IFMA Senior Staff
Brief introduction to our Senior Staff
Founder IFMA - KwanJang/Chief Master Instructor
Master Dan Piller
Master Piller is, and has been, responsible for the overall growth and development of the IFMA as a whole. He has been responsible for the structure and growth of the organization. He is considered the Chief Master Instructor, as well as organizational head of the IFMA, organizing and leading training sessions for multiple member schools around the country and continuing to refine the organizations vision, mission, and martial arts approach.
Master Piller has been responsible for determining various roles within the IFMA, and mentoring or empowering Black Belts as future leaders within the organization. He has reached Master Instructor level in both of the Korean Martial Arts of Hapkido & Taekwondo. Read less History Master Piller has been a lifelong practitioner of the martial arts beginning his journey in the early 1970's. • Began martial arts training Mid 1970s • Illinois State Judo Champ 1977 • Colorado State Taekwondo Champ 1986 • Open Weapons Champ 1987 • National Level Referee United States Taekwondo Union 1987 • Pan Am Level Referee – United States Taekwondo Union 1990 • US Olympic Team Trials Judge 1992 • Certified US Taekwondo Instructor 1993 • Colorado State Taekwondo Union “Instructor of the Year” – 1994 • Promoted to Master Instructor 2002 • Founded Ki Martial Arts Centers 2003 • Executive Director of the World Hapkido Association 2004 – 2007 • Promoted to Secretary General of the WHA 2007 – 2016 • Founded the Independent Fellowship of Martial Arts (IFMA) • Host for the WHA Ultimate Hapkido Summer Training Camp 04, 06, 08, 10 • Host for the WHA Ultimate Hapkido Winter Training Camp 2003-Yearly • Mike Swain Judo / Yudo Certified Instructor 2004 • Law Enforcement – Defensive Tactics Certified Instructor (POST-OSS) • Hapkido Instructor of the Year – WHFSC INTERNATIONAL 2006 • Master Instructor of the Year – World Hapkido Association – 2008 • Trained & taught at seminars throughout the US and Internationally in Austria, Brazil, Canada, India, Korea, Morocco, Panama City, Panama, & Moscow, Russia • Guest Defensive Tactics Instructor for Federal Law Enforcement – Ft. Carson Army Base, State of Oklahoma Police Academy & Local agencies throughout US • Certified First Aid, AED & Supplemental O2 Additional Training & Martial Arts Studies Hapkido • GMHwang, In Shik – WHA • GM Jung, Tae Hee – WHA • GM Rudy Timmerman – NKMAA • GM Oh, Se-Lim – KHF • GM J. R. West – USKMAF • GM He-Young Kimm Judo • Wickham Sensei • Swain Sensei • Grace Jividen Sensei Sword • GM Jung, Tae Hee – WHA (Hapki Kum Sool) • Uchida Sensei – Mushinkan (Kendo & Iaido) Defensive Knife • Scott Kendrick– USFMAF • Eric Mayes – ICHF • Monty Hendrix – EMC Law Enforcement DT & Civilian Tactics • Rick Dunn– OSS • Andy Stanford – OPS Current Black Belt Ranks & Certifications • 7th Dan Taekwondo – Pro TKD MAC • 6th Dan Hapkido – World Hapkido Association • 4th Dan Taekwondo – Kukkuwon/WTF • 3rd Dan Taiho Jutsu – OSS • Sankyu/Brown Belt Judo – USA Judo • Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics Instructor – Level 3 POST/OSS
Vice-President, General Counsel, and Chief of Staff
Master Dante James
As Master Piller’s senior student and a licensed attorney, he holds the working titles of Vice-President, General Counsel, and Chief of Staff. Master James is also responsible for the grow and development of the IMFA's Instructor Certification program. With nearly 50 years of Martial Arts experience, Master James is a valued member of the Senior Leadership Team of the IFMA and his input and guidance has helped shape the path of our fellowship.
Co-Founder IFMA/Senior Leadership Team
Prof. Jonathan Shellnut
As a Co-Founder, Mr. Shellnut is an important member of the Senior Leadership Team of the IFMA, and has accepted the responsibility for the growth and development of the Ground Survival Tactics (GST) program. He is also responsible for the instruction and development of the GST Regional Trainer program. With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Shellnut has earned a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), which makes him a Professor of that discipline.
As a representative of the IFMA, he will continue to be an ambassador for the organization, engaging with new schools and members as opportunities present themselves. Mr. Shellnut continues to grow his Hapkido knowledge, as he prepares for this testing for Master in that art. He also continues to grow the Hapkido program within his school. Read less History Mr. Shellnut is a lifelong grappler who began his career at the age of 10 in freestyle and folk style wrestling. In college Jon began boxing training and started Hapkido (now a 3rd degree BB under Master Piller) and earned a degree in dietetics. After college Jon continued to train and compete in various martial arts. In the fall of 2011, he founded Michigan Martial Arts Training Center where he taught Catch Wrestling, Hapkido and coached MMA. Jon began training in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu under Adlai Cleveland and has focused primarily on Jiu Jitsu ever since. • 10th Planet Black Belt under Adlai Cleveland| • 20 Years of Wrestling Experience & Coaching • Brown Belt in Japanese Jujitsu Other grappling • Catch Wrestling/Judo • 3rd Degree Black Belt in Hapkido • MMA Coach • Degree in Dietetics (Nutrition Expert) • DDP Yoga Practitioner Outside of the gym Jon works as a private investigator, bodyguard and security agent protecting high value assets.
Director of Instructor & Curriculum Development
Master Michael Kitch
With a master's degree education leadership & policy, Master Kitch brings a unique skill set to the fellowship. He has been instrumental in the overall growth of the IMFA's teaching skills, as the Director of Instructor & Curriculum Development. He also taught English in Korea, while earning his Hapkido black belt during his years abroad.
Master Michael Kitch started his martial arts journey training TaeKwonDo in 1995 while in high school under Master Dante James. He then earned his 1st Dan in July of 1999 with the America TaeKwonDo Association (ATA). Then going on to earn a 2nd Dan through The United States Korean Martial Arts Federation in 2005. In addition, he began his train in Hapkido under Master Piller at Ki Martial Arts Centers. In 2006 he moved to Seoul, South Korea to work as an English Teacher, train in Hapkido, and travel. He earned a 1st Dan in Hapkido from the Korean New Martial Arts Federation in Seoul, South Korea in 2007 training with Master Moon. Upon returning to the USA in 2008 he continued training with Master Piller earning a 1st, 2nd, 3rd Dan in Hapkido with the World Hapkido Association and then a 4th Dan with the Independent Fellowship of Martial Arts (IFMA) in 2016. Currently, Master Kitch is continuing his Hapkido training and serving as the Senior Director of Curriculum and Instructor Development for the IFMA.