MASTER/INSTRUCTORS

MASTER MEGHAN VENTURA

Meghan Ventura ("Master V") was born and raised in Illinois. As a child, she loved directing playground friends into plays and activities. Moving frequently, she learned early that creating meaningful community, wherever she landed, was essential.

In the early 2000s, she researched martial arts and was drawn to Hapkido for its non-competitive, self-defensive nature but knew that it was rare in its authentic form. In a serendipitous moment in 2005, en route to a different class, she spotted a red door marked "Hapkido," walked in, and met Master Edgardo Perez. She knew immediately that Hapkido and the Defense Training Institute was where she belonged.

Meghan began training in both Hapkido and Guazabara, her teaching talent emerging quickly. Within six months she was assisting kids' classes, soon launched her own satellite program, and within three years was substituting for Master Perez. In 2010 she earned black belts in both Hapkido and Guazabara (she does not recommend testing for both at once!). She finds the two art forms to be perfect complements.

That same year she moved to Port Angeles, WA, where her vision for a martial arts studio didn't yet exist, so Phoenix Dragon Martial Arts was founded.

As her teaching matured and her small daughter began training, she grew passionate about practical safety training, blending Hapkido principles with real-world applications. After volunteering at a women's shelter and adapting techniques for age, trauma triggers, and specific scenarios, she developed a highly practical yet philosophically grounded style—rooted in theory without sacrificing effectiveness.

Master Ventura now holds a 5th-degree black belt in Hapkido and continues deepening her knowledge of Guazabara Machete and Stick Fighting. She has numerous fitness certifications but insists that living and training is the only credential that truly counts. The PDMA community is the most important thing to her. It's not just kids and adults passing through; it's a nexus for lifelong learning in the principles which Hapkido epitomizes: respect, humility, dedication, and quiet strength.

For over a decade she has been a community pillar, training more than 25 black belts while working to make Port Angeles and surrounding areas safer and more aware. Her charitable partnerships include The Little Hurt, Healthy Families, TAFY, C & C Kids at Camp David Jr., the Lower Elwha Tribal Center, and many others. Her newest project, sparked by family members diagnosed with Parkinson's and other neurological conditions, is Neuro Fit, a donation-based brain and body program launched in 2024.

The door of Phoenix Dragon Martial Arts was painted red when it opened in 2010. It is an homage to where Master Ventura began and continues to symbolize how one pivotal decision, combined with an attitude of humble learning, can change your life and the lives of countless others.

For every 10,000 who start martial arts, 1 person will become a black belt.
That one is 1 in 10,000.

Registered Black Belts

Ms. Ella Ventura, SBN Hapkido

Tekina Scott Smasal, Guazabara

Tekina Emma Jane Smasal, Guazabara

Tekina Stafford A. Conway, SBN Guazabara & Hapkido

Tekina Wendy Conway, Guazabara

Ms. Kylie J. Hutton, KSN Youth Hapkido

Mr. Darrel D. Chard, SBN Hapkido 3rd Dan

Mr. Andrew Halberg, KSN Youth Hapkido

Ms. Natasha Zavodny, KSN Youth Hapkido

Mr. Angel Mantchev, SBN Hapkido 3rd Dan

Ms. Sophia Miller, SBN Hapkido

Ms. Jennifer Irvine, SBN Hapkido 2nd Dan

Tekina Vanessa Daggett, SBN Guazabara & Hapkido

Ms. Sydnee Linnane, SBN Hapkido 2nd Dan

Mr. Kevin Grant, SBN Hapkido

Tekina Danny Callahan, Guazabara

Ms. Brenna L. Callahan, KSN Youth Hapkido

Mr. Ryerson F. Dougherty, SBN Hapkido

Mr. J.I. Kimzey , KSN Youth Hapkido

Mr. Landon Gregory, KSN Youth Hapkido

Ms. E.K. Sirguy, KSN Youth Hapkido

Mr. James Starr, SBN Hapkido

Mr. John Beath, SBN Hapkido

Ms. Blair Gregory, KSN Youth Hapkido

Mr. Justus Van Dyke, KSN Youth Hapkido

Mr. Neil Penso, SBN Hapkido

Ms. Ana Mariya, SBN Hapkido