Instructors
At Essex Shukokai Karate, we have a dedicated team of instructors teaching all age groups and abilities in our classes. These instructors also have support from many assistant instructors at the dojo. Some of their photos may be up here soon!
Scroll down to learn more about our team.
From left to right: Devin, Lynn, Justin, Chris, and Matt.
Justin DeSalvo: Owner and Chief Instructor
Sensei Justin DeSalvo, 5th Dan, is a co-owner and chief instructor at Essex Shukokai Karate. An avid student of the art for 40 years, he trained with Soke Kimura before his death in 1995, and has been teaching karate for nearly 20 years between his Sensei’s dojo in Tenafly and at his own dojo, which opened in October 2006 in Glen Ridge. Due to the popularity of the Shukokai karate style and Sensei Justin’s learning-through-play teaching philosophy, the school relocated to larger space in Montclair until the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 forced that location to close, but online and outdoor classes were offered until a new location could safely be opened at the Glen Ridge Arcade in September 2021.
Sensei Justin received his Bachelor of Arts degree in child psychology from Wittenberg University and worked in the medical diagnostic field before opening his own dojo.
Photo: Sensei Justin working with a student during a promotion test.
Lynn DeSalvo: Owner
Sempai Lynn DeSalvo, 3rd Dan, has spent the last 15 years at the dojo as co-owner and instructor, developing students in mind-and-body techniques as well as training young adults to teach through her Teacher Assistant training. She is the instructor for the Little Dragon (3-4 years old) and Ninja (5-7 years old) classes on Saturdays at the dojo, and teaches the Women’s class virtually on Fridays.
Her background as a speech-language pathologist working primarily with children on the autism spectrum provides her with a unique perspective on the sensory integration aspects and benefits of an activity that lends itself to enhanced organization and learning for all children. Her passion is working with ALL children, of ALL ages, and ALL ability levels. She believes the dojo mat is a place of growth and development for everyone.
Sempai Lynn’s virtual women’s only class on Friday mornings is for mothers, professionals, students, and anyone interested in finding more about how martial arts empowers women!
Photo: Sempai Lynn with her mom at her 3rd-degree black belt promotion.
Chris Lynch: Manager
Sempai Chris Lynch, 3rd Dan, is the manager of Essex Shukokai Karate and teaches classes of all ages. He trained in martial arts in his youth in his hometown of Montclair, NJ, and occasionally as an adult while living in New York City. Years later, when looking to enroll his son in karate, he discovered Sensei Justin and Sempai Lynn’s dojo. The dojo community and the Kimura Shukokai Karate family welcomed him, and he found his home away from home.
Chris received his 1st-degree black belt in 2015, his second in 2017, and his 3rd-degree in 2021. Sempai Chris loves teaching and loves being a karate student.
Photo: Sempai Chris teaching a class at the dojo.
Matt Deluca: Instructor
Sempai Matt DeLuca is a 3rd Dan in Kimura Shukokai Karate.
He started his karate journey in 1979 with our style’s founder, Soke Kimura, at Mr. Kimura’s Hackensack dojo. He continued there until 1981, when he suspended his training to pursue his professional career as a physician and became a neurologist. (The practice of which he continues to this day.)
When he decided to jump back into Shukokai karate in 2006, he discovered Sensei Justin’s dojo in Glen Ridge. Lo and behold, Sensei Justin was the son of Sensei Ernie DeSalvo, with whom Sempai Matt had trained with in 1979 with Mr. Kimura back in Hackensack!
In 2011, Sempai Matt earned his 1st-degree black belt followed in 2014 by earning his 2nd-degree belt. In 2022, he earned is 3rd-degree. Sempai Matt also has a background in TaeKwonDo and Iaido. He enjoys teaching the Tuesday adult class and likes to combine techniques from these other styles to enhance the class.
Photo: Sempai Matt teaching adult class.
Devin Persaud: Instructor
Sempai Devin Persaud, 3rd Dan, started his karate training at the age of 7 under Sensei Justin. To date, he has trained for 14 years and has many accomplishments under his belt. In 2013, he received his 1st-degree black belt. In 2016, he received his 2nd-degree, followed by his 3rd-degree in 2021.
Sempai Devin has competed in and won multiple naitonal championships. He has also competed in two Kimuria Shukokai Interntional (KSI) world tournaments. The first one in Germany (2016), where he became the third-place world champion in kumite (sparring). In 2018, he competed again in Sweden. He has numerous world training events under his belt, and he has even competed in tournaments for Olympic karate qualifications.
Sempai Devin teaches all ages, but focuses his teaching on the Ninja and Samurai classes. Additionally, he works with our special-needs students, and is constantly giving them the encouragement and the tools they need to succeed.
Eduardo Marques: Instructor
Sempai Eduardo Marques, 3rd Dan, joins us as an instructor this year and will be leading the classes for kids and adults on Mondays and Fridays.