Hardee Merritt
Mr. Merritt's talent for teaching students of all ages is unparalleled. He has that special quality with youth that can neither be taught nor adequately described, and his teaching style is an ideal balance of informative, exciting, thought-provoking, and fun. His passion for the art, both in terms of real life application and traditional techniques, is contagious, and he always teaches nuances to techniques that are indicative of his skill and dedication.
Stephen K. Hayes, the founder of To-Shin Do, has said about Mr. Merritt:
“Hardee Hakutoshi Merritt turned his passion for learning into a living, breathing, "out-there-on-the-edge" example for all of being willing to risk losing comfort and name for the opportunity to grow and gain access to the fullest possible human experience of what it means to be a winner. He continues to test out and share with all students his insights gained from being all alone in the arena, and his steadfast belief in the To-Shin principles he tests is inspirational to us all.”
Mr. Merritt is a Yondan (fourth degree black belt) in To-Shin Do, a purple belt in Jiu-Jitsu, and the owner of the Chapel Hill Quest Center. In addition to teaching Ninjutsu classes for both youth and adults, he leads several fitness and Jiu-Jitsu classes each week.
Bryan Griffin
Mr. Griffin is a Sandan (Third Degree Black Belt) and former instructor at the Dayton Quest Center in Ohio. In 2007 he entered into active duty with the Marine Corps and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a Scout Sniper. Following his military service Mr. Griffin joined the Chapel Hill Quest Center team and enthusiastically translates his expereinces from the Hombu Dojo and real-world combat into valuable self-defense applications.
Amy Alley
Ms. Amy is a Nidan (Second Degree Black Belt) in To-Shin Do and blue belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. These days, when she isn't training youth and adults to become Ninja warriors, Amy works on her career as a singer/songwriter.
John Acree, R.Y.T.
Mr. John teaches the Quest Center's morning Yoga classes, as well as many of the afternoon youth classes. He currently is a Nidan (Second Degree Black Belt) in To-Shin Do, a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu, and is one of the Quest Center's most devoted members. John always has a positive attitude and makes it his personal mission to go above and beyond when it comes to both his training and to helping keep the dojo in the best shape possible.
Bryan Evans
Mr. Bryan received his Nidan (Second Degree Black Belt) in July 2011 at the Quest Center's unique Mountain Quest seminar. Hailing from Fayetteville, NC, Bryan graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2008 with a degree in Biology and has been training at the Quest Center for over five years. Before becoming a full-time instructor, Bryan was extremely active in the Coach/Trainer program, and his natural leadership abilities make him an ideal instructor for both adults and youth.
Heather Kasey
Ms. Heather is an instructor of the Mighty Dragons, youth classes, and more recently our morning yoga classes. Her sweet demeanor and sunny attitude can always bring a smile to your face! Heather has her brown-black belt in Ninjutsu, her blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is a part-time instructor at the Quest Center.
Justin Panza
Mr. Justin has been training at Quest since summer of 2009 and hasn't missed a second. A UNC graduate with degrees in film production and coaching education, he takes his love for creativity and translates it into his martial training. Working with the youth is how he fosters encouragement and possibility for others and himself. Justin currently holds his brown-black belt in Ninjutsu and is everyone's favorite uke (training partner).
Jennifer Brefka
Ms. Jen is our Program Manager so she will be the new smiling face behind the desk in the afternoons and evenings. If you see Miss Jen go ahead and introduce yourself so she can learn everyone’s names.
Dr. Stewart Peters, D.C.
Dr. Stew teaches most of the Quest Center's Strength and Conditioning classes. His ability to calmly motivate his students to push themselves harder than they would have thought possible is exceptional, and he always strives to make sure that no two classes are the same.
Stew received his B.S. in Health Science from James Madison University with a focus on Rehabilitation Biomechanics and Occupational Therapy. He attended Palmer College of Chiropractic for graduate school and is now a Chiropractic Physician licensed to practice Physical Therapy in North Carolina. Stew is a CrossFit level I trainer and has been coaching Kettlebell classes in Chapel Hill for the past year. Stew also served for 8 years as a U.S. Marine, and he has his first degree black belt under Professor Martin Buell with Universal Kempo-Karate Schools Hawaii.
In addition to the staff instructors, several of our higher belt-level students also instruct classes:
Mr. "Big Mike" Ford
Mr. Wes Massey
Dr. Jen Umbach
Mr. Murray Anderegg
Ms. Kim Stahl
One opportunity provided to our students is the "Coach/Trainer Program." This program allows students as they advance in their own training to assist with classes at earlier levels and to learn how to effectively teach. A number of our best students are available in most Ninjutsu classes as Coaches or Trainers.