​

Charles Smith

Certified Master Instructor (Sa Bom)
Yuk Dan (6th Level) Dan Bon #33141

​

Master Smith began his Soo Bahk Do training in February 1990 in Royal Oak, Michigan under Wilton Bennett Sa Bom Nim. Exactly one year later he moved to Vancouver, WA and had the good fortune of being able to immediately continue his training with the late Robert M. Shipley III, Sa Bom Nim who had opened his Camas Karate studio only a few months earlier. Mr. Smith was not through moving after his first arrival to Vancouver. Again, he was fortunate to find a Federation studio in Seattle from 1993 to 1995 and trained with  Jason Coleman Kyo Sa Nim. He currently trains and teaches at both Camas Soo Bahk Do & Oregon Moo Duk Kwan (Lake Oswego, OR).

​

The consistency of standardized basic instruction emphasized in the United States Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation has been a valuable benefit for Mr. Smith. In January 2005, he successfully completed his 4th Dan & Certified Master Instructor (Sa Bom) evaluation at the 2005 Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa in Ramona, California. In 2011, he was promoted to O Dan following the 2010 Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa.  In July 2017, he was promoted to Yuk Dan after successful completion of the 2016 Ko Dan Ja Shim Sa in Ramona, California.

​

In addition to leading the Portland Soo Bahk Do school, Master Smith has been an instructor at Camas Soo Bahk Do under the leadership of Anna Oulashin Sa Bom Nim since 1995. Since 2020, Master Smith has served as the Regional Examiner for Region 10 (Oregon, Washington, Alaska), with the responsibility for conducting Dan testing events and providing standardized instruction content for certified instructors, studio owners, and students in the region.  Master Smith has been a member of the Region 10 Dan sparring and forms teams, representing the region at the 1996 National tournament. He has served as the President of the Region 10 Dan Association, editor of the Region 10 Newsletter and Secretary of the Region 10 Dan Association. He is also the local chairperson for the President’s Vision Tour Committee. He represented Region 10 as a Board of Director member from 2006 thru 2014, and served as the National BOD chairperson from 2008-2010.

​

Master Smith is the owner of Charles Smith and Associates, a business that provides holistic counseling services to individuals and families; consultation and training in the areas of family and community engagement, social service delivery and supervision, staff development, team building, Motivational Interviewing, and culturally specific service design; and culturally focused community health and wellness promotion.

​

During his “free” time Master Smith enjoys spending time with his wife – Sheila – and playing with his children – Robbie, Sarah & Raymond, volunteering in his church and community, listening to jazz and blues, playing golf, and writing songs about vegetables (and other moving topics). He often visits other Federation studios while traveling.