About Sanctuary Defense

Sanctuary Defense is a Nevada-based nonprofit initiative delivering expert safety consulting and comprehensive assessments to help houses of worship and schools create safe, prepared, and resilient environments. We offer tailored safety strategies and skills trainings to facilitate peaceful community spaces for worship and learning.

Our mission is to provide the resources, guidance, and support necessary to establish a true sanctuary. By fostering a culture of preparedness and protection, we help build environments where congregations, leadership, students and educators have the tools they need to gather without fear, defend themselves, and thrive.

Students and Teacher comfortable learning

How We're Different

At Sanctuary Defense, our team includes veterans, law enforcement, emergency medicine, and education  – with expertise in small arms training, martial arts, emergency medical response, self-defense, executive protection, and strategic risk assessment. Our training programs include the most comprehensive methodologies in our industry, custom-tailored to meet the unique needs of your organization.

Our founder Todd Powers is inspired by Erwin Raphael McManus’s The Way of the Warrior. According to McManus, “There will never be peace on earth until there is peace in us. This is why the way of the warrior must begin here. To find your strength you must find your peace, for the path to inner strength is inner peace.” Following this philosophy, at Sanctuary Defense our goal is to take someone who has the ability to take violent action and direct them towards a more peaceful course. By developing a deeper understanding of one’s inner workings and the ability to protect one’s environment, an individual can become a warrior – and create a sanctuary. Serenity, strength, and sanctuary form a triangle. Each leg is essential in supporting the others to build a space for worship, education, and growth.

Our team is here to empower you to create a safe and sacred environment for your community.

Meet The Team

Our team of security and medical experts includes:

Our team of security and medical experts includes:

Todd Powers - School Vulnerability Assessment Expert

todd powers

As the founder of Sanctuary Defense, Todd Powers is dedicated to collaborating with experts from diverse backgrounds to create safer environments. His calling is to connect professionals in security, technology, education, and emergency response to develop practical, scalable solutions for schools and houses of worship...

todd powers

As the founder of Sanctuary Defense, Todd Powers is dedicated to collaborating with experts from diverse backgrounds to create safer environments. His calling is to connect professionals in security, technology, education, and emergency response to develop practical, scalable solutions for schools and houses of worship.

Powers is an entrepreneur, business strategist, and leader with a passion for building strong teams and managing complex projects. He holds an AS in Criminal Justice and a BS in Business Management and has been recognized by the National Society of Leadership and Success and Marquis Who’s Who in America for his contributions to leadership and innovation.

Todd’s experiences span multiple industries, including being a founder of OA Defense, developing an award-winning handgun, and managing construction – which give him a well-rounded perspective on leadership, operations, and risk management. His time in the US Army provided him with a strong foundation in discipline, adaptability, and team coordination. Anderson has also worked in crowd control and high-pressure environments in the Detroit area. He has completed self-defense and ALICE training.

Above all, Todd is a dedicated father of three, which fuels his desire to build a safer, more secure future. He’s a lifelong man of faith, avid studier of scripture and correlates teachings and perspectives from scripture to current challenges. He’s dedicated to empowering houses of worship and schools with a personal and professional commitment, resources, and expertise to overcome and thrive in any challenges they may face.

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Bob Anderson - School Vulnerability Assessment Expert

BOB ANDERSON

Bob Anderson is a self-defense specialist, security consultant, and master instructor with over five decades of experience in martial arts, executive protection, and risk assessment. As a leader in personal security and self-defense training, he’s built his career on mentoring law enforcement, military personnel, and private security professionals in practical, real-world defense techniques...

BOB ANDERSON

Bob Anderson is a self-defense specialist, security consultant, and master instructor with over five decades of experience in martial arts, executive protection, and risk assessment. As a leader in personal security and self-defense training, he’s built his career on mentoring law enforcement, military personnel, and private security professionals in practical, real-world defense techniques – including conducting infrastructure risk assessments for over 80 schools, religious institutions, and businesses.

Bob’s work has included training agents of the FBI, Secret Service, law enforcement, and Special Forces groups worldwide. As an Honor Graduate of Executive Security International, Bob has provided high-level executive protection in both the United States and Europe, working with notable clients such as Harrison Ford, Chuck Liddell, the Johnson & Johnson family, Placido Domingo, Shanice Wilson, and Franco Zeffirelli.

Bob is a member of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers and the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors. He’s a certified armorer for Glock and Mossberg, NRA firearm instructor, Front Sight Firearms instructor, and has worked as a certified firearms instructor for the Washington State Criminal Justice Commission. He serves as a concealed carry weapon permit instructor across 30 states. 

