Sarah Joy Albrecht is the Founder and Executive Director of Hold My Guns®, a 501(c)(3) liberty-based nonprofit that partners with firearms retailers across the US to offer voluntary storage. Hold My Guns® provides critical support to firearm owners during circumstances such as deployment, home damage from flood or fire, or when a household member is experiencing a personal crisis. Its mission is saving lives, protecting property, and preserving rights. The nonprofit has been featured in Recoil Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Shooting Industry, The Epoch Times, CBS, Concealed Carry, Armed Lifestyle, Riding Shotgun with Charlie, Guns.com, Bearing Arms, Guns & Ammo, and more.
Albrecht was named one of the “Ten Influencers and Innovators” in SHOT Business’ December 2023 issue. She is a Range Safety Officer (RSO) and spent many years volunteering with a Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) affiliated youth small-bore rifle league. She is a Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Institute suicide prevention instructor, teaching classes in the firearms community, including at the A Girl and a Gun National Conference.
Before founding Hold My Guns®, Sarah was a doula and childbirth educator for 11 years, with a heart for helping clients who had experienced past trauma to heal and thrive as new parents. She is the daughter of a USMC Vietnam veteran, who raised her to value survivalism and self-governance. Sarah and her husband Tom were homeschooled. They have five children, now aged 18 to 23, whom they also homeschooled. They are active members in their local church in Lancaster, PA, and recently celebrated 25 years of marriage.

A committed advocate for the Second Amendment and a seasoned firearms instructor dedicated to creating safer communities through education. As a Basic Firearms Safety (BFS) certified Instructor for Massachusetts and an NRA and USCCA instructor, Kerrie Ann also holds certifications as a Refuse To Be A Victim, Pepper Spray Instructor, and Range Safety Officer.
Kerrie Ann serves on the board of the Second Amendment Institute (SAI) and is the Massachusetts State Director for Women for Gun Rights (WGR) and Armed Women of America (AWA). She works tirelessly to empower women with the confidence and skills they need to be responsible and comfortable firearm owners. She also serves as the Women’s Advocacy Director and Women’s Program Assistant for Gun Owners Action League (GOAL), extending her impact in the community. She is also one of the co-hosts for Sisters In Arms – A Firearm Story on YouTube.
Beyond her advocacy work, Kerrie Ann is a devoted wife, mother of two, and a business owner. She also serves her community in a civic role at her local Town Hall as a Conservation Clerk. Kerrie Ann’s commitment to protecting civil rights is demonstrated annually as she travels to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the Second Amendment with Women for Gun Rights. Additionally, she serves on the board of the Second Amendment Institute, solidifying her dedication to safeguarding the freedoms and rights of all Americans.
Her passion lies in educating, not legislating, and she believes that communities can be safer and stronger through responsible gun ownership.

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).
Mas has served for decades on SAF’s Board of Trustees, and in September 2020 was named President of the Second Amendment Foundation.

Mr. Alan Beck is an attorney that specializes in Second Amendment law. He is passionate about curbing government misconduct and vindicating his clients’ rights through litigation in court. He graduated from the University of California San Diego with a bachelor’s degree and then obtained his juris doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in Hawaii and California.
He has spent much of his career fighting for the rights of Hawaiians in court. And has compelled numerous policy changes in Hawaii through his litigation. He also works with the Hawaii Firearms Coalition to lobby for the rights of gun owners with the Hawaii legislature.

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.

