Coach Willy Cahill began his martial arts education under his Father, Professor John Cahill, Sr. who founded Cahill's Judo Academy in Daly City, California in 1948. Professor John Cahill was one of the most highly respected instructors ever to come out of Professor Okazaki's Kodenkan System of Jujitsu in Hawaii. One of John Cahill's goals was to get one of his students to the Olympics. However, in 1962 Professor Cahill passed away at the very young age of 50. In 1963, Willy Cahill built a new Dojo (Martial Arts Gym) in San Bruno, California in his Father's honor. At the new club, Coach Willy Cahill set new standards and goals for himself and his students. Over the past 50 years of working with children, young adults, men and women of all ages, Coach Cahill has produced over 1200 National and International Medal winners. In 1988 Willy was asked and accepted the position of the US Olympic Judo Coach. In 1999 the Olympic Committee asked that Willy to accept the position of US Paralympic Judo Coach. At the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, the US Paralympic Judo Team won 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Medal. At the 2004 Games in Athens under the coaching leadership of Willy, the US Paralympic Judo Team won 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals. It is interesting to note that Gold has never been won by the sighted US Olympic Judo Team since Judo was introduced at the Olympic level in 1964. Seventy-five percent of all medals won in Judo at the Olympic / Paralympic level has been won under the coaching of Willy Cahill. Willy is a 10th Degree Black Belt in Jujitsu and a 7th Degree in Judo. Coach Cahill has dedicated his life in training individuals for the challenges of life through the sport of Judo and Martial Arts. He is known also for training US Army Green Berets, Navy Seals, US Secret Service, Homeland Security and being the Coach in Judo for Stanford University, SF State University, US Coach of the Junior Pan American Championships; US Coach Goodwill Games. He is also in the Black Belt Hall of Fame, Black Belt Coaches Hall of Fame, Jujitsu American Hall of Fame Instructor of the Year. Willy is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Blind Judo Foundation.

top

Ron has a background in Healthcare, Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology. He has worked for Fortune 500 companies in Senior Management on three continents. He returned to the US from living and working in Switzerland to work with his son in a company called Fearless Wealth. Ron wanted to make a difference with people, specifically in the area of their financial independence. While in Europe Ron came across a little known asset that most seniors (people over the age of 65) owned but few knew about. It was called Senior Life Settlements. Ron realized the majority of seniors in America let this asset lapse thus becoming useless and created a company called FWLife to make a difference in senior citizens life's. Ron is speaking and working with seniors helping them realize hidden money; working with nonprofits to create funding and giving meaning to new life after 65. Ron has held various positions as District Manager, Regional Manager, Vice President, COO and Managing Director. He also established an American medical software company in radiation oncology treatment planning systems in Europe. His geographical area of responsibility included all of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. After returning to the US and locating to California he was appointed a Trustee in the Internet Broadcasting Association and became the Senior Vice President for the Internet Broadcasting Health Network. This lead to accepting a position as Executive Director of the Neurological Disease Foundation, a Nonprofit 501(c) (3) whose mission is to eliminate various neurodegenerative diseases starting with Alzheimer's. This position is currently held today. Mr. Peck graduated from Columbia Pacific University with a Bachelors Degree in Management and an MBA in Marketing. He is also the Co-Founder of the Blind Judo Foundation and CFO.

top

7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Executive Officer
Wounded In Action, Operation Iraqi Freedom

Capt. Ivan Castro sustained life-threatening injuries while serving as a First Lieutenant with the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom, September 2, 2006.

He received numerous injuries to include the loss of his right eye and the permanent loss of vision in his left eye when he was struck with shrapnel from a mortar attack.

Two years after his injury, Castro's determination, strength and motivation is displayed as he serves as the executive officer for 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Headquarters and Headquarters Company where he utilizes his Spanish language skills to run the Group's language lab.

Originally from Hoboken, N.J., he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1988. Castro's past assignments also include the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.; 5th Corp, Darmstadt, Germany and the 3rd Ranger Battalion, Fort Benning, Ga. After graduating from Officer Candidate School, December 2, 2004, he earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant.

His other military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Survival with Resistance to Interrogation Course, Close Quarter Battle Course, Special Operation Target Interdiction Course, Military Free Fall Course, Ranger Course, Pathfinder Course, Air Assault Course, Airborne Course, Jumpmaster Course, Drill Sergeant Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Close Air Support Course, Long Range Surveillance Leaders Course, Combat Lifesaver Course and Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course.

He has participated in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and numerous other overseas deployments.

Castro's awards and decorations include the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Superior Unit Award, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (with one Oak Leaf Cluster), Combat Infantry Badge with one star, Expert Infantry Badge, Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, Colombian Jumpmaster Badge, Dutch Parachutist Badge, German Parachutist Badge, Ranger and Special Forces Tabs.

He continues to challenge himself while participating in various races and sporting events. Castro has participated in the Army 10-Miler, the Marine Corps Marathon, the Boston Marathon and other sporting events.

Castro and his wife, Evelyn, currently reside in Raeford, N.C. He also has a 15 year-old son, Ivan Eduardo.

top

Michael Glaser is a Partner in the Menlo Park office of Perkins Coie and is a key member of the firm's nationwide Emerging Companies practice group. With his foundation in finance and securities, Glaser brings a valuable quantitative perspective to transactional negotiations. He has led clients in the enterprise software, digital media, fixed and mobile communications, semiconductor, and e-commerce sectors through more than 200 venture capital financing transactions. In addition, he has an active M&A practice and has advised clients in complex mergers and strategic business combinations ranging in size from several million dollars to over $400 million dollars. Glaser graduated from New York University School of Law, in 1997 and worked at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati before joining Perkins Coie.

Glaser is also the Secretary of the Foundation.

     top

Patrick brings to Velocity Interactive Group a highly successful track record in strategic business development, and M&A with an extensive rolodex of global industry connections. Most recently, Patrick was part of a boutique consulting firm where he was retained by NTT DoCoMo to advise them on their corporate investment strategy.
Over the years, he has built an impressive track record within the rapidly emerging mobile convergence space. At Pixo, a mobile embedded software firm, he was instrumental in closing strategic investments and contracts with Conexant, Hikari Tsushin, Kyocera, Lycos, Nokia, and Samsung. Prior to this, he was VP/General Manager at Alcatel's wireless internet business unit responsible for launching new CDMA handsets and the Internet Screenphone project.
As Vice President, Corporate Development at VeriFone, he reported directly to the Chairman and successfully initiated the corporation's equity investment in WebTV, negotiated major alliances with EDS, Netscape, Oracle and Microsoft as well as playing an intimate role in the acquisition of VeriFone by Hewlett Packard for $1.2BN. Patrick had previously joined the company through the successful merger of VeriFone with EIT (Enterprise Integration Technologies) a seminal e-commerce company, where he personally initiated and led the transaction.
Originally from the U.K., Patrick's international experience is broad with direct knowledge in business dealings across a spectrum of European and Asian countries and cultures. Patrick started his pre-high technology career as a part of an operational "troubleshooting team" for British Airways managing airports and living in Africa, Bangladesh, Finland, India and the Persian Gulf.

Velocity Interactive Group is a leading investment firm that focuses on digital media and communications. The firm brings a unique approach to investing by bringing not just financial capital, but also human capital to its investment companies. Velocity Interactive Group has a global presence in Palo Alto, Los Angeles, New York, India and China.

top

Professor (Coach) Bruno Carmeni is a name synonymous with Judo around the world works and lives in Italy. At age 15 Bruno started practicing Judo which began a career not only representing Italy but eventually as an International Ambassador to Judo. By 1960 he obtained his Black Belt and also represented Italy at the 1st Olympics in Tokyo and 1st Asian Olympics where Judo was introduced.

From 1962 – 1970 Carmeni participated in 8 European Championships and also earned the title of Italian National Champion. Carmeni is also fluent in Japanese by having attended Tenri University in Japan and also refining his Judo knowledge. From 1971 – 1992 Carmeni was the Trainer of the National Junior, Seniors, University and Blind Sports Team and became the first teacher at the National Judo Academy.

Professor Carmeni has been the head instructor at the A.S.D. Judo Conegliano in Italy but travels the world with his wife bringing Judo alive to all including the blind and visually impaired community. Carmeni is an author of several books including Judo and Blindness which has been translated into several languages. His favorite saying is “Judo gives light to the visually impaired”
 

top

Aida Guemati, 3rd Dan Black Belt in Judo is passionate about the sport of Judo with over 25 years of experience competing and teaching the sport of Judo. Guemati says Judo is a sport of practice – practice – practice. Not only is she a Judo champion but an advocate of Judo worldwide. Guemati is awesome at Judo throws, ground work and imparting those skills to those willing to listen.

Her experience is not limited to just Europe where she lives (Italy) and works but to all continents where her regular employment takes her. Guemati is multilingual (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Arabic) beginning with her High School studies in St. Louis, MO and continuing from 1985 – 1986 at Washington University in St. Louis. She continued from 1986 – 1987 at the Universita degli Studi Venezia in Italy and 1990- 1998 at the Universita degli Studi Padova in Italy earning an AB Degree in Modern Languages and Literature.

Her favorite quote is “maximum results with minimum efforts.” Professionally, Guemati has been employed by various Italian companies and is currently the Export Manager for a major producer of handmade Italian blown glass, art and the design of luxury articles of accessories and lighting fixtures.

Aida Guemati and Bruno Carmeni are husband and wife working together to change lives around the world through the sport of Judo.

 top

Bina is currently the Director of Programs and Services at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Prior to this he was
· Vice President of the Metrolina Association for the Blind in Charlotte, North Carolina;
· President of the Hadley School for the Blind---an international distance learning school which serves 10,000 students in all 50 states and in 100 other countries;
· Superintendent of the Indiana School for the Blind;

Before that he was
· Principal of the Texas School for the Blind;
· Director of Special Education in the local schools in Janesville, Wisconsin; and
· Orientation and Mobility instructor and boys and girls swimming, track and cross country coach at the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped.

He received his Masters from California State University in Los Angeles and Doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado.

Bina has served as
· The International AER President;
· The Council of Schools for the Blind President;
· A United States Army Special Forces Green Beret Military Intelligence Officer; and, while in college,
· A United States Forest Service "Smokejumper," who parachuted into forest fires in remote locations in Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.

  top 
     

Chern is a partner of the Peninsula Ophthalmology Group in Burlingame, CA since 2005. He also the Chair of the Ophthalmology Section at Mills-Peninsula Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of California San Francisco with specialties in Cornea / External Disease, Refractive Surgery and Uveitis.

Dr. Chern was previously with Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston with the Boston Eye Surgery and Laser Center and part of the Clinical Faculty at Tufts / New England Eye Center.

Part of his entrepreneurial experience was with Thermalvision, Inc. in Boston as their Medical Director for medial device start-up company developing products for the refractive surgical market.

Dr. Chern is a 1988 Graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL in the Honors Program in Medical Education graduating with a BS in Medical Sciences. He continued his education at Northwestern University Medical School graduating in 1992 with an M.D. Degree. He has specialized training and education in Corneal Diseases and Refractive surgery at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation at the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Chern is Board Certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology and has many Honors and Awards, Books, Book Chapters and Journal Publications credited to his name.

  top