National Conference • April 11-14, 2019

Join us in the beautiful Texas Hill Country for the EVENT OF THE YEAR! This is your chance to gather with more than 400 other AG & AG members from around the country! Attend training sessions with top instructors, get motivated by speakers, and meet innovative vendors and sponsors. Come and join us for a weekend full of women shooters looking to do three simple things: LIVE, LOVE, SHOOT! Here are just some of the many topics covered:

• Competitive Shooting Sports
• Concealed Carry & Personal Defense
• Personal Safety Strategies
• Beginner to Advanced Courses
• Second Amendment Rights
• Live-Fire Instruction
• Simulated Training
• Hands-On “How To” Clinics
• Product Demonstrations
• Vendor Retail Village

We love our Sponsors! Learn about Sponsorship Opportunities.

2018 Speakers & Instructors

• Amy Dillon is a former Marine Corps Drill Instructor and Combat Marksmanship Instructor. Amy served 12 years active-duty and is now committed to pursuing her goals in the Firearms Industry and Legal Community. In addition to her military certifications, Amy is certified as a Concealed Weapons Permit Instructor by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, State of Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification, and Georgia Carry Organization. She is also a firearms instructor and Chief Range Safety Officer certified by the National Rifle Association, as well as a Personal Safety Academy Instructor for the SABRE Civilian Safety Awareness Program. She is the owner of CCWstyle.com.
• Annette Evans is The Beauty Behind the Blast. She picked up her first gun “because every girl should learn how to shoot,” started as a defensive shooter, became an instructor, and then fell in love with competitive shooting. Her passion is the craft of marksmanship, which she pursues as a representative of King Shooters Supply, Grayguns, PHLster, On Target Performance, Brilliant Backstraps, Springer Precision, and nuun hydration. She is also owner and operator of the Race Street Range near Philadelphia. You can follow her on social media at facebook.com/blastingbeauty and Instagram.com/blastingbeauty.
• Brian Quick is returning to Conference to share his take on firearms training, which is based on real-world and competition failures and successes. Brian, a U.S. Army Veteran, is a full-time firearms instructor and SWAT law enforcement officer, who plans and operates high-risk warrants as well as other special operations. His desire is to guide you on a path to help you achieve your goals. Brian has a simple outlook on training and life: “Be Better Than Yesterday.” He believes you can achieve anything and never let anyone tell you, “you can’t.” Above all things Brian is a husband and father of two amazing boys.
• Caleb Causey is the owner and Director of Training for Lone Star Medics, a field and tactical medicine training company. He served as a U.S. Army Combat Medic with the 82nd Airborne and in the ER of the 212 MASH. He also experience as a civilian Firefighter/EMT as well as a tactical medic with rescue dive teams and SWAT teams.
• Craig Smith is the owner of Medic Assault Special Tactics (MAST) and a Special Operations field supervisor with Austin Travis Co. EMS, where he has served for the past 19 years. He is an instructor in a myriad of disciplines and holds instructor credentials with the Department of State Health and Human Services as well as the National Association of Emergency Medical Services Educators. Craig has instructed numerous military, LEO and government agencies in the Combat Life Saver and TCCC curriculums while working with the Joint Operations Training Davison within the US Army Special Forces Group. Craig also serves as a Rescue Squad Officer with Texas Task Force 1 USAR and has made numerous local, state, and federal deployments.
• Dave Miller is the Shotgun Product Manager & Pro-Shooter for premium gun manufacturer CZ-USA. He has over 25 years of experience in the competitive shooting community and has lived to see our clay shooting sports evolve into the world’s fastest growing shotgun sport. He is respected as one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the sporting clays & wingshooting community with a Master class title, and one of the best shooters in the United States. He is also makes frequent appearances on CZ-USA’s Gun Dog TV and Scott Linden’s Wingshooting USA. In 2015 Dave set a new Guinness World Record for The Most Sporting Clays Targets Shot in 1 hour. Dave smashed 3653 clays, that’s one per second for one hour straight!
• David Maglio is a proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran and retired Deputy Sheriff with 30 years of law enforcement experience and a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. David is a Senior Staff Instructor for the Massad Ayoob Group, where he is certified to instruct in Handgun, Shotgun, Rifle, Handgun Retention, and Kubotan. He is a Certified Firearms Instructor for the Wisconsin DOJ for Rifle and Handgun, and for the NRA in Pistol, Shotgun, Rifle, Personal Protection in the Home, and Personal Protection out of the Home. He is a “5 Gun Master” as well as an IDPA State and Regional Champion.
