Our Team
Sensei Jeff Kohn Founder, Karate CAN-DO Program; Chairman of the USA Karate Disabled Program
Sensei Kohn has been the director and head instructor of North Shore Dojo since its inception in 1979. In February 2010, he was officially appointed Chairman of the USA Karate Disabled Program by the United States Olympic Committee. In addition, Sensei Kohn is a nationally renowned coach and has served as a USA National Team Coach for the United States Junior and Senior National Teams and has produced world class athletes for over thirty years. Sensei Kohn’s students have won numerous state, national and international honors in karate, up to and including the 2006 World Karate Federation World Karate Championship won by Sensei Clay Morton, a long time students of Sensei Kohn.
Sensei Kohn is a graduate with a degree in Physical Education from Illinois State University, as well as a 6th Degree Black Belt and Master Instructor. He is a conscientious and dedicated professional, as well as a motivating instructor and coach. Sensei Kohn is committed to training students of all ages, levels and abilities in order to maximize an individual’s fullest potential through the art and discipline of karate.
In addition to his work with elite athletes, throughout his career, Sensei has coached children with challenges such as ADD/ADHD, sensory integration disorder, autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, Down syndrome, developmental delays, behavioral disorders, Tourette’s syndrome and physical disabilities. In 2008 Sensei’s dream to begin a program specifically dedicated to helping these specially challenged children became a reality when the Karate CAN-DO! Program was officially launched in 2008.
Dr. Sensei Clay Morton
Dr. Clay Morton is the most decorated kata competitor in the history of the United States. Dr. Morton is a graduate of Notre Dame University with a BA in Sociology, as well as a graduate of Palmer Chiropractic College with a Doctor of Chiropractic. Dr. Morton is currently a 4th Degree Black Belt, and has been competing for over twenty years as well as on the National level for twenty. He was on the Jr. National Team from 1991-1996, and the Senior National Team from 1997-present. Dr. Morton focuses his chiropractic skills on correcting body alignment and body mechanics for increased power and speed performance in his karate demonstrations.
Dr. Morton gives symposiums all over the country, teaching skills that connect his chiropractic knowledge and mastery of shotokan karate. Dr. Morton is the United States Athlete Representative for the USA Olympic Committee, and is "one of the hardest working teachers and dedicated competitors in our sport" as said by Sensei Jeff Kohn. Dr. Morton has represented the United States in the WKF World University Games, WKF Pan American Championships, WKF Pan American Games, WSKA World Championships, FSKA World Championships, United States Open Championships and SKIF World Championships.
Sensei Danny Shayman
Danny Shayman has been training for more than eighteen years at North Shore Dojo and is currently a 3rd Degree Black Belt. A strong competitor, Danny has been competing and winning at tournaments on the National level such as the Junior Olympic Championships, USA NKF National Championships and AAU National Championships for over fifteen years. Danny is a dedicated teacher with eight years of teaching experience. He specializes in kata as well as technical perfection of the movements. Outside of the dojo Danny works as a stock broker and is a NASDAQ licensed registered representative.
Rasko Krajisnik
Rasko Krajisnik has been training for more than 17 years at North Shore Dojo. Rasko has been competing at National level tournaments such as the Junior Olympic Championships, USA NKF National Championships and AAU National Championships for over eleven years. Member of the National Junior and Senior teams. Amongst the numerous state and local tournament medals, Rasko is five time National Gold Medalist, and over fifteen time National Medalist and Silver Medalist Junior Pan American Games.
Rasko has been teaching at the North Shore Dojo for over 12 years. He specializes in kumite as well as personal condition and fitness. Rasko also works with children with special needs with the Karate Can-Do! program at the North Shore Dojo. He is very passionate about helping gifted and specially challenged children alike in the pursuit of excellence and self improvement.
Sempai Angela Rowland
Angela Rowland has been training at North Shore Dojo for eight years. Her strong commitment to Shotokan Karate is displayed by her six years of competing. Angela is a patient teacher with four years of teaching experience. She has developed a great talent and interest in working with special needs children and plans to pursue a career as a special education teacher. Her talent for teaching and athletics makes her motivational role model for her peers.
Sempai Ilana Nudelman
Ilana has been training with Sensei Kohn for over 20 years, and during this time has competed in karate tournaments on both the National and International stages. Ilana has been teaching for the past 12 years and her forte is working with students with special needs.
Outside the dojo, Ilana has obtained degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago in both Kinesiology and Nutrition. Her degrees are augmented by her strength and conditioning coaching certification and three other personal training credentials. She currently also works as a high school physical education teacher. On her personal time you can find her competing on a national level in marathons, triathlons and Ironmans. Ilana is working to qualify for the Ironman Hawaii (Kona) next year and recently placed in the top twenty-five female competitors in the Chicago Marathon.
Sempai Emily Richmond
Emily Richmond has been training with Sensei Kohn for thirteen years. She is a recent graduate of Boston University with a degree in Communications, and continues to train in Boston. A teacher at North Shore Dojo for seven years, Emily displays a positive attitude towards her students. Her talent of motivating children to improve comes from her patience as a teacher and devotion to the art of Shotokan Karate. Emily has competed in over fifteen National level tournaments, as well as International tournaments such as the Jr. Pan American Games, United States Open Championships, and the World Maccabiah Games.
Karate CAN-DO! Mentors
Young North Shore Dojo brown and black belts have the opportunity to assist in the Karate CAN-DO! program by volunteering their time as mentors. These students are selected by Sensei and work in the classes assisting Sensei and the other instructors. Both students and mentors benefit greatly from the time they share together.
Many Karate CAN-DO! Mentors have gone on to pursue careers in the special education field.