Who we are
Andy “Gunny” Padilla – Co-Founder, Chief Instructor & Training Director
Andy “Gunny” Padilla is a retired U.S. Marine infantryman with more than two decades of operational and instructor experience, bringing a lifetime of real-world knowledge to every course he teaches. Throughout his military career, Gunny served in multiple leadership and training roles, where he sharpened the skills that now define Arden Defense: discipline, precision, and a calm command presence under pressure.
As a Marine, Gunny trained and mentored countless Marines in marksmanship, weapons employment, combat readiness, and the mindset required to perform in high-stress environments. His passion for teaching didn’t end when he hung up the uniform—if anything, it intensified. After transitioning to civilian life, he continued instructing at a high level, working with both new shooters and seasoned professionals to refine skill, strengthen mindset, and build confidence on and off the range.
Gunny brings a direct, no-nonsense approach to training—balanced with patience, humor, and a genuine investment in his students’ success. He believes training should be challenging, educational, and empowering. His instruction emphasizes fundamentals, smooth mechanics, efficient movement, and the absolute importance of mindset in every defensive choice.
At Arden Defense, Gunny leads many of the handgun, carbine, and defensive skills programs, continually developing new curriculum to meet the needs of responsible citizens, professionals, and corporations. His guiding principle is simple: train with purpose, so you can defend with confidence.
When he’s not on the range or building new training concepts, Gunny is often found studying emerging tactics, mentoring fellow instructors, or creating “Gunny’s Mindset Monday”—a weekly message that encourages preparedness, resilience, and intentional living.
Abbie Brensing – Co-Founder, Lead Instructor & Operations Director
Abbie Brensing is a certified NRA Pistol Instructor, Kansas Conceal & Carry Instructor, and the organizational backbone behind Arden Defense. She brings together years of firearms instruction, leadership experience, and community involvement to create a training environment that is welcoming, structured, and deeply focused on student success.
With a professional background spanning school administration, retail management, firearms academy operations, and curriculum development, Abbie is uniquely equipped to merge safety, education, and real-world readiness. Her teaching style is steady, encouraging, and detail-oriented—especially effective for new shooters, women, and individuals who may feel intimidated stepping into the firearms world for the first time.
Abbie discovered her passion for firearms training not just through learning to shoot, but through seeing how proper education builds confidence, calm decision-making, and personal empowerment. She has taught hundreds of students through one-on-one instruction, women’s programs, concealed carry courses, and introductory firearms education. Abbie is known for helping students understand why a skill matters just as much as how to perform it—focusing on mindset, awareness, and repeatable fundamentals.
As Co-Founder and Operations Director of Arden Defense, Abbie manages course development, student communication, events, women-specific programming, administrative structure, and the overall flow of the brand. She is also the architect behind programs such as Strength is She, Arden’s women-centric training series created to empower, educate, and build community among female shooters.
More than anything, Abbie cares about people. She has a natural gift for making students feel supported and capable, turning uncertainty into confidence and nerves into controlled skill. Her goal is simple: ensure every student leaves more prepared, more knowledgeable, and more aware than when they arrived.
Outside of teaching, Abbie is a mother of two, a community volunteer, and a driving force behind Arden Defense’s mission of helping people live prepared, purposeful lives.
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