Meet the Team
Tactical Shepherd instructors have been on the "front lines" in both Military and Law Enforcement realms. We are Maryland Police Training Commission (MPTC) Certified Instructors, MPTC Firearms Instructors, Maryland State Police Handgun Qualification License, and Wear and Carry Instructors. We have the training, knowledge and experience to instruct students on all aspects of firearms. Let our experience be the difference for you!
Mel Adam
Mel Adam is a 25-year veteran of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police (NRP). He is the co-founder of the Tactical Response Team (TRT) and remained the Team Leader for 13 years.
Mel has extensive knowledge in the disciplines of Firearms Training, Active Shooter Response, Woodland Tactical Operations and Maritime Tactical Operations. He has planned, coordinated and conducted countless tactical operations during his tenure. He has also instructed both Military and Law Enforcement in Special Operations for over a decade. Additionally, he was the Training Chairman for the Maritime Tactical Operations Group (MTOG), which is comprised of over 20 Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies.
His military experience spans fifteen years, serving as a Scout Sniper in both the United States Marine Corps and the Army National Guard.
Mel has served as a Police Officer for the Natural Resources Police and the Harve de Grace Police Department.
Kenny Porter
Kenny is a retired 20-year veteran of the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office. He was awarded the agencies highest award the “Sheriff's Office Medal of Honor”. He is a certified Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor and a graduate of the Howard County Police Department SWAT School. Additionally, he has trained Officers and Recruits in active shooter and officer survival scenarios for over a decade.
Concurrently, Kenny has served 20 years in an Infantry Unit for the Maryland Army National Guard. He is a highly decorated combat veteran with multiple deployments overseas. He is a graduate of the Army Small Arms Readiness Mobilization/Master Marksmanship Instructor Course. He has trained countless soldiers in primary marksmanship during his military career.
Kenny currently continues to serve in the armed protection of others within the security field.
John Stricklett
John has 31 years of military service as an Army Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team Leader having served and supported conventional EOD units, local, state and federal Law Enforcement Agencies, Special Operations Units, Nuclear Disablement Teams, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Elements and has completed 8 Combat Deployments.
John has trained countless US military and Iraqi Security Force personnel in basic rifle and pistol marksmanship. Some of John’s completed training include the Army’s Marksmanship Master Trainer Course, FBI Post Blast Investigation Course, Global Anti-terrorism Operations Readiness Course, Level 4 Combative Instructor and is an AGI Certified Master Gunsmith.
John is a highly decorated combat veteran having been decorated twice for “Valor” during his numerous combat deployments and has destroyed over 500k pieces of enemy ordnance and neutralized over 750 IED’s.
Angel Valle
Angel has worked in law enforcement for 28+ years and is currently a Lieutenant with the Cecil County Sheriff's Office. During his career in law enforcement, he has received numerous awards.
He has been a firearms instructor since 2005. His credentials include a certified MPCTC Firearms Instructor, Long Rifle (AR-15 platform) Instructor, Red Dot System (RDS) Instructor, Glock Certified Armorer, AR-15 Platform Instructor, and a General Topic Law Enforcement Instructor. In addition, he has trained officers and recruits in active shooter and officer survival scenarios for over a decade.
Angel has spent over a decade in criminal investigations with a specialty in crimes against children.
Duane Janney
Duane Janney is a retired Trooper from the Maryland State Police. He served as an associate police academy instructor, field training trooper, and assisted with Use of Force in-service training. Duane was a court recognized D.R.E. (Drug Recognition Expert) as well as an accident reconstructionist. Amongst other awards, in 2003, he received the Baltimore Sun Police Officer of the Year Award and a Superintendent's Award for his role in the infamous MD/DC sniper investigation. Duane was a qualified Pistol Master and held qualifications with an M4 and a shotgun. He was selected to represent the MD State Police Northern Region in a firearms competition.
After his law enforcement career, Duane worked as a licensed private investigator for six years, and served many roles for a large defense contractor. He worked as a Program Security Officer and oversaw classified testing operations with government customers. In addition, he was a Facilities Security Officer where he managed physical and operational security.
He is a certified Armorer for Glock.
Kristyanna Erickson
Kristyanna started her training with Tactical Shepherd during the facility's inaugural year of 2020 and has since completed almost all of the our firearms training courses. While she is not a Tactical Shepherd firearms instructor, she is an integral part of the team serving as the website designer and system administrator. Kristyanna holds a doctoral degree in Mathematics Education and is a tenured mathematics professor.
Kristyanna has been involved in the firearms world for over a decade. She enjoys clay pigeon shooting, target shooting with her riffle and pistol, and mounted shooting with her horse.
