Our Instructors

Chief Instructor Craig Elkin (6th Dan)

Instruction at Yale is provided by Craig Elkin Sensei (6th dan and internationally recognized certified instructor, judge and examiner). Craig has been teaching Shotokan Karate at Yale University since 1996. He started practicing karate over forty years ago in September 1979 while attending college at Northeastern University in Boston. Since then, he has been a member of the Japan Karate Association and has trained under the leadership of Masataka Mori, 9th dan, and Shu Takahashi, 7 dan.

Assistant Instructor Carolyn Rinaldi (4th Dan)

Carolyn Rinaldi began training Shotokan Karate in 1990 at the University of Connecticut. She joined Yale University Karate in 2016 where she began assisting in the instruction of Self Defense and Karate. Carolyn is a 4th degree Black Belt with the Japan Karate Association, under Masataka Mori, 9th dan, and is a 2nd degree Black Belt in American Shotokan, under Robert DeLeon, 5th dan. Carolyn is a JKA certified Instructor, Examiner and Judge. A frequent competitor in local and regional tournaments, Carolyn was a member of the National Team and represented the United States in the JKA World Karate Championships in Limerick, Ireland in 2017.