Alfons

Alfons has been practicing Tai Chi, Karate, Kobudo and other martial arts since 1992 and holds a 4th degree black belt in Karate (awarded 2005; he received his 1st degree black belt 1996). He has been giving classes for all age groups since 1993 with a special focus on self defense as well as health aspects.

Alfons received his Karate instructor and examiner licenses from the German Olympic Sports Confederation in 2004 and his Tai Chi instructor license for Komatsu-Ha 2009 in Florida.

Professionally Alfons was a senior leader at Amazon and Microsoft for 25 years. Recently Alfons and his family moved to Bozeman Montana, to refocus their lives on family experiences and professional purpose. In his new role, Alfons serves as Managing Director for Strategic IT at Montana State University. Throughout his career Alfons has been a passionate leader and coach.

http://amazon.com/author/alfonsstaerk

Uli

Uli started Tai Chi, Karate and Kobudo in 1993 and holds a 3rd degree black belt in Karate (awarded 2006; she received her 1st degree black belt 1999). She has been giving classes for all age groups since 1997. Uli has a strong interest in holistic health and wellbeing, combining exercise, nutrition and the arts.

She received her Karate instructor and examiner licenses from the German Olympic Sports Confederation in 2004 and her Tai Chi instructor license for Komatsu-Ha 2009 in Florida. In 2016 she was awarded with a Yonkyu Shihan teacher diploma by the Sogetsu School in Tokyo, Japan.

Uli is a well-known Tai Chi and Ikebana teacher in our local community. She serves as staff teacher for ‘Mindfulness for Kids’ at the local Elementary school, where she also leads the art docent program. Before moving to the US, Uli practiced as Medical Doctor at the University of Aachen in Germany.

http://amazon.com/author/ulrikestaerk