MEET THE TEAM

Get to know the The Women's Shooting Academy Team of NRA Certified Instructors.

[ Vicki Kawelmacher ]   [ Tim Kawelmacher ]   [ Alice Kreider ]   [ Hanae Mansfield ]
[ Kristy Imschweiler ]   [ Tammy Rianda ]   [ Patty McConnell ]

Vicki Kawelmacher

I am a certified instructor through the NRA in multiple disiplines.

I have been a resident of Washoe County, Nevada since 2006. I lived in the State of California, Sacramento County from 1991 to 2006. There I worked in the hospitality industry as a corporate trainer for a national chain. I also operated a State of California Licensed Day Care Facility. In both of these industries, I learned and studied techniques of professional training. I have found that training techniques are transferable to other disciplines.

Hence, I am an excellent trainer with the highest standards of safety for the citizens of Nevada and all States in regards to handgun operation. Teaching is my passion, it is not just what I do but is who I am.

Qualifications:

NRA- Basic Pistol

Advanced Hand Gun Operation

Nevada CCW Instructor Certification

Washoe County CCW Permit Holder

NRA- Certified Instructor

NRA- Personal Protection in the Home Instructor

NRA- Personal Protection Outside the Home-Student

Tactical Handgun One (Personal Defense- Tony Klein)

Utah CCW Instructor Certification

NRA- Refuse to be a Victim Certified Instructor

Force Training Seminar (Instructor- Robert Fellner)

Certified OCAT (Oleoresin Capsicum Aerosol Training) Instructor

Toastmasters Award-Winning Speaker

Certified NRA Range Safety Officer (RSO)

The W.A.R.R.I.O.R. In Every Woman™ Founder

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Tim Kawelmacher

I have been involved with firearms since the traditional "Hunter's Safety Education" course in 1968. Coupled with my love for the outdoors, it seems I have always had rifles or pistols around. My first rifle when I was 12 was a Mossberg .22 used for small varmint hunting. I still have it today.

I grew up in a law enforcement family so hand guns have always been a part of my life. Safety was always a top priority. This was reinforced in many ways but none more than achieving Eagle Scout. The various merit badges related to the outdoors, hunting, marksmanship and safety set in place a life long joy of exercising my 2nd amendment right.

Today, I enjoy the peace of mind of having secured my permit from the State of Nevada to carry my pistol of choice concealed. Aquiring it, lead me to further my passion by becoming a Certified Pistol Instructor from the NRA.

I now hope to pass on my life long learning to the students of my wife's business, The Women's Shooting Academy. While specializing in women only hand gun training, WSA also trains both men and women in obtaining their CCW from multiple states.

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Alice Kreider

Unlike Vicki's other instructors, I came to guns later in my life. Yeah, I plinked with my friend's .45 out the kitchen door occasionally. Don't worry, it (the door and the gun) faced a sheer cliff - upward, soft dirt. My father owned a shotgun and went duck hunting every year. I still remember to chew carefully. I also remember where he stored it: in his workshop, in a locked cabinet in which he had drilled the words "KEEP OUT". His gun safety technique worked because neither my brothers nor I ever even thought about opening that cabinet.

After my teenage years, guns did not enter into my lifestyle in any way. I was too busy with other things, including raising three kids. And then, martial arts kind of stepped into my life and that became my passion. Little did I know 20+ years ago when I stepped onto that training room floor that my journey to black belt would take me so many places.

I believe that I have the right to learn how to defend myself any way I can. I believe that it is every woman's right to know how to defend herself. And with that in mind, I am a firm believer in using all of your resources to protect yourself in any way you can, whether it is your hands, your feet, or your gun.

My qualifications, which will continue to grow:

• 4th dan, Tae Kwon Do
• WARRIOR Certified Instructor
• NRA Certified Pistol Instructor

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Hanae Mansfield

I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, raised in Northfield Minnesota and reside in the Reno area.

I began shooting as a child hunting with my Dad. I also started shooting for competition at local shoots. I still to this day hunt big game and waterfowl annually in addition to shooting trap, skeet and sporting clays in the local Reno area.