• Dianna Muller is a two-time national 3-gun champion and co-host of the Shooting Gallery on the Outdoor Channel. She is a 22-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department serving assignments in Narcotics, Gangs, Street Crimes, and Patrol. She is a CLEET law enforcement firearms instructor and a board member for Armed Citizens United. Dianna is the Founder of The DC Project, an initiative that brings 50 women from 50 states to Washington, DC, each summer to dialogue with their legislators about their passion for the 2nd Amendment.
• Dorothea Clevenger is a ProStaff Shooter for Syren USA. She is an avid sporting clays shooter & competitor. She has earned her NSCA Level 1 Sporting Clays Instructor Certification and is a Certified NSCA Sporting Clays Referee. She is also an active member of the SCTP program and coach for the LVSC Kids Sporting Clay Team Quarry Crushers taking kids to Nationals last year.
• Annemarie Garrett is a fellow Syren ProStaff Shooter. She has been a certified NSCA Level one instructor for 5 years. She made the All-American team in 2013. She took first place in her class at the 2015 California State Championships among many other accomplishments in her career.
• Emily Taylor is an attorney and frequent lecturer/instructor to both law enforcement officials and civilians on firearms-carry laws and the use of force and deadly force. She is a frequent contributor to Fox news affiliates and other media outlets on issues of firearms law, and has been cited as an authority on firearms law in national publications. She prides herself on providing attentive, aggressive criminal defense for clients in misdemeanor and felony cases for U.S. Law Shield. She provides an insider’s perspective into the Texas criminal justice system, particularly into cases involving gun owners and claims of self-defense.
• Flashlauncher is a new product from the PepperBall of United Tactical Systems. Their instructor cadre travels throughout the U.S. teaching law enforcement, military, and civilian tactics in a variety of applications.
• Gabby Franco is an NRA certified firearms instructor and former contestant on the History Channel’s Top Shot. At the age of 19, the Venezuelan native was the first female to qualify for the Venezuelan Olympic Shooting Team, representing her country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2002, Gabby moved to the U.S. and she is passionate about her Second Amendment freedoms — having seen firsthand what happens in a country where the government strips its citizens of their rights.
• Heather Eckert is the owner of E4Defense, LLC, which provides firearms, DT, and mental preparedness training for law enforcement departments, private security companies, and civilians. Heather holds multiple certifications, including Master Firearms Instructor in Shotgun, Patrol Rifle, and Handgun; RBT/Force on Force; and Specialty Training Certifications. She is an active member of ILEETA, IALEFI® and IAWP, and is a Texas DPS PSB Level III Instructor.
• Detective Josh White is an Army Veteran, Texas Peace Officer, TCOLE Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Force on Force Instructor, DT Instructor, Double Brown belt in Shuri Ryu Karate, Blue belt in Tae Kwon Do. He is dedicated to paying forward the training he has received to his students whether its firearms, self-defense, or communication skills.
• J.J. Schroeder is Dealer Sales Manager for Apex Tactical Specialties. He is a graduate of Colorado School of Trades with a degree in Gunsmithing, has a broad firearms industry background with experience in supplier relations, product testing and evaluation, R&D, product and project management, marketing, promotions creation and analysis, supply chain logistics and customer and technical support. He is an avid shooter and a member of the NRA.
• Janet Fife has been working in the shooting industry for over ten years and has been a shooter for 25 years. An IDPA competitor and certified NRA Range Safety Officer. Her training includes defensive pistol and rifle, along with wilderness survival training and Active Shooter training with local Police and Fire. Janet is an avid hunter and licensed wildlife rescue volunteer. She has worked as volunteer for Honored American Veterans Afield, a shooting industry-supported veterans’ charity, for over ten years.
• Janna Reeves is a professional 3-gun competitor and NRA certified instructor. After touching a gun for the very first time 6 years ago, she discovered a love for guns and a talent for shooting, as well as a passion for teaching others to shoot. Janna discovered 3 gun competition in late 2013. In her breakout rookie year, she was invited to be a member of the elite Novekse Shooting Team and qualified for a spot in the 3 Gun Nation Lady pro series, making it to the finale. Since then, she has won numerous high lady titles at major matches across the country and maintains a place among the top female 3 gunners today. Janna has a full-time day job in addition to shooting, and is the mother of a toddler.
