Our Instructors & Staff Members

Our Instructors have spent many years devoted to training in the art of Karate and other martial arts and have attained a certain level of expertise to qualify them as teachers and also mentors.

Through extensive testing, certification and tournament level competition, our staff has attained mastery in this martial art and now enjoy sharing their skill and passing it on to their students. Here are a few of Martial Arts America's instructors and other staff members, starting with :

Matt Dorsey  (Master Instructor) Sensei Matt Dorsey, 7th degree Black Belt Isshin Ryu karate, is the master instructor of Martial Arts America. With over 30 years of martial arts experience, he oversees instruction and operations at both locations, teaches the black belts and instructors and conducts seminars and demonstrations around the Rochester area. Sensei Dorsey opened the dojo (karate school) in 1980 and has taught thousands of students since then. He has become one of the area's top experts in karate and self defense. He is also the Northeast Regional Director for AAU (Amatuer Athletic Union) Karate, is a top rated karate referee and has been on both it's executive council and referee council. Sensei Dorsey is currently collaborating with Grandmaster Angi Uezu, 10 degree Black Belt and director of the Okinawan Isshin Ryu Karate and Kobudo Association in producing the Encyclopedias of Isshin Ryu karate, a four volume book set that will become the definitive guide for Isshin Ryu karate practitioners around the world. Along with his wife, Jackie, herself a 6th degree black belt and a nurse practitioner, Sensei Dorsey has two children, Kevin, 16 years old and Allison, 14, both of whom have studied karate as well.

Kelly Williams Sensei Kelly Williams is a 5th degree black belt, the head instructor, co-owner and managing director of the Martial Arts America schools. Mrs. Williams has had over 20 years of martial arts experience and has been a multiple year National Champion in the AAU (Amatuer Athletic Union) Karate program. Having earned a bachelors degree in Education and in Special Ed., Mrs. Williams is a top notch instructor and helps lead our team to provide an unbeatable, high quality karate experience for all our students and families. Kelly is the proud mother of 2 children, Samantha and Jillian.

Corinne DerCola Corinne Dercola is the general manager for both branches of Martial Arts America. She oversees all operations including customer service, staff development and programming. She earned her black belt in Spring 2005 and is an avid runner (completing marathons in 2002 and 2005). She is the very proud mother of young Jack!

Monika Winkelman Monika Winkelman is a 3rd degree black belt and the director of the Penfield branch of Martial Arts America. Her previous career as a psychologist gives her the perfect background to understand the needs of the students and their families. Monika started her karate training after her son, Aaron, enrolled at the school. With her husband (Bryan) and two children (Aaron and Ben) also coming to our karate school, she really makes karate a family affair.

Ashley Manchester Ashley is a 3rd degree black belt and head instructor of the Winton Place dojo. She started taking karate as a child and it became her passion. In 2005, Ashley won the kumite (sparring) division at the AAU Karate Junior Olympic games. She also has taken a 3 month trip to China, where she stayed and trained at the famous Shaolin Temple (the birthplace of ancient martial arts). Ashley teaches classes, oversees instructor staff and helps maintain a safe, clean, fun and exciting karate school for all students and their families. She is also currently an English Major at Nazareth college.

Bryan Winkelman Sensei Bryan Winkelman is a 5th degree black belt and instructor. He has many years of martial arts experience and, besides Isshin Ryu karate, has studied Kyusho (pressure points striking). Sensei Bryan is also the author of "The Training Manual for Isshin Ryu Karate".

Robert Jackelen Having started karate at the age of 7, Sensei Robert is an example of the benefits of karate training. He is polite, hard working and gives his best to every student he teaches. Robert is one of the Winton Place dojo's upcoming young instructors. He is a second degree black and is a high school student in Pittsford.

James Cornell Sensei James is one of our newer staff members at the Winton Place dojo and has been training in karate at our school since he was about 4 years old. He is a third degree black belt. James has a very polite and respectful attitude and is a good role model for the students that he teaches.

John Lacek Sensei John started karate about 9 years ago after watching the karate classes his son (Andrew - also an instructor at our school) was taking at our school. John is a dedicated martial artist and has earned his 3rd degree black belt. He teaches some of the children and adult classes at the Penfield branch. He also works at the grounds department at St. John Fisher College.

Tim Shishpar Tim is a high school student at Penfield High School and one of our newest staff members at the Penfield dojo. On April 11, 2010, he earned his 2nd Degree Black Belt! He has great karate skills and a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm. He loves teaching the kids classes and is a positive role model with his polite demeanor and pleasant dispostion. Tim will become one of our top instructors in the future.

Scott Emerson Sensei Scott Emerson is a high energy, hard working and caring instructor at the Winton Plaza branch. He is 18 years old and a Second Degree black belt. Students and parents alike comment on his maturity and his attention to his students.

Mike Cwiklinski Having started karate training in the 1980's (at Sensei Matt's first dojo), Mike Cwiklinski took some time off karate but returned with a vengeance to earn his black belt in 2006. Sensei Mike's enthusiasm, skill and work ethic are inspirational to his students.

Aaron Rath Aaron is a freshman at Gananda High School. He has been training in karate for 10 years and has competed in karate tournaments for the past 7 years; going to the Junior Olympics twice and Karate Nationals once. As one of our young instructors at the Penfield Dojo, we look forward to Aaron becoming one of our top instructors in the future.

Noel Coleman Sensei Noel began her karate training at Martial Arts America nearly 5 years ago. She has excelled in her training and proudly earned her Black Belt in the Fall of 2009. Sensei Noel takes pride in her work in our children's classes and is an expert at relating to the kids and bringing something special to each class. Her outside interests include cinema, music and production and hopes to someday attend NYU for film studies.

Nina Piccini  Nina is our newest team member at the Winton Place Dojo. She will be working with Sensei Matt P as Program Director! She worked for Sensei Matt Dorsey in the 1990's and we are so happy to have back on our team. She also runs a personal chef service called Dinnerbella (dinnerbella.com).

For more information about the Martial Arts America staff or training programs, please contact us at 475-9250 / 377-6130 or by clicking here.