How The Left Changed The Way You Vote (2021), Obama’s Enforcer: Eric Holder (2014), Who’s Counting (2012); and Cleaning House: America’s Campaign For Term Limits (1994). Born in Tucson, Arizona, he worked as a research analyst for the California Legislature in Sacramento before beginning his journalism career as a reporter for the syndicated columnists Rowland Evans and Robert Novak. He has reported on foreign affairs from over 40 countries. Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill, called him “the Tom Paine of the modern Congressional reform movement.” He has won awards from the Institute for Justice, The Competitive Enterprise Institute and The Fund for American Studies.

Alan M. Gottlieb is Chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) and Founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, the two groups that co-operate to organize the annual Gun Rights Policy Conference. He is also the author or co-author of numerous books including Dancing In Blood: Exposing the Gun Lobby to Destroy Your Rights, Politically Correct Guns, The Gun Rights Fact Book, The Gun Grabbers, Things You Can Do to Defend Your Gun Rights, Gun Rights Affirmed and Black and Blue. He is also co-author (with Dave Workman) of Shooting Blanks: The Democrats War Against Guns, America Fights Back: Armed Self-Defense in a Violent Age, These Dogs Don’t Hunt: The Democrats’ War On Guns, Assault on Weapons: The Campaign to Eliminate Your Guns, Shooting Blanks: Facts Don’t Matter to the Gun Control Crowd, Right to Carry: A Cop Is Too Heavy and Good Guys with Guns.. Alan has published articles in the San Francisco Examiner, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and USA Today. Mr. Gottlieb has appeared on over 8,500 TV and radio talk shows.

Ryan Gresham is the president of Gun Talk Media. Ryan Gresham grew up in front of the camera, being pressed into service as a photo model for magazine articles. He worked in radio, cable TV, and was a sales representative for the Fox affiliate in New Orleans, right up until Hurricane Katrina blew in. Not long after his home washed away he teamed up with Tom Gresham to create videos about guns, shooting and hunting, distributing the videos through what may be the first online video site dedicated to those subjects. Before long cable TV called, and the two of them produced and hosted shows on NBC Sports, Outdoor Life TV, Versus, Outdoor Channel, Pursuit, Sportsman Channel, and Wild TV (Canada). Gun Talk Media currently reaches more than 6 million gun enthusiasts each month on a variety of platforms including: Radio, podcasts, Cable Television, OTT Digital channels, social media, email newsletters and more.

A leading innovator in outdoor media, Tom Gresham has been actively engaged in all forms of print, electronic and online media for more than 50 years. A book author, magazine editor and writer; television host, director and creator; radio show host; and online video producer, Gresham has consistently opened new pathways for showing the shooting sports. His national radio talk show, “Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk,” is heard by millions throughout the U.S. and Canada on more than 250 radio stations and downloads of the podcast weekly and has aired weekly for 28 years.

Reload Founder Stephen Gutowski has been writing about guns and politics since he founded his first publication back in 2009. In addition to his work with The Reload, he is an analyst for CNN. Before starting The Reload in 2021, Gutowski spent almost 7 years as a staff writer at The Washington Free Beacon. His work has also been published by The Atlantic, The Dispatch, National Review, Ammoland, and The Washington Examiner Magazine. His reporting has been featured in publications that span the ideological spectrum including CNBC, Fox News, The New York Times, Bearing Arms, The Washington Post, NPR, The Drudge Report, ABC News, and many more. Stephen Gutowski was the only journalist to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine’s Guns in America edition. In his role as a CNN Contributor, Stephen Gutowski regularly appears on national television to discuss his reporting and give his analysis of the latest gun news. He has also appeared on a wide range of other tv and radio outlets including CNBC, Fox News, NPR, Voice of America, WMAL, and C-SPAN. Additionally, he often gives speeches at conferences and on-campus at schools including Columbia University, The University of Michigan, and Carnegie Mellon University. Stephen Gutowski has won multiple awards for his reporting over the past several years. His work on the show Range Time With Stephen Gutowski received two Telly Awards alongside offerings from publications like CBS News and The Wall Street Journal. He was named Journalist of the Year by the Second Amendment Foundation in 2016 and most recently received the 2020 Bill of Rights Award from the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Stephen Gutowski is also an avid sport shooter and certified firearms-safety instructor. He has a small collection of firearms and a concealed-carry permit. He enjoys building AR-15s and shooting sporting clays in his spare time.