Chris Boeck is the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at Silencer Shop, the nation’s largest NFA firearm distributor. With a network of thousands of Powered By Silencer Shop dealers nationwide, and thousands of fingerprint kiosks across the country, Silencer Shop helps both consumers and dealers navigate the complex regulatory and bureaucratic obstacles to purchasing NFA firearms like silencers and SBRs. Silencer Shop is one of the industry’s strongest supporters of Second Amendment rights and is currently co-funding a lawsuit in Illinois federal court, along with the American Suppressor Association, to challenge the state’s firearm silencer ban. Prior to joining Silencer Shop, Chris Boeck was a partner at Locke Lord LLP, an AMLAW 100 law firm, where he focused on providing commercial and regulatory guidance to clients in the firearms industry. Mr. Boeck is a Director with the American Suppressor Association Foundation and a Director with the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition (FRAC). He graduated with Honors from The University of Texas School of Law after receiving his undergraduate degree in criminal justice, Summa Cum Laude with top-tier University Honors.

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, Phil Schreier, Cam Edwards, Ashley Hlebinsky, and many others. RSWC is published on Ammoland, and repurposed with Armed Lifeatyle Magazine for a column called “Writing Shotgun With Charlie”. He also writes articles for News2A.com.

Bobby works as Vice President, Government Affairs for SIG SAUER where he directs strategic advocacy issues for SIG SAUER and the firearms industry at the federal and state levels. Bobby considers it an honor to work for a company that supports the mission of the nation’s warfighter, law enforcement agencies, and our Constitutional Freedoms.
Bobby Cox is a South Carolina native and a distinguished military graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, where he became the Cadet Commander of the college his senior year. After the 9/11 terrorists’ attacks, Bobby joined the U.S. Army as an Army Ranger with combat tours in the Middle East serving in units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division. Bobby continues to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Bobby also serves as a State Legislator in the South Carolina House of Representatives. In his role as a Legislator, Bobby has led on 2nd Amendment efforts including passing Constitutional Carry in South Carolina as the primary sponsor in 2024. He serves on the American Suppressor Association Board and as an Executive Councilman on the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses.
He is married to Joscelyn, his wife of 20 years, and they have two children along with a Boykin Spaniel (South Carolina’s State Dog).

Chris is widely regarded as one of the most successful strategists in Washington, marrying legislative tactics to navigate Capitol Hill with cutting edge communications strategies to move public opinion. Today, he helps Fortune 500 companies and the C-suite leaders of emerging brands position their companies for success – and fend off legislative threats. For 18 years, Chris was the legislative field general for the gun rights movement, an effort that saw a nearly 100 percent success rate in the halls of Congress and in most state legislatures.
Away from politics, Chris founded an effort to enlist leading cultural brands and talents in the country music industry to promote a wholesome American lifestyle that includes a legacy of responsible gun ownership. Chris has appeared on a variety of national news programs, including Fox News Sunday, Fox & Friends, Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, The Kelly File with Megyn Kelly, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS, to name a few. He has been published in The New York Times, the Washington Post, and other publications and was a primetime speaker during the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Chris got his start in Washington in the 1990s as a senior legislative aide to a veteran congressman, managing issues relating to the judicial system and criminal justice reform. He is a graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis. A Tennessee native, Chris resides in Virginia with his family.

Born in Northeast England, Christian Craighead has always taken an unorthodox route, constantly defying the odds stacked against him at every level.
At the age of sixteen, he joined the British Army, initially serving in the fearsome Parachute Regiment, and was then selected for the elite Pathfinder Platoon. Craighead’s natural “get the job done” mindset secured him a coveted spot at the pinnacle of most soldiers’ dreams: Tier 1 Special Forces.
As a senior and highly decorated member of 22 SAS, the British Army’s Special Mission Unit known for covert reconnaissance, counter-terrorism and hostage rescue, he participated in an exceptionally high number of high-risk missions and was wounded in action. This hard-earned combat experience underpins his reputation as a renowned counter-terrorism and special tactics instructor.
In 2019, Craighead single-handedly shifted the outcome of a terrorist attack in Kenya. His actions and leadership during the brutal attack are credited with saving hundreds of lives. Those unauthorized actions earned him global praise as well as an invitation and personal gratitude from the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
After 28 years of active service, Craighead retired in 2020. He continues to conduct leadership and specialized training and is sought after for keynote speaking engagements. The goal of his work is to encourage anyone to become the necessary leader, to have the courage to make decisions, and to actively reshape the narrative instead of being the passive bystander.
Staying true to his unconventional manner, Craighead is also the author of a children’s book, The Wrong Wolf. He now resides in Texas.

