Laura Carno founded FASTER Colorado in 2017, and has been traveling the state to promote and run the program. When tragedy strikes in a school shooting, Laura has become a go-to for state and national media to bring a calm, reasoned approach to school safety, and how armed security teams can keep children safe.

Quinn Cunningham has been in law enforcement since 1995 and has served as a member of the SWAT Team for 22 years. He is currently assigned as the Academy Director at his agency and has been a full-time instructor since 2009. 

Kyle Brown, a Colorado native, served as a Scout Sniper in the United States Marine Corps from 2009 to 2013. He began his law enforcement career in 2013, gaining experience in detentions and patrol, and is now a full-time member of the SWAT team. Since 2014, Kyle has also been a firearms instructor. He is happily married and has two children.

Cole James is a United States Army veteran who has been employed in law enforcement since 2000. At his agency, he currently serves as a supervisor in the training unit. Cole served as a member of his agency’s SWAT team for more than 11 years and supervised its SORT team for 4 years. Cole has been a firearms instructor since 2005, devoting much of his time as an instructor serving at his agency’s police academy. He is also certified to teach the use of several less lethal tools employed by law enforcement. Cole is passionate about teaching and appreciates the opportunity to pass some of his knowledge on to the students of FASTER.

Brad McKiernan is a US Army veteran and has been a Police Officer for 31 years in a metro area department. He has been a full-time firearms instructor for 21 years. He has been the lead instructor for his agency and a member of the Colorado POST firearms subject matter expert committee for the last 12 years. He is a dedicated USPSA competition shooter, and you can find him on a range competing almost any weekend. He is passionate about teaching others to develop safe and effective shooting skills.

Paul Gregory has 20 years of law enforcement experience and is the Undersheriff for a metro area agency.  Paul served on the SWAT team for 15 years and remains active in training.  Since 2007 Paul has served as a subject matter expert on the Colorado POST firearms committee.  Paul is also the owner of Gunfighting International, LLC based out of Bennett, Colorado. 

Trevor Materasso is a Colorado native who aspired to be a police officer at an early age, and attended K-12 in a rural setting. He has been an officer for 22 years. He has served as a public information officer, Unit Supervisor, Advisor to the Chief, and SWAT Team Leader at his agency . He now serves as the SWAT Commander and runs a Patrol shift.  Throughout his career Trevor has instructed in various tactics and skills ranging from firearms, arrest control defensive tactics, officer survival, and Taser. He is certified to instruct a multitude of disciplines and for years has helped teach at regional police academies. His passion for teaching carries him to instruct in the private sector.

Ty Zimmerman is a native of Colorado and grew up in Denver. He served in the US Army from 2004-2009 with multiple overseas deployments. Ty joined a metro area Sheriff’s Office in 2011. He is a firearms instructor, active shooter instructor, movement instructor, and on the SWAT team. Ty believes in continual education and training to ensure better service to the community he is sworn to protect. 

As the superintendent of Peyton School district, Tim Kistler realized that more had to be done to protect his students and staff. The “gun free zone” status of schools was setting his students and staff up to be sitting ducks. Tim and the team at Peyton School District decided that arming staff members was the best solution. 

Tim decided on FASTER to provide the extensive training they needed. Tim now volunteers for FASTER as one of the Senior Program Managers, helping school districts that are considering implementing an armed staff program in their district.

Bill Trees has been with the FASTER Colorado program as a volunteer after a long career in the financial services industry. Bill handles all of the FASTER Colorado program operations, technology, and finances.

Curt Wilson spent 31 years in education, serving as an English teacher and multi-sport coach, High School Principal (Centauri) and Superintendent of the North Conejos School District, where he also attended school as a K-12 student. Curt addressed the need to protect students and staff in his consolidated, rural district with a student safety plan that included district armed personnel, including planning with local law enforcement agencies.

In addition, Curt worked with LifeSpot, a mobile app that facilitates clear communication and efficient response in emergency scenarios. Curt is a father of three, has two granddaughters, is an educational consultant for school districts, and an adjunct professor at Adams State University in the principal licensure field.  Curt knows through his own participation the value of the extensive training FASTER provides educators to protect the lives of students and staff and the ultimate importance of immediate response to threats.  He now assists districts in the implementation of safety plans and armed personnel through the FASTER training.