Marc Stephens has spent the past 25 years in Law Enforcement and retired from the San Diego Police Department as a Vehicle Homicide Detective Sergeant in 2020. Marc is also a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, former Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (N.C.I.S), and current Business Owner. Marc spent 19 years of his law enforcement career as a Defensive Driving and Emergency Vehicle Operations (E.V.O.C) Instructor and the past 5 Years as a Teen Driving Instructor. In addition to teaching teens, Marc has had the privilege of teaching defensive driving to Police Officers, FireFighters, Ambulance Drivers, and SWAT Team Operators. He is a proud graduate of the Ford Motors "Driving Skills for Life" driving school for teens, Honda's Power-Sport ATV/Off-Road driving school, CHP's 'Pursuit Driving School', and the FBI's Executive Protection driving school.

As a Police Sergeant and Homicide Collision Investigator, Marc Investigated more than 5,000 vehicle collisions and witnessed firsthand the detrimental and catastrophic aftermath of distracted driving, drunk driving, and poor decision making. As a Professional Defensive Driving Instructor, he is committed and excited to continue teaching new drivers the life-long defensive driving skills they will need to ensure they are prepared and ready to safely pass the drive test. As a proud husband and father of a 16 year old daughter and a 13 year old son, Marc dedicates his free time to teaching safe driving to teens and truly understands and appreciates the anxiety of having your child preparing to drive on their own one day. His ultimate goal is to teach teens how to survive & navigate the roadways, highways, and freeways in a safe and prudent manner for the rest of their lives.

Al Perez graduated the California Highway Patrol Academy in 1985 and was assigned to the East Los Angeles (ELA) area office. While at the ELA area office, his assignments included: Patrol, Bilingual translation in Spanish, Field Training Officer, Commercial Officer, Protective Services Detail (Presidential Motorcades), Acting Sergeant/Officer in charge, felony follow-up officer/court liaison officer and F.B.I. Fugitive Task Force. In 1995, Al was accepted into the CHP Mexico Liaison Unit at the Border Division Headquarters in San Diego. His duties consisted of investigating auto theft and insurance fraud cases, as well as Training California State and local law enforcement agencies in the Identification of fraudulent Mexican Registration documents. He also provided training to Federal, State, and local Mexican Law Enforcement agencies in identifying stolen autos, physical methods of arrest, protection of political officers, and defensive driving techniques. Al completed numerous Dignitary Protection assignments. Al was also the driver for Gov. Gray Davis driver in Mexico City and Monterey, Mexico, bodyguard to State Treasurer Matt Fong in South America and Mexico City, as well as driver for many Mexican and United States Governors. In 2004, Al went on to the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force (OCATT) where he conducted many undercover auto theft assignments to infiltrate professional auto theft gangs. Al retired from the California Highway Patrol in 2011 and joined Teen Road to Safety San Diego in 2014. He is a beloved instructor both behind the wheel and in the classroom and trains our new TRTS instructors.

Sterling Mullins is one of the original instructors for TRTS. Sterling is currently also a civilian police officer for the Department of the Navy. Sterling has worked as a police officer for the past 18 years with the Ontario Police Department 1996-2004, Multinomah County (Oregon) Sheriff's Office 2008-2013, and the Department of the Navy since 2013. Sterling left law enforcement for a brief period to be a teacher after receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies from National University. Sterling started with TRTS in 2004 in Orange County as a driving instructor and enjoyed seeing the rapid progress of new drivers when using the techniques and methods taught by TRTS. He utilized those same methods when teaching his son and daughter to drive.

Kari is a graduate of Mira Costa Community College with a degree in the Administration of Justice. She put her degree to use and graduated from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy in 1990. Kari was assigned to the Westminster (WSM) area office in Orange County, where her assignments included, Patrol, Felony investigations, DUI enforcement, Front Desk Officer, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Kari was accepted as a Public Affairs Officer (PAO) for the Orange County Transportation Management Center (TMC). Her duties consisted of disseminating traffic related information to the media, performing live television interviews, issuing SIG Alerts, daily interaction with Caltrans, CHP area offices, and CHP dispatchers. In 1996, Kari was assigned to the Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) Unit as an FSP officer. Her duties included, management of the FSP program, contract negotiations with Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and independent tow companies, training of FSP tow drivers and owners, writing and teaching of policies, procedures and standard operation procedures, patrol, disciplinary investigations, and acting Sergeant/Officer in charge. In 2008, Kari was assigned to the San Juan Capistrano area office and became a Field Training Officer, patrol and an Accident Investigation Officer. She retired from the CHP in 2010 and joined Teen Road to Safety in 2017

Jim Piscitelli retired from the San Diego Sheriff's Department after serving 33 years as the department's SUV 4-wheel drive Instructor. He was also the Supervisor for the Off Road Enforcement Team a Search and Rescue Coordinator and the Instructor for ATVs, Dual Sport M/C, Side by Side (UTV), P.O.S.T. Emergency Vehicle and P.O.S.T. 4 x 4. Jim's teaching philosophy includes safe on and off-road driving, respect for others, the environment, understanding vehicle limitations and crash avoidance.

