Instructor/Owner Dan Meola:  Mr. Meola is the owner of the North Syracuse School. He currently holds a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Mr. Meola started Tae Kwon Do in 1984 in Utica, NY with Master Pat Scalise. He moved to Syracuse as a yellow belt and trained under Master Chong at the original Syracuse dojang location on Erie Boulevard. His past history as a boxer adds an interesting twist to his TKD instruction.

Master Marie Norkett: Master Norkett is currently a 4th Dan Black Belt and has been training with Master Chong since 1984. She was the director of Gold's Gym Tae Kwon Do School until 2005 when she decided to merge her program with our school. She is now pleased to be working with her long longtime friend and colleague, Master Mark Biviano.

Master Byron Petraroja:  Master Petraroja is a 5th Dan Master instructor at our North Syracuse School. Master Petraroja started his training in 1984 when he was 23. He first trained at an ITF school in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) under Master Don Park. He moved to Syracuse in the summer of 1985 and began training under Master Chong 6 months later. He is a C level referee and holds a masters degree in elementary and special education.

Instructor Jamie Biviano:  Ms. Biviano is the niece of Master Mark Biviano. Jamie started training at the wee age of 4, when her father decided that she would benefit from the discipline and training that Tae Kwon Do offers. Achieving her black belt in 2001, she has competed in many local, State and Regional competitions, she has won a variety of gold, silver and bronzes in her many sparring matches. She is an instructor for many of our North Syracuse After School Program classes. She loves to teach and she likes to say often in class, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”

Instructor Trevor Rogers:  Mr. Rogers is one of Master Biviano's first students. His training began back in 1991 when the school was located in Manlius, NY. He left to serve in the US Army in 1994. After returning from the military, Mr. Rogers resumed his training at our school in December of 2004 and tested for his 1st Dan in June 2005. Having medaled Gold, Silver and Bronze in both Sparring and Poomse over the years he now prefers to compete in Poomse, and enjoys coaching the sparring of the younger generation. Now a 2nd Dan Black Belt, he is a 2008 U.S. Senior Nationals Silver and Bronze Medalist in Poomse and he loves to teach and pass on what he's learned over the years.

Instructor Michael Meola:  Currently a 2nd Dan Balck Belt, the younger Mr. Meola started at the age of 8 with Master Marie Norkett. Michael took a break from training after getting his First Dan, but in 2007, at the age of 15, jumped back into it and is currently training harder than ever. He helps instruct classes whenever he can and is a member of the North Syracuse Fight Team. His keen grasp of the Sword Forms is an asset at Black Belt classes. Mr. Meola has also taken a renewed interest in tournament competition. With his height, youth, and ambition, he will prove to be a formidable opponent. All of the students at the North Syracuse Dojang have come to enjoy his classes.