Bios

Academic Year 2019-2020 Club Officers

Lester McCoy
- Sensei Lester has been training in American Jiu-Jitsu since 1999. He currently holds the rank of yodan (4th degree black belt), and has been awarded the renshi title. He is a graduate of Course 16 and earned his Ph.D. from BU in 2011. He currently works in the area as an engineer.

Ken Clary
- Sensei Ken has been training in American Jiu-Jitsu since 1996. He currently holds the rank of yodan (4th degree black belt), and has been awarded the renshi title. Sensei Ken received his S.B. in Course 3 (Material Science), and also works in the area as an engineer.

Adrienne Bolger
- Sensei Adrienne holds the rank of sandan (3rd degree black belt), earned in spring of 2019. She is a graduate of course 6 and works in the area as an engineer.

Michel Rbeiz
- Sensei Michel holds the rank of nidan (2nd degree black belt), earned in fall of 2016. He is a graduate of course 6 and works in the area as an entrepreneur, consultant, and executive.

Joy Perkinson
- Sensei Joy holds the rank of shodan (1st degree black belt). She is a graduate of course 3, earned her Ph.D, and currently works at MIT's Draper Labs.

Jason McCarthy - Founder, AJJ@MIT - AJJ@MIT Head Instructor, Emeritus
- Sensei Jason McCarthy is currently a 3rd degree black belt (sandan) in the American Jiu-Jitsu system of Self-Defense. He has been practicing jiu-jitsu since 1989. He was originally trained in Long Island, NY by O'Sensei Joe Puleio (8th dan), the creator of our system of jiu-jitsu. At MIT he became a brother in Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and started the club with only a few of his fellow Sig Eps. Now the club has grown to incorporate 40+ members from the entire MIT community. Sensei Jason is currently working on Wall Street and living in New York City, where he now resides as an Instructor and founding partner with Sensei Tony Avila for New York Jiu Jitsu: American Jiu Jitsu Centers - Manhattan Dojo.

Tony Avila - AJJ@MIT Head Instructor, Emeritus
- Sensei Tony is currently a 5th degree black belt (godan) in American Jiu-Jitsu system of self-defense and was the head instructor here at MIT for four years. He has held rape prevention seminars at local Universities including Simmons College. Sensei Tony currently works on Wall Street and lives and trains in New York. Sensei Tony currently heads the New Jersey American Jiu Jitsu Dojo.

Dave Dunmeyer - AJJ@MIT Head Instructor, Emeritus
- Sensei Dave has been training in American Jiu-Jitsu since 1996. He currently holds the rank of godan (5th degree black belt), and has been awarded the renshi title and is a master instructor (shihan) in the American Jiu Jitsu Federation. Sensei Dave received both an S.B. and M. Eng. in Course 6-1, and received his Ph.D. in EECS at MIT in the Photonic Systems Group. Sensei Dunmeyer has also studied numerous other martial arts and greatly enjoys cross-training with other MIT and greater Boston area martial arts clubs. Sensei Dave has taught a number of popular PE classes for the MIT Physical Education department, incuding: Jiu Jitsu PE, Self-Defense for Everyone PE, Mixed Martial Arts PE, and Boxing PE.

Dara Avila
- Sensei Dara has been studying the art of American Jiu-Jitsu since 1994. She currently holds the rank of nidan, 2nd Degree Black Belt. In her Academic endeavors, she earned her B.S. then her Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Simmons College. Sensei Dara currently lives and trains in New York.

Felix Dashevsky - AJJ@MIT Head Instructor, Emeritus
- Sensei Felix has been training in American Jiu-Jitsu since 1995. He currently holds the rank of nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt). Felix is a graduate of MIT with a S.B. in Course 8. He graduated Boston University School of Law in 2002, and now lives and works in New York City.

Berit Johannes
- Sensei Berit currently holds the rank of shodan (1st degree black belt). Sensei Berit started her training in Amercian Jiu Jitsu at MIT in early 2002. She has been a certified instructor since 2007. Besides coaching and training at MIT, she has also practiced Jiu-Jitsu in Germany and Switzerland. Her other passions include her baby son (born in 2010), ceramics, and combinatorial optimization.

Caroline Barker
- Sensei Caroline holds the rank of shodan (1st degree black belt), earned in fall of 2011.

Hongyi Hu
- Sensei Hongyi has trained in American Jiu-Jitsu since 2004, and he currently holds the rank of sandan. Hongyi received his S.B. and M.Eng. in Course 6, and his J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

Will Vega Brown
- Sensei Will holds the rank of sandan (3rd degree black belt), earned in spring of 2019. Will earned his undergraduate, M.Eng, and Ph.D. from MIT

Patrick Menard
- Sensei Patrick has been training in American Jiu-Jitsu since 1999. He currently holds the rank of yodan (4th degree black belt), and has been awarded the renshi title. He earned his S.B. and M.Eng in Course 6-3 at MIT. Sensei Patrick also trained in Aikido at two dojos while in Japan during the summer of 2002. His wrestling background and extracurricular interests in break dancing, salsa, and hip-hop all augment his training in the martial arts. Sensei Patrick has taught Jiu Jitsu P.E. at MIT and created the intensive Grappling Regimen IAP program. Currently, Sensei Patrick works as an engineer and finance guru in the area while engaging in entrepreneurship activity on the side.