Aikido of San Jose

 About the Instructors

Robert Nadeau and Jack Wada at Doshu Seminar, March 2004
Robert Nadeau and Jack Wada at Doshu Seminar, March 2004
L to R:  Wada, Bermingham, Concepcion, Silvey
Wada, Bermingham, Concepcion, Silvey from black belt tests Nov, 2003

Robert Nadeau - Shihan - Founder of Aikido of San Jose - holds the rank of 7th dan and studied with the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba. He has been studying and teaching both Aikido and meditation for over 35 years. Nadeau-Shihan teaches regularly at City Aikido in San Francisco and Aikido of Mountain View.  He currently teaches the Monday noon and evening adults classes.
More about Robert...

Jack Wada-sensei is currently both chief instructor (dojo-cho) and the supervisor (kan-cho). Practicing since 1969 and teaching since 1974, Wada-sensei holds a 6th-degree black belt. The rank was awarded by World Aikido Headquarters (Hombu) in Tokyo. Wada-sensei also has taught Aikido for the Human Performance department at San Jose State University, the University of California at Santa Cruz, and through the honors program at West Valley Community College in Saratoga, California. Wada-sensei is also available for private instruction in aikido.  He currently teaches the Wednesday and Friday evening adults classes, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday noon adults classes, and the Saturday 11:30 AM adults class.
More about Jack...

Harry Concepcion has studied with Jack Wada-sensei since 1988 and currently holds the rank of 4th degree black belt (yon-dan).  He currently teaches the Tuesday noon adults class.
More about Harry...

Frank Silvey, a 4th degree (yon-dan) black belt, began his studies in San Francisco, CA in 1972 with Takashi Kajiwara and Mel Stewart.  In 1981 Frank began his studies with Jack Wada-sensei.  Frank continues to lead classes at Apple Computer, Inc. and to cover classes at Aikido of San Jose for Wada-sensei and Nadeau-Shihan.
More about Frank...

David Eves, a 3rd degree (san-dan) black belt, currently teaches the Tuesday noon adult class.

Michael Brown, a 3rd degree (san-dan) black belt, currently teaches the teens class on Wednesday and occasionally teaches the adults class on Sunday.

Steven Tsao, a 2nd degree (ni-dan) black belt, currently co-teaches the teen class on Wednesday and the exam preparation class on Sunday evenings.

Peter Skilj, a 2nd degree (ni-dan) black belt, currently co-teaches the childrens class.

Mark Tucker, a 1st degree (sho-dan) black belt, teaches the adults class on Friday morning.

Ron Zraick, a 1st degree (sho-dan) black belt, occasionally teaches the adults class on Sunday.

Mike Driscoll, a 1st kyu brown belt, currently co-teaches the childrens class.

Lisa Tobin, a 2nd kyu brown belt, currently co-teaches the childrens class.

Previous Instructors

Peter Ralls, a 5th degree black belt, has been training in aikido since 1975, including a period at the Hombu Dojo. He has been employed in law enforcement since 1983 and is a defensive tactics instructor for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. He currently teaches at Suginami Aikikai.

Sue Ann McKean has over 25 years of experience in Aikido and holds a 5th degree black belt (go-dan). She currently teaches Aikido at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto.  McKean-sensei also is certified in the Enneagram and Vedic systems.

Richard Paredes, a 3rd degree (san-dan) black belt, and currently lives in Modesto.

Lou Bermingham has been training since 1976. He started his training in France under Tamura-Shihan, who is a 8th degree black belt. On his return to the United States, Lou continued his training under Jack Wada-sensei and Robert Nadeau-Shihan. Lou currently holds the rank of 4th degree black belt (yon-dan). He is the chief instructor (dojo-cho) at Aikido of Los Gatos.
More about Lou...

Don Shigemura, a 4th degree (yon-dan) black belt, previously taught the adults class on Sunday.

Brian Hirose, a 1st degree (shodan) black belt, was born and raised in San Jose's Japantown and has trained at Aikido of San Jose since 1990.

Amanda Carlin, a 2nd kyu brown belt, previously taught the childrens classes on Saturdays.