Jim is a retired San Diego Sheriff's Deputy that spent 34 years with the Sheriff's Department. During his career he worked in multiple cities including Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas, Poway and Santee. Jim's assignments included Patrol, Detectives, Traffic, Motors and is an accident reconstructionist. As a collateral duty officer, he was assigned to the Off-Road Team for more than 10 years. He is an ATV and off-road motorcycle instructor. While assigned to the Motor Division, Jim was the department's Motor Training Coordinator and Lead Motor Instructor. Jim has been a Law Enforcement EVOC instructor for more than 15 years.

Randy Lawrence retired after 35 years in law enforcement, including time at the Carlsbad Police, San Diego County DA, and SDSU Police. He was a member of the Off-Road Law Enforcement Team at Carlsbad and also was trained as an accident investigator. While at the District Attorney's Office, he saw too many vehicle related accidents that could have been prevented and feels teaching new drivers defensive driving and the responsibility that comes with it, is a good place to start. He has taught 3 of his sons how to drive defensively and safely and his youngest son will be going through it in a couple years. He has a background in high tech crime and also teaches classes on ID Theft, Cyber Crimes, and Internet Safety.

Rick retired in 2019 after 32 years in law enforcement. During his career in the San Diego Sheriff's Department and El Cajon Police Department, Rick worked several assignments including patrol, detectives, community oriented policing and problem solving. Rick served as a Sergeant for more than 12 years and had the pleasure of managing the volunteer program for over 5 years, which consisted of 800 members. In that group were the reserves that made up an off-road team, as well as senior volunteers. Rick was on the off-road team for over 15 years and was an ATV instructor for more than 10 years. He is also a P.O.S.T. certified 4x4 instructor. Rick also managed and taught several subjects at the senior volunteer academy for 5 years, including assisting with the slow speed EVOC course. Rick loved teaching his two daughters to drive and understands the importance of learning early to drive defensively.

Greg Pene is a professional multi-level driving instructor with a passion for sharing his experiences with others. Greg is a devoted husband, father and an avid golfer. Greg started his racing career in formula cars at Riverside Raceway in 1976. He was asked to become a racing instructor with SCCA shortly after he obtained his national license early in 1977. He went on to become assistant chief instructor and chief instructor for both open wheel and closed wheel race groups. After winning SCCA's Southern Pacific Division Formula Continental Championship, Greg was recruited by Performance Two, a stunt driving team for the film industry. To this day, he still is active and a member in good standing with Performance Two. Concurrently, he owns GP Performance Driving and remains active with it as well. Since becoming a member of SAG/AFTRA twenty-five years ago, Greg has performed in numerous commercials, live shows, action print ads, features and television productions. He is very comfortable in front of and behind the camera. Greg continues to work with professional driving schools, nationwide ride and drive programs and most importantly teen defensive driving programs. Greg Pene is sold on the idea that it takes 100% focus on driving to remain safe behind the wheel. His desire is to continue to spread the word to as many young inexperienced drivers as he can.

Sean McLaughlin has been a stunt coordinator and precision driver since 1987. He has filmed over 250 commercials, done live car shows and driven in motion pictures in countries such as Italy, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States. He is considered an expert in car control. As a result of his extensive driving career, he has developed the ability to instill confidence in drivers, young and old.

Geoff Sykes' experience includes: TRAINING Jim Hall Kart Racing School Sprint Kart Day 1A & 1B Shifter Kart Day 2 Motion Picture Stunt Driving School Super Level 1 Driving Concepts Competition Racing School BMWCCA H.P. Driving School Level A+ BMW CCA Auto-X, Car Control Clinic, Street Survival Instructor RACING Affiliations: FIA, GRC, USAC, BMWCCA, SCCA, USTCC BMW CCA Autocross 10 – 1st Place 4 – 2nd Place 1 – 3rd Place.

David retired after 34 years as an Officer in the Costa Mesa Police Department and served 8 years as the Defensive Tactics Instructor for the Orange County Regional Sheriffs Academy. He has been a martial arts practitioner and instructor since 1962 and has owned a martial arts school in Costa Mesa since 1980. David has trained Special Forces, West Point Military Police and is a Martial Arts Instructor for the United States Marine Corps. Additionally he is a stunt man, stunt choreographer and EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course) Instructor.

Jonathan Laroche graduated from the San Diego County Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy in August of 2013 as an El Cajon Police Officer. Upon completion of field training, he was assigned to patrol duties within the City of El Cajon working a variety of patrol sectors and assignments. Jonathan worked numerous San Diego County wide criminal task force assignments targeting narcotics and human trafficking along the Interstate 8 corridor, outlaw motorcycle gangs and protection of witnesses and victims of violent crimes.
Additionally, Jonathan has worked numerous DUI enforcement and saturation details and served as the Patrol Gang Enforcement Unit and Patrol Liaison to the San Diego East County Gang Task Force. Jonathan is a POST certified instructor in Tactical Rifle, Conflict De-Escalation and Active Shooter Response and is certified in Witness Protection and Extradition through the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
Prior to serving as a Police Officer, Jonathan served on active duty for eight years in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman, attained the rank of Sergeant and was deployed to Iraq three times.
Jonathan brings a passion to teach your teen safe and responsible driving after having witnessed numerous tragedies involving teen and adult motorists. Jonathan is committed to providing your teen with tools and training necessary to operate a motor vehicle safely and enjoyably.