David T. Hardy is an attorney in solo practice in Tucson, Arizona, and operates the gun law blog www.armsandthelaw.com. He has practiced law since 1975. Hardy served as Associate Editor of the Arizona Law Review, and was on the moot court team which took first place in the Regional competition and competed at the Nationals in New York City. He was also on the team which won the statewide American College of Trial Lawyers competition for best jury argument. Prior to returning to private practice, Mr. Hardy served ten years in Washington, in the Office of the Solicitor of Interior Department. He has published seven books, including the New York Times bestseller, “Michael Moore Is A Big Fat Stupid White Man” (the publisher insisted upon the title). He has also published thirty law review articles, mostly on firearms issues. His 1974 Chicago-Kent Law Review article on the Second Amendment was the first law review article to argue for an individual rights understanding. His 1986 article on the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act has been cited by the US Supreme Court, and by twelve Circuit Courts of Appeals. His 2009 article on the 14th Amendment was cited by the majority in McDonald v. City of Chicago, and also in Justice Thomas’ concurrence. He directed and produced the documentary DVD, “In Search of the Second Amendment,” which was nominated for the ABA’s Silver Gavel award for legal education. Mr. Hardy filed amicus briefs in Heller, McDonald, and Bruen.

Patricia Harrold is the President of the Nebraska Firearm Owners Association and has served on the Board of Directors since 2014. Patricia is also the State Director for the D.C. project for the state of Nebraska, State Leader of the Armed Women of America and is a Training Counselor and Firearms Instructor. Patricia became active in the firearm community, shortly after losing her husband, and choosing to empower herself by becoming a skilled and competent firearm owner. She currently works as the Chief Learning Strategist for a defense contracting company, overseeing aircrew training at Offutt AFB and corporate learning initiatives. She is a proud mother of two young adults. Her work in the 2A community has focused on effective legislation, blocking unconstitutional legislation and advancing firearms training and education across her state by hosting free education and hands-on events.

Theresa Inacker, an Attorney of more than 20 years, is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, State of New Jersey, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and The Supreme Court of the United States. She is the New Jersey State Director for The DC Project-Women for Gun Rights, and a Trustee of the Executive Board for The Coalition of New Jersey Firearm Owners (CNJFO). A former Managing Editor of the Seton Hall Constitutional Law Journal, she is a Seton Hall Law School graduate. She has been testifying against anti-rights bills in New Jersey since 2012. Her legal analysis of the landmark Supreme Court Bruen decision was published in the popular ScotusBlog. As part of the Symposium on Bruen, her article From Constitutional Orphan to Treasured Heirloom: The Second Amendment Is No Longer a Second-Class Right examined the pernicious impacts of gun control on marginalized groups. A true “Security Mom” to her daughter, Theresa is a proven Second Amendment advocate with a long-standing record of achievement that includes several appearances on Fox News, and Chris Cuomo’s CNN Town Hall. She is a contributing writer to The Truth About Guns. An avid gun owner, target shooter and bird hunter, she owns and uses all three popular firearms platforms. Theresa is also a Girl Scout Troop Leader and Ham Radio Operator.

Jim Irvine is a commercial airline pilot, currently flying the B-737. He is married to Lisa and they live in the Cleveland area with their four children. Jim has volunteered his time for various organizations for over 20 years. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Second Amendment Foundation and Buckeye Firearms Foundation. As a co-director with the FASTER Saves Lives program, Jim helps schools, churches and businesses prepare for active killer events. The program enables staff to train with experts on mindset, shooting and medical care. Having reached thousands of people with proven methods that have saved lives, it is recognized as the best such program in the country. Jim is also Chairman of the A1S4 Protection PAC. (Political Action Committee) Jim’s work includes working with candidates to help them better understand the various firearms related interests and disciplines. He has worked extensively to elect good legislators and then work with them to enact better laws related to firearms, self-defense and school safety. By combining education and advocacy, Jim is able to work with a wide range of people and bring consensus to challenging issues.

Donald Kilmer is admitted to practice law in Idaho (where he now lives), Washington, and California. He is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and all U.S. District Courts located in California. He is co-author of the law school casebook: Firearms Law and the Second Amendment: Regulation, Rights, and Policy, 3rd Ed. He is a professor of Constitutional Law at Lincoln Law School of San Jose. He has been litigating constitutional law (primarily 2nd Amendment) cases for more than 25 years. He is proud to have been affiliated with the Second Amendment Foundation for more than 20 of those years.

David B. Kopel is Research Director of the Independence Institute, a state-level think tank in Denver. He is also an Adjunct Scholar with the Cato Institute, in Washington, and a Senior Fellow at the University of Wyoming College of Law, Firearms Research Center. He also serves as Vice-Presiding Trustee of the Anne S.K. Brown military history collection at Brown University, and as a member of the Colorado State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Kopel is the author of 20 books, including the law school textbooks Firearms Law and the Second Amendment and Colorado Constitutional Law and History. His scholarship and legal briefs have been cited by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Alito, Breyer, Kagan, Stevens, Thomas, and by then-Judge Kavanaugh. Citations include Heller, McDonald, and Bruen. Kopel has also been cited in scores of cases from other courts, including 20 since Bruen. His most recent amicus briefs involve the Delaware ban on so-called “assault weapons” (3rd Cir.), the federal prohibition on firearms possession by marijuana users (5th Cir.), and New Jersey’s effort to destroy lawful firearms business with abusive lawsuits (3rd Cir.). Kopel is the author of 119 scholarly articles. His articles have been published in journals from Harvard, Yale, Penn, Brown, Michigan, NYU, Texas, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Virginia, and Georgetown, among others. His latest article, “The History of Bans on Types of Arms Before 1900,” will be published in Notre Dame’s Journal of Legislation in 2024. Since 2003, he has been a columnist for the Volokh Conspiracy, a law professor weblog, currently hosted by Reason magazine.