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 an appellate specialist handling civil litigation and government controversies. Headquartered in Texas, his firm supplies appellate expertise and manages complex litigation across the country. Chad founded his firm 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.

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.

Jim Giudice is an avid hunter, firearm enthusiast, and Marine Recon combat veteran. He joined PublicSquare as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel in March of 2024. Prior to PublicSquare, he served as General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer of Credova Financial, LLC, and spent time as an M&A transactional attorney and practiced with the firearms industry group at Williams Mullen. He continues to serve as an officer in the United States Marine Corps reserve. Mr. Giudice received his B.S. in Business Administration from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business with a specialization in Finance and received his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law.

Kenyon Gleason is the president and secretary of the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW), headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa. He joined NASGW in January of 2015.
NASGW is a trade association comprised of wholesalers, manufacturers, independent sales reps, media and service providers – both national and international – primarily focused on
shooting sports equipment and accessories. He is currently a board member for the American Suppressor Association (ASA) and board member for Walk the Talk America (WTTA). He is a former board member for the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) in Washington, D.C.
Prior to taking over at NASGW, he was the VP of development and field operations for the
American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) in Washington, D.C. Gleason has also been an active participant in the political arena, serving as a campaign advisor and coalition director for U.S. House and Senate races. He was himself elected to an at-large seat on the Sioux Falls (S.D.) City Council from 2000-2004. Gleason has over 30 years of media, communications, marketing, public and government relations experience in a variety of industries including healthcare, education, transportation, agriculture and the shooting sports. A North Dakota native, he is a graduate of St. Cloud State University in Minnesota with a degree in communications. He’s the owner of Connect Consulting, LLC, a business and association management service provider. He and his wife live in Topeka, Kansas, and are the proud parents of five grown sons.

Alan Merril Gottlieb is an American author, conservative political activist, gun rights advocate, and businessperson.
Since 1971 Alan has been Chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), an organization that he expanded into a national force as the “Common Sense Gun Lobby” focusing on grassroots lobbying.
In 1974 Alan founded the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) with a unique and innovative vision for its time – building the necessary foundation to bring a case addressing the Second Amendment to the United States Supreme Court through scholarly pursuits, public education programs, publications, and legal action. Since its inception, SAF has been the leader in the legal arena, having participated in over 260 different legal actions, leading to the continued defense, restoration, and expansion of the right to keep and bear arms throughout the United States.
CCRKBA and SAF co-operate to organize the annual Gun Rights Policy Conference.
Alan graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering and attended the Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems at Georgetown University. Besides guiding CCRKAB and SAF, he is a member of the Board of Directors of CPAC (American Conservative Union), Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise, the International Association for the Protection for Civilian Arms Rights and other non-profit organizations. He is also the author or co-author of almost two dozen books. He has written opinion pieces for hundreds of newspapers and appeared on thousands of radio and television shows and innumerable other media appearances.
Alan is a passionate philatelist (stamp collector) and has an impressive collection of antique firearms. He has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus and taught classes at University of Tennessee. He is a fan of all things “Volunteer.”
Alan and his wife Julianne Versnel have worked side by side for 48 years and been married for 45 years. He is the proud father of Amy, Sarah, Alexis, and Andrew. He is the lucky grandfather to Alex, Caroline, and Felix. He is known for his bowties and series of white dogs named Winston.

