Sensei Toti. Chief instructor of Shotokan Karate Academy is a bonafide member of the Japan Karate Association and is currently ranked Yon Dan by the JKA Honbu in Tokyo, Japan. He started his formal training in Shotokan karate in 1969 at the JKA Philippines headquarter in Manila under K. Sasaki sensei the official JKA representative in the Philippines. He attained his Sho dan in 1971 and was a senior instructor of JKA Phils honbu until 1981. He teaches in many prestigious universities and companies during his stint as karate instructor. He had a brief karate instructions in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983 while working in a Lebanese designing firm. He transferred to Abu Dhabi, UAE in 1984 where he put up his dojo in partnership with an arab national until his return to the Philippines in 1989. Upon his arrival in Manila he joined the SKIF Phils teaches at their HQ in CCP.
Sensei Toti migrated to the US in early spring of 1993 and founded SKA a year after. He is a graduate of Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) in Makati City and the Interior Decorators Institute in Los Angeles, California.
Sigthor Markusson, San Dan, was a member of the Iceland National Karate Team for several years, Sigthor is a veteran competitor and is respected locally.
He started his training in Shotokan karate in Iceland when he was 18 years old with Thorshamar Karate Club and attained his blackbelt in 1997 under Sensei Masao Kawasoe.
After finishing his studies at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA he moved to Los Angeles. He Immigrated to the USA in 1998.
Ferdie Diego, Ni Dan. Ferdie Diego, started his karate training every summer near his neighborhood from late grade school thru early high school and continued while in Adamson University at Manila YMCA in the Philippines. He resumed his karate training with SKA of Los Angeles in 2003 and competed in various tournaments. He attained his sho dan in August 18, 2008
Kim Cabanig, Sho Dan. Boxing was his first sport, but was influenced by his JKA players to joined karate. His interest in karate became intense with his constant watching his friends competing in many karate tournaments. He finally decided to enroll and joined SKA in Los Angeles after many years of searching a karate school that teaches traditional shotokan karate just like what he observed in the past. Competing and winning in tournament is one of his dreams and it has been realized by winning most of them.
Rolando F.Tan. Head Instructor, SKA Mid-Valleys Family YMCA Chapter San Fernando Valley, California
Larry G. Calonzo. Head Instructor, SKA FACLA (Filipino American Community of Los Angeles Los Angeles, California