Adam Kraut is the Second Amendment Foundation’s Executive Director. He brings almost a decade of experience in the Second Amendment realm as a litigator and educator. Throughout his career, Kraut has represented individuals, companies, and institutional plaintiffs in state and federal litigation and regulatory matters. In addition to his legal background, Kraut draws management experience from his time in the non-profit world, where he was responsible for overseeing the programmatic functions of a liberty-based non-profit, which concentrated on Second Amendment issues. He also managed a federal firearms licensee. Kraut comes with a variety of media experience, having written for publications such as Recoil magazine, Recoil Web, and other online publications, writing and hosting a YouTube series, hosting and appearing as guest on multiple podcasts, and appearing on television.

Derek LeBlanc is a NRA certified firearm instructor and the founder of the Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation, a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization, based in Oregon. His journey began in 2013 when his firearm was used to save his life in a defensive situation. It was that scary situation that set him on his path to becoming a gun rights advocate. His message is all-inclusive and for all. The goal is to show the general public how important the Second Amendment is and how relevant it is, especially today!! The 2nd crosses all party lines, cultural, socioeconomic, and gender lines. It’s for everyone!! The Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation is a leader nationally when it comes to kids firearm safety and accident prevention. Since its founding back in 2016, they have reached nearly 28k kids in 5 states. They teach safety, discipline, and respect in regard to firearms. Starting children at a young age with safety education will go a long way to keep them safe, help prevent fear, and shape their opinions as future voters. Lowering statistics when it comes to firearm accidents shows responsibility and true solutions to the problems our country faces. The Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation is proving that education is a more viable option than restriction, regulation, or confiscation ever will be. It’s this message that propels the Foundation forward. You can find out more about the Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation on their website and all Social media platforms. ZERO firearm accidents is the only acceptable goal!

GEORGE M. LEE is a partner with SEILER EPSTEIN LLP (seilerepstein.com), a San Francisco law firm, where he specializes in business and commercial litigation, real property, and civil rights cases in state and federal courts. He is lead counsel for the plaintiffs in several SAF-supported cases, including Miller v. Bonta, the challenge to California’s “assault weapons” ban. Miller was the first district court trial in the nation to successfully challenge a state’s assault weapons ban. For his work in Miller, Mr. Lee was recognized as a “Top 100 Lawyer” by the LA/SF Daily Journal. Mr. Lee has been selected as a Northern California “Super Lawyer,” a selection process recognizing the top 5% of attorneys each year.

Dr. John R. Lott, Jr., the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center, is an economist and a world-recognized expert on guns and crime. During the Trump administration, he served as the Senior Advisor for Research and Statistics in the Office of Justice Programs and then the Office of Legal Policy in the U.S. Department of Justice. Lott has held research or teaching positions at various academic institutions including the University of Chicago, Yale University, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, UCLA, and Rice University, and was the chief economist at the United States Sentencing Commission during 1988-1989. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from UCLA.
Nobel laureate Milton Friedman noted: “John Lott has few equals as a perceptive analyst of controversial public policy issues.”
Lott has published over 100 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals and written ten books.

Doug Mayhall is a small business owner and founder of a privately-owned military museum that features his rare, personal collection of restored World War II military vehicles, a World War II era observation plane and a Korean War vintage helicopter. In 1954, Doug’s father, Gene Mayhall founded All Seasons Pools – a small family-owned company based in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. For the last 30 years, Doug has led the company as president and owner. A lifelong 2nd Amendment advocate, Doug remains active with the Illinois State Rifle Association. Founded in 1903, the ISRA is one of the oldest and most respected gun rights organizations in the United States – and for the last 25 years, Doug has served the organization as a board member, vice president, and now, as president. Under Doug’s leadership, the ISRA has become one of the leading voices in protecting 2nd Amendment rights in the country, and the organization is frequently featured in local, statewide and national media outlets. Doug is licensed to fly both helicopters and airplanes, and in his free time, he enjoys spending it in the air.

