Kestrel Ballistics
Pro Staff Team

Erik Bjalkvall is a Swedish competitive shooter, former Arctic Ranger, and longtime member of the Swedish IPSC National Team for PCC and Rifle, with more than 15 years of experience across dynamic shooting sports and multiple international podium finishes. As a freelance writer for The Firearm Blog and a respected voice in the firearms industry, Erik combines his passion for storytelling, instruction, and technology with extensive experience in optics, night vision, and ballistic solutions, helping grow the shooting sports community both in Europe and abroad.

Robert Brantley is a dedicated precision rifle competitor and industry professional who works with Manners Composite Stocks and shoots for Team GA Precision while representing leading brands across the shooting sports industry. An active competitor in PRS, NRL Hunter, and DMR events, Robert also hosts shooting series, NRL Hunter matches, and instructional classes for both civilian and military shooters, relying on Kestrel Ballistics products for their proven reliability and long-standing support of the precision rifle community.

Stefanie Burdick is a competitive shooter, firearms instructor, and passionate ambassador for the shooting sports community who combines her love of competition with a strong commitment to education and mentorship. A member of the Rooftop Shooting Range team and ambassador for Zeiss Optics, Stefanie competes in IPSC Rifle, USPSA PCC, and Gas Gun events while sharing her journey of mastering Kestrel Ballistics tools and helping others build confidence and independence behind the rifle.

Jackie Cao is a Dallas-based competitive shooter specializing in USPSA PCC and IPSC Rifle. Since 2021, she has reached USPSA Grandmaster status and consistently performs at a high level, with notable finishes including 1st place at the 2025 Double Tap USPSA Championship and 2nd place at the 2024 Gulf Coast Championship. Jackie takes a data-driven approach to training and competition, using Kestrel ballistic meters for precise rifle holds and a Kestrel shot timer to structure disciplined practice. She views precision shooting as a process built on preparation, consistency, and continuous improvement.

David Civello has over 10 years of competitive shooting experience, transitioning from centerfire into rimfire where he has built a strong record of success. He finished 2nd overall in the 2024–2025 NRL22 Championship and 3rd in the 2025 PRS Rimfire Rocky Mountain South Region, with multiple top finishes across NRL22, NRL22X, and PRS Rimfire matches. David relies on his Kestrel Ballistics 5700X for precise elevation and wind solutions, especially in changing conditions. His approach to shooting is simple: keep it efficient, shoot fast, and trust the process.

Ryan Gilmer is a competitive precision rifle shooter specializing in F-Class and long-range disciplines, holding the NRA High Master classification and competing exclusively in F-Class during the 2026 season. As a Range Safety Officer at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex and Vice President of the Eagle Valley Rod & Gun Club, he is committed to safe, responsible shooting and mentoring others through his background in adult learning and training. Outside the range, Ryan is an avid skier, fly fisherman, former elite Category 1 cyclist, and devoted husband and father.

Jordan Glassman has over a decade of experience in long-range precision rifle shooting, progressing from regional competition to national-level PRS events and team sniper matches across the country. He has earned multiple top finishes, including two 2nd place overall results at the Mammoth Sniper Challenge. As a Law Enforcement sniper, Jordan integrates competition into his ongoing training and development, relying on the Kestrel 5700 Elite for dependable environmental data and ballistic solutions in both professional and competitive settings. Through his training company, The Left Edge Society, he also helps civilian and law enforcement shooters build these same skills using Kestrel systems.

Jake Graves is the founder and owner of Gravestone Precision Shooting, a Texas-based range built from his lifelong passion for hunting, the outdoors, and competitive precision rifle shooting. After earning Pro status in the Precision Rifle Series in his first season in 2018, Jake turned his dream of owning a range into reality through years of hard work and dedication, creating a facility that reflects his commitment to the shooting sports and community.

Ray Helms is a competitive shooter, instructor, and content creator with decades of experience across disciplines including team sniper matches, DMR, PRS/NRL22X ELR rimfire, and 3-gun. A highly accomplished competitor with numerous wins and podium finishes, Ray brings a practical approach to shooting—know your gear, move efficiently, and don’t overthink it. He has relied on Kestrel Ballistics solvers since 2010 for every long-range and DMR match, crediting them as a critical tool in his success and consistency at a high level.

Tereza Helštýnová is a PRS shooter from the Czech Republic competing in long-range precision rifle matches across Europe. After starting just three years ago, she quickly developed a passion for the sport and established herself with multiple category wins, including a 5th place finish in the Lady division at the 2024 World Championship. Drawn to the blend of precision, movement, and problem-solving, Tereza views shooting as a continuous process of learning and personal growth. She relies on Kestrel Ballistics as a trusted tool in her preparation, giving her confidence and allowing her to stay focused on execution in competition.

Ryan Hey is a 17-year Army veteran and competitive precision rifle shooter with decades of experience in collegiate rifle, PRS, and NRL Hunter competition. A longtime member of the MagnetoSpeed and Kestrel Ballistics team, Ryan now serves as a technical support specialist for Nielsen-Kellerman, helping shooters maximize performance through Kestrel Ballistics and MagnetoSpeed products while promoting safe, fundamentals-based shooting and a passion for the sport.

Thorunn Jonsson is a competitive PRS shooter from Iceland who lives in Norway, where she and her husband operate a shooting range together. Since beginning her PRS journey in 2022, she has rapidly developed into an international competitor, representing Norway at the 2024 World Championships and helping the Norwegian women’s team earn a second-place finish, while relying on Kestrel products for precise and dependable performance in competition.

