Our Program Director & Front Office Staff
Our Instructors have spent many years devoted to training in the art of Karate and other martial arts and have attained a certain level of expertise to qualify them as teachers and also mentors.Through extensive testing, certification and tournament level competition, our staff has attained mastery in this martial art and now enjoy sharing their skill and passing it on to their students. Here are a few of Karate Of The Woodland's instructors and other staff members.
Rick Prieto
(8th Black)
Mr. Rick Prieto is the Program Director, an 8th Degree Black Belt with Chuck Norris and has been teaching martial arts for over 40 years. He has worked and trained with Mr. Norris for over 40 years. Mr. Prieto has not only studied and taught the martial arts but has worked as an actor, stunt man and fight coordinator and has done numerous films and TV shows with Mr. Norris. While here filming the movie Sidekicks in 1990 he was also heading up Mr. Norris' KickStart Foundation for intercity school kids. The KickStart program was founded that year with the help of President Bush Sr. here in Houston, TX. A native Californian, Mr. Prieto moved his wife and children here in 1990 and worked for many years with the organization along with working in the CBS show Walker, Texas Ranger. Mr. Prieto has currently retired from the film industry and resides here in The Woodlands with his family.
View his film appearances at www.imdb.com
Dr. Robyn Silverman
Robyn J.A. Silverman, PhD is a positive youth development specialist and character education expert for Karate Of The Woodlands. She is deeply committed to empowering all youth to reach their fullest potential by creating rich resources and magnifying the strengths of each child. A doctoral graduate from the prestigious Eliot Pearson Department of Child Development, Tufts University, her groundbreaking research suggest that some previously labeled " at risk" youth can transcend stereotypes and become exemplars of positive functioning.
Miss Beth
Beth is the Karate Of The Woodlands, Program Director and has been working for the company since it started in 1990.
Miss Lacey
Lacey is Karate Of The Woodlands, Office Manger. She has been working for the company for four years and is also a student of Mr. Prieto's.
Austin Jamieson
(Second Degree Black)
Austin Jamieson is a second degree black belt. He has been under the instruction of Rick Prieto at Karate Of The Woodlands for 10 years. He is now a certified instructor. He has attended the International Training Conference in Vegas 2 years in a row. Last year he won first place in kata. He is continuing his training, working towards earning his third degree black belt.