• Joanna Lenczewska is classified as an Expert in five divisions of IDPA, B class in USPSA, ICORE and Steel Challenge and High Marksman in 3 Gun Nation. Joanna is an NRA Certified Pistol Instructor.
• Kenneth Ortbach achieved Master class with all eight of the guns used in IDPA, Master in ICORE, A class in USPSA and Steel Challenge and Semi-Pro in 3 Gun Nation. Ken is a NRA Training Counselor and Instructor in Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection Inside and Outside the Home, and Shotshell and Metallic Cartridge reloading.
• John Kochan is an expert on emergency preparedness and response. His father was a USAF command pilot flying B-52s on nuclear alert, and he was raised with a preparedness mindset, earning his Emergency Care Attendant certification while a senior in high school and his Emergency Medical Technician shortly after graduation. John has served as Assistant Chief, Firefighter, EMT, Industrial HazMat Technician in one form or another since 1980. He has been an instructor at KR Training teaching firearms safety and self-defense classes since 1997, teaching everything from NRA basic classes to full-speed force-on-force role-playing scenarios, including preparedness classes, such as alternate lighting and power sources, and Chainsaw 101.
• Josh Crosby is the lead instructor for Texas Women’s Combat Systems, as well as a full-time LEO in Texas with over 18 years in law enforcement and 20 years as a women’s self-defense instructor. Josh holds TCOLE certifications as a police instructor, field training officer and firearms instructor. He has trained soldiers and police officers in 4 different countries in firearms, edged weapons and hand to hand combat.
• Karl Rehn is the owner of KR Training. He’s attended over 2000 hours of training from a diverse mix of the best tactical, competition, military and law enforcement instructors. He’s an IPSC Grand Master in Production and Carry Optics divisions, an NRA Training Counselor, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, graduate of the Rangemaster Advanced Instructor course, and certified as an instructor by Texas DPS, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.
• Kelley Moore is a Courage and Performance Coach. Jack Canfield (one of the creators of Chicken Soup for the Soul) deemed her “America’s Courage Coach.” She is also a United States Marine Corps veteran, who served during the Gulf War. Kelley attends all AG & AG national events to arm members with the intel needed to recognize, understand and appreciate human behaviors, communication styles, and emotions, and to equip participants with Courageous Communication(c) strategies and tactics.  
• Larry St. Clair is the owner and lead instructor at Martial Way Legacy. He is a competitor and instructor on a number of skills, including American Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Savate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do, and Filipino Martial Arts known as Kali, Escrima, and Arnis. Guro Larry also serves as an accountability coach and helps people set and achieve personal and fitness goals. He facilitates the AG & AG Push-Up Challenge.
• Mandy Bachman is a pro shooter, and lone female, for the Wilson Combat Shooting Team. She works for IDPA and is one of the few females to make Master Class in IDPA. Mandy’s primary firearm is a Wilson Combat CQB Elite in 9mm.  
• Melissa Gilliland is a professional shooter in the Precision Rifle Series. She finished the past 3 PRS Seasons as one of the Top 3 females. Her talents also include the firearms media as a writer, blogger, public speaker and television personality. She co-hosted Seasons 2-9 of “Trigger Time TV” which aired on the Pursuit Channel. In addition to working full time as the VP of Operations for Armageddon Gear and shooting PRS matches, her entrepreneurial business interests also include co-ownership of Shadow 6 Consulting with her Husband, Jim Gilliland. They conduct marksmanship training with pistols, carbines and precision rifles. Melissa is a proud NRA Certified Firearms Instructor. Melissa is sponsored by G.A. Precision, Berger Bullets, Armageddon Gear and XGO. She is a Brand Ambassador for the Vista Outdoor brands Bushnell Tactical, Federal Premium, RCBS, and Hoppe’s 9.
• Melody Lauer is a Rangemaster and NRA certified handgun instructor who is also certified in Home Firearms Safety and the NRA’s Refuse To Be A Victim program. For the past ten years she has carried a firearm for self-defense and trained in all manner of handgun and defensive disciplines from empty hands, defensive knife, impact weapons and extreme close quarters gun fighting. Melody is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician, mother of three, and self-defense blogger, who is passionate about saving lives and helping others prepare to defend themselves and those they love.
• Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, is a sponsored competitive shooter and teaches alongside her husband Chris in their company, Cerino Consulting and Training Group. Michelle is a columnist and Managing and Social Media Editor of Women’s Outdoor News. She is also a freelancer and writes the monthly training column in Gun World magazine and “What’s in Your Range Bag,” for NRA Shooting Sports USA. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. For as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North once said, “You’ve always had the power … you just had to find it out for yourself.”
• Mike “Ox” Ochsner is a full-time firearms instructor who has co-created several firearms training products, including Dry Fire Training Cards. His training is used by current and former special operations personnel, as well as numerous Federal and local law enforcement instructors. Ox has a passion for neurology and accelerated learning and specializes in training techniques that deliver optimal performance in extreme stress situations, but take minimal time and money to master.
• Chief Deputy Mike Pendley was born with public service in his blood. Mike’s 15-year career has given him the privilege of collaborating with multiple county, state, & federal task forces as well as the opportunity to serve as team leader on high risk entry teams. After years of acting as the department Range Master and Training Coordinator, it was only natural that Mike’s passion for teaching law enforcement led to his founding of Hex Tactical Resources. Hex proudly provides training that is crucial to personal protection and survival for first responders, military, and civilians. Hex offers an engaging, ego-free training environment with an emphasis on safety & goal oriented performance improvement. Mike is dedicated to enhancing shooting skills as well as improving confidence in high pressure situations.
• MJ Adamcik is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine and the Medical Division Manager at ROCKTAPE. She is certified in Fascial Movement Taping I and II. ROCKTAPE is Kinesiology tape for endurance athletes, Olympic athletes, cross-fit athletes, and sports of all types. This tape is used by professional and recreational athletes as endurance sport tape and tape to relieve pain.
• Rick Staples has over 35 years’ experience as patrol officer and investigator with mid-sized Midwestern city with additional duties as firearms and tactical team instructor in multiple weapon systems. He served as precision rifleman and entry team member on the SWAT team and the Fugitive Apprehension Unit. He is a Chapman Academy Adjunct Instructor, Police Academy Instructor, and Thunder Ranch Adjunct Instructor.
• Ryan Muller is a full-time hunter and competitive shooter…the outdoors is not only what he does, but it is his way of life. An engineer by profession, Ryan is a lifetime member of the NRA, certified firearms instructor, and competes on the 3-Gun Nation Pro Series circuit. Ryan routinely travels to over 30 events each year across the US. While most of his hunting expeditions are based around the Midwest he has experienced the hunting culture in New Zealand and Africa as well and can apply certain hunting mentalities to the U.S. based on those international experiences. Ryan has been featured on National TV shows such as ‘Shooting Gallery’, ‘Realtree’, The Sportsman’s Channel, Shooting USA, ‘MOJO Outdoors’, and ‘The American Marksman’.
• Stag Arms is a firearms manufacturer founded in May 2003 and located in New Britain, Connecticut. Stag Arms is a manufacturer of the AR-15 type rifle, marketed as Stag-15 rifles, as well as pistol-caliber carbines (PCCs). Ernie Manalis and Rick Bergen will be on site representing Stag Arms.
• Steve Fisher is the owner/lead instructor for Sentinel Concepts and teaches firearms programs nationwide. He is an avid hunter and has a history in the outdoor/hunting television community as both a hunter and cameraman and a long history within the competitive shooting world. Steve currently serves as a reserve officer with an agency in the southern United States and as a firearms trainer for SWAT and patrol divisions.
• Tatiana Whitlock is a mother of two, nationally recognized firearms instructor and SME writer for a variety of firearms related publications. She is a proud member of the NRA ad NRA New Energy program of the NRA Women’s Network and is a featured instructor on Trigger Time TV and Panteao Productions as well as being a member of Maine Hunters Pro-Staff. Tatiana’s journey into the world of firearms began six years ago after participating in her first shooting class, an NRA Women on Target clinic. She immediately left a career in plastics manufacturing & industrial design to pursue an immersive education in firearms with a focus on self and home defense. She is the Director of Training at Howell’s Gun Shop in Gray Maine, COO of GAT Marketing and Director of Training for A Girl & A Gun. Tatiana offers training programs across the country for beginner and intermediate level students looking to build a foundation of skills for home and self-defense.