D. “Chuck” Michel is Senior Partner at Michel & Associates, P.C. in Long Beach, California. His work focuses on litigation and regulatory compliance advice on firearms law, civil rights, land use, and environmental law. For over two decades, Chuck has advocated for individual civil and constitutional rights, particularly Second Amendment rights. He has crafted some of the most important legal challenges to legislation that infringes on rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Mr. Michel has represented many of the most prominent shooting sports and self-defense civil rights associations, including the National Rifle Association, California Rifle & Pistol Association, Second Amendment Law Center, Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and Gun Owners of California. He is a regular commentator and frequent contributor to national media discussions and has appeared in dozens of video and radio interviews and thousands of newspaper articles. Mr. Michel taught Firearms Law and Law Practice Management as an adjunct professor at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law. He is the author of the book California Gun Laws – A Guide to State and Federal Firearm Regulations. Mr. Michel began his career as a judicial clerk with U.S. District Court Judge William J. Rea in Los Angeles. He worked as a criminal prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as well as for several Southern California cities, and as an advocate with the Los Angeles Federal Public Defender’s office. Mr. Michel also practiced as an attorney at the renowned international law firm of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP.

John is an attorney in Georgia specializing in gun rights litigation. He is the primary lawyer for both Georgia Second Amendment, Inc. and Wisconsin Carry, Inc. He has litigated gun rights cases at the Supreme Courts and Courts of Appeals of Wisconsin and Georgia as well as at the 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th Circuits. John has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Edward Andrew Paltzik, was a Partner at the law firm of Joshpe Mooney Paltzik LLP in New York City for over a decade. He is now the Litigation Director for the National Constitutional Law Union and maintains his own practice as a Partner at Bochner PLLC in New York City. He also represents the Second Amendment Foundation. Mr. Paltzik graduated from Cornell University (College of Arts & Sciences) with distinction in all subjects and received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University, where he won the Vanderbilt Scholastic Excellence Award for his analysis of the Supreme Court’s capital punishment jurisprudence. Mr. Paltzik has successfully tried numerous cases, including serving as the lead trial attorney in the prominent “Buck Foston’s” First Amendment litigation in the District of New Jersey against the City of New Brunswick and its officials that resulted in a $1.535M jury verdict in favor of his clients. He has dedicated much of his practice to litigation in defense of the Second Amendment, including authoring a complex amicus brief on the subject of Georgetown Professor William English’s novel study about concealed carry statistics, that Mr. Paltzik submitted in support of the victorious Petitioners in the landmark case New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n Inc. v. Bruen , 142 S. Ct. 2111 (2022). Mr. Paltzik’s brief was cited by Justice Alito in his concurring opinion. Mr. Paltzik recently authored a first-of-its-kind study about red flag laws, entitled “Red Flag Laws: the Retrograde ‘Justice’ of America’s 21st Century Witch Trials.” (Available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4539516). He may be reached at [email protected], [email protected], or 516-526-0341.

Richard “Rick” Patterson is Senior Vice-president of Corporate Development for the Second Amendment Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting a better understanding of our Constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms. He also serves as President and CEO of Liberty’s Keystone, an international consulting group dedicated to excellence and efficiency throughout the firearms and ammunition supply chain. Patterson served as Executive Director of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc.(SAAMI) for 17 years, leading the creation of safety and reliability standards for firearms, ammunition, and components. Prior to SAAMI, Patterson created the National Association of Shooting Ranges (NASR). Under Patterson’s leadership,NASR created guidance in every aspect of developing and operating a safe and successful shooting range. Patterson’s leadership in developing strategic partnershipswith industry, community, and government regulatory agencies throughout the world promotes safety, responsibility, and balanced ecosystems. In 2003, Pattersonwas awarded the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Quality Award for his leadership developing and promoting lead management at outdoor shooting ranges. He is also the recipient of The Second Amendment Foundation’s Global Leadership Award. Patterson graduated from Montana State University, cum laude. In his spare time, Patterson is an avid fly-fisher, golfer, hunter, and wilderness backpacker. Patterson is a founding member of the Board of Trustees of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, which uses fly-fishing and fly-tying to help with the physical and emotional healing of wounded soldiers. He has chaired his town’s conservation commission, and volunteers to protect habitat and ensure fish and wildlife needs are accounted for in land- and water-use decisions.

