Charles Duarte
Charles Duarte, Sensei
Sensei Charles “Chuck” Duarte has been a member of the Order of Isshin-ryu since 2001, training under Sensei Diane Ortenzio-Cooling in Isshin-Ryu Karate. Sensei Duarte earned his shodan (black belt) in February 2008 and his nidan (second degree black belt) in August 2011.
He currently teaches the adult/teen classes and Karate Kids classes at Sierra Dojo. He also teaches the Women’s Self Defense and Kids Quick Defense seminars. He first started in the fighting arts in Hawaii as a child studying judo, and later learned boxing from his father. He later went on to study Shorin-Ryu karate under Sensei Tommy Morita and Sensei Mitch Shimamura at the Nuuanu YMCA in Honolulu. He also studies Kosho-Ryu Kenpo Jujitsu under Sensei Mike Bern at the Sierra Dojo. Sensei Duarte is the proud father of two black belts in the Order of Isshin-ryu, Christopher and Kevin Duarte.
Mike Bern
Mike Bern, Sensei
Sensei Mike Bern is the instructor for the Kosho-Ryu Kenpo Jujitsu classes, through our partnership with High Desert Martial Arts. He is a san-dan (3rd degree black belt) in Kosho-Ryu Kenpo and a ni-dan (second degree black belt) in Danzan-Ryu Jujitsu. His current sensei is Prof. Ken Eddy.
High Desert Martial Arts was begun in 2005 by Sensei Bern in an effort to continue the tradition of his sensei, Zane Graham, and the American Jujitsu Institute.
Diane Ortenzio-Cooling
Sensei Ortenzio with her sensei, Master Bud Ewing
Sierra Dojo Martial Arts was begun in 1999 in Minden, NV by Sensei Ortenzio-Cooling. Her goal was to offer a traditional training center that emphasized understanding of the fighting arts and acquiring the skill and expertise to handle any situation.
Sensei Ortenzio-Cooling is currently the instructor for the advanced karate, weapons, and arnis classes. In addition, she serves on the board of directors of the Order of Isshin-Ryu, and is a guest instructor at various schools around the United States and Australia.
She has been training continuously in the fighting arts since 1979. She was elevated to the rank of nana-dan (7th degree black belt) by the board of examiners in the Order of Isshin-Ryu in 2010, and to the rank of dayan isa (1st degree black belt) in Arnis by Grandmaster Rick Manglinong in 2011.
Assistant Instructors
Mark Stallings
Mark Stallings, nidan.
Mark Stallings was born in New Jersey and lived in Yakima, Washington before moving to Gardnerville in 1991. He started martial arts training in Tai Chi in 2001 as a student of Stephen Williams, and when Mr. Williams moved on he began training with Sensei Ortenzio in Isshin-Ryu Karate. He is an avid skier and guitar player when not working for Harrah’s Lake Tahoe.
Chris Duarte
Chris Duarte, shodan.
