Efen Thao is a distinguished security consultant, law enforcement professional, and financial crime mitigation expert with a proven track record of empowering organizations and individuals to proactively defend against emerging threats. A 2015 honors graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a degree in Justice, Efen launched his career in law enforcement in Alaska, serving in high-stakes environments where he collaborated closely with State of Alaska Fire and EMS teams. As a certified Emergency Medical Technician – Trauma 2 (EMT-T2), he delivered critical on-scene medical support during emergencies, honing the calm-under-pressure decision-making that defines his approach to security today.
 

Transitioning to the financial sector, Efen founded and led a highly successful financial services firm recognized for partnering with Forbes Magazine’s Top 20 Women Financial Advisors. In this role, he educated thousands on wealth preservation, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance while building sophisticated systems to detect and neutralize financial crime. His innovative training programs reached more than 20,000 professionals across 15 states, earning him invitations to lecture at national conferences on topics on protection strategies.

 

Now serving as a sworn Deputy Sheriff in North Carolina and founder of Advent Secure, Efen specializes in proactive risk mitigation for business owners, faith-based organizations, healthcare providers, real estate professionals, and high-net-worth families. He has personally fortified over 4,000 businesses from the West Coast to the East Coast. His signature Building Risk Assessments and one-day MASS Training programs consistently deliver 78% reductions in preventable incidents and 11–18% insurance premium savings for clients.
 

A sought-after thought leader, Efen has been featured on multiple high-profile podcasts with combined audiences exceeding hundreds of thousands of people.  Fluent in Hmong and English, Efen brings a unique multicultural perspective to every engagement, ensuring strategies resonate across diverse teams.
 

Driven by a personal mission to “remove the reason to react,” Efen Thao continues to set the standard in proactive security—because in his world, awareness isn’t just power; it’s protection. Based in North Carolina and available nationwide, he remains committed to one simple promise: every client deserves to go home safe, every single night.