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MASTER MICHELE MONTAG, CHIEF INSTRUCTOR AND
CO-OWNER, 5TH DEGREE BLACK BELT
Master Michele has been studying the martial arts and self-defense under Senior Masters Lisa and Steve Nakamura since 2010. She holds a 5th degree Black Belt in Shaolin Kempo, and she has traveled to the Shaolin Temple in China with our Senior Masters to train with the monks. Master Michele co-founded our SETpoint Empowerment Self-Defense curriculum with Senior Master Lisa in 2015, and she is certified as an Empowerment Self Defense instructor through the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF). She is a member of and serves on the board of the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors (AWMAI). Master Michele became Chief Instructor of Shaolin Studios in Pittsburgh in 2022 following a 20+ year career in higher education. She holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from SUNY Binghamton.
SENSEI JOSEPH COOPER, SENIOR INSTRUCTOR AND
CO-OWNER, 1ST DEGREE BLACK BELT
Sensei Joe has been studying the martial arts under Senior Masters Lisa and Steve Nakamura since 2019. He holds a 1st Degree Black Belt in Shaolin Kempo. Outside of the martial arts, Sensei Joe is an artist and graphic designer working with corporate and non-profit clients. He infuses classes and camps with creativity and fun, from drills to enhance learning to arts and crafts that help students develop patience and self-control. Sensei Joe manages marketing and messaging for Shaolin Studios. He’s also a certified permaculture designer and a certified Reiki master.
Together, Michele and Joe enjoy gardening, hiking, and foraging. They have four adult daughters and a gaggle of pets. They are honored to carry on the lineage and community started by the Nakamuras over 20 years ago. They are proud to continue the tradition of operating Shaolin Studios as a family-run small business in the Regent Square neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
SENIOR MASTERS LISA AND STEVE NAKAMURA,
SENIOR advisors
Senior Masters Lisa and Steve founded Shaolin Studios in the Regent Square neighborhood of Pittsburgh in 2004. Master Steve holds the rank of 7th Degree Black Belt in Shaolin Kempo, and he served as the studio’s first Chief Instructor. Prior to opening the studio, Master Steve spent nearly 20 years wearing a suit and tie as an executive for large corporations before he made a change to teach martial arts full time. “Next to sleep, we spend most of our lives working so I wanted this time to be something that truly helped people, including myself. I’m extremely thankful to my wife, daughter, and parents/in-laws for supporting this change. I’m most proud of the martial arts community that we have built and the students, including my daughter who have developed into amazing human beings who exemplify the tenets of a true martial artist.”
Master Lisa holds the rank of 8th Degree Black Belt, Go Inkyo Sama. She began her martial arts training as a teenager over 40 years ago. Master Lisa is also a co-founder of our SETpoint Empowerment Self-Defense program, and she is a certified Empowerment Self-Defense instructor through the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation. In addition to her martial arts experience, Master Lisa is a recognized leader in empowerment coaching, leadership development, environmental health and safety, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for construction, manufacturing, and service teams around the world.
Both Senior Masters Steve and Lisa have trained and performed at the Shaolin Temple on multiple occasions. In 2023, they retired from their ownership roles in Shaolin Studios and now serve as senior advisors to Master Michele and Sensei Joe. Master Michele and Sensei Joe continue their martial arts training with the Nakamuras.
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