Instructor Jason VandeKieft dabbled in Karate and Taekwondo in his teen years, but started training seriously after arriving in Madison in 1998.
He is one of the original members of WI-MAFC and currently holds the rank of 4th Degree Black Belt.
Instructor VandeKieft believes that anyone can benefit from martial training regardless of age, gender, or ability.

Ms. Elyse Pierce is a 4th Degree Black Belt in our traditional system and a Purple belt in jiu-jitsu, and has been training since 2007.
She began assistant teaching in 2008 and became a full instructor in 2010 when she first earned her Black Belt.
Her favorite thing about martial arts is that there is always something new to learn, improve upon, or approach from a different perspective.
Instructor Pierce is in graduate school at the University of Denver and is working on finishing her PhD in religion and psychology.
Outside of teaching, she works as an enrichment activity aid for a person with disabilities.