Seven Star's Three Lead Sifus

Sigung Michelle McVadon

Co-Chief Instructor Sigung Michelle McVadon started training at Seven Star Women’s Kung Fu in 1983. She received her first-degree black belt in 1989 from Sifu Anne Moon, the school’s founder, and became co-head instructor the following year. Sigung McVadon became head instructor in 1995, when Sifu Moon retired from teaching. She was promoted to 7th degree black belt by Grand Master Barbara Bones. She also holds a 3rd degree black belt in Aikido, and a black belt in Seido Jiujitsu.

She creates a positive, encouraging atmosphere for learning. Sigung Michelle constantly strives to find the most effective methods to facilitate individual student growth and help students find joy in the martial arts. Sigung uses students as mentors and models for other students. She insists upon students respecting themselves, their teachers, their peers, and their training space.

Sigung Michelle was inspired to begin teaching self defense early on in her training. She has built a strong self defense program at Seven Star and has made countless adults, teens, and kids feel safer in their lives. She is working to train more self defense teachers at the school. Sigung Allyson Riley

Sigung Allyson Riley

Co-Chief Instructor Sigung Allyson Riley has been training at Seven Star since 1992 and holds the rank of 6th degree black belt. She was named Assistant Head Instructor in 2009, and began promoting her own students in 2013. She was named Co-Chief Instructor by Sigung Michelle McVadon in 2015.

Sigung Allyson started her journey in martial arts by taking a self defense class offered by Seven Star. She didn’t realize she would also be learning kung fu and quickly became hooked by the beauty and efficient fighting style of kajukenbo.

For several years, Sigung Allyson partnered with Seattle area self defense instructors and educators to develop curriculum for empowerment self defense classes to take into public schools and the community at large. Sigung Al has been an invited instructor at the Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists (PAWMA), the National Women's Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF), and the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors (AWMAI) annual training camps.

In working with diverse populations teaching self defense and a self defense-based martial art, Sigung Allyson uses compassion, humor and ferocity to show her students that they have the power to stand up for themselves and others.

Sifu Gina Mares Kurtz

Assistant Head Instructor, Sifu Gina, has been training at Seven Star Women’s Kung Fu since 2004 and holds the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt. Gina’s goal in teaching is to share and impart the joy that training brings to her life. She finds the most rewarding part of teaching is witnessing the evolution of a student, to watch them gain strength and confidence as they grow and transform as a martial artist. Gina enjoys teaching high energy classes with a focus on basics, fighting skills, sparring, and weapons. Sifu Gina is one of Seven Star’s self defense instructors, teaching self defense in the community in schools and for nonprofit and corporate groups. She is also currently training with Sifu Kimberly Ivy at Embrace the Moon (18 Hands of Luohan) and Master JB Ramos at Combat Science Martial Arts of Asia in Toronto, Canada (Filipino Martial Arts). As of 2021, Sifu Gina is Seven Star’s current Active Sifu (all new students at Seven Star are her students), and has run Seven Star’s business operations since 2010, first as Business Manager/Director and currently as the school’s Executive Director.

Esther Howard

Esther Howard was promoted to 4th degree black belt in June 2019. She has been teaching at Seven Star since 1995 and is committed to the school for how it helps students to become physically fit, find and develop their power, and enjoy a sense of community. Esther’s involvement in the martial arts extends beyond the walls of Seven Star. She has served as board president of the Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists and is a member of the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors.

Dawn Monet

Dawn Monet began studying Kajukenbo in 2001, joining Seven Star in 2004, and now holds the rank of black belt. While she loves the physical challenge of Kajukenbo’s depth of material, she focuses her teaching on body mechanics, alignment and strategies for injury prevention/recovery. Dawn began her movement journey as a dancer, holding a BFA in Dance from UCSB; she is a certified Tamalpa Practitioner and certified Movement Ritual instructor.

Judith Pile

Judith found martial arts and Seven Star in 2009 with her daughter, and once she started she was hooked. Judith now holds the rank of black belt. The combined emphasis on fighting and taking care of one’s partners and oneself resonated, and she found the practice helping her both physically and mentally. Her favorite part of teaching is seeing people move from being unsure and timid to developing skills, tools, and most importantly the knowledge that they are worth defending and able to do it. She wants all students who come through Seven Star to use their training and the supportive community of Seven Star to realize their own incredible power.

Tyler LePard

Tyler has been training at Seven Star Women’s Kung Fu since 2011 and holds the rank of 2nd degree black belt. They started because of a curiosity about martial arts and stayed because of the wonderful community and the opportunities to kick and punch each other. Tyler was a dancer growing up, played ultimate frisbee in college, and dabbled in American boxing and Tai Chi, but Kajukenbo is their favorite combination of fun, fitness, friendship, and self-defense. Tyler loves to share the joy that training brings them through the classes they teach. They have served on the Steering Committee (board of directors) for Seven Star and other nonprofit organizations.

Sunniva Zaratkiewicz

Sunniva has been training at Seven Star since 2005. Thriving on the cultivation of strength through kindness to self and others, she embraces how Seven Star promotes the physical and mental growth of its students in a supportive atmosphere. Sunniva sees martial arts as a way of life that doesn’t end when one leaves their training space and she enjoys integrating the lessons she learns through her training into her everyday life. Creating an environment that is inclusive of all, fun, and powerful is what she strives for in her classes. She is deeply grateful for her training partners and takes great pleasure in witnessing others gain confidence, strength, and happiness through their practice.

Shana Reiss de Reyes

Shana started training at Seven Star in 2011, thinking that it might be a good place to get some exercise for a few months. She quickly realized that training in Kajukenbo is much more than that, finding an inclusive community and empowerment through mutual support. Shana now holds the rank of black belt and enjoys exploring how small changes in angles or positioning affect the movement and impact partners. Through her classes, she hopes to help others feel powerful, mentally and physically. She enjoys exploring weapons in martial arts and having a place where yelling and kicking things is encouraged.

Bonnie Loshbaugh

In 2008, Bonnie Loshbaugh won a place in a Seven Star beginners’ cycle during a fundraising auction–a bit of luck which has paid off immensely. Bonnie loves how martial arts teaches you the limits of your body and that Seven Star provides a safe environment to test them! She currently holds a brown belt in Kajukenbo and began teaching at Seven Star in 2015. In teaching, Bonnie enjoys piecing together different aspects of the art together around a united theme while balancing a serious workout with occasional bouts of laughter. As a part of the Seven Star community, she has served a term as president of Seven Star's committee, photographed many school events, designed t-shirts, and helped to develop Seven Star's current logo in 2010.

Allison Maine Israel

Allison started training at Seven Star in the spring of 2008 as a way to diversify her martial arts experience and knowledge. She is currently a black belt in Kajukenbo and holds a second degree black belt in Aikido from previous training. She loves the supportive community and committed Sifus as well as the mental and physical training at Seven Star. Allison particularly loves to teach rolling, ukemi (the art of partnering) and sparring.

Katie Bosch

Katie took the beginners cycle in 2012 thinking it would feel good to hit things, and she wasn't wrong about that, but it turned out to be a great deal more. She received her black belt in 2019, and she teaches now and serves as white belt mentor both to deepen her own training and to contribute to making Seven Star the same transformative experience for others that it has been for her. In her classes she aims to balance some detailed movement analysis with opportunities for creative exploration and a well-rounded workout, and she particularly likes teaching weapons.

Josie Lundquist, Business Manager

Josie joined Seven Star as our Business Manager in January 2022. She is responsible for overseeing most administrative functions for the school including bookkeeping, dues tracking, childcare coordination, space rental management, maintaining licenses/permits/fees, and payroll. She loves being a part of the community and is excited to continue learning and growing within the non-profit business environment.