Instructors

Head of School - Sensei Gordon Eilen

Godan (5th degree) Gordon and his wife, Nancy, started training at Sung Ming Shu in 1995. Their kids, Anna and Alex, have also been students at the dojo. Gordon has been teaching adult and kids classes since getting his black belt in 2001. He has had the honor of being the Head of School and Chief Instructor at Sung Ming Shu since 2015. Gordon has also studied Aikido and Tai Chi. He is co-founder and CTO of a small software company in the Atlanta area.

Co-Head of School - Sensei Rachel Gowan

Sandan (3rd degree)

Rachel began training in Cuong Nhu when she was six years old. She earned her black belt in May 2010, took some time to travel and live abroad, and then returned to complete master’s degrees in Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. Rachel is currently an elementary school counselor for Atlanta Public Schools. Outside of Cuong Nhu, Rachel enjoys traveling, running, yoga and snuggling up with her daughter, Caroline, and dog, Samwise..

Sensei Doug Storm

Yondan (4th degree) Doug Storm began Cuong Nhu at Sung Ming Shu in 1988. He is a fourth degree Black Belt and the Head of Michi Dojo which teaches Cuong Nhu to several schools in the Atlanta area as an After-School program. He also teaches Womens’s Self-Defense classes, does Karate Kids Birthday parties, and runs summer camps at Sung Ming Shu dojo. For more information as to what he has to offer, visit http://atlantakarate.org.

Sensei Maceo Rogers

Yondan (4th degree) A Fourth Degree Black Belt instructor of Cuong Nhu Oriental Martial Arts in Atlanta, GA, Maceo is also an established Visual Artist who works with a wide range of mediums (acrylic, oil, watercolor, dirt, pastels, etc.) and the Executive Director for Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority. Maceo, his wife Sharon and their son Alex live in Decatur, Georgia.

Sensei Ben McGimsey

Yondan (4th degree) Ben began his Cuong Nhu career while attending the University of Florida where he was studying his first love, Astronomy. He stuck with both and, when not in the dojo, can be found teaching astronomy and physics at Georgia State University and Mercer University. When overcome with beach withdrawal, Ben can be found scuba diving in the Caribbean.

Sensei Jeremy Dahl

Nidan (2nd degree) Research primatiologist in both lab and field, Jeremy started Cuong Nhu training in 1996 to help meet the physical demands of work in the rainforest, as well as personal security issues in Central America. He is currently Founder/Director of the Deep Forest Field School, with the aim of saving trees, woodlands and the urban forest of Atlanta.

Sensei Rick Goldstein

Nidan (2nd degree)

Rick got his introduction to Cuong Nhu watching his youngest daughter in her after school class. He started taking classes a year later and got his black belt in 2010. Rick is a part-time EMT and a full-time high school science teacher and coach at the Paideia School, where he tries to figure out teenagers. Rick lives in Decatur with his very patient wife.

Sensei James Schoen

Nidan (2nd degree)

James graduated from the University of Michigan in 2006 and has been practicing Cuong Nhu and working as an Architectural Designer since moving to Atlanta in 2007. In addition to his Cuong Nhu training, he enjoys boxing, running, yoga and weight lifting. His other interests include travel, cinema, and collecting musical instruments he's totally going to learn how to play some day.

Sensei Amir Carlock

Nidan (2nd degree)

Amir found his way to Sung Ming Shu Dojo from his son, David’s after school program. After a year of kickboxing classes at Sung Ming Shu, Amir started his martial arts training. Amir has been practicing for 8 years and achieved his black belt in May 2014. He currently teaches kickboxing and children’s classes at Sung Ming Shu Dojo. Amir is a contractor and has been remodeling homes in the Atlanta area for 35 years. He is a Grant Park resident since 1985. He enjoys mountain and road biking, cooking and painting (not houses).

Sensei Seth Plockelman

Nidan (2nd degree)

Seth was raised right here in Atlanta and graduated from the University of Georgia. He’s been training in Cuong Nhu since 2007 and received his Black Belt in 2015. Seth has a plethora of interests including art, reading science fiction, comic books and gaming. Seth currently works for the Home Depot Support Center as a Item Data Analyst and in his free time engages in all kinds of do it yourself home renovations.

