Women’s Advisory Committee
 
The purpose of the USA Seiwakai Women’s Advisory Committee is to help current female members in their growth as Karateka and encourage more women and girls to join our organization.  This committee is not meant to separate women from men, but rather to strive for a more egalitarian organization.  This committee will serve as a conduit to the USA Seiwakai Board of Directors for female members to express any issues, concerns or changes they’d like to see within the organization.  We are here to support you!  Committee members can be reached at the following email address: seiwakaiusa.wac@gmail.com Thank you very much!  Please let me know if you need anything else. Terri Herrera-Pounds, Seiwakai Texas.
 
Theresa (Terri) Herrera-Pounds began her Karate education in 1989 when looking for a Tai Chi class, and instead fatefully found her way to Karate.  She began her studies in Shito Ryu Karate Do under Shihan Don Coslett where she obtained her Shodan ranking and met her husband James.  In 1995, she began studying Okinawan Goju Ryu under Teruo Chinen Sensei, and attained her Nidan ranking.  In 2004, she joined Seiwakai under Shihan Vassie Naidoo.  Theresa currently holds Yondan ranking in Seiwakai.  She is the Chairperson of the USA Seiwakai Women’s Advisory Committee and a member of the Seiwakai Women’s International Committee. Theresa is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) Consultant, and a certified yoga teacher.  She stays busy helping raise her six-year-old son Jacob, who also trains and holds his 8th kyu ranking.
 
Samantha Parsons has been practicing karate for 8 years. Her interest in Karatedo began during her freshman year of college when she found out that a modern dance class was full. She then enrolled in karate under Shihan Jim Pounds. Samantha (Sam) is currently a Sandan in Seiwakai and teaches at the Karate ATX dojo (Austin, Texas). She is eager to be a part of the WAC because she loves demonstrating how power and beauty collide in this sport. Samantha wants any fellow karateka who may be struggling or want to simply talk, to please reach out to her or another member of the committee. You can contact her either through the committee email seiwakaiusa.wac@gmail.com or via sam@karateatx.com 
 
Emily Mata began training in Goju Ryu Karatedo in 2010 under Mark Cramer Sensei. His dojo joined the Seiwakai a year later, and she has been a member of the Seiwakai and the JKF ever since. She received her Seiwa Kai Sandan in March 2019 and her JKF Goju Kai Nidan in June of 2018. Emily stays busy with college, visual arts, and work and finds time to train whenever she can. You can contact her through the committee email. seiwakaiusa.wac@gmail.com 

Theresa Herrera-Pounds                      Samantha Parsons                               Emily Mata