Douglas Luft, 6th Dan JKA

Sensei Luft is a certified JKA Instructor, Judge, and Examiner and is a Senior Instructor with the JKA Shotokan Karate-Do International under Chief Instructor Masataka Mori (8th Dan)

Sensei Luft began Shotokan Karate training in September 1967 at the Albany WMCA and co-founded the Albany Central Karate in 1968 with Robert Ecyler (Chief Instructor), Hal Frasier, Ihor Evanik, John Luft, and Danny Conley. In the same year, the club became a member of the New York Karate Association (now the Shotokan Karate Do International), the JKA affiliated organization headed by Sensei Masataka Mori. He’s been teaching karate since 1970 and graduated from the first JKA-SKDI Instructors course, now the ‘B’ course, in 1978 under the guidance of Sensei Mori and Sensei Akihito Isaka. He completed the ‘A’ course in 1987. After completing the first Instructors course, he became the Chief Instructor of the now renamed JKA of Albany. He founded the University of Albany Karate Club in 1983 and was an Adjunct Lecturer with the University from 1987 to 1991. He competed for 18 years in Karate competition and with the SKDI regional team, he received first place team kata (with Eiji Toryu and Esami Shiroma) in 1983 at the AAKF national tournament. He was regional SKDI Kumite champion in 1988.

Besides his responsibilities with the JKA of Albany, he has been a frequent guest Instructor and Examiner to the many University and regional Karate Clubs throughout the North Atlantic Region.He is a Senior Judge at Regional and International competitions.

Bert Isen, 4th Dan JKA

Bert Isen started karate training with the then named Albany Karate Club in 1961 under Robert Ecuyer. He participated in the 1976 Instructors training program and obtained the rank of 4th Dan under Sensei Mori in 1992.

Mr. Isen was a lieutenant in the US Navy and served in Viet Nam as a staff member under Admiral Bringle from 1967 to 1969. When not on the high seas, he lived in Japan and trained with the JKA in Tokyo. Mr. Isen is married with two grown children and is a Chiropractor with an active practice in Albany. He is a senior instructor with the JKA of Albany.

Carlos Medina, 4th Dan JKA

Carlos Medina, began his study of Shotokan Karate under Sensei Douglas Luft in 1988. Mr. Medina has been a life long student of the Martial Arts since he was 11 years old. He first started training in Tang-Soo Do with Master Richard Chun and then studied Hakkoryu Jujitsu with Shihan Doc Cohe before his introduction to the JKA. Mr. Medina graduated from the intensive 'B' Course instructor program taught by Sensei Masataka Mori, 8th Dan and Chief Instructor of the JKA Shotokan Karate-Do International organization headquartered in NYC. He is an internationally certified Instructor, Judge and Examiner. Sensei Medina, has maintained his skills by participating in numerous JKA sanctioned tournaments, training camps, and instructor training weekends. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Cortland College and a Master's degree in Human Services Administration from Cornell University.

"Within the spirit of humility the daily training of Karate-Do helps us become one with our body and mind so that during critical times we can prevail against any of life's challenges".

Vilko Green, 3rd Dan JKA

Vilko Green began training at JKA-Albany under the direction of Sensei Douglas Luft in 1977. In 1992 he completed the JKA class 'B' instructors course taught by Sensei Masataka Mori, Chief Instructor of the JKA International dojo in NYC and obtained JKA certification as a judge and instructor. He participated in many training camps and tournaments and served as assistant instructor at JKA-Albany for many years. In 1987, he was in team competition with Mickey Mitchell and Cris Judd in the JKA New England Championships, which received first place in kata and second place in kumite. Currently, he teaches a Senior Masters class at the main Albany dojo. He served in Vietnam aboard the USS Boston as a Naval corpsman and was honorably discharged in 1968. In 1971, he returned to college and obtained his doctorate from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, an affiliate of the University of Toronto, Canada.

Janet Mangold, 2nd Dan JKA

Janet Mangold holds a second-degree black belt with JKA and has been training in the Albany dojo for over four years. She also holds a second-degree black belt in another karate style and maintains over 20 years in the martial arts. Janet is the chief instructor of Kodomo Karate Club a youth and adult club affiliated with the JKA of Albany, operating out of North Greenbush N.Y.

Originating from Stony Point, N.Y., Janet began her study of the martial arts in 1980. In 1982 she traveled upstate to attend college at SUNY Oneonta to pursue her Bachelors Degree in Teaching K-6 and later earned her Masters Degree in Special Education at the College of Saint Rose here in Albany. Since 1993 Janet has held a position with the Albany City School District as an elementary special education teacher.

“ Karate is more than just the physical, it’s a state of mind. It allows me to set and achieve personal goals while providing a healthy and important stress outlet. Through my many years of training in the martial arts, I have developed an intuitive insight and awareness of my body, my family and my surroundings. Karate is a way of life … it is my way of life.”