The Kage Dojo 

Please Take a moment to learn more about our Instructors and Staff of the Kage Dojo.

Dojo-Cho Michael Francis

Born in Columbus Ohio in 1966 Michael W. Francis graduated from St. Charles Prep High School. He then went on to college at Franklin University to study business management. He joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and served his country while attending college. Mr. Francis has a martial arts background that includes studying Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Shorin-Ryu Karate, and Iron Claw Kung Fu.

He began studying Ninjutsu in 1990 with Mr. Thomas Maienza at the BujinKan Kage Dojo. After a six-year respite from training, Michael returned to training in 2001.

In September of 2003 Michael was awarded his Shodan 1^st degree black belt. February of 2005 Nidan 2^nd degree was awarded to him.  Michael is now the Program Director, and owner of the Kage Dojo located in Gahanna, Ohio.

Chuck Jackson

He is the one who is not Mr. Francis

Admissions Director and Sensei-ho James Jarvis

Mr. Jarvis has always been interested in the martial arts.  From his roots in North West Licking County he has always been thirsty for martial arts training.  However with the scarcity of local instructors, books were the only option.  This lead to reading books on the Samurai and Ninja Arts. Once exposed he was hooked.  After searching for schools and trying many different programs he found the Kage Dojo in 2004.  James holds the rank of Shodan in Jizaikan Aiki-Ninjutsu and manages the day to day operation of the School. He was accepted as Sensei-ho (instructor in training) in 2008.  James is also developing his martial skills in other ways as he is a current student at Executive Security International, a Bodyguard and Security Professional school in Colorado. James and his beautiful wife Melissa live in Columbus, Ohio.

Sensei-ho Thomas DeWitt

Thomas DeWitt(Quad B)  was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1985, moved to Wisconsin in 1986 and in 1997 moved to Westerville, Ohio.  Thomas graduated from Westerville North High School in 2003 and is currently studying for a double major in Japanese and International Business at The Ohio State University.  In 2003 he started training at The Jizaikan Kage Dojo and currently holds the rank of Shodan.

Sensei-ho Carmeda Harrington

Born October 1959 in Binghamton New York, Carmeda was raised in upstate New York and moved to Columbus in 1993. She is currently a supervisor at United Parcel Service. She began training in Aiki Ninjutsu in Oct 2004. She obtained a rank of shodan on Feb of 2008. One of Carmeda’s life goals is to aid other women in learning to protect themselves and their loved ones. Carmeda is the instructor for the Women’s Only Class held on Sunday evening at the Kage Dojo.