Joseph Greenlee is the Director of the Office of Litigation Counsel at the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action. He is also a Research Associate at the Independence Institute and a Policy Advisor for Legal Affairs at the Heartland Institute. Greenlee has worked on more than 100 constitutional law cases (representing a party or amicus curiae) and has filed more than 30 briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court. Greenlee has published 15 scholarly articles on the right to keep and bear arms. He has been cited in over 100 cases, including five United States Supreme Court cases—NYSRPA v. NYC, Chiafalo v. Washington, NYSRPA v. Bruen, Garland v. Cargill, U.S. v. Rahimi—as well as decisions by five federal circuit courts of appeals, over thirty district courts, the highest courts of six states and Puerto Rico, and three state appellate courts. Greenlee has also authored dozens of short articles on the right to keep and bear arms, which have appeared in The Hill, Washington Post, Washington Times, and SCOTUSblog, among others.

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.

Congressman Darrell Issa represents California’s 48th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Issa enlisted in the U.S. Army as a senior in high school and received an ROTC scholarship before graduating with a degree in business from Sienna Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. After receiving his degree, Issa was commissioned as an Army officer and was promoted to the rank of captain. He completed his active-duty military service in 1980 and focused on the private sector.
Issa founded and served as CEO of California-based Directed Electronics Incorporated, the nation’s leading manufacturer of vehicle anti-theft and auto security devices. In 1994, Issa was named by Inc. Magazine as Entrepreneur of the Year for the San Diego region. Issa has also served as a member of the board of governors of the Electronics Industry Association, director of the San Diego Economic Development Association and the Greater San Diego County Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association, a leading organization of 2,000 companies representing the most innovative and advanced leaders of the consumer technology industry.
Issa is a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee and served from 2011 to 2015 as Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He previously served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Energy & Commerce Committee, and the Small Business Committee.
As a congressman and leader at California’s grassroots level, Issa has championed smart, limited government and advanced key legislation to promote transparency to hold government accountable to the people. He is the author of dozens of legislative bills, supported by bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed by both Republican and Democrat presidents.
Congressman Issa is a steadfast champion of border integrity, national security, and the Second Amendment — and tirelessly safeguards our fundamental right against any unconstitutional encroachment. Specifically, Issa has introduced key legislation, including the Modern Firearm Safety Act, the Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act, and the FIREARM Act, which will all stop efforts by Democrats to weaken the Second Amendment, target firearm dealers, and impose unnecessary barriers to lawful gun ownership.

Determined to improve the quality of life in his community, Brian first found his passion for public service as a Santee City Council Member from 2002-2010 and then again from 2017-2018. Brian took this passion for his community to the state level when he was elected to represent California’s 77th Assembly District from 2010-2012 and California’s 71st Assembly District from 2012-2016. In 2018, Brian was elected to represent California’s 38th Senate District.
In 2022, Brian was elected to represent California’s 40th Senate District. Brian is proud to serve as the Senate Minority Leader for the California Senate Republican Caucus. Brian’s platform focuses on Fixing California—reducing the cost of living, acting on homelessness, tackling rising crime, and restoring educational excellence. Additionally, coming from a military family, Brian is a fearless supporter of our Armed Forces and our veterans.
Brian proudly serves as the Vice-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He also sits on the Senate Insurance Committee and the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. Brian serves as the co-Chair of the Senate Outdoor Sporting Caucus.
Brian’s persistent efforts to lower taxes, lower the cost of living, and reduce burdensome regulations on small businesses have earned him consistent top ratings from: The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, The California Taxpayers Association, The National Federation of Independent Businesses, and The California Chamber of Commerce, The California Retailer’s Association, and the Civil Justice Association of California.

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.

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.

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.

