 |
John Haaland, Ph.D. - Master Instructor
Dr. Haaland, Senior Instructor and Chairman of the Minnesota Taekwondo Center, has 40 years of experience in the martial arts, including several years in kenpo in addition to taekwondo. A former Fortune 500 company executive and founder of numerous start-up companies, he holds a Ph.D. in biophysics and is an expert in health and fitness. He is a WTF Certified 5th Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo, and a USTU certified Continental Referee. In addition, he spent five years teaching special taekwondo programs for at-risk youth. It is his personal objective to make all teachings scientifically sound and balanced in the development of mind, body and spirit. |
 |
Punnarin Koy - Master Instructor
Mr. Koy, CEO and President of the Minnesota Taekwondo Center, is a WTF certified 4th Dan black belt in taekwondo and a national-level competitor. He was a silver medalist in sparring at the 1992 National Collegiate TKD Championships and a bronze medalist in 1993. He is a financial advisor for American Express and is also the Company Commander of the 322nd Maintenance Company (U.S. Army). He has just completed a tour of duty with the U.S. Army in Iraq and has now returned to take the leadership position of the Minnesota Taekwondo Center. |
 |
Tony Guidote - Master Instructor
Mr. Guidote originally began studying the martial arts in his native Philippines over 18 years ago. He began his study of taekwondo while he was a student at the University of Minnesota and is a WTF Certified 4th Dan black belt. He is a USTU certified Continental Referee and Coach, and has been the main instructor at several of the Minnesota TKD Center clubs, including the U of M. Mr. Guidote is a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Taekwondo Center. |
 |
Mike Steenson - Master Instructor
Prof. Steenson has been studying taekwondo for 23 years and is a WTF Certified 4th Dan black belt. In addition to taekwondo he has studied aikido, shorin-ryu karate, and boxing. He also studies with the Minnesota Kali Group. Mr. Steenson is a USTU certified A-1 referee. He is the Margaret H. and James E. Kelley Professor of Tort Law at William Mitchell College of Law, where he specializes in constitutional and tort law. Mr. Steenson is a member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Taekwondo Center. |
 |
Christine Espin, Ph.D. - Master Instructor
Dr. Espin has been studying taekwondo for 21 years, and is a WTF Certified 4th Dan black belt. She has taken numerous medals in form and sparring at local and state tournaments, and took a silver medal in form at the 1993 National TKD Championships. Dr. Espin specializes in teaching children's classes. She is a Professor of Educational Psychology / Special Education at the University of Minnesota. |
 |
Al Fix - Master Instructor
Mr. Fix is a WTF certified 4th Dan black belt in taekwondo and in addition to teaching at the Roseville location, he was the head instructor at the Northeast Minneapolis (Waite Park) club. In 1993, Mr. Fix took a gold medal in creative form at the National Taekwondo Championships. He is a computer programmer and artist, and enjoys designing martial arts t-shirts. Mr. Fix is the General Manager of the Minnesota Taekwondo Center. |
 |
Edgar Young - Master Instructor
Mr. Young is a WTF certified 4th Dan black belt and has been involved in taekwondo for nearly thirty years. He is the head instructor of Young Taekwondo School in Woodbury. Mr. Young has experience teaching taekwondo to economically disadvantaged youth as well as children with mental and behavior challenges. Mr. Young has been a sparring and form competitor in both taekwondo and open karate tournaments and has won numerous competitions. He was a silver medalist in sparring in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 USTU Nationals Ultra Division and in 2004 he placed third in sparring in the Diamond Nationals Open Karate Championships. Mr. Young holds a B.A. in Counseling, a Masters in Social Work and a Graduate Certificate in Marital and Family Therapy. He is employed as a School Social Worker for the Minneapolis Public Schools and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and a co-owner of Multicultural Support Services in St. Paul. |
 |
Greg Evans - Instructor
Mr. Evans has been studying taekwondo for nearly twenty years and is a WTF certified 3rd Dan black belt. He is a national-level sparring competitor and a three-time Minnesota State champion. He has also been a gold medal winner in the Can-Am (Canadian-American) taekwondo championships. |
 |
Mark Brudzinski - Instructor
Mr. Brudzinski has been studying taekwondo for 22 years and is a WTF certified 2nd Dan black belt. He is also a WTF certified Referee. Mr. Brudzinski is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas, and is the CEO of Northwest Casting, Inc. in St. Paul. |
 |
John Soebbing - Assoc. Instructor
Mr. Soebbing is a WTF certified 1st Dan black belt and teaches many of our children's classes. |
 |
Katie Young - Assoc. Instructor
Ms. Young is a first Dan black belt and has competed in several local, state, and regional tournaments. Her most recent accomplishments inclue:
• 2004 U.S. Open - Bronze Medal
• 2004 Collegiate National Championships - Bronze Medal
• 2004 Senior National Championships - Silver Medal
• 2004 Senior National Team Trials
Katie is studying Animal Science at the University of Minnesota and also participates in Muay Thai fighting. |
 |
Van Le - Assoc. Instructor
Mr. Le has been a first Dan blackbelt for 13 years and holds several Minnesota State Championship titles. |
 |
Linda Ramsay - Assoc. Instructor
Ms. Ramsay is a USA TKD certified 1st Dan Black Belt. She has studied taekwondo for 5 years. She teaches both adult and chidrens classes. Ramsay also trains at the MN Kali group in Phase 1 which is Kali, trapping, grappling, to Thai boxing. She plays softball competitively and coaches both fast pitch and slow pitch.
|
