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.
Hanshi Darren Myers
Chief Instructor / Owner
Hanshi Darren Myers has been training for over 40 years in the Martial Arts. He has achieved Hanshi – 9th Degree Black Belt in Karate-Do, and Rokudan – 6th Degree Black Belt in Kobudo, Goshin Do, Iaido and a Black Belt in Kempo. He has taught thousands of students during his over 40+ years of teaching. He is currently the Director of the USA Branch of Kuniba Kai International and the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for USA Karate, the National Governing Body for Karate under the U.S. Olympic Committee. His desire is to continue to produce positive role models from his students to ensure a strong future of young minds and bodies.
Diana Hammond
Office Manager
Diana Hammond serves as the Office Manager of Virginia Martial Arts Center. Diana began as a Karate parent, during which time all three of her children were students. She has served as an adminstrator and manager at Virginia Martial Arts Center for over fifteen years. She is always at the front desk greeting everyone with a smile and helping them with any support aspect of their training.
Marc Hammond
Program Director
Marc Hammond, husband of Diana, has been with Virginia Martial Arts Center for over ten years. His duties as our Program Director include consulting students and parents on their memberships, marketing services for the school and public relations within the community.
Sensei Dawna Ellis
Karate Instructor
Dawna Ellis (Sensei) has been an instructor at Virginia Martial Arts Center for over 20 years. She began her training in 1994 and holds a fifth degree black belt in Karate and a first degree black belt in the Japanese sword art of Iaido. Sensei Dawna is nationally certified to teach by Kuniba Kai International and was directly bestowed that honor by Soke Kozo Kuniba, the President of the organization. She holds a Class D Referee License from USA Karate, a member of the US Olympic Committee. Sensei Ellis volunteers her time to teach self-defense classes for women and abduction prevention programs for children throughout the Hampton Roads region. She is also actively involved in various charitable endeavors in our community.
Sensei Jason Hammond
Karate Instructor
Jason Hammond (Sensei) has been a student at Virginia Martial Arts Center for 28 years, and an instructor for over 20 years. He began his training in 1990 at 9 years old, and currently holds a third degree black belt. Sensei Jason is also the head coach of the competition team and has taken the team to various competitions as well as the National Karate Championships over the past four years. In addition to his duties as a competition coach, he holds a Class C Judge license from the USA National Karate Federation, a member of the US Olympic Committee. Sensei Hammond splits his time teaching karate, kobudo (weapons), and various other classes with Virginia Martial Arts Center.
Sensei Herbby Dameus
Karate Instructor
Herbby Dameus (Sensei) has been a student of Hanshi Darren Myers for over 15 years. He received his black belt in 2015 and enjoys teaching others. He likes showing the aspects of the traditional Japanese Martial Arts and their modern self-defense applications. He has had the opportunity to train under many great instructors and legends like Hanshi Ridgely Abele, Kyoshi Troy Price, Hanshi Brian Hobson, Hanshi Lewis Estes among others and he hopes to travel the world to learn more. Dai Sempai Dameus believes his training has taught him that one can achieve anything if you train hard enough.
Sensei Allen Townsend
Kick Boxing Instructor
