Instructors
Sun Dragon’s black belt instructors have been training in martial arts and self defense for a combined total of 57 years.
Sensei Joy Williamson, Head Instructor
Joy Williamson began her martial arts training in 1995, after taking a self-defense class. She studied with Sensei Suzanne Pinette at Sun Dragon, earning her black belt in Kyokushin Karate in 2000. Joy soon began teaching at Sun Dragon, then was requested to take over leadership of the school when her teacher retired. She has been the Executive Director and Head Instructor of Sun Dragon since 2004.
Sensei Joy is now a direct student of Jun Shihan Nancy Lanoue and Kyoshi Sarah Ludden of Thousand Waves in Chicago, Illinois. She also trains with Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura at the Seido World Headquarters in New York. She received her Shodan in Seido Karate in 2007 and her Nidan in 2009.
Senpai KJ Scheib, Instructor
Senpai KJ began studying Kyokushin karate in 1999 under Sun Dragon founder Sensei Suzanne Pinette. In 2001, KJ reduced her karate training schedule in order to join the Women’s Profession Football League (WPFL) and later in 2004 the National Women’s Football Association. She was still able to earn her Kyokushin black belt in November 2004. In October 2007, after training with Sensei Joy Williamson at Sun Dragon, she earned her black belt in Seido Karate from Jun Shihan Nancy Lanoue of Thousand Waves Martial Arts. Senpai KJ has also studied Judo, Kajukenbo, and Tai Chi.
Senpai Susan “George” Schorn, Instructor
Senpai George received her black belt in Kyokushin karate in November 2002 from Sun Dragon founder Sensei Suzanne Pinette. In October 2007, after training with Sensei Joy Williamson at Sun Dragon, she received her black belt in Seido Karate from Jun Shihan Nancy Lanoue of Thousand Waves Martial Arts. Senpai George specializes in verbal self defense and workplace relationships. She has four college degrees, one son, one daughter, and one husband of twenty-one years.
Senpai Amy Jones, Instructor
Senpai Amy Jones received her Kyokushin black belt in June 0f 2006, and her Seido black belt in October of 2007. She enjoys teaching both children and adults, and regularly teaches the Saturday morning all-school class. Senpai Amy is also the chair of the Sun Dragon board of directors.
Senpai Graham M. Smith, Instructor
Senpai Graham started training in the martial arts in 1993 in Chapel Hill, NC, studying Tang Soo Do under Master Perry Hansley. He shared head instructor duties with Tim Rath in the Chapel Hill branch of Carolina Karate Clubs for two years before starting and maintaining a school in Durham, NC for one year; when Mr. Rath had to step down Graham returned to run the Chapel Hill school for a year-and-a-half until he moved to Austin in 2000. A year later he left Tang Soo Do as a third degree black belt in order to train with Sensei Suzanne and later Sensei Joy at Sun Dragon Martial Arts. Senpai Graham has been teaching in the Junior and Youth Programs at Sun
Dragon since 2007 and has been on the Sun Dragon board of directors since 2005.
Senpai Barbara Jones, Assistant Instructor
Senpai Barbara began training in 1989 and received her Shodan in 1994 and Nidan in 1998 in Budokai Karate from Shihan William Reid, who trained in Seido Karate with Kaicho Nakamura until 1988. Barbara has been committed to women’s and children’s safety and empowerment for over 20 years. In 1989, she founded and directed, The Empowerment Project, Inc: Safety and Self Defense for Women and Children and in 2002, she created Flying Dragons: Martial Arts and Meditation for Children Facing Illness. Barbara moved from New York to Austin in 2004 and is a clinical social worker and Assistant Professor of Social Work at UT Austin. Barbara first met Jun Shihan Nancy, Kyoshi Sarah, and Sensei Suzanne at Special Training in 1993 and feels so fortunate to have come full circle and found Sensei Joy and Sundragon. Senpai Barbara is thrilled to train at Sundragon and is particularly proud of training in Seido Karate with her daughter, Rosalinda.
Sensei Suzanne Pinette, Sun Dragon Founder
Sensei Suzanne Pinette opened Sun Dragon Martial Arts in 1989. Since then, thousands of women have benefited from training with her, including her students who currently run the school.
Sensei Pinette has been training in various martial arts styles since 1971. She received her black belt in Kyokushin from Sensei Peg Strain in 1987 in Bloomington, Indiana. She is an active member of the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation and the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors.
