Founders & Instructors

Decades of authentic training
A tradition Still in motion

Ekata Training Center was founded by lifelong martial artists Sifu Ed Monaghan and Sifu JoAnn Wabisca. Their combined decades of study, teaching, and real-world experience shape every aspect of training, honoring traditional lineages while adapting them for modern life.

Sifu Ed

Sifu

Ed Monaghan

founder

Ekata
Founder

Senior
Instructor

water

Jeet Kune Do
Lineage

Sifu Ed Monaghan brings over 45 years of martial arts study and more than 35 years as a professional in health, fitness, and performance training. A Senior Instructor in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do under Sifu Jerry Poteet, Ed’s background spans Jeet Kune Do concepts, Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Savate, Jujutsu, Kali, Qigong, and Karate. His teaching blends Eastern philosophy with modern movement science to cultivate confidence, focus, and resilience, on and off the mat.

Sifu

Joanne Wabisca

co founder

Ekata
Co-Founder

master trainer

Master
Instructor

Champion
Competitor

Sifu JoAnn Wabisca is a master martial artist, world-class competitor, and trailblazer for women in the martial arts. One of the first women in the U.S. to earn the Silver Glove (black belt equivalent) in Boxe Française Savate, she is a former world champion and the first female president of the American Savate Federation. Certified in Jeet Kune Do and Muay Thai, JoAnn brings depth, adaptability, and lived experience to Ekata’s training, guiding students with strength, precision, and heart.

Sifu Joann

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