• The Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Law Enforcement Division Firearms Instructor’s Training Cadre have extensive experience in law enforcement, criminal investigations, firearms, tactics, and training. These instructors have had thousands of hours in various law enforcement training topics. Our training cadre are certified law enforcement instructors and firearms instructors recognized by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
• Tiffany Johnson is a practicing attorney and teaches courses in legal studies and writing at the University of Memphis. After years of fearing guns, she started taking classes and changed her views. She now blogs on the subjects of law, race, and modern (mis)perceptions on firearms. Tiffany is a certified firearms instructor for the State of Tennessee, the State of Mississippi, the NRA, and Rangemaster (Advanced Instructor Certification).
• Tina Martin-Nims is a former scientist and wetland biologist, now wife of a Marine, mother of three children, and passionate 3-Gun and Long-Range competitor. She is the owner of Shield Maiden Defense, Concealed Carry Firearms Instructor for the state of North Carolina, NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, and Facilitator for the AG & AG Jacksonville, NC chapter.
• Tracy Thronburg is an assistant instructor with KR Training and a staff instructor for the Massad Ayoob Group, and has successfully completed the Rangemaster Advanced Instructor Course. Tracy holds numerous NRA instructor certifications and is an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer. She is certified by the State of Texas as a license-to-carry instructor and is a certified handgun retention and Kubaton practitioner.
• Vic Fredlund is a veteran of the US Navy and involved in self-defense and personal protection for over 13 years, as an instructor in TaeKwonDo, Modern Arnis, Haganah, and Apache Patriot Knife System. He has trained extensively in unarmed defense, improvised weapons, and knife-fighting skills. In addition, Vic has trained with several industry leaders in firearms, such as Travis Haley, Tom Givens, Craig Douglas, and Garrett Machine, among others, and is an NRA Certified Pistol instructor, CHL Instructor, and Range Safety Officer. Vic is the co-owner and lead instructor of Diversified Defense, and offers a wide variety of instruction in skills ranging from basic self-defense and knife vs knife to CHL/LTC certification, active shooter scenarios and defensive shooting.
• Julie Fredlund is a certified NRA Pistol Instructor, CHL Instructor, NRA Range Safety Officer, an IDPA Safety Officer, and a certified Patriot Apache Knife Instructor. Julie served as A Girl & A Gun National Secretary as well as Austin-area Facilitator. She also has a strong background in Martial Arts including Tae Kwon Do, Modern Arnis (sticks/canes), HaganaH (Isreali reality-based self-defense fighting), and others. She is the co-owner and staff instructor of Diversified Defense.  
• William Aprill is a licensed mental health professional with over 20 years’ experience across the continuum of clinical care. He presently maintains a private practice and consultancy specializing in post-traumatic interventions and other disciplines. He is a former deputy sheriff (Orleans Parish, LA, Criminal Sheriff’s Office) and Special Deputy US Marshal (Eastern District of Louisiana). He is a decorated competitive shooter and has taught civilian, law enforcement, and military personnel in various fighting skills since 1990. He maintains an active schedule both as student and teacher, having been instructor rated by several top-tier trainers and studying under many of the most influential members of the combative arts community. Through his company Aprill Risk Consulting, William has been invited to present his material on violent criminals and their decision-making, defensive incident aftermath, mindset development, defensive preparedness, and other material to civilian, law enforcement, and military audiences across the country.

2018 Sponsors

Thank you to the following supporters for providing funds and/or donations to make this event possible:

Presenting Sponsor

Diamond+ Sponsors

Diamond Sponsor

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Contributors

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Once a year we bring all of our members together in one location. Here is your chance to put your brand name in front of them, in our conference photos, and on merchandise that they take home. Learn more about Sponsorship Opportunities.

Cancellations and Refunds

Life happens and sometimes last-minute situations arise that can prevent you from attending. Unfortunately we will be unable to provide refunds as time goes on and our vendors and service providers have been paid. Therefore, a $50 administrative fee will be charged for any cancellation. After 3/31/2019, there will be no refunds for match registration fees, clinics, or match-related items if you discover that you are unable to attend. Registrations may be transferred to another participant, and we will be happy to help you find someone who may want to pay you for your spot.