Mr. Moros is an accomplished attorney specializing in general civil litigation at Michel & Associates. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego in 2011, followed by his Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law in 2014. At Michel & Associates, he has contributed to several high-profile victories for gun rights litigants, including cases vindicating the right to carry, others affecting the types of firearms Californians can purchase and possess, and even one that stopped California from blocking access to the courts for Second Amendment claims. Mr. Moros has also helped draft several amicus briefs at the appellate and Supreme Court levels. Aside from litigation, he has also written numerous articles about the Second Amendment and gun culture generally. He recently co-authored a law review article focused on the anti-tyranny roots and history of the Second Amendment. See Michel, C.D. and Moros, Konstadinos (2024) “Restrictions “Our Ancestors Would Never Have Accepted”: The Historical Case Against Assault Weapon Bans,” Wyoming Law Review: Vol. 24: No. 1, Article 3.

A once stay-at-home mom whose sons have grown, Susan now spends her time serving as Missouri’s State Director for Women for Gun Rights. Throughout the legislative session, you’ll find her hitting offices and working the phones, advocating on behalf of Missouri’s female firearms owners on Second Amendment issues in the Missouri General Assembly.
Her short time in 2A advocacy has led to her testifying on almost all firearms related bills heard in the Missouri House and Senate, often being the only women showing up in person to provide testimony in support of good firearms legislation, always with the goal of ensuring the female firearms owner’s perspective is expressed and on record.
Along with her role as Women for Gun Right’s State Director for Missouri, Susan serves as a Chapter Leader for Armed Women of America, helping women become confident and competent concealed carriers. She also currently leads her church’s volunteer Safety Team.
Before advocacy, Susan spent many artistic years, first as an award winning sugar artist, then needlework pattern designer, praised for her intricate 3-D designs, finally combining it all into several years as an online art instructor. But she will be the first to tell you that none of those previous hobbies or endeavors have brought near the satisfaction that becoming an advocate for women’s gun rights has given her.
Susan and her husband Darren have been married 36 years, raised two sons and enjoy their one grandson, Colt. She credits Darren for giving her the freedom to go where this 2A advocacy journey keeps taking her.

Quang Nguyen survived the Vietnam War from the very beginning until the Fall of Saigon in April of 1975. Quang and an older brother hitched a ride on an American C-130 leaving South Vietnam just six days before Saigon failed to the North Vietnamese communist force. Quang arrived in the United States in May of 1975 as a war refugee, floating through various military bases until eventually settling in Central California.
Fast forward to 2004, Quang, his wife, and two children moved to Arizona on a corporate job transfer. In 2020, Quang was asked to run for office and accepted the challenge to serve his community. In 2021, he was elected to serve as a Republican State Representative representing Legislative District 1, which covers North Central Arizona.
In 2021 as a freshman legislator, Quang amended SB1382 (Essential businesses; civil actions; ammunition) to protect Arizona’s firearm industry from frivolous lawsuits when firearms are illegally used in crimes. In 2023, Quang was appointed to serve as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. As Chair, Quang killed 20 anti-gun bills proposed by Democrats and Governor Katie Hobbs. For his efforts, Quang was given the nickname “Bad Bills Killer” by the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AZCDL). In 2024, he killed another 16 bad firearms bills.
In 2021, Quang was the NSSF National Legislator of The Year for his work on SB1382. In 2023, Quang was named Legislator of The Year by AZCDL.
Outside of the legislature, Quang Nguyen is the President of Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association (2019 – Present)

Edward Andrew Paltzik was a Partner at the law firm of Joshpe Mooney Paltzik LLP in New York City for over a decade. He now maintains his own practice as Of Counsel to Bochner PLLC in New York City and as Litigation Director for the National Constitutional Law Union. 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.

