Barry Brown, 8th Dan (Dan #6564-44)
Barry Brown began his training in Shotokan Karate in December 1966 under Master Teruyuki Okazaki in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1967, Barry moved to the Washington, D.C. area and began training with Master Ki Whang Kim, a Shudokan Karate expert and early ambassador of Moo Duk Kwan in the United States. At the Kim studio, Barry often attended classes taught by Master Soo Wong Lee, another early Moo Duk Kwan master who emigrated to the United States to teach martial arts. After several months, Master Lee opened his own school in northern Virginia, where Barry continued training.
When the Lee school closed in mid-1972, Barry began training with James K. Roberts, a direct student of both the founder of the Moo Duk Kwan, Master Hwang Kee, and Master Ki Whang Kim. Master Roberts (with master Kim serving on the testing boards) promoted Barry to first dan later that year. Barry continued training at Robert’s Karate, where he worked his way through the dan ranks and taught and competed extensively. In 2004, Master Roberts promoted Barry to eighth dan in a style of Tang Soo Do (sometimes called, “traditional Tae Kwon Do”) that was heavily influenced by Master Ki Whang Kim. Shortly after Master Roberts retired, Barry opened Brown’s Karate. Barry is the Alexandria Soo Do Kwan senior instructor (Kwan Jang Nim) and serves on the board of all dan tests.
Jamal Pender, 6th Dan (Dan #6564-44-36)
Jamal is an exceptional full-time martial arts instructor at Equilibrium in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a life-long martial artist and holds a first dan in classical Japanese jujitsu, a brown belt in Brazilian jujitsu, a first dan in Budokon, a sixth dan in Tang Soo Do, and is a certified Muay Thai instructor. Jamal has extensive competition experience and has served for many years as a wrestling coach in Howard County Maryland. He now specializes in kickboxing and grappling. Jamal serves on the board of all dan tests and provides specialized instruction in self-defense and grappling.
Dan Santillo, 4th Dan (Dan #6564-44-2-1)
Dan began studying Shotokan Karate in 1985 with Sensei Casare Marino of the Alexandria Shotokan Karate Club, attaining first dan in the winter of 1993. In addition to his karate experience, Dan has trained in Judo, Wushu and Enshin karate. He co-founded the Mary Washington College Martial Arts Club in 1993 in order to continue training, and to exchange knowledge and techniques with other practitioners of the arts. Dan has taught self-defense courses at Germanna Community College to students spanning a wide range of ages and fitness levels. He also previously taught shotokan karate in Fredericksburg, and was an associate instructor at the Alexandria Shotokan Karate Club. He now donates his time and expertise through weekly instruction at Alexandria Soo Do Kwan.
Todd Tupper, 4th Dan (Dan #6564-44-2)
Todd began training in Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan in 1988 in Connecticut. While seeking degrees in biology, Todd lived in various states in the mid-Atlantic and in southern New England. Consequently, he has had a multitude of instructors in Moo Duk Kwan and Shotokan Karate. Additionally, he has had the privilege of competing with and learning from talented martial artists from various other disciplines. He was awarded his fourth dan in 2015 by Barry Brown and is the primary instructor at Alexandria Soo Do Kwan. Todd gets regular martial arts advice from Jamal and Dan (above), and from Dan Bernardo, an extremely talented martial artist and owner of WellWithin Martial Arts in Columbia, South Carolina. Click here if you’re interested in the lineage of our instructors.
Beatrice Frey, 1st Dan (6564-44-2-2)
Bea was introduced to the martial arts in 1999. She trained sporadically throughout the early 2000’s while traveling for Americorps, and later work. Bea started training regularly at Brown’s karate in 2013 and was promoted to 1st dan by Todd and Barry in 2022. She is currently an assistant instructor and member of the advisory board of the Soo Do Kwan. Bea runs rigorous classes that focus on physical conditioning and self-defense for women.
