Bernard Williams (4th Degree Black Belt)

Sensei Bernard Williams of Kempokan Martial Arts has been continuously training in martial arts since 1995.  Some career highlights include:

• He began training in Hamden, Connecticut at a local school where he achieved his Black Belt.
• In 2000-2001, he became co-owner and Chief Instructor of a school in Branford, Connecticut.
• In 2001, he begun studying Shaolin Kung Fu and Fu Jow Pai under Grandmaster Tak Wah Eng of New York, Chinatown.
• In 2006, he became the sole owner of the 8th Buta School of Kempo in Branford, Connecticut.
• The year 2008 marked the achievement of 3rd Degree Black Sash in Kung Fu under Grandmaster Tak Wah Eng and 4th Degree Black Belt in Karate Kempo under Grandmaster Brian Hansen.
• He has studied a variety of martial arts styles, including Kempo, Shaolin Kung Fu, Praying Mantis, Fu Jow Pai, and Kempo Jutsu which he also currently studies under Professor/Grandmaster Feliciano 'Kimo' Ferreira of Hawaii.
• He has also organized and managed about 6-8 years of martial arts tournaments as well as participating in 4 years of tournaments as a student before becoming an instructor.
• He has created new programs and curricula designed to positively reinforce the good things students do, both in and out of the school.
• He has presented many seminars and after school programs at various educational institutions around the state including Quinnipiac University.

Currently, he continues his training in Kempo Karate, Shaolin Kung Fu, Praying Mantis, Fu Jow Pai and Kempo Jutsu.

Kelsey Hale (3rd Degree Black Belt)

Kelsey Hale earned her Third Degree Black Belt in March of 2011 and has been studying Kempo since 1998. She has been assisting and teaching since 2007 at the Kempokan. She enjoys working with children of all ages and studying different weapon styles.

Kelsey is currently a full time student at the University of Connecticut, working on her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and should be graduating this December, 2011. In her free time she also enjoys horseback riding and snowboarding.

Brian Paul (2nd Degree Black Belt)

Brian Paul has been studying Martial Arts at the Kempokan since age 12. He started at the Newington school in September of 2003. He has been teaching since September 2006 and is a Second Degree black belt. In addition to his regular training, Brian has learned several weapons, including: fan, staff, spear and broadsword. He was a part of the Performance Team at the Kempokan, and still performs fight scenes and synchronized forms with Sensei Kelsey.

An honors graduate from Berlin High School (Class of '09), Brian has taken up Computer Engineering Technology as his major at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). He plays the drum set in a band, likes music, karate, video games, art, fishing, hiking, swimming, biking, camping and hanging out with his friends.

Matthew Buttafuoco (2nd Degree Black Belt)

Matthew Buttafuoco has been studying martial arts at the Kempokan for more than ten years. Currently, he attends Cromwell High School. He assists with children's classes and achieved his second degree Black Belt in 2011.