John Petrolino is a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer, writer, firearms instructor, and author of Decoding Firearms: An Easy to Read Guide on Basic Gun Safety & Use. Petrolino matriculated at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he received a BS in Marine Engineering.
Petrolino’s work on the 2nd Amendment has appeared primarily at BearingArms.com, AmmoLand.com, News2A.com, ShootingNewsWeekly.com, and TheTruthAboutGuns.com. In 2024, Petrolino launched a product and travel review site, TheSquareReviews.com, where he serves as the publisher/editor-in-chief.
In 2022 Petrolino was awarded the “Media Figure of the Year” award by San Diego County Gun Owners PAC and the “Blogger of the Year” award by the Second Amendment Foundation. Petrolino was one of the 2024 recipients of the Coalition of New Jersey Firearm Owners “Patriot Pin.”
Petrolino holds life memberships to Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Second Amendment Foundation, National Rifle Association, Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Coalition of New Jersey Firearm Owners, New Jersey Second Amendment Society, Glock Shooting Sports Foundation, and the National Eagle Scout Association – Eagle class of 1998.
You can find him on the web at www.thepenpatriot.com, on Twitter at @johnpetrolino, on Facebook @thepenpatriot, on YouTube @thepenpatriot, and on Instagram @jpetrolinoiii

Representative Rebecca Schmoe began her public endeavor to educate and empower gun owners over a decade ago by advocating for our constitutionally protected inherent rights at both the state and national level. Today she co-manages 1 Million Moms Against Gun Control, the original voice of opposition to the red shirt wearing, Bloomberg funded, nag-tavists, alongside Mary Callison. She has worked extensively with Women for Gun Rights, serving as the Kansas Director when she was elected to public office, and continues to keep them engaged with opportunities to meet and discuss gun rights with their legislators and leadership in the statehouse. Rebecca co-hosted the To The Republic Podcast with Timothy Knight. She continues to support and volunteer her time and talent with multiple liberty-focused organizations, and engages in public speaking engagements across the nation promoting individual liberty and personal responsibility. She does all of this while working full time in the private sector, raising a family, and serving her community in the Kansas Legislature as the House Representative for District 59.

Michael A. Schwartz is the founder for San Diego County Gun Owners PAC, Orange County Gun Owners PAC, Inland Empire Gun Owners PAC, and NotMe CA 501c3. He is also the Executive Director for California Gun Rights Foundation 501(c)(3).
He has been involved in political activism for over 15 years including campaigns at the local, state, and federal level. His background is in financial sales and service and he left the industry in 2015 to launch SDCGO after 16 years in his banking career. When he is not fighting to restore and protect gun rights, he enjoys off-roading, travel, and shooting.

Professor Mark W. Smith is a constitutional lawyer and hosts 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 include ISRAEL DISARMED: What the October 7 Attack Teaches Americans about the Right to Bear Arms; 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 recognized universities including Princeton University, the Harvard Law School, the Yale Law School, the U. Penn Wharton 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) and a Distinguished Scholar and Senior Fellow of Law and Public Policy, Ave Maria School of Law.

Sean Smith is the Manager of Government Relations – Federal Affairs for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), America’s firearm and ammunition industry trade association. At NSSF, Sean advocates for federal legislation that promotes and protects the more than 10,000 manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and ranges that comprise the industry.
Before coming to NSSF, Sean worked on Capitol Hill for former Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming, former Congressman Raul Labrador of Idaho, and most recently Congressman Burgess Owens of Utah.
In his free time, Sean enjoys hunting turkey in Virginia and traveling to Wyoming to hunt mule deer and fish on the Big Horn Mountains with his grandfather and uncle.

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.
In this day job, Bryan is a globally recognized crisis management, business continuity, & crisis communications consultant with more than twenty-five years of experience. He currently serves as Principal & Chief Executive of a strategic advisory firm based in Minneapolis.
Bryan holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Masters 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. He is a graduate of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative Program at Harvard University’s JFK School of Government. He is presently a PhD student at Hamline University.

Amanda Suffecool is a retired engineer who spends her spare time sharing her love of country, constitution and specifically the 2nd Amendment with others. Amanda is the director of the not for profit group REALIZE firearms awareness coalition and the producer of its flagship educational program, EyeOnTheTargetRadio a nationally syndicated radio show about guns and the 2nd Amendment. She is on the NRA national Board of Directors, and is on the Women for Gun Rights / DC Project Board of Advisors, and a regional director for 13 states of advocacy. Amanda is the author of the how-to book Your Guide to producing a Concealed Carry Fashion Show. She consulted with the NRA to produce concealed carry fashion shows in Milwaukee, Houston and Indianapolis and her Cleveland show was featured on VICE.

