Ambassadors - 2018
MARK MIKITA
Mark Mikita opened his first martial arts school in 1978 and has been teaching full time ever since. Inspired by his father’s wartime experiences in the Philippines, witnessing first-hand the lethal effectiveness of Escrima-trained guerrillas fighting with bolos against Japanese katanas, Mark has been training for over 50 years and he is known for delving deeply into the core principles and often-missed details that bring the art to life in combat.
BURTON RICHARDSON
Burton Richardson started training martial arts in 1979 and he has never stopped. He was lucky to take his first lessons at the original Kali Academy, home of martial arts greats Sifu Richard Bustillo and Guro Dan Inosanto.
Ron Saturno
Dedicated to the art of Serrada Escrima made famous by the late great GM Angel Cabales, the first to open a Filipino Martial Arts (Escrima) School in Stockton,CA. in the 60's. Ron teaches primarily the old fashion Serrada Escrima.
Lloyd De Jongh
Lloyd De Jongh was one of the first people to study and the first Guardian of the devastating South African “criminal" method known as the Piper System, which he expanded to create the Trip Wire System.
MAIJA SODERHOLM
Maija Soderholm is a lineage holder of the Visayan Style Corto Kadena of Maestro Sonny Umpad. She is also an authorized teacher under Luo DeXiu in the Yizong system of Internal Chinese Arts.
MARCO QUARTA
Marco teaches and promotes Italian Martial Arts (IMAs) at Stanford and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Overall, his attention, as for Nova Scrimia philosophy, is proposing original Italian martial art traditions actualized in modern combat and self-defense methods.
HENRI-ROBERT VILAIRE
As the presenter of a very private system, Vilaire Sensei travels the world teaching the arts of Aiki Jujutsu. In addition to his unique martial skills, he is also a master gardener.
CARLITO BONJOC
Underneath his jovial kind hearted charismatic personality, beats the heart of a true warrior. One who has overcome both physical and emotional battles that no one would wish to endure. Carlito Bonjoc is a very knowledgeable and capable Escrimador, despite his limitations. He spends countless hours studying and teaching in Stockton, Roseville and around the world.
ROBERT STINES JR.
With 43 years experience in various martial disciplines, Robert Stines Jr. is a multiple time, multiple combat sport world champion. His instruction emphasizes on smooth range transition in empty hand and weapon based training scenarios. He is the founder of Sanshin-ryu Jujitsu.
ED CALDERON
For over a decade Ed Calderon worked in the fields of counter narcotics, organized crime investigation, and public safety in the northern-border region of Mexico. During this period he also coordinated and worked executive protection details for high-level government officials and visiting dignitaries — often in some of the most dangerous parts of the country.