Instructors

Herman Setijono

7th Dan, Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Kai

Setijono Sensei is the current President of Washington State Karate Federation.  He began training in Goju-Kai Karate at the age of 9 and attaining his black belt at the age of 12.  In 1975, Setijono Sensei came to Seattle and start practicing with in Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu with the Japan Karate Federation.  While attending the University of Washington in 1978, Setijono Sensei started the University of Washington Asian Student Association Karate Club, making it the largest Karate Club at the University.  

Throughout his Karate career, Setijono Sensei was very active in karate tournaments, where he competed and won many local, regional and national tournaments in kumite and kata.  

Setijono Sensei is a graduate of University of Washington in Architecture and construction Management.  He is currently retired and still active in assisting with fund raising for non-profit organizations in the Seattle area.

In 1985, Setijono Sensei and Jimmie Sornito Sensei started Northwest Shito-Ryu Kai, a non-profit karate school and the current school is currently still operating in Bellevue, Washington.

Jimmie Sornito

7th Dan, Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Kai

Sornito Sensei began training Karate in 1973 at Washington Karate Association (WKA).  Over the years of training, he has explored different aspects of Karate and other Martial Arts.  From the sports competition side as wll as studying karate as a philosophical and cultural art form.

Sornito Sensei has had a long and successful run at competition karate.  In 1984 and 1985, he was the only athlete on the USA National Team to represent in both kata as well as kumite in the WUKO World championships in Amsterdam.

In 1985 together with Setijono Sensei, they founded Northwest Shito-Ryu Kai.  Under their tutelage they have produced a number of students who continued the proud winning traditions of both instructors.  Many of their students have repeated success at the local, national and international level competitions

Valorie Ahyat

4th Dan, Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Kai

Valorie Ahyat, began her Martial Arts training in Choy Li Fut Kung Fu in 1975.  In 1980, she started Shito-Ryu Karate with Setijono Sensei at the University of Washington.  In 1985, Val Sensei training and instructing with Northwest Shito-Ryu Kai with Setijono Sensei and Sornito Sensei.

Val Sensei has competed at all the tournaments in the northwest and Nationals tournaments.  Throughout her career, she has medaled in kata and kumite in every tournament that she has competed in.

She is also very active in competitive tennis, still competing regularly in USTA League and USTA Tournaments.