| |
Chief
Instructor Steve Cianelli, Sensei
 |
Cianelli, Sensei began his martial arts training in 1988 while attending Temple
University in Shotokan
Karate under Teruyuki Okazaki, Sensei (1988-1989). Then in 1992 he began his study of USA GoJu under
Sensei's John
Austino Sr. & Jr. and has attained the
rank of 6th degree. In 2017 he began studying under
Luis Morales, Hanshi of KenshiKai
Okinawan GoJu Ryu Karate Jutsu Kobu-Jutsu Association. In 2019 he was officially
accepted as a student and Branch Dojo of NA KENSHI KAI.
And in June 2020 was promoted to 6th Dan in Okinawa GoJu Ryu under direction
of Hanshi Luis Morales as well as 6th Dan In Ryukyu Hokama Kobu-jutsu.. In
October of 2018 Cianelli, Sensei
traveled
to Okinawa to participate in the Seiryukan
Kokusai Budo Rengokai held
in Okinawa City, Okinawa. Training over 5 days
was held at the Okinawa
Koza Athletic Park Budokan沖縄市コザ運動公園
武道館
and
the Okinawa
Karate Kaikan
in Naha, Tomigusuku
City.
Instrcutions was provided by Takashi
Kinjou, Sensei and Masami Kinjou, Sensei / Masanori Zaha / Keisyun
Kakinohana, Sensei and Tetsuhiro Hokama and Shigemitsu
Tamae, Sensei.
Mr. Cianelli was also accepted as a member of the Seiryukan
Kokusai Budo Rengokai and presented with a certificate of membership
(#0011). He is a
member of the United Martial Arts Referees Association where he has been elected
to the position of Recording Secretary and a n Executive Board member of the Tiger Family Iaido Association. He is a certified UMARA Class “A” Referee.
He is an active competitor and has been recognized as one of the
outstanding martial arts competitors in U.M.A.R.A. for Forms, Weapons and Sparring
1996 to Present. Cianelli,
Sensei is a graduate of Temple University School of Engineering with a
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
He has been involved in design of power plants and substations and is
presently a Program Manager for a New Jersey A&E Firm where he directs
the efforts of multi disciplined engineering projects for various power
utilities throughout the country. |
 |
In
addition, he is an long time student of White Crane Chi Kung and Yang Style
Tai Chi Chuan. Sifu Cianelli
has studied directly under the Grandmaster S. L. Martin and Master Judie
Martin since 1996. In 2010 he
began studying Invincible White Crane under Master Judie Martin.
Sifu Cianelli is an instructor at the Green Dragon headquarters school
and member of the Green Dragon Demo Team and prestigious Green Dragon
Chinese Martial
Arts School International Exhibition Team.
He has accompanied Grandmaster S. L. Martin on eight trips to Taiwan,
R.O.C , Japan in 2014 and South Korea in 2019.
In November
2007, he was promoted to Black Sash in
the White Crane Chi Kung System of
Taiwan, Republic of China, under the direction of Grandmaster S. L. Martin.
In
November 2017 he was awarded the title of Tai Shih 大師
(Master)
in Taiwan Hung System White Crane Chi Kung. |
Tsuru Ki Black Belts
Lisa Peterson, Ni Dan
 |
Sensei Peterson began
training in Shorin Ryu Shorinkan in 1988, Okinawan Karate Institute,
Totowa, NJ. She remained a
student of Kyoshi Robert B. Herten until 2008, she earned the rank of
Yondan. Kyoshi Herten was
student of Hanshi Shuguro Nakazato Shorin Ryu Shorinkan- Naha, Okinawa)
during his time in the Air force until the early 1990s, then later a
student Hanshi Seikichi Iha (Shorin Ryu Shidokan - Lansing MI).
In
2013 she became a student of AJ LaForte and Rob McFee at the Fredericton
Karate Dojo. These gentlemen
are students of Hanshi Ken Tallack (Meitoku-ha Goju Ryu – Ontario,
Canada) and Renshi Greg McKenna (Okinawan Goju Ryu - PEI, Canada).
She had the honor to train at Fredericton Karate Dojo for about a
year before returning to New Jersey. Upon
relocating to the Mount Laurel NJ area she became a student of Cianelli,
Sensei of Tsuru Ki. She
continues her martial arts studies in GoJu Ryu. In April 2018 she
was promoted to Ni Dan by Cianelli, Sensei.
|
Michael DiTaranto, Sho Dan
 |
Sensei DiTaranto
began training in GoJu Ryu in 2012. He has studied consistently
under Cianelli Sensei and in April 2018 was promoted to Sho Dan.
Sensei DiTaranto is an active Top Competitor in the Untied Martial Arts Referees
Association League and is also a "B" Level Referee.
|
Barbara
Anne Gardenhire-Mills, Sho Dan
 |
Sensei Gardenhire-Mills
began her training in martial arts in 1991 in Shotokan and Tae Kwon Do
while attending Rowan University (formerly Glassboro State College). In
2011 she began training in Goju Ryu at Tsuru Ki Martial Arts under
Cianelli, Sensei. She has studied consistently
under Cianelli Sensei and in March 2019 was promoted to Sho Dan.
She is a member of the United Martial Arts
Referees Association functioning in the capacity of a “B” Level
Referee.