I am the President of Maryland Shall Issue (“MSI”). Maryland Shall Issue is a Section 501(c)(4) all-volunteer, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of gun owners’ rights in Maryland. I am also an attorney and an active member of the Bar of Maryland, of the Bar of the District of Columbia and of the Bar of the Supreme Court and the bars of nearly all of the federal courts of appeals. Over the course of my legal career, I have sat as second chair the Solicitor General of the United States in arguments before the Supreme Court and delivered over 100 oral arguments in cases arising in every federal court of appeals in the United States. Since retiring from the United States Department of Justice, I have engaged in extensive litigation on behalf of MSI in State and federal courts, including serving as counsel for MSI in two cases currently pending in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, a case pending in federal district court and one case currently pending in Maryland State court. I testify extensively every year before the Maryland General Assembly on proposed legislation and on constitutional and federal and State statutory issues. I am an expert in Maryland firearms law, federal firearms law and the law of self-defense. I am also a Maryland State Police certified handgun instructor for the Maryland Wear and Carry Permit and the Maryland Handgun Qualification License (“HQL”) and a certified NRA instructor in rifle, pistol, personal protection in the home, personal protection outside the home and in muzzle loader. I hunt mule deer, elk and antelope in Wyoming, pursue whitetails in Maryland, and I am not bad with a pistol. My favorite rifle is a Weatherby chambered with the 6.5 x 300 magnum round with a premium Vortex 27×50 scope, and my favorite carry pistol (currently) is a Sig M17, although I remain quite fond of my Colt 1911 .45 ACP rail gun. I have beaten throat and neck cancer but still recovering from the treatment. Last but hardly least, I am a proud prior recipient of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Defender of Liberty Award.

Mike Regulbuto is the producer and host of The Gun Experiment Podcast; a show that features long form conversations with firearms instructors, advocates and manufacturers. With his co-host Big Keith by his side, Mike has had in depth conversations with second amendment legends such as Clint Smith, Massad Ayoob, Steve Fisher, Chris Cheng and many more. As a lifelong New Yorker, Mike knows the fight against gun control all too well and prides himself on the motto of “Creating Quality Content Behind Enemy Lines”. It is from this unique perspective that he is able to “Experiment” with ideas and concepts that are at times foreign to him. Through the art of spoken word, Mike brings his listeners on a journey where they get to learn from the industries best and brightest.

Doug Ritter founded Knife Rights, the Second Front in Defense of the Second Amendment, in 2006. In 2009, Doug led the grassroots effort to have Congress add the fifth exception to the Federal Switchblade Act after the Obama administration tried to expand it to cover 80% of the knives sold in the U.S. Starting in 2010 Doug has led Knife Rights Rewrite Knife Law in America, with its efforts resulting in the enactment of 45 bills repealing knife bans in 28 states and over 175 cities and towns. Knife Rights is the only 2A advocacy organization to receive support from the Anti-2A left for many of its bills. Doug has also been responsible for leading the effort to defeat 12 bills in 8 states that would have expanded knife bans. A number of litigation victories have also helped advance the civil rights of knife owners. After the Bruen decision, Doug has led a Second Amendment litigation strategy to roll back unconstitutional restrictions on knives. Second Amendment lawsuits challenging knife bans have been filed against California, Minnesota and Philadelphia. In August Philadelphia agreed to remove its unconstitutional ban on the possession and carry of any bladed arms (knives) in public, the first post-Bruen Second Amendment victory for knives as constitutionally protected arms. Knife Rights has also filed a lawsuit in the Fifth Circuit challenging, on Second Amendment grounds, the constitutionality of the interstate commerce restriction and other bans in the Federal Switchblade Act. Doug continues to lead Knife Rights’ efforts to forge a Sharper Future for all Americans.

Alex “Alejandro” Roubian believes in using innovative and bold direct-action tactics to expose, document, and take results-oriented action to confront anti-Second Amendment policies and legislators. By Defending, Protecting, and Preserving the Second Amendment within New Jersey, the New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS) works to ensure that our civil rights are restored, no longer degraded, and to prevent NJ from being used as a laboratory to destroy the Second Amendment nationwide. Under Alexander’s leadership many political leaders have stated that the NJ2AS has become the most respected and feared organization in New Jersey.

Robyn Sandoval is the Executive Director of A Girl & A Gun. She is a Firearms Instructor (NRA, USCCA, Rangemaster, AG & AG), Range Safety Officer, and has trained under many notable instructors. She competes in several sports and disciplines and is a frequent speaker at national conferences and podcasts on gun-related issues. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the DC Project and meets with members of Congress. Robyn shares her advocate journey from gun control to gun rights, and famously says, “Moms who make demands to take our rights don’t speak for moms like me.” She was on the cover of TIME magazine and her story is on display at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum in Cody, WY. For her advocacy work, she has been honored with the Defender of Liberty Award from the Second Amendment Foundation.

