Lauren Wheeler     Senior Instructor

Lauren is a 3^rd Degree Black Belt and has been teaching for over 18 years at DCSDKA. She is Founder and Director of the Peaceful Warriors, the DCSDKA teen youth performance group. Lauren has been a trainer at the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation annual camp. As Director of Peaceful Warriors since 1995 she has dedicated her time to empowering teenagers at this critical time in their lives to make healthful and positive decisions. The Peaceful Warriors have organized trainings and performances in the U.S., Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

Sarah Wolf     Senior Instructor

Sarah started karate in 1991 after taking a self-defense class offered by DCSDKA. “I found Sensei to be such a fantastic teacher I knew I wanted to learn more. The karate students who assisted were strong, kind, confident and patient. I wanted to have those qualities in my life.” Sarah is a 2^nd Degree Black Belt and has been teaching for more than 15 years.  In addition to teaching many classes in the school, Sarah teaches in schools and leads community self-defense classes. She is the Director of Student Services.

Christine Keck     Instructor

Christine began her training in 1995. “Martial arts training has been a large part of shaping the confident, strong individual that I am today.” She teaches both traditional karate and sparring. “Martial arts teaches that we should give back to our community; teaching is part of that circle. I enjoy passing on the tradition of our art to new generations.” Outside of karate she is Senior Director, Corporate Communications, ADVA Optical Networking.

Adilson Salvador     Instructor 

Adilson began training as a young boy back in his native El Salvador. He began training here at DCSDKA with his young daughter in 2000. “It is the way I live life, it gives me mental and physical strength. Sharing with people through teaching gives me great satisfaction.” Outside of karate he is a crew manager for a leading pool company in the region.

Ashley Cruz     Instructor

Ashley Cruz began training at DCSDKA when she was a teenager.She is an instructor for the Peaceful Warriors, DCSDKA’s teen performance group.  “I have much more self-respect in my personal relationships and can be more assertive, tell people 'no' and take care of myself better. As a teacher, I now talk to students and parents more carefully and carry myself in that same assertive way." She is a high school English teacher in Montgomery County, MD.

Martha Ross     Instructor

Martha Ross joined the DC Self Defense Karate Association in 2000, inspired by a kickboxing class at a local gym taught by a DCSDKA student.  She received her black belt and also began teaching regularly in 2005.  She has a Masters in social work and works at a think tank on a range of social policy issues, such as access to health care, job training, and demographic and economic trends. “Because of karate, I'm now stronger and in better physical shape than ever. I'm stronger mentally and emotionally too, because karate has challenged me to do things I wasn't sure I could do -- and I did them! I've become more confident and sure of myself, both in and out of the dojo.”

Charlotte Owen     Instructor

Charlotte has been training since 2000. “In both my personal life and karate life, I perform my best when it is with confidence, intensity, and positive expectancy. Over time as I have grown in karate, I have practiced these skills in class and in my work life.” Charlotte teaches beginner and children’s classes. Outside of karate she is an Information Technology professional and enjoys kayaking and synergy dancing.

Gary Cooper     Instructor

Gary is a retired police officer who currently directs security in the Federal Courts in Virginia. He started karate over 13 years ago. He has taught cardio-kickboxing for us and currently teaches our Ninja classes. “Karate has become a way of life. The DCSDKA community is a family. I enjoy teaching children, watching them progress and seeing them reach their goals.”

Vibha Bhatia     Instructor

Vibha has been a dedicated instructor for over five years. She teaches both karate and community self-defense classes and workshops.  “I like karate because you don't need just physical skills to be able to do it. I also get to use my memory, discipline, listening and other mental skills. I like teaching because it is an opportunity for me to share what I have learned with other students and help them with their journey. Seeing a student of mine master a technique or discover something about themselves is very rewarding.” Outside of class, she also runs and lifts weights. She works for a non-profit as Director of Operations.

Crissy Dyer     Instructor

In speaking about how she started: “Doctors told me that I needed to get active again which would help me mentally and physically so I decided to try. I started researching different styles and schools online and decided that I was really interested in tae kwon do. With DCSDKA, I was impressed from the moment I spoke to the staff on the phone.”  Crissy is now a lead instructor in our children’s programs. She is also teaches in the IMPACT full-force self-defense program. Outside of karate, Crissy is a professional in a medical office and enjoys running and weight lifting.

Jason Owen     Instructor

Jason began training in karate after his wife, Charlotte (see above), encouraged him to give it a try. "DCSDKA has been a perfect match for me. I appreciate how supportive everyone is in helping me overcome challenges and I enjoy learning about Martial Arts. I am always amazed that each class I take teaches me something new on technique or outlook.” Not only am I learning forms and sparring, I feel safer on the street now that I know some practical self-defense and what to do if I am attacked." Jason teaches in our children’s programs and is also an instructor in the IMPACT full-force self-defense programs. “I like teaching because the kids are so much fun to be around; they are always ready to participate and have an abundance of energy.” Outside of karate, Jason works for Verizon Wireless and enjoys hiking and kayaking.