Our Team | Community Karate Cen

Sensei Neil Sutton

Head Instructor, Owner

Neil's incredible patience and technical skill make him an excellent instructor who brings the physical and sport aspect of karate to our dojo.

Neil holds two black belts; a first degree in Taekwondo which he earned in 1996 under Sensei Michael Byington, and a third degree in Shotokan which he practices today.

His Shotokan degrees were earned under Sensei Scott Langley (5th Dan) of HDKI, Marilyn Hassell (5th Dan) of ASKA, and Sensei Toru Shimoji (5th Dan), who was originally born in Okinawa and later trained directly under Hidetaka Nishiyama.
Aside from his love of teaching, his passion is to compete. Since 2015, he has won 5 Silver and 4 Gold medals/awards in both kata and kumite at various national karate championships, including most recently at the Windy City Karate Tournament in Chicago in April of 2022.

Sempei Michael Scott

Michael's passion is passing along the rich tradition and history of traditional karate, and keeping the legacy of his Sensei alive and thriving.

Michael holds a 3rd degree black belt in Shotokan Karate which he earned under Sensei Marilyn Hassell (5th Dan) of American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA). His 1st & 2nd degrees were earned under Sensei Jeannie Byrnes (3rd Dan) of ASKA , and the late Sensei Randall G. Hassell (8th Dan) of ASKA, as well as Sensei Scott Langley (5th Dan) of HDKI.

Sensei Hassell was a first-generation American to pioneer Shotokan Karate and can trace his instructional roots back to the "Father of Modern Karate", Gichin Funakoshi.
Michael is honored to pass his teachings down to the next generations.

Instructor, Owner

Lindsay Sutton

Karate Mom & Marketing Whiz, Lindsay keeps the dojo running smoothly and handles the design, sales, marketing, and events.

And so much more.

Lindsay is the go-to for all things CKC. Specializing in marketing and event planning, she also handles the memberships, merchandise, customer relations, and generally just keeps the center running smoothly.

She's also a karate mom, so her design input was critical in ensuring that the dojo was an inviting space for men, women, and children alike.

Have a question?

Lindsay is happy to help!

Business Manager, Owner

Call/Text

Ryan Talbert

Ryan combines broad knowledge and unique individualized support to make your workout feel like a personal training session, even when there's a room full of people.

Ryan is the founder of Foundations Kettlebell Training and is a Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge instructor whose passion is to make strength accessible to everyone. Hardstyle kettlebell training is an outstanding way to build full body strength, power, and mental toughness with just a handful of exercises. And it’s fun! Come to his classes and and be strong for your life.

Ryan also trains in karate with his son and would love to see more parents get involved in martial arts with their children!

Kettlebell Instructor