Attorney Daniel L. Schmutter practices Civil Rights and Constitutional Law, focusing on First Amendment, Second Amendment, Fifth Amendment, and Fourteenth Amendment issues. Mr. Schmutter has submitted numerous briefs to the Supreme Court of the United States and the New Jersey Supreme Court, including in the landmark cases District of Columbia v. Heller, McDonald v. City of Chicago (cited by Justice Samuel Alito), and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. Mr. Schmutter argued before the highest court in New York, the New York Court of Appeals, in the Second Amendment case Osterweil v. Bartlett, successfully challenging New York’s unlawful ban on handgun possession by part time residents. He also argued before the New Hampshire Supreme Court, in Bach v. New Hampshire Department of Safety, successfully challenging New Hampshire’s unlawful requirement that an applicant have a home state handgun carry permit in order to obtain a non-resident New Hampshire permit. On First Amendment matters, he has represented major public interest organizations, such as Electronic Frontier Foundation and Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), as well as cutting edge companies at the intersection of the First and Second Amendments such as Defense Distributed and Defcad, Inc. In 2010, Mr. Schmutter appeared on “Freedom Watch with Judge Andrew Napolitano,” (FOX Business Network) where he discussed New Jersey firearms law in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in the McDonald case. He regularly lectures, is published in leading periodicals, and appears on radio and podcasts addressing numerous issues related to Second Amendment and constitutional law matters. He has guest lectured on Constitutional Law to students in the United States and Europe. Mr. Schmutter earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and attended law school at The University of Virginia.

David G. Sigale is the principal of Law Firm of David G. Sigale, P.C., in Lombard, Illinois, which has counseled and represented corporate and individual clients in Chicagoland and throughout the United States. He practices general and appellate litigation with a focus in civil rights, business disputes, and tort law. Mr. Sigale was co-counsel in the landmark Second Amendment case of McDonald v. Chicago, as well as Ezell v. Chicago, and Moore v. Madigan. He is counsel in an ongoing constitutional challenge to the Illinois FOID card, while at the same time he has helped numerous Illinois residents restore their firearm rights which were taken away under that same system. He has fought for Second Amendment rights for lawful resident aliens, foster parents, those in public housing, and those in U.S. Territories. Mr. Sigale also achieved the first federal Court opinion in Illinois recognizing the tattooing business as having First Amendment protection. Mr. Sigale received his J.D. in 1996 from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington D.C., and his B.A. in 1992 from Indiana University – Bloomington. Mr. Sigale has been repeatedly selected to Illinois’s Super Lawyer list, was given the Second Amendment Foundation’s Bill of Rights award in 2011 and 2016, and the CCRKBA’s Gun Rights Defender of the Year award in 2014. He has been a member of the National Trial Lawyers: Top 100, the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and has a Lifetime Achievement award from America’s Top 100 Attorneys. He has also been active in the DuPage American Inns of Court, where he has served as the Continuing Legal Education Chair and Chair of Programming.

IProfessor Mark W. Smith is a constitutional lawyer and the producer and hosts of the popular The Four Boxes Diner YouTube Channel, which addresses Second Amendment scholarship, history, and legal issues. Mark is a New York Times bestselling author who frequently appears on the Fox News Channel. His books including DISARMED: What the Ukraine War Teaches Americans about the Right to Bear Arms; First They Came for the Gun Owners; and Duped: How the Anti-gun Lobby Exploits the Parkland School Shooting. Mark has spoken at some of the world’s most famous universities including Princeton University, the Harvard Law School, the Yale Law School, the U. Penn Warton School of Business and the Columbia Law School. Mark is a Visiting Fellow in Pharmaceutical Public Policy and Law in the Department of Pharmacology, Oxford University (England); Presidential Scholar and Senior Fellow in Law and Public Policy, The King’s College; Distinguished Scholar and Senior Fellow of Law and Public Policy, Ave Maria School of Law.

Chris Stone is the Director of State and Local Affairs, managing all of GOA’s state and regional directors. He is responsible for the training and development of staff and oversees all of the operations for GOA’s state lobbying initiatives. Chris has over a decade of experience lobbying in Congress and in more than 15 state legislatures. He is an avid sports and outdoors enthusiast, spending most of his time outdoors with his wife and their two children.

Bryan Strawser is Chairman of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus. In this role, Mr. Strawser leads the governance and strategic direction of the organization. Mr. Strawser also performs the same role for our connected political fund, the Minnesota Gun Owners Political Action Committee, and our aligned 501(c)(3) organization, the Minnesota Gun Owners Support Fund. This is a volunteer position. Bryan is an NRA-certified firearms instructor in multiple disciplines. He is also a Minnesota Permit to Carry instructor. Bryan holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. In July 2023, Bryan was awarded a Master of Arts in International Relations & Contemporary War and the Associateship of King’s College (AKC) from King’s College, London. Bryan is a doctoral student at Hamline University in the Ph.D. Program for Management and Public Service. Mr. Strawser was a Humphrey Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs during the 2016-2017 academic year. He was previously a Senior Fellow at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at Auburn University, focusing on public-private sector collaboration for national security & cybersecurity issues.