As a young woman, I concluded it would be wise to develop skills for personal protection. Therefore, I completed the necessary training to secure my Nevada CCW. This has given me a great deal of empowerment in a culture that routinely has headlines on news shows depicting the victimization of women. I have chosen to never be an unarmed victim.

My love for shooting lead me to become a certified NRA Pistol Instructor. My life lessons and passions have led me to share my knowledge of shooting and firearms both for protection and sport. I extend my enthusiasm of shooting by coaching and mentoring those whom I am blessed to cross paths with.

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Kristy Imschweiler

My story starts with my upbringing on a small ranch in California. When I was very young my family moved from our ranch to a small town in Nevada where my parents substituted camping and fishing for the ranch we no longer had. My father with his three daughters and no sons longed for a hunting partner. After a great deal of pleading and persuading I was the one to finally give in and agree to go elk hunting with my dad. Little did I know at that time that this hunt would change my life forever. I immediately realized that if I had any chance of harvesting an animal, I would have to learn how to shoot, and shoot well. This began my dad's and I Sunday morning ritual of target practice. I was so nervous the first time I went to the range because I had no idea what to expect! My nervousness has long since subsided and my fears and apprehension have been substituted with knowledge, familiarity and practice practice practice. Since that summer day many years ago, when I picked up my first gun I have never put one down.

Firearms are incredibly important to me, for both personal defense and sport. I have never believed in anything as much as I do our second amendment rights. I have been blessed to be in a position where I am able to meet people everyday who share the same passion as myself.

It is an honor to join Vicki's team as an NRA Pistol Instructor. I truly enjoy working with people in our community to raise awareness of the positive benefits of firearms for recreation, sport and self defense.

My name is Kristy, and I welcome you to the Women's Shooting Academy. I hope your experience here changes your life to the extent it has changed mine.

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Tammy Rianda

I have lived in Reno for the last 19 years, having moved from my hometown of Tucson, Arizona. I am an Army Veteran having served with the Nevada Army National Guard for eleven years. My career has mostly been in the public service sector, where I am currently employed.

I fell in love with shooting as a young twenty something single mother. I realized at that time in my life how critically important personal safety is and I have maintained a focus on just that. I continued to enjoy shooting, and actually had several professional positions that required me to carry a weapon for defense. Of course, Army service required me to be able to shoot, and I cherish my Army time, not just because I was able to serve my country with pride, but because I got to do a lot of fun things like shoot machine guns, fire from tank turrets and use grenade launchers!

I met Vicki several years ago and we hit it off-in no small part because of our mutual love for second amendment rights and dedication to personal protection. I am an NRA certified basic pistol instructor, which has allowed me to help others, in particular women, to develop their awareness of personal safety and firearms familiarity. It is an honor to have been asked to be part of the Women's Shooting Academy Team. Anything I can do to help someone else NOT become a victim is a success story for me!

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Patty McConnell

I grew up in beautiful Big Sky country in Montana. My father and mother loved to fish and camp and would take all 6 of us children to experience the great outdoors on our summer vacations. As a teenager I did not appreciate the outdoors. My father and three brothers hunted but none of the women I knew had any interest in the outdoors, guns or hunting.

Over twenty years ago I moved to Nevada. My husband and son would go camping without me because I was convinced I hated it. Finally I agreed to go with them and found that I really loved the outdoors. It was such a peaceful time just enjoying the natural surroundings and getting away from all the hustle and bustle of the city life.

One day in October I went with my husband to an outdoor sporting goods store and I saw a business card for the Women's Shooting Academy. There was also a pamphlet for a class entitled Women's Introduction to Handguns. I thought it would be a good idea to take a class just to become knowledgeable about guns and get rid of my fear of guns. When I showed my husband the information he was very supportive and encouraged me to attend a class. In June I attended the Women's Introduction to Handguns class. I have never been the same. Not only did I get rid of my fear of guns, I fell in love with handguns. The Women's Shooting Academy taught me how important it was that I take responsibility for my personal protection. I went on to take additional classes and obtained my Nevada CCW permit in December of 2009.

In December of 2010 I became an NRA certified basic pistol instructor. I want to share my passion for our second amendment rights and my love of guns with other women. I am honored to be a part of the Women's Shooting Academy team.

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