MEET OUR DIRECTOR

Sensei Thomas Pierog, Director of Peaceful Heart Traditional Karate-Do, has been training since September of 2000 and has earned his Second Degree Black Belt in both Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu, two Okinawan Karate Styles. He began assisting in junior classes (ages 6-13) six months into his training at the House of the Samurai under Director Richie Bernard and Assistant Director Diane McMullen in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

He continued to teach and train there for four and a half years. In that time he gained experience teaching students of all ages and rank levels. He was employed full time at House of the Samurai for one year as Program Director, a position in which his job responsibilities included recruiting students by referral, conducting private introductory classes, outlining program options, and addressing student issues.  He was also in charge of organizing promotions for community events, such as Londonderry Old Home Days, and in-school activities to increase student engagement and new student enrollments.

Sensei Pierog received his first Instructor title, Shidoin, while still a Green Belt, the earliest rank to achieve a teaching title in the dojo's history. He was promoted to his second teaching title of Sempai as a Brown Belt, also a first in the history of the dojo. He received his teaching rank of Sensei in December 2019.

In February of 2005 Sensei Pierog continued his training at the Golden Crane Traditional Martial Arts school in Windham, New Hampshire, which was a continuation of his training under Kyoshi Diane McMullen. During this time, he began his first program in the church hall of his parish and maintained training and running his program as well as teaching private students until 2008. At that time, family responsibilities required him to take a sabbatical.

In Fall of 2014, Sensei Pierog returned to training, first, with the Souhegan Valley Karate Club, a program in Brookline, NH that has been in operation for over 30 years and is run by karateka that he had trained alongside previously. In December of 2018, he returned to The Golden Crane, again training with his original instructor, Kyoshi Diane McMullen. This is where he continues training at present.