Producer and co-host for the nationally syndicated radio show EyeOnTheTargetRadio.com, Amanda is a frequent guest host on the Self Defense Gun Stories with Rob Morse and SAF’s Bullet and Polite Society Podcast. As one of the Regional Directors for The DCProject, Amanda is active on the national stage for 2A work. Her work on sharing the 2A message has ranged from Radio to TV, from instructing one on one to speaking on the Supreme Court Steps . She was recently elected onto the NRA Board of Directors. Amanda, a retired aerospace engineer is utilizing her project management skills to help the Ohio based FASTER Saves Lives expand into other states. Amanda has produced Concealed Carry Fashion shows from Phoenix to Tampa, Milwaukee to Scranton. She and her fashion shows have been featured in VICE and HBO. She was in the opening scenes of White Boy Rick movie with Matthew McConaughey.

Holly Sullivan is an outspoken advocate for the Second Amendment as well as Article 1 Section 15 of the Connecticut Constitution which reads that every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state. She is a modern-day Conservative feminist with a keen focus on women’s rights with respect to firearms ownership. Holly is the President of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, a 43,000 member strong legislative action group in one of the most challenging states for gun owners. CCDL is an essential resource for law-abiding gun owners in Connecticut and works tirelessly to ensure their voices are heard in the state legislature. CCDL holds legislators accountable with a robust grading system based on voting record and further focuses on Outreach initiatives and Urban Engagement. The Connecticut Citizens Defense League has a legacy of challenging unconstitutional State practices in court and enjoining in relevant cases that impact its members. Holly also serves on the Advisory Board of the DC Project, an educational, non-partisan initiative that brings women from every state to Washington, DC. The DC Project establishes relationships with legislators and reveals the faces and stories of firearms owners and Second Amendment supporters. The DC Project is also a resource to state Second Amendment organizations to provide women’s voices in testimony on state legislative issues. Holly is a working professional raising and single mother raising 9-year-old daughter. She holds a Master’s degree in Business and has been working in the Human Resources field for more than 15 years.

Tom Taylor is currently the Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales at Sig Sauer. In this role, Taylor leads all Global brand and marketing initiatives and U.S. Commercial Sales. This spans Sig Sauer’s entire product line of firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, suppressors, and air guns, as well as training initiatives. He has served in this role since March of 2015. Prior to joining Sig Sauer, Taylor was Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at Mossberg from 2010 – 2015. He spent 5 years at Smith & Wesson as Vice President, Marketing and Product Development from 2004 – 2009. During his tenure at Smith & Wesson, he led the development and introduction of the now iconic Military & Police (M&P) pistol and rifle lines. Also in the firearm industry, Taylor spent time at Remington/Freedom Group where he served as Senior Vice President overseeing several special projects. Prior to joining the outdoor industry, he had executive experience with The Coca Cola Company where he worked for more than two decades in various areas, including senior management positions in sales and marketing. He also served in senior management positions at Frito-Lay for 3 years. Taylor is an industry activist and board member supporting shooting sports, hunting, and advocacy for the 2nd Amendment. In 2007, Taylor was part of a small group that founded Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) where he still serves on a volunteer basis as Chairman and Executive Director. HAVA is a 501(c)3 organization formed by companies in the shooting and outdoor industry with the purpose of raising awareness and supporting disabled veterans with their healing process through guided hunts, shooting events and other outdoor sports activities. HAVA has served over 18,000 disabled veterans and was award the U.S. Department of Defense “Spirit of Hope Award” in 2018. He is personally passionate about veteran support, shooting sports and hunting.

Terry is a WW2 “Baby Boomer”. He is State Director of Operations for The Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association (OK2A) – A Liberty minded organization that understands that we may need the 2nd Amendment to recover & defend our Constitutional Rights. Terry was named OK2A “Defender of the Year-2021”. He has been involved in the fight for our Constitutional Rights with OK2A for over 4 years. Terry was a local Business owner for over 30 years, but now he advocates 7 days a week with OK2A. As Director of Operations Terry is responsible for Organizing & Motivating the OK2A Grassroots members operating in over 50 County Chapters. Terry & OK2A President and Lobbyist Don Spencer took part in an in-depth interview Nationally on CNN in June of 2022, discussing the importance of our Liberties. Terry lives in a very small town in North Central Oklahoma. After living all his life in big cities & seeing them degenerate over the decades he retired to a rural location in preparation for what may be coming. OK2A has assisted in passing more than 150 Bills that have been Signed into law over the last 10 years – Including the First & Still The Only State to pass an ANTI- Red Flag Law. Visit ok2a.org to see a complete list of OK2A Legislation. Terry had a whole new career dropped in to his life at age 72 when he joined OK2A. He has Fun & Excitement every day of his life, not many can say that at his age, because it is Fun & Exciting to be Fighting For Liberty.

