Erik Malone is the leader of the Peninsula San Diego Dojo. He has been practicing since 1995 when he started his journey at the Carnegie Mellon dojo in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania under instructors Mark Ciancutti and Bruce Schmidt. After traveling to Portland, Oregon, for a few years, he finally moved down to San Diego in 2004 and began leading the Peninsula dojo shortly afterwards.
Erik is a Sandan (3rd degree black belt) who has fought and placed in many tournaments within SKA. The highlight was when he was requested to fight for the U.S. team in France in 2014 and for the 60th anniversary in 2016.
Chris Anthes began his karate training at the age of 7, earning the distinguished rank of green belt of some long forgotten style in the faraway land of Florida, before relocating to California and giving it all up for the next decade. In 1990, recalling his past (and needing the PE credits), he signed up for a karate class at the University of California, Long Beach and began training with the legendary Don DePree. This time, it would stick. He moved to San Diego in 1996, joining Jeff and Lisa at the Peninsula Shotokan dojo and the rest, as they say, is history.
Jolie Kalfaian is an instructor of the Peninsula San Diego Dojo. She began her training in Shotokan (JKA) in New York in 1984 at Stony Brook University, and originally joined the SKA Peninsula San Diego Dojo circa 1991. After a couple of decades hiatus, Jolie rejoined in 2012 with her daughter, Olivia Hicks, and earned her Shodan in 2017.
Val Triadi is an instructor of the Peninsula San Diego Dojo. Val started his karate journey at SKA – Peninsula San Diego dojo in 2013, and earned his Shodan in 2017. Before joining Shotokan Karate, Val trained in Silat Martial Arts in the 1980’s. He had been intrigued about karate for a long time, and finally, in the midst of one New Year’s resolution, decided to do something about it. Val feels blessed to have found the SKA organization – it reminds him of the old school where he used to practice – holding strongly to traditional values, strong discipline, and high respect to each other. Val has met so many of SKA’s great seniors who continue to guide and inspire him on the never-ending path towards understanding Shotokan Karate.
Brian Sanders is an instructor of the Peninsula San Diego Dojo. He began his training in Shotokan karate in 1996, under Professor Sara Grimes (ISKF) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After graduation, Brian studied Uechi-ryū under Sensei Walter Mattson in Framingham, Massachusetts. In 2014, Brian moved to San Diego, resuming his Shotokan training in 2015, and earning the rank of Shodan from SKA in 2018.
Instructors Emeritus
Jeff O’Steen was the manager of the Peninsula San Diego Dojo for 15 years. He has been practicing since 1993, when he started his journey under instructor Lisa McQuade. Jeff is a Shodan.
Lisa McQuade is the founder of the Peninsula San Diego Dojo. Lisa ran the dojo for the first 8 years, before moving to Georgia in 1999. Currently, Lisa is an Adjunct Faculty member at the College of Charleston, teaching courses in Yoga and Sport & Exercise Psychology. Lisa is a Nidan with 19 special trainings.