In addition to his career in security operations, Bob is a highly accomplished martial artist, holding an 8th-degree black belt, along with black belts in five other disciplines. He’s authored the Personal Security column in the Record Journal and published two books, Defense Dynamic and Health & Fitness for the Road Warrior. As a member of the Sanctuary Defense board, he’s excited to leverage his expertise in training, risk evaluation, and emergency response planning to create safer environments for future generations. He’s a dedicated father of 8 and commitment to his faith, his community, and raising a special needs child.

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School Vulnerability Assessment Expert

MARC T.

Marc T. is a seasoned operations specialist, instructor, and leadership expert with a deep background in training development, strategic planning, and risk management. With over 20 years of experience in the United States Army Special Forces, Marc has built a career on leading teams, mentoring professionals, and creating effective training programs to enhance preparedness and performance...

MARC T.

Marc T. is a seasoned operations specialist, instructor, and leadership expert with a deep background in training development, strategic planning, and risk management. With over 20 years of experience in the United States Army Special Forces, Marc has built a career on leading teams, mentoring professionals, and creating effective training programs to enhance preparedness and performance. As an Operations Sergeant and Instructor in the Special Forces, he trained he trained US and foreign personnel, built teams, and planned and executed missions, both stateside and abroad. Marc has trained and mentored hundreds of students and military personnel, developing structured programs centered on critical thinking, tactical efficiency, and crisis response.

Marc’s expertise extends beyond military operations. Throughout his career, he has worked with foreign military units, government agencies, and specialized task forces to create training curriculums, refine risk assessments, and strengthen leadership structures. As a Sanctuary Defense board member, Marc is dedicated to creating high-impact training programs that enhance institutional safety, crisis preparedness, and team coordination. His goal is to empower individuals and teams with the necessary knowledge and skills to respond to emergencies effectively. Marc is a dedicated father of two and relies heavily on past lessons learned to ensure that future outcomes are favorable.

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Katie Timmons Headshot

Katie Timmons

Katie Timmons is an entrepreneur and lead instructor with ongoing experience in emergency medicine, the fire service, and education. She holds a degree in Prehospital Emergency Medicine and is a nationally registered paramedic, state EMS instructor, and certified instructor across more than 15 disciplines through the American Heart Association, NAEMT, and the Department of Defense...

Katie Timmons

Katie Timmons is an entrepreneur and lead instructor with ongoing experience in emergency medicine, the fire service, and education. She holds a degree in Prehospital Emergency Medicine and is a nationally registered paramedic, state EMS instructor, and certified instructor across more than 15 disciplines through the American Heart Association, NAEMT, and the Department of Defense.

With nine years in EMS, five years in the fire service, and over two decades as an educator, Katie brings real world experience and a student centered approach to every class. Since 2019, she has delivered fun, engaging, and practical medical and safety training to learners of all ages, from children to advanced healthcare professionals.

In 2021, Katie founded a mobile training company dedicated to providing high quality first response equipment and hands-on education for the public. Motivated by her three children, she is committed to helping build a more prepared and aware generation. Outside of her professional work, Katie enjoys off-road exploring, shooting sports, cooking, and micro-homesteading—interests that reflect her hands-on, self-reliant approach both personally and professionally.

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classroom with desks, chairs, chalkboard, empty of students

Partners in Education

We’re excited to be working with teachers and incorporating their perspectives. In doing so, we’re ensuring that our offerings support an environment that’s conducive to both educational and safety needs. Meeting with teachers one-on-one, we sit down with them and love hearing their stories. They share their wants, desires, and preparedness and training levels. They tell us...

Partners in Education

We’re excited to be working with teachers and incorporating their perspectives. In doing so, we’re ensuring that our offerings support an environment that’s conducive to both educational and safety needs.

Meeting with teachers one-on-one, we sit down with them and love hearing their stories. They share their wants, desires, and preparedness and training levels. They tell us what resources their schools are already providing and share gaps they can readily see. Based on the information our network of teachers has shared with us, we’ve developed training programs that address their needs and use their time together efficiently. At Sanctuary Defense, our goal is to empower teachers to prioritize and take small action to protect their students – as well as themselves.

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Protect Your Organization

At Sanctuary Defense, we specialize in providing comprehensive security services specially-tailored for places of worship and educational institutions. Our priority is providing organizations like yours with the most thorough and professional security consulting, risk assessment services, and preparatory courses available. When your facilities are safe, you'll have the peace of mind to focus on worship, learning, and looking after your community.

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