Shawn Danaher, Chief Instructor

Sensei Shawn Danaher was born in 1981 in the small town of Camarillo, California. He began his karate training in 1992 under Marcus and Victor Young. Shawn received his 1^st Degree Black Belt in 1998 through Shihan Hiroyasu Fujishima (under Kanazawa). He was promoted to 2^nd Degree by Sensei Young in 2003, 3^rd Degree in April 2006, 4^th Degree in 2010, 5^th Degree and the title of ‘Chief Instructor’ by Sensei Young in 2015.

As a child, Shawn had worked on several action films, including “The Power Within”, “Tiger Heart”, and had auditioned for a reality series pilot, “The Next Martial Arts Superstar”. He has organized and participated in “Stranger Danger” programs for local schools which helped to educate students about the potential dangers of interacting with strangers. He has organized and participated in many local karate demonstrations such as the Obon Festival, St. Mary Magdalen Fiesta, JACL(Japanese Culture Day), and the Martial Partners Expo.

Shawn received his BA in Psychology from Cal-State Channel Islands in 2006. He gained 4 years of experience as a Behavioral Therapist/Associate Supervisor for STAR of CA, applying “State of the Art ABA services for Children with Autism”. The knowledge he gained from working with children who are challenged with Special Needs, combined with more than 20 years of teaching experience, sets him apart from the rest.

Standing at 5’6″, Sensei Shawn is known for his speed and timing. He has experience in many national/international open and traditional competitions and feels that it is important to share his experiences with the students. He has received many First Place and Grand Champion Awards in events including, Traditional Japanese/Okinawan Kata, Open Forms, Men’s Black Belt Kumite, Black Belt Team Kumite, Kobudo, was awarded the ‘Dalke Cup’ by Shihan Ray Dalke in 2014, and was presented with the ‘Budo Award’ in 2015 from the Nikkei Games.

Shawn is always looking to move forward and share his knowledge with both children and adults. He is the co-founder of CSUCI Karate Club, has opened a satellite dojo in Ventura, teaches a ‘Karate for Christ’ program at St. Mary Magdalen School, works with the Jr. High School students at CAPE Charter School, and hosts the Annual ‘Pacific Coast Karate Championships’ every June. Shawn encourages all students to participate in special events, seminars, tournaments, and fundraisers. He feels that all students will benefit from these unique life experiences.

“The only thing in life achieved without effort is failure” -Unknown