Tom Taylor is currently the Executive Vice President, Global Brand Development at SIG SAUER. In this role, Taylor leads global brand and marketing initiatives and serves the company for all firearm industry governance. Since 2015, and throughout most of his tenure, Taylor served as Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales for all SIG divisions including firearms, optics, ammunition, suppressors, airguns and training. 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 20,000 disabled veterans and was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense “Spirit of Hope Award” in 2018. He is personally passionate about veteran support, shooting sports and hunting.

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.

Julianne Hoy Versnel is the former director of operations for the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF). She now serves as SAF Vice President of International Outreach and Special Assistant to the EVP of SAF. She serves in an active advisory role for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA).
Julianne 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, serving as Chairwoman of the Image Committee. Since 2008, she has been active in the international arena at the United Nations and European Union meetings; Arms Trade Treaty, Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, The Firearms Protocol, Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the First Committee, and other international meetings reminding disparate governmental representatives that there is a civil and natural right to self-defense. She most recently spoke in July at the 10th Conference of State Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty held in Geneva. 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 2025.
Julianne is a vociferous reader, seasoned needle pointer, a mediocre golfer, lover of all Winstons and a very lucky mother and wife.
Julianne and Alan Gottlieb have worked together on preserving our Second Amendment rights at SAF and CCRKBA since 1976. They have been married for over 45 years. Julianne and Alan have been blessed by Miss Spectacular, Miss Splendiferous, Mr. Stupendous and the most recent addition to their family, Mr. Sublime.

Knox Williams is a passionate believer that every law-abiding citizen should be able to buy and use suppressors to help protect their hearing. That’s why he helped form the American Suppressor Association in 2011. At the time, hunting with a suppressor was not legal in Georgia – Knox’s home state. When he began developing a plan to change the law, he realized two things: 1) no other organizations were working on pro-suppressor reform, and 2) he would be far more effective if he created a coalition. Thus, ASA was born. Through his work at ASA, Knox has helped three states legalize suppressor ownership and 19 states legalize their use in the field – including the Peach State in 2014. In 2021, he helped form the ASA Foundation, the 501(c)(3) wing of the American Suppressor Association to educate the public on the realities and merits of suppressors and stand at the forefront of pro-suppressor litigation. In his spare time, Knox enjoys hunting (suppressed), shooting (suppressed), traveling, cooking, and all things Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, and UGA football.

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 15 years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project, 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, and a proud member of the Staccato cult. He lives in Sarasota, Florida with his wife and their extremely unruly Boston Terrier, Willa.

Michael serves as General Counsel of the American Cornerstone Institute and the American Suppressor Association, and is Co-Founder of The Cylinder. Previously, Michael worked at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he served two years as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel and focused on federal budget and regulatory matters. He transitioned to the West Wing in March of 2019, where he served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Counselor to White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. During his time in the West Wing, Michael advised the Chief of Staff and the President on numerous matters, and served as the top White House policy advisor on Second Amendment issues. Michael left the West Wing in July of 2020 to serve as Acting General Counsel at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where he advised Secretary Carson and other HUD executives on matters of law, and helped lead the charge to repeal a regulation in under two weeks. In that capacity he also served as HUD’s chief Ethics Official.
Michael is a graduate of Emory University, where he earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in History, and the George Washington University School of Law.

Jared is a Father, Husband, Business Owner, 2nd Amendment Advocate, and Content Creator. An unrelenting advocate of Freedom, Jared keeps his audience informed on Constitutional Infringements via his YouTube channel, Guns & Gadgets. He and his family make their home in the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee.