Master Instructor Dan Cerminaro and his instructor team, Brianna Keyes and Conan Nelson, are dedicated to providing the highest level of Martial Arts experience tailored just for you!
Master Dan Cerminaro started TaeKwonDo at the age of 16 under the instruction of Grand Master Bert Kollars in Pensacola, Florida in 1978. Two years later, he attained the rank of red belt and moved to California to attend collage with the aspirations of joining the U.S. Navy as an aviator. But after two years of college, Mr. Cerminaro realized that being a TaeKwonDo instructor was his true career path. He returned to Pensacola to continue his training with GM Kollars and earned his black belt in 1983. While in Pensacola, Mr. Cerminaro earned his instructor’s certification and was hired by GM Kollars to assist with teaching while he continued his TaeKwonDo and Instructor education.
In 1986, Mr. Cerminaro moved to Ojai, CA and opened a club in the local recreation department, and just a few years later, his business matured into a full time Academy. He was awarded the rank of Master 6th Degree in September of 1999 and has since then attained his 7th Degree. Mr. Cerminaro continues to invest in his Martial Arts education by attending tournaments and seminars as well as traveling with Dr. He-Young Kimm to Korea in 2004 to train under Korean Grand Master G.M. Hae Man Park (Kukkiwon), TaeKyun President Kyung Wha Jung, Korean Sword G.M. Kong Ky Lim and others. In addition to his Instructor Certification, Mr. Cerminaro recently earned a Black Belt in Han Mu Do by founder Grand Master Dr. Kimm. Mr. Cerminaro has taught literally thousands of local students in his 30 years of business and continues to serve as a mentor to many black belts and instructors, with his Academy producing not only skilled black belts but trained Certified Instructors that have opened successful schools of their own.
Brianna Keyes started her Martial Arts journey at the Ojai Taekwondo Academy in 2001 when she was 11 years old. She loved attending Taekwondo classes, they were fun and she made many new friends. Soon Brianna received her green belt and started sparring! She also attended her first Taekwondo tournament, and even though she didn’t place, it motivated her to practice more and improve her skill. It took Brianna approximately two and a half years to reach Black Belt. She was 14 years old when she realized that she wanted to help other kids with their TaeKwonDo and became a trainee instructor. When she was 16, Brianna attended a National Convention in Mobile, Alabama to test for her Instructor Certification. It was here she attended various Martial Arts seminars as well as competed in their National Tournament. She left Mobile a Certified TaeKwonDo Instructor, took home a Gold in forms, Silver in sparring, and was ranked number four nationally in belt and age division in forms competition for 2006.
Over the last 15 years Brianna has competed and placed in over 28 tournaments, garnering 18 gold medals total for forms, sparring and board breaking competition. As of 2014 she has earned her 5th degree black belt and will qualify to test for 6th degree when she is 31 years old in 2021.
Conan Nelson was born in Seattle, WA on February 27, 1994. He moved to Ojai with his family when he was 3 years old. He started Taekwondo at 4 years old in the tiger cubs class, and earned his 1st degree black belt just before his 7th birthday. He began assisting in teaching classes at 8 years old and continued training and teaching through high school. After graduating, he continued teaching regularly and eventually ended up studying for a Business Management degree at Ventura College, as well as taking classes in Emergency Medical Technology and Child Development. He currently holds a 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo and a 1st degree black belt in Han Mu Do. He plans to finish his degree at Ventura College at the end of the Fall 2016 semester and continues training and teaching Taekwondo and Han Mu Do at the Academy.
