Krav Maga Experts Team
Krav Maga Experts is a team of experienced and certified instructors who are passionate about teaching self-defense. Our instructors are hand-picked from hundreds of candidates, and bring a variety of advanced self-defense martial arts backgrounds and unique styles to their Krav Maga approach. They are committed to providing our students with the skills they need to stay safe, as well as providing our students with a positive and supportive learning experience. If you are looking to train the most effective self defense system, taught by the best, then Krav Maga Experts is the perfect choice for you. Contact us today to learn more about our programs and to meet our team of instructors.
Tsahi Shemesh
Tsahi Shemesh, founder and chief instructor, began his Krav Maga journey in Israel, 1988, where he trained under Imi Lichtenfeld’s (the creator of Krav Maga) very first students. During his three-years in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Tsahi served in the paratrooper’s brigade, trained in dignitary protection at the School of Counterterrorism, completed the commander’s course, VIP protection program and civilians instructor’s training. He served in the West Bank and holds a Sergeant First Class rank. In 2007, Tsahi obtained his Krav Maga Instructor certification at the Wingate Institute – Israel’s National Center for Education and Sports. He also completed the Krav Maga Instructors course certified by the International Krav Maga Federation and held the positions of USA Director and Instructor Course Trainer in Gabi Noah’s top-team.
In 2010, Tsahi established the first Krav Maga Experts (KME) flagship location in New York City. He certified dozens of instructors and trained thousands of students from all over the world – both domestically and overseas. Besides KME’s full-time program, Tsahi and his team also lead various initiatives including the Columbia University Club, Pace University, NYU, EMTs, NYPD’s police officers and contributory workshops at domestic violence organizations. Tsahi’s national television appearances as a self defense and personal safety expert have featured his signature Rape Prevention Series and Counter Terror workshops.
Elaine
Elaine began her training with Krav Maga experts in 2015 and since that time she has accrued almost 1000 hours on the mat under the instruction of KME’s exceptional team of certified experts. She completed the instructor training course under the direct guidance of chief expert Tsahi Shemesh in 2021. In her own teaching, Elaine draws upon principles she has learned from cross-training in various martial arts including Muay Thai, Boxing, and her extensive Yoga practice. Beyond the mat, she is a Ph.D. candidate in Slavic Languages at Columbia University. Her pedagogical training in the academy informs her work at KME; she espouses and practices inclusive teaching and views every classroom as a space of dialogue and empowerment.
Breo
Breo has been training in Krav Maga since 2006 and is a Certified Instructor under Tsahi Shemesh. He started training in martial arts in 1984 (teaching since 1992) and, additionally, holds a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Tang Soo Do, a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, and Brown Belts in Shotokan and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. During his competitive days, he competed and medaled in a significant number of Karate and Tae Kwon Do tournaments; and refereed several competitions. After a successful career in Wall Street, Breo retired from the financial world of hedge funds in 2019 and now focuses his time on his teaching passion, volunteering his time as a Krav Maga, Karate and Tae Kwon Do instructor. Additionally, he is a Part-Time Professor at Rutgers Business School, a frequent guest lecturer at a number of MBA programs, and a recurrent newspaper article contributor.
Emily
Emily has been practicing martial arts for most of her life. Her first karate school emphasized the importance of learning as many variations as possible and catering techniques to an individual's ability. It was a combination study of several traditional and modern Japanese styles that also integrated aspects of Judo, Japanese Jiu Jitsu, and practical self-defense. She trained in Kyokushin and Shotokan while living in Japan for three years, learning sparring techniques and teaching kata to fighters. She continued training in the United States in Muay Thai and Jeet Kune Do for several years and ran cardio kickboxing classes on Zoom in 2020. In classes both on and off the mat, she expresses her belief that martial arts helps to form some of the best communities in the world, allowing practitioners to better understand and push the boundaries of their own potential while forging practical skills and self-confidence. She applies her knowledge of and experience with martial arts to her academic work as a Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy of Religion at Columbia University, where she is currently writing her dissertation about embodiment, imagination, and virtuality.
David
Even though he practiced martial arts all along his childhood (mostly judo), David considers that his true martial arts journey started in 2003. After a couple of years of Aikido and kick boxing, he discovered Shorinji Kempo, a Japanese martial art he consistently got involved in until 2019. Over the years, he won the french Taikai (annual SK tournament) three consecutive years, ended two times at the fourth place in European and World competitions, and participated in numerous international events, as a demonstration performer (Embu). After a two-year break due to the COVID crisis, and an expatriation to New York City, he started a fresh new curriculum in Krav Maga with Tsahi Shemesh and earned his instructor certification. David firmly believes that martial arts changed his life for the better and expect now to give back to others what was given to him years ago: technical knowledge and self-defense skills of course, but also increased self-confidence, and rigor.
Marco
Walker
Nika
Kristin
Kristin’s love of fighting started when she discovered kickboxing back in high school. In 2013, a couple of years after moving to NYC, she took up Krav Maga and found an even greater passion for this area of the fighting world. She became an instructor and spent 6 years teaching Krav before coming to KME, achieving her G4 rank along the way. Kristin also enjoys cross training in Boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and she credits her lifelong training as a dancer for aiding in her exploration of the wide world of martial arts, which she likens to a form of dance where people hit each other. Off the mat, Kristin holds Masters degrees in Social Work and Public Health and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She specializes in trauma and works in a mental health clinic at a child welfare agency for children with special needs, while running a private therapy practice on the side. Kristin incorporates a trauma-informed lens in her style of instruction and understands how empowering and healing Krav Maga can be.
Harrison
Harrison is a martial arts instructor and personal trainer. He has been training in martial arts for over 15 years. Included in his experience are MMA, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Western Boxing. He holds a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do. He loves to try new systems and arts and has spent time cross-training in other full-contact arts, including Brazilian Jiujitsu, Historical German Martial Arts, Filipino Martial Arts and boxing.