Meido Moore
Meido Moore Sensei has studied martial arts and meditation since 1986. He spent 6 years as uchideshi (personal apprentice) training under Fumio Toyoda Shihan. Moore Sensei has been instructing Aikido since 1991 and currently serves as Chief Instructor of Shinjinkai. He holds the rank of rokudan, and has been certified as an Aikido teacher (Shidoin). Moore Sensei is also an ordained Buddhist priest and has received inka shomei. He is currently active as a teacher with Daiuzenji and Korinji, two Rinzai Zen temples.
John Mazza
John Mazza has studied various martial arts for over 35 years. He began his training in Korea in 1964 studying Judo; this experience led to a deepening interest in Asian philosophies and meditation, which he began to study intensively upon returning to the United States. Realizing that his personal life path involved a disciplined practice of the martial Way, he immersed himself in the practice of various arts from that time forward.
Following his experience of Judo, Mr. Mazza intensively studied various styles of karate and Chinese martial arts. Feeling that there was still something lacking in his training, he began to explore Aikido. In August, 1977 he met the late Fumio Toyoda Shihan, and realized immediately that he had found the art and teacher he wished to follow; by September of 1977 he had relocated to Chicago, where he began an intensive study of both Aikido and Zen.
Mazza Sensei has served as President of Aikido International Foundation, a member of the Aikido Association of American national teaching committee, and as a Director of Aikido Association of America and Aikido Association International. He has been the instructor of the Northwestern University Aikido Club for many years since its founding by Toyoda Sensei in 1974. Today he continues this activity with Shinjinkai, holding the rank of godan in Aikido.
Michael Malitsky
Michael Malitsky began Aikido training in 1994 while studying at Northwestern University. He studied under John Mazza Sensei and a number of other instructors in AAA and ASU. Starting in 2002 he became an assistant instructor under Meido Moore Sensei and today continues to serve as the primary instructor and dojo-cho at Genseikan as well as Great Lakes Aikido in Vernon Hills. Michael holds the rank of yondan in Aikido.
Matt Lowry
Matt Lowry has studied the martial arts consistently for over 25 years, beginning his studies in karate, tae kwon do, and kung fu before turning his practice to Aikido, studying under Meido Moore Sensei and other instructors in the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba and the American Aikido Association. He finds the emphasis in aikido practice on basic body movement (tai sabaki), positioning (maai), blending (musubi), and balance/awareness (zanshin) to be fundamental to the study of any martial art. He currently holds the rank of sandan (second-degree black belt) in Aikido.