About Us

Mission Statement: The mission of the Martial Arts History Museum is to promote an appreciation of America’s cultural diversity by using the martial arts as its gateway into sharing how Asian history become part of American history. 

Museum Board Members

Michael Matsuda

Michael Matsuda

Founder and President of the Martial Arts History Museum

Michael Matsuda is the founder and serves as the president of the Martial Arts History Museum since 1999.
– Founder and former publisher of Martial Art Magazine
– Co-CEO of Martialinfo.com
– One of the leading historians of martial arts history in America
– Author of 10 published books on martial arts history
– Producer of 18 Biography Videos
– Emmy Nominee as “producer” of El Rey TV series “The Camacho Experiment”
– Bachelor’s degree in Business, Associate degrees in journalism and design
– Attended the American Film Institute for film production
– Attended 10 years at various colleges for marketing, design, computer programing, research and development, technical illustration, drafting, newspaper and magazine production, public speaking, etc. at USC, CSUN, LAVC, LAMC, COC, LATT, NVOC, WVOC.
– Producer of the San Fernando Valley Health Fair, Producer of Starbash Vegas Convention, Producer for Blue Cross of California convention
– Director of three Regional Karate Championships
– Manager, Media Dept. for 10 years Blue Cross of CA
– Manager, Media Dept for Cal Fed Bank, 5 years
– Selected as one of the “Top 100 Producers in America” by Producer magazine and graced its cover
– Contributing editor for Black Belt magazine and Inside Kung Fu magazine
– Public Speaker

Art Camacho

Art Camacho

Film Director

Film production president and action film director, Art Camacho has served on the Museum board since its beginning. Nominated for an EMMY for the El Rey Network TV series “The Camacho Experiment” and head of his own production firm. He was the director of over a dozen action films and he has also served as stunt coordinator for numerous productions.

Rafael Kosche

Rafael Kosche

Store Owner, History Channel Representative

Kosche is owner and operator of the most influential martial arts supply company in America. Established in the 1970s, Valley Martial Arts Supplies has served both the martial arts community and the Hollywood film industry. He is an established representative for The History Channel, A&E, Ancient Aliens and Auction Kings.

JD Bowles

JD Bowles

President, iPRsoftware

Bowles served as vice-president of the Los Angeles Times newspaper for over a decade. He was also appointed as vice-president of the marketing network of PR WEB. Today, he serves as the president an CEO of a highly established marketing company, iPRsoftware. He has served as a Museum board member since 2011.

Fariborz Azhakh

Fariborz Azhakh

President, Martialinfo.com, Team Karate Centers

Azhakh is one of the founding members of the Museum. He is the founder and CEO of one of the largest martial arts website in the world, Martialinfo.com. He is also chief instructor of the most successful and largest martial arts school in Southern California. He has served on the Museum board since 2012.

Museum Staff

Karen Matsuda, Chief Financial Officer

Museum Advisory Board

Dr. Robert Goldman, MD, PHD, DO, FAASP
Dr. Milton Louie
S. Kitty Pleasant
Alan Goldberg
Douglas Wong
Donnie Williams, official Chaplin
Anthony Salcedo
Jenny Deahl
Michelle Manu

 

 

Museum Region Representative

Open

Museum Ambassadors

Joe Saladino, First Ambassador
Billy Smith
David Ortiz
Robert Deahl
Joan Kosche
Americus Abesamis
Cecil Peoples

SPECIAL NOTE: A business, such as the Martial Arts History Museum, is a private enterprise and its owners have a right to ban anyone they choose as long as that ban is not made for any unlawful purpose, such as racial or ethnic discrimination.