Cheryl Todd has an extensive history as a Second Amendment Advocate and serves many roles in the firearm community. She is the owner of AZFirearms Auctions, Executive Producer & Co-Host of Gun Freedom Radio, and the founder of the grassroots movement Polka Dots Are My Camo. Cheryl speaks to the value of our Second Amendment Rights through the lens of self-protection and instilling those values in future generations. She is the AZ State Director for the DC Project, the President and CEO of the AzCDL Foundation, the AZ Coordinator for FASTER Saves Lives, the Vice President of the Arizona Citizens Defense League, and sits on several other boards which protect our gun rights. She is service-driven and has been recognized with several awards. Cheryl is passionate about preserving and protecting our precious Second Amendment and has traveled the country as an invited speaker, Panel-Moderator, and Guest Commentator. She has appeared at The National Gun Rights Policy Conference, the NSSF Industry Summit, the DC Project in our Nation’s Capital, the NRA Women’s Leadership Forum, The Western Conservative Conference, The Heller 10th Anniversary Celebration at the United States Supreme Court, and The Armed Woman of America Conference. Cheryl has also been instrumental in organizing the 2A Rally in Washington, DC and the Annual Celebrate and Protect the Second Amendment 2A Rally at the Arizona State Capitol. Local and national news programs seek her opinion in the on-going debate over gun rights and the important contribution women make to the national conversation. Cheryl is a champion for our Second Amendment Rights and is a driving force in preserving the Legacy of Freedom for generations to come.

Philip Van Cleave has been the president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League since 2001, having become active in gun rights in 1995. He has a Masters degree in Computer Science and has a background in law enforcement as a reserve deputy for seven years in Bexar County, Texas in the 1970s.

Julianne Hoy Versnel is the former director of operations for the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to keep and Bear Arms. She represents SAF on the Executive Committee of the World Forum on Shooting Activities. She is the first woman to be elected to a leadership position in that organization, Chairwoman of the Image Committee. She is active in the international arena at the United Nations, ATT and other NGO meetings reminding disparate governmental representatives that there is a civil and natural right to self-defense. She is a founding officer of the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights (IAPCAR). She serves as publisher of The Journal on Firearms and Public Policy. She is the editor and author of Shooting Sports Survey, and Collision Course and Shooting Sports Survey II to be released in 2024 and 2025.

Mark Walters is the nationally syndicated host of two radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense. Fighting for gun rights and keeping Americans informed on Second Amendment issues for 14 years on the nations airwaves, his national radio broadcasts air on hundreds of radio stations across the nation. Mark is the co-founder of the Armed American News website and the CEO of CCW Broadcast Media, LLC. He is a member of the Board of Directors of The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, co-author of three books, Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed. He is a regular guest on numerous local and national radio and television programs and a life long advocate for the right to keep and bear arms. Mark is married with two children and lives in GA with his family.

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, including service as a game warden in two states. He has served as a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the legislature passed constitutional carry. He has a Batchelor of Science degree in meteorology and a Master of Science degree in mining engineering. He retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation. His first published article was in the American Rifleman in 1980. He has thousands of articles published on the Internet and in print. He commonly writes on most subjects in the gun culture, though he seldom does a gun review. One of his most popular series is research on how effective pistols are when fired as a defense against bears. The publisher of AmmoLand, Chief Editor Fredy Riehl, says Dean is the most popular gun writer on the Internet.

Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than 10 years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project, a frequent contributor to Ammoland News, and a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.

Dan Wos is a nationally recognized 2nd Amendment advocate and Author of the “Good Gun Bad Guy” – book series and Host of “The Loaded Mic” podcast. He is a contributing writer for AmmoLand News and several other publications. Dan can be found on radio stations across the Country speaking on behalf of gun-rights and exposing the strategies of the anti-gun crowd. Dan has been a guest on the Sean Hannity Show, Real America’s Voice, Newsmax, NRATV and many others.

Robert Young, MD has been DRGO’s editor since 2018. He has a private practice in psychiatry in Pittsford, New York. He is expert in addictions treatment, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He is nationally recognized for teaching excellence in medicine. Dr. Young is a fair shot, an occasional hunter, a very frustrated New York concealed carrier, and a defender of the Second Amendment. The Founders’ intent that Americans be armed and ready is vital to the well-being of our nation. Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership (www.DRGO.us) was founded by Dr. Timothy Wheeler in 2014. It is a nationwide network of health professionals who support safe, lawful firearm use. We have been refuting anti-gun pseudo-science from supposed medical and public health experts for 30 years. Dr. Young has written or been interviewed hundreds of times on firearm freedoms. In addition to the Gun Rights Policy Conference and has presented to other groups such as the Second Amendment Institute, Gun Owners of America, SCOPE and professional audiences such as the American Medical Association. DRGO has contributed amicus briefs in Emerson, Peruta, Heller and Wollschlaeger. Our experts testify at state and federal hearings and compiled indisputable medical evidence for unrestricted suppressor use. DRGO’s volunteer leadership also includes Drs. Arthur Przebinda (Program Director), John Edeen (Membership), Sean Brodale (Outreach) and Dennis Petrocelli (Forensics). DRGO is pleased to be with the Second Amendment Foundation since 2011 and here at GRPC with our 2A partners again.