AURA Defense Team

Dan Conforti - Dan is a US Army veteran with two combat tours to Iraq. He joined the New York City Police department where he attainted the rank of Sgt. In 2021, Dan was selected to lead the NYPD's Apprehension Tactical Team which handles high risk search warrants and responds to a variety of situations including Active shooters, terror attacks, hostage situations or armed barricaded persons.

Lauren Hartnett - Lauren is the CEO of Athena Defense Training, LLC and was born & raised in Staten Island, NY. She has been working in the Emergency Medical Services since 2009 and is currently a Lieutenant Paramedic in New York City. Lauren was introduced to the firearms industry when she was 19 years old and has since then dedicated a large portion of her life to the shooting sports. She is a certified NRA instructor, a Chief Range Safety Officer, USPSA Range Officer, New York State Department of Health Bureau of EMS Certified Instructor Coordinator and certified AHA instructor.

Ed Lezcano - Over twenty-five years of experience in public service and the private security sector. Upon graduating from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a degree in Police Science, he immediately entered the New York City Police Academy. He retired from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in 2006 as a highly decorated Police Officer. Extensively trained within the NYPD, with certifications in Criminal Investigations, Organized Crime Control Bureau, Narcotics Enforcement, and Heavy Weapons. Specialized units included SOD (Special Operations Division) Anti-Graffiti Task Force and the Anti-Crime Unit. Upon retiring he obtained his NYS Armed Guard License, and later his NYS Private Investigator license through the NYS Department of State. He went on to open a Private Investigation firm, WHCC, Inc., as well as a Private Security firm, White Hawk Security Services, both companies continue to operate with a full staff of retired law enforcement officers.

Kevin Mahoney - Kevin started his career in Emergency Medical Services in 1997. He has worked in and with the volunteer, private and municipal sectors. He currently works as a Lieutenant for the New York City Fire Department on an Engine in the Bronx and was the a lead instructor for the departments Counter Terrorism Task Force.

Jason Torres - Jason Torres is a Senior Level retired Law Enforcement Instructor serving with the New York City Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department respectively. Jason was selected to become part of a highly trained reengineered Unit within the NYPD by orders of the Police Commissioner called the Strategic Response Group (SRG). SRG is NYPD's rapid mobilization team comprised of trained members responding to civil unrest, terrorist attacks, active shooter incidents and mass casualty events. He was chosen to become a lead instructor within SRG where he was pivotal in developing and executing the Unit's core small team tactics curriculum's and roll out of the Department's revised disorder control tactics in 2020 to all 34,000 members of the Department. Jason was handpicked to lead the coordination efforts along with other New York City Agencies to create the City's first multiagency collaborative response team now known as Rescue Task Force. He has worked closely with many Federal, State and Local agencies as a committee member on behalf of the Unit for many high-profile events hosted by New York City while establishing training protocols for the Strategic Response Group and the NYPD.

Able Center for Training, LLC - Able Center for Training is an approved DCJS Security school, its instructors have years of law enforcement experience to offer.