Runar Jonsson is an accomplished long-range shooter and International PRS Director who has competed across F-Class and PRS disciplines for more than a decade, earning multiple national titles, over 25 podium finishes, and representing Norway at the PRS World Championships in 2022 and 2024. Originally from Iceland and now living in Norway with his wife and three children, Runar is passionate about growing the global precision rifle community and has relied on Kestrel ballistic tools since his earliest PRS competitions for accurate, dependable performance in the field.

Doug Koenig is a world champion professional shooter known for his record-setting success at the Bianchi Cup and numerous national and international shooting titles. He is also a hunter, firearms instructor, and host of Doug Koenig’s Championship Season.

Chris Koveleski is a competitive precision rifle shooter, match director, and content creator who is passionate about making the shooting sports more approachable and welcoming for everyone. After discovering PRS Rimfire through a local match, Chris quickly immersed himself in both rimfire and centerfire competition, using his YouTube channel and instructional background to share the realities of competitive shooting while promoting the positive community and reliable performance of Kestrel Ballistics products.

Aaron Martin is a former Scout Sniper, current instructor for Modern Day Sniper, and sponsored Team Ruger shooter who also works as an engineer in Ruger’s research and development division. Based in southern Indiana, Aaron is passionate about advancing the science of marksmanship, helping fellow shooters improve their skills, and leveraging cutting-edge ballistic technology like Kestrel to compete and perform at the highest level.

Jeremy Martin is a dedicated outdoorsman, competitive rimfire PRS shooter, and hardworking carpenter who discovered his passion for precision rifle competition in 2022 and quickly committed himself to improving through disciplined training and match experience. A devoted husband and father of three daughters, Jeremy values the strong community within the shooting sports and hopes to one day represent Team Canada at the 2027 World Championships alongside his family’s support on and off the range.

Jaden Miller is a custom rifle builder from Cedaredge, Colorado, whose passion for shooting, hunting, and coaching has made him a strong advocate for precision rifle sports and shooter development. A longtime Kestrel user and supporter, Jaden hosts local matches to help new shooters grow their skills and confidently relies on Kestrel weather meters to support accurate, consistent performance on the range.

Paul Phillips is a retired federal agent, former combat Marine, and internationally recognized long-range shooter with more than 35 years of competitive shooting experience. A multi-time world champion and winner of prestigious King of 1 Mile and King of 2 Mile competitions, Paul continues to train military and law enforcement snipers worldwide while relying on Kestrel Ballistics products as a critical part of his ELR training, prediction, and competition process.

Chris Simmons, based in Central Mississippi, has over 22 years of experience competing across a wide range of shooting disciplines, including smallbore, high power, PRS, and rimfire competition. A standout moment in his career came in 2023 with his victory at the IPRF Rimfire World Championship in Italy, adding to his record as an eight-time National Champion. Beyond competition, Chris is deeply committed to growing the shooting sports community, mentoring new shooters, and helping others refine their skills. He also serves as a Match Director and instructor for PRS22 events at Gunline Shooting, where he continues to support the next generation of precision rifle competitors.

Captare "Cap" Swafford is a former U.S. Marine Corps Primary Marksmanship Instructor whose lifelong passion for shooting sports began in the deserts of Southern California under the guidance of his gunsmith father. An accomplished competitor, instructor, match director, and volunteer 4-H Rifle and Pistol Instructor in Idaho, Cap is dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of marksmanship, supporting youth shooters, and helping the shooting community better understand and utilize advanced ballistic tools like Kestrel technology.

Dan Thompson is an active-duty U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, MARSOC Raider, and advanced SOF sniper with more than a decade of Special Operations experience, combining real-world operational expertise with an active presence in PRS, NRL, ELR, and tactical team competition. A dedicated student and instructor of precision shooting, Dan has integrated Kestrel Ballistics tools into both his combat and training environments, including the Raider Assault Sniper Seminar he helped develop, while continually pushing himself and the sniper community to higher levels of performance.

Sam Trevino is a 20+ year Special Forces veteran, Precision Rifle Series competitor, and match director at Ridgeline Gulf Coast Training Center in Florida. Since beginning his long-range shooting career in 2014, Sam has earned multiple top-10 PRS finishes and a top-five finish at the USASOC Sniper Competition, relying on Kestrel Ballistics products for their ruggedness, reliability, and accurate firing solutions in both competition and training.

Drew Walter is a highly active competitive shooter, instructor, and match director who competes in PRS National, Regional, and Geissele Gas Gun Series events across the country each year. As a multi-time PRS Match Director of the Year, director of the Geissele Gas Gun Series, and instructor to hundreds of students annually, Drew is passionate about helping shooters succeed and strongly believes Kestrel products are essential tools for accurate, data-driven performance on the range.

Jeffrey Wludyka is a competitive precision rifle shooter, business owner, and proud supporter of the shooting sports community who is dedicated to continuous growth both on and off the range. A member of the MDT PRO and Geissele Automatics shooting teams, Jeffrey is also the owner of MTE Machining LP, a Christian-based custom rifle and barrel company, and competes alongside the veteran nonprofit organization Xtreme Adventures out of North Carolina while relying on trusted industry partners including Nightforce and Peterson Brass.

Yoshi Yonekawa is a lifelong competitor who began shooting alongside her father in high school and has since earned Grand Master in SCSA and Master class in USPSA. In recent years, she has focused on long-range and extreme long-range shooting, developing a deep expertise in ballistics, reloading, and gunsmithing. Yoshi also serves as a Match Director and Club President, actively supporting and growing the shooting community. She relies on Kestrel Ballistics for trusted data in demanding mountain environments and brings that same precision-driven mindset to both competition and her pursuits in the outdoors.