ABOUT US: STAFF
GRANDMASTER DONG KEUN PARK 9th Degree Black Belt
- Member and Captain of the Korean National Team from 1959 to 66
- Retired into the Korean Amateur Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1966 as the only undefeated TaeKwonDo champion with over 6 1/2 years of International competition
- Moved to Thailand in 1966 on the personal request from the King of Thailand to bring and teach TaeKwonDo to the Thai royal family and U.S. military. Father of TaeKwonDo in Thailand
- Made TaeKwonDo demonstration on the Johnny Carson show in 1971
- Started the Tae Kwon Do program at New York University in 1973
- Head coached the 3rd World Championships at Stuttgart, Germany in 1979
- Named 1982 Coach of the Year by the A.A.U.
- Coaching Committee Chairman of the U.S.T.U. from 1982 to 96
- Winningest coach of the U.S. Olympic Festival from 1988 to 92
- Head Coach for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team in Barcelona, Spain
- Head Coach for the U.S. World Championship Team in 1993
- Head Coach for the Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1994
- Named 1997 Tae Kwon Do Times Man of the Year
- Inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Times Hall of Fame in 1998
MASTER JOHN PARK :: 8th Degree Black Belt
- President of D.K. Park Tae Kwon Do, Inc.
- Headcoach of Rutger’s University TaeKwonDo Team
- Trained and coached state and national champions
- Head coached a U.S. team in 1995 for the Sardinian Open (Italy)
- Started Tae Kwon Do program at Chelsea Piers (New York City) in 1995
- Past Secretary General Junior Olympic Committee for TaeKwonDo
- Past Tournament Committee Member
MASTER WILLIAM SULLIVAN :: 8th Degree Black Belt
- Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology
- Professor and Senior Master at Montclair University
- International referee
MASTER MARK LESLY :: 8th Degree Black Belt
- Head Coach New York University’s Tae Kwon Do team
- Forms national champion
- National referee
MASTER HECTOR RIOS :: 6th Degree Black Belt
- Trained over 35 years with Grandmaster Dong Keun Park
- High school professor
- Former Tae Kwon Do champion
- Coached several state champions
MASTER JOHN CALIENNI :: 7th Degree Black Belt
- Trained over 35 years with Grandmaster Dong Keun Park
- Research scientist
- One of Grandmaster Dong Keun Park’s original students
MASTER LESLEY THOMPSON :: 6th Degree Black Belt
- Multiple State Champion
- Former national champion
- 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival bronze medalist
MASTER LINDA GIBSON :: 4rd Degree Black Belt
- Trained under Grandmaster Park for 12 years
- Runs Saturday program in Journal Square location
- In charge of Taekwondo programs at Learning Steps