Instructors

Frank Mancini has practiced Kokikai Aikido with the club at Columbia for about thirty years, most of them teaching on campus. He trained under Shuji Maruyama Sensei, founder of Kokikai Aikido, and Gary Snyder Sensei (7th Dan), New York City Senior Instructor and a former Senior Instructor at Columbia, and continues that evolving tradition, helping students find the essence of the four basic principles.

A lifelong martial artist with extensive training in other fighting arts, Frank is also a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. He brings all of that experience, as both practitioner and teacher, to help students discover a love for practice and growth for themselves.

Phil Braun teaches at Columbia and holds dan rankings in other Japanese and Korean martial arts alongside his Kokikai rank.

He brings his passion for sharing Aikido with people of all ages and sizes, for the value found in every aspect of practice, both on and off the mat.