HEAD INSTRUCTOR - Isao Gary Tsutsui

     The Head Instructor of Colorado Budokan is Mr. Isao Gary Tsutsui.  He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1946 and moved to Denver, Colorado when he was six months old.  He began his formal training in the art of karate in 1965 in Shotokan karate under Mr. Yutaka Yaguchi and Mr. Joseph Castillo of the the Japan Karate Association of Colorado.  After five years of Japan Karate Association training he moved to Irvine, California.  He trained under Mr. Kiyoshi Yamazaki, karate master in Shindo Jinen ryu and weapons expert from 1970-2007.   During the period from 1970-79 Mr. Tsutsui completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the University of California, Irvine, taught photography and serigraphy for the UC Irvine Recreation Department, and was head instructor of the UC Irvine Karate Club. He moved back to the Denver area in the fall of 1979.  He is a 7th degree black belt.  He teaches karate at his main dojo in Denver (Hampden and Monaco Parkway), the Colorado Athletic Club-Downtown, Colorado School of Mines, and travels extensively teaching technical seminars.

     Mr. Tsutsui was a bronze medalist at the Fourth World Union of Karate-do Organizations (now named World Karate Federation) World Championships in Tokyo, Japan in 1977.  He is the first, and one of only two American males to ever medal in individual kata competition in the World Karate Federation World Championships.  He was four times a United States Karate Team member from 1977-1980.  In July 2001 he was inducted into the USA National Karate-do Federation (USANKF) Traditional Karate Hall of Fame.

     Mr. Tsutsui has certified as a World Karate Federation kumite referee,  World Karate Federation kata judge, a Pan American Karate Federation kumite referee, and a Pan American Karate Federation kata judge.  He has served as  Regional Vice-President, Chairman of the Referee Council, and Treasurer for the USA National Karate-do Federation.

     Mr. Tsutsui is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Colorado Governor's Council for Physical Fitness.

      ASSISTANT HEAD INSTRUCTOR - Candice Tsutsui, MPT

       The Assistant Head Instructor of Colorado Budokan is Mrs. Candice Rei Tsutsui. She was born in Seattle, Washington in 1956, moved to Kenwood, California when she was 3 months old, moved to Grants Pass, Oregon in 1965, and moved to Denver, Colorado in 1970.

     Mrs. Tsutsui holds a B.A. in Physical Education with Emphasis in Athletic Training from Metropolitan State College and a Masters of Physical Therapy (MPT) degree from Northern Arizona University.

     Mrs. Tsutsui began her formal karate training under Isao Gary Tsutsui in 1981, she currently holds a 5th degree black belt in  Shotokan karate and is recognized as Renshi (a teaching title) by Colorado Budokan.  She also holds a third degree black belt in Naginata-do (All Japan Naginata Federation) and has certified as a USA National Karate-do Federation kumite referee and kata judge.

     Mrs. Tsutsui's formal education in anatomy, kinesiology, nutrition, and rehabilitation, in combination with her successful competition experience makes her unusually qualified in teaching karate and naginata.

     ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR - Gary Connell, Esq.       

     Gary Connell holds a San Dan (third level blackbelt) in Shotokan Karate.  He has trained under Sensei Isao Gary Tsutsui since 1993.  In competition, he has twice medaled at the USA National Karate-do Federation National Championships (1997 and 2000).  He has also qualified as a USANKF State Kumite Referee.  Mr. Connell received a B.S. from Haverford College in 1982 and a J.D. from George Washington University Law School in 1986.  He has practiced patent law for twenty two years, and is currently a partner in the intellectual property law firm of Sheridan Ross, PC.

ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR - John Siebert, MD

No photo at this time.

Dr. Siebert holds a 3rd degree black belt in Shotokan Karate and a USANKF State Referee license. (Complete bio coming soon.)

     ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR - Gino Moraga

     I am a 3rd degree black belt and have been training for 25 years.  I began my karate training in July 1982.  My first instructors were Senseis Bernie and Tillie Garcia of Tooele, Utah.  I have moved often over the years and tried many different martial arts such as aikido, judo, tae kwon do, gung fu boxing, and huarang do.  However, traditional japanese karate is my focus, all else was experimentation.  I moved to Denver, Colorado in February 1995 to specifically train with Senseis Gary and Candice Tsutsui, whom I have known since the 1980s.  I credit their direct help with obtaining my first degree black belt in 1996 or I would still be a brown belt.  I was a brown belt (1st kyu) from September 1987-1996 and failed the black belt test two times.  So I encourage all of you, never give up.  Gino Moraga 

ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR - Julie Altmix, BSN

No photo at this time. 

DOB: 12/25/52.  Julie, a Colorado native, attended CSU where she got a Bachelor's in Microbiology and then Creighton University in Omaha obtaining a Bachelor's in Nursing.  Today she is married and the mother of 2 young adults.  She also works full time at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center as a risk manager for the self insured medical malpractice trust fund.

Julie has trained in karate for 16 years and has earned her 2nd degree black belt.  She started when her then 8 and 5 year old children were taking the class.  Their interest waned but Julie discovered a passion for the discipline that continues to this day.

         ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR - Megan Cicchetti

2nd degree black belt, former Jr. & current Sr. Natl. USANKF Team Member, (complete bio coming soon).