Sensei Marc Gowan

Nidan (2nd degree) Marc works in the entertainment industry as a professional actor and director. He started his study of martial arts in the early 1970's studying Zen Kempo, 20 years later he joined the Sung Ming Shu Dojo to learn Cuong Nhu Martial Arts. Married for over 35 years to Valerie Wolny, their daughter and son in law, Rachel and Seth, are also Cuong Nhu students and instructors. Marc has also studied Shinkendo Japanese Swordsmanship. Hobbies include cooking, gardening and looking after his granddaughter!

Sensei Caleb Boyd

Nidan (2nd degree)

Caleb started training in Cuong Nhu in 2010, after a martial-arts hiatus of 20 years and earned his black belt in 2015. He also holds the rare combination of a PhD in Theatre History and a MS in Computer Science. Having used the former to teach for 10 years, he recently decided to switch careers and now does middleware administration for Emory University. In addition to Cuong Nhu, Caleb is an avid foodie/amateur chef, and enjoys the lifelong adventure of being married to his partner, Melanie.

Sensei Jack Kiely

Shodan (1st degree) When Jack is not working as a writer/editor, he enjoys training and teaching adults and children. His own 12 and 16-year-old kids participate in Cuong Nhu and have a lot of fun with their friends there. Jack likes to chat with our Spanish-speaking students. He is bilingual as a result of living in Spain and Argentina. He feels privileged to have trained in Florida under O’Sensei Ngo Dong, the founder of Cuong Nhu.

Sensei Eben Stuart

Shodan (1st degree)

Eben is an accounting manager with AT&T, and has been practicing Cuong Nhu martial arts since 2000.

Sensei Paul Bartels

Shodan (1st degree)

Paul began training at Sung Ming Shu in 2005 and has kept it up due to the enjoyment, sense of community, and the privilege of being able to pass on knowledge to others. He was born in Mobile, Alabama and has lived in Atlanta since 1990. Paul works as an attorney and lives in Atlanta's historic Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.

Sensei Marianna Kaufman

Shodan (1st degree)

Marianna started training in Cuong Nhu in 2006. "Mastering techniques from seven different martial arts is very rewarding," she says. From 1971 to 1982 she trained in karate and also taught karate and self-defense classes to women at many Atlanta colleges and recreation centers. After retiring as a reference librarian, Marianna became a volunteer docent at the Breman Jewish Heritage & Holocaust Museum. Marianna has lived with her partner, Diana, since 1972.

Sensei Dirk Botterbusch

Shodan (1st degree)

Dirk found his way back to martial arts in 2006, when he began his training in Cuong Nhu, after taking an almost 15 year break from Shotokan Karate. Dirk has been assisting with teaching since 2010 and earned his Black Belt in 2015. When not dressed in his Gi, Dirk works as a management consultant helping various Atlanta based clients with their business challenges. Dirk lives in Inman Park with his wife Kim, and their two rescue cats Lola and Lila. In addition to martial arts, Dirk enjoys golf, traveling, cooking and, of course, eating!

Sensei Chris Robinson

Shodan (1st degree)

Chris started training in Cuong Nhu at Tiger Dojo in 2008 at Clemson University. After graduating with a BS in genetics, he moved to Atlanta in 2014 for employment and joined Sung Ming Shu in 2015. He earned his black belt in May 2016. He works as lab technician/supervisor in the medical field under molecular genetics. In his free time, he likes to travel, watch martial arts and science fiction films, attend local events, and power and weight lift.

Sensei Noah Young

Shodan (1st degree)

Noah begin training with the Wolfpack dojo in Raleigh NC in 2004. After moving to Atlanta in 2009, he continued training at his own pace until earning his black belt in 2017. When he's not in the dojo, he enjoys raising backyard chickens, woodworking, and playing tennis with his wife Arielle.

Sensei Meagan Ann Boeff

Shodan (1st degree)

Meg started Cuong Nhu in 2010 for fitness and self-defense. In addition to martial arts Meg enjoys music, cinema, cooking, and travel. She resides in Grant Park with her husband, their 2 children, and multiple pets.

Sensei Margaret Sagarin

Shodan (1st degree)

Margaret began her training in January 2012. The patience and tenacity of the dojo, and the instructors, continues to inspire and encourage her. Overjoyed by earning her brown belt in 2015 and qualified to assist teaching adults, she persisted. Margaret earned her black belt, kicking and kiai-ing, May 27, 2018. Now teaching adults, she’s the shortest (and most fun-sized) Sensei in the dojo. In her spare time, she enjoys bowling badly, and gently harassing her extraordinarily tolerant family, Josh, Sam and Elle.