Professionally,
Ms. Gardenhire-Mills is a community relations, program management, and
professional development leader with extensive experience in government,
nonprofit, and private industry roles. She currently serves as Director of
Compliance & Engagement for Cooperative Business Assistance
Corporation (CBAC), one of the top ten U.S. Small Business Administration
(SBA) small business “mission-based” lending organizations in the
United States. Prior to that, she served as one of 14 federal liaisons for
the White House Promise Zone Initiative under the Obama and Trump
Administrations. In addition to her leadership roles in non-profit
organizations and the insurance industry, Ms. Gardenhire-Mills worked
directly and as a subcontractor for several federal, state and local
government administrations, and she was appointed to serve on two national
and three state task forces. She received presidential recognition of her
work in 2000 and 2010, and was named 2016 “Women’s Advocate of the
Year” by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) South
Jersey Chapter. Ms. Gardenhire-Mills graduated first in her class and
received two academic achievement awards when she earned her Bachelor of
Science in Political Science/Honors with concentrations in
Pre-Law/Constitutional Law and Women’s Studies from Rowan University in
1992. She continued her learning by completing numerous career-related
certificate programs, and she finally fulfilled a personal promise when
she earned her Master of Science in Executive Leadership from Champlain
College in 2017.
|
Joseph
Mills, Sho Dan
 |
Sensei Joseph-Mills
began his training in martial arts in
2011 under Cianelli, Sensei. He has studied consistently
under Cianelli Sensei and in June 2020 was promoted to Sho Dan.
|
Adrienne
Cianelli, Sho Dan
 |
Sensei Adrienne
Cianelli began her training in martial arts in
1992, after a long hiatus she restarted her training in Goju Ryu in 2011. She has studied consistently
under Cianelli Sensei and in March 2021 was promoted to Sho Dan.
|
Patricia
Phillips, Sho Dan
 |
Sensei Patricia
Phillips began her training in martial arts in
2011 at teh age of 63. In March of 2021 at the age of 73 she
tested and was promoted to Sho Dan proving one again that age is just a
number.
|
Bianca
Cianelli, Sho Dan
 |
Ms.
Cianelli has been involved in the martial arts since November 2000, when
she began her training in the style of GoJu Ryu under Master John Austino
Jr. at Austino's Karate.
She has been a top rated competitor in UMARA in weapons, forms and
sparing. In 2011 her training shifted under direct instruction of
Master Stefano Cianelli when the Tsuru Ki school was opened. In 2011
she attained the Junior instructor level and assisted her father in teaching.
She is also a student of Chi Kung White Crane under her father.
She
is a member of the prestigious Green Dragon Chinese Martial
Arts School International Exhibition Team.
She
has accompanied Grandmaster S. L. Martin on six trips to Taiwan, R.O.C. since
2004 and Japan in 2014.
In
June of 2014 she achieved the rank of Sho Dan, 1st Degree Black Belt. |
Harman
Ransi, Sho Dan
 |
Sensei Ransi
began training in GoJu Ryu in 2012. He has studied consistently
under Cianelli Sensei and in March 2019 was promoted to Sho Dan.
Sensei Ransi is an active Top Competitor and Triple Crown Winner in the Untied Martial Arts Referees
Association League and is a "B" level referee. Mr.
Ransi is a student at Rowen University
studying computer science.
|
Mike Sian,
Ni Dan (Spectrum
Fitness, Minot ND)
 |
Mr. Sian began his karate training Kenpo Karate
in 1984, at age 11, training under Master Sung Hwan Cho, eventually
earning a 3rd Dan in 2007. From 1993 – 1995, he studied North American
Tae Kwon Do under Sensei Tom Ziedlik while stationed in Grand Forks, ND,
earning his 1st Dan. In 2003 he began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu,
attaining the rank of purple belt in 2010 under
Professor Gianni Bertazzon. Mr. Sian was promoted to the rank of Ni Dan, 2nd
Degree Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate under Master Stefano Cianelli in May
2016.
Mr. Sian is a 23 year veteran of active duty service
with the Army and Air Force. He has served as a Military Policemen,
Security Forces member, and Special Agent with the Air Force Office of
Special Investigations (AFOSI). He is a certified Advanced Military/Law
Enforcement Krav Maga Instructor with Krav Maga Worldwide, an Intercept
– Stabilize –Resolve (ISR) Field Instructor (ISR Matrix), and holds a
basic certification in Pressure Point Control Tactics (PPCT TM). He is the
former Krav Maga hand to hand combat instructor for the AFOSI
Anti-terrorism Specialty Team, San Antonio, TX.
|
Mr. Sian has instructed Federal/State/Local Law Enforcement
Seminars, AF Explosive Ordinance Disposal personnel, AF Emergency Services Teams, AF Special Response Teams and has taught in both the U.S. and overseas
(during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan).
Mr. Sian
has extensive experience in Protective Service Operations. He has also worked on
the protective service details for multiple four star generals and foreign
dignitaries in Europe, Afghanistan and Iraq.
He is an Intercept-Stabilize-Resolve (ISR) Field Instructor,
certified Advanced Military/Law Enforcement Krav Maga Instructor with Krav Maga
Worldwide, and holds a basic certification in Pressure Point Control Tactics (PPCT
TM).
Mr. Sian has taught defensive tactics to multiple law enforcement agencies
(local, state and federal) in Georgia, Texas, North Dakota, California, and
Italy. In addition, he was a senior defensive tactics instructor for the Office
of Special Investigations Antiterrorism Specialty Team from 2003-2006, teaching
hand to hand combat to Special Agents deploying in support of high intensity,
austere environment combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa theaters
of operations.
|