Instructors

The Taekwondo Club instructors are selected from the club membership based on their prior experience (rank), teaching ability, and commitment. Our instructors volunteer their time out of a passion for the art of taekwondo, an interest in learning from other club members, and a dedication to teaching.

Current Instructors

Anderson Hu (3rd Dan) [2024 - Present]

Anderson is a current 3rd Dan Black Belt and has been practicing Taekwondo for 12 years. He joined the UChicago Taekwondo Club in 2022 as a freshman in the College. He enjoys Taekwondo as a form of exercise and fitness, but also as a community and a way of continuously improving oneself. As a Co-Captain, he is excited to both teach and learn from others.

Nick Bayhi (3rd Dan) [2024 - Present]

Nick has been involved in collegiate taekwondo since he started as a white belt at Tufts University in 2009. He competed for years as a color belt in the Eastern Collegiate Taekwondo Conference, and continued as a coach of the Tufts team after graduating and earning his black belt. When he wasn’t teaching, Nick trained with CW Boston’s tBos Competition Team, and competed at numerous national and international events. After earning his second Dan, Nick moved to Chicago for graduate school, intending to put taekwondo on pause and retire from competition. However, the doldrums of the COVID-19 pandemic left Nick missing his community. He joined the Tournament Committee staff for the ECTC and Collegiate Nationals, and in 2023, he joined the UChicago club practices. He was excited to find such a fun and dedicated group to train with. Nick was elected Tournament Coordinator in ’23-’24, became an Officer of the reborn Midwest Collegiate Taekwondo Conference, and brought UChicago to their first collegiate tournament at Princeton University. Nick was elected to Co-Captain for the ’24-’25 season, and is excited to solidify UChicago’s participation in competition and the collegiate taekwondo community moving forward.

Sha Jackson (4th Dan) [2021 - Present]

Sha's Tae Kwon Do journey began in 2009 under the guidance of Master Sung Son Yu in Anchorage, Alaska. He started martial arts so that he could become a "ninja" but had no idea that, in 2015, he would become a Junior Instructor. Sha loved sharing his passion with students of all ages and abilities, eventually earning his 4th Dan Black Belt in 2019 and assuming the role of Head Instructor. Relocating to Chicago in 2021, Sha continued his training with the UChicago Tae Kwon Do club, where he's had the opportunity to share Tae Kwon Do with newcomers and experienced martial artists alike. He firmly believes that Tae Kwon Do's 'DO', or 'Way of Life', can benefit individuals from all walks of life. Tae Kwon Do is for everyone, from toddlers to seniors, competitive athletes to those seeking to gain some fitness, and, of course, martial arts enthusiasts or those who want to learn self-defense.

Previous Instructors

Annabel Mendoza [2023-2024]

Shailesh Bolduc [2022-2024]

Non Charoenwattananon [2019 - 2022]

Alexander Rodriguez [2021]

Kathryn Downey [2018 - 2020]

Rahul Subramanian [2016 - 2020]

Emi Lemberg [2016 - 2018]

Ibraham Ahmed Gm [2012 - 2018]

Cassie Moy [2013-2015]

Valeri Galtsev [2011-2015]

Dan Kimmel [2002-2013]

Nathan Schine [2013]

Clare Singer [2013]

George Weyer [2000 - 2010]

Sean Newton [2006-2010]

Michael Dworecki [2004-2006]

Tim Sontag [2006]

Alexei Fedkin [2004]

Robert Krencik [2003-2004]

Monica Chock [1998-2001]