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Our certified instructors must pass a rigorous exam, which requires knowledge of all our color belt forms, board holding and breaking experience, personal references, observation classes, supervised intern teaching, firearm experience and first aid skills. Although Master Jeff is always on the premises, any instructor could be teaching any class, any time we're open. You can always count on rich course content any time you train at South Miami Taekwondo.
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Master Jeff Wade
6th dan (Black Belt)
Cheif Instructor, Owner
Miami Florida
In addition to extensive informal and self-study martial arts training, Master Jeff holds the following certification: 6th dan under TKDU Taekwondo, 4th dan under the Kukkiwon, a non-incremental advanced black belt and instructor certification in Daitu ryu Aiki Jiujitsu Aikido, and a Masters in Education from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. He spent years as a professional musician and music instructor. In his spare time, he likes visiting the gun range, computer programming and spending time with his family: Chikako (wife), Jessi (daughter), Seven (son) and yet unborn daughter.
Master John Commins
4th dan (Black Belt)
Adjunct and Outreach Instructor
Vero Beach, Florida
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Master Commins spent over a decade in Nashville, Tennessee Training with Master Jeff as a fellow student under Grand Master Katherine Wieczerza. He also spent a little over a year at South Miami Taekwondo as a staff instructor. He now resides in Vero Beach, visiting SMTKD often to sit as a judge at our testings. He lives with his wife Rosa and son Ethan.
Sensei Nathaniel Lesher
2nd dan (Black Belt)
Outreach Instructor
South Dakota
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Sensei Nat is an important figure in SMTKD history, being the one who used to encourage Master Jeff to get our own place. (We spent years at the University of Miami Baptist Student Union). He now serves our country in the Air Force and lives with his wife, Lyla, also a 2nd dan black belt.
Sensei Lyla Lesher
2nd dan (Black Belt)
Outreach Instructor
South Dakota
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Sensei Lyla has always been among our strongest women leaders - an important role in Martial Arts. She spent the first part of her life as Lyla Basin, before Sensei Nat could finally talk her into getting married. :)
Ronda Fleites
1st dan (Black Belt)
Certified Instructor
Miami, FL
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Ronda taught her own Outreach program for two years. She now teaches 6:00 Mondays and subs quite often. Aside from Master Commins, she's aruably our toughest testing judge. Her husband Joe is a fixture at the dojo - our Fun Day cook, dojo electrician and repairing and cheering on his family. Though we haven't been able to coax him onto the mat, he knows most of our forms just from watching! Ronda trains with her daughter Gabriel and son Joseph.
Kamara Mertz-Rivera
1st dan (Black Belt)
Certified Instructor
Miami, FL
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Kamara has been training with us since the University of Miami BCM days, sometime in 2003 - before we even kept records of when students started. Before finding our dojo, she trained in Karate for several years as well. As of July of 2009, Kamara teaches our Monday and Wednesday 7:00 class. She trains with her husband Johnny Rivera and two kids Diego (7 in 2009) and Mahala (5 in 2009).
Julio Rams
2nd gup (Red Belt)
Certified Instructor
Miami, FL
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Julio has been with us since April of 2006. He is great with the kids, like a benevolent uncle / drill instructor. He teaches the 4:00 classes at the main dojo as well as the Friday After-Care classes at Sunset Elementary.
Violeta Rosenberg
4th gup (Blue Belt)
Certified Instructor
Miami, FL
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Violeta has been an instructor since she was a green belt! She trains with her sons Joshua (11 in 2010) and Noah (9 in 2010).
Michelle Menendez
3rd gup (Red Belt)
Certified Instructor
Miami, FL
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Michelle teaches the 7:00 Tuesday and Thursday classes. She also teaches specialized classes and is a regular official at our in house tournaments.
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CI Only
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