Meet the Board

I want to take the opportunity to thank the board for their energy, support, and generosity in making the dojo what it is, and holding space for it to become what it will be!

Obviously most of these folks are known to any of you who have trained. However, what you may not know is that each of them serve the dojo in an additional capacity as members of our Board of Directors. I asked each of them, as a way of introducing themselves to the community in this capacity, to share a short reflection in response to the following prompt: what are you current thoughts about the role the dojo plays in your life, and what motivates your commitment to seeing it continue to thrive. What does it mean to you to be on the board? What does it mean to you to be a member of the dojo? What excites you? Challenges ahead?

Paul Olson

There are those amongst us who have lost their sense of value in the world. There are those amongst us who do not get outside very much anymore, do not move their bodies much anymore. Do not feel productive or available to society anymore. There are those of us who are facing heavily reduced incomes who do not know where to turn if things continue to get worse. There are those amongst us who are alone.

It is my ardent belief that we are all far more "messed up" than we realize from the killing of George Floyd, the riots and infernos in our home towns, and the utter disregard for human life and dignity exemplified by our "highest representative." 

This is where the dojo can come in. I personally feel or have felt all of the above doubts about myself, with myself recently. I have questioned my place in this world like never before. I, and most of the people I know, feel more lost and disoriented than ever before. This is the time for community. For up-lifting eachother, for getting out in the radiant sun, for moving. The dojo and this community, you yourself, have healed and guided me. I do not know where I would be without you. Hiding in a cave somewhere like a reticent bear, no doubt!

Lorraine Breitbarth

I've practiced Aikido with Galen since I started practicing 6 years ago. His belief in the art drew me in deeper than I would have gone otherwise. One day after practice, I told him when the time was right for him to start his own dojo I would help however I could. One way to help was to be part of the founding Board along with Hannah and Paul.  

I was on a board one other time in my life and it was a disaster. While I liked the mission of the organization, I had no real way to contribute and no connection to it's leader. Quite the opposite, being on the Board of ELA is rewarding, exciting, and meaningful.  I'm in a front row seat to see Galen's vision come to life. (Wow.) I see how the community is touching lives in ways I didn't anticipate.  And it helps to now have many years of business and life experience to contribute. I feel our practice and this community is making a difference - it doesn't get any better than that.

Hannah Kramer

The dojo is an integral part of our family. It is a shared effort not only between Galen and I (and our children) but also amongst the board and each and every dojo member.  The dojo is a "place" outside of myself where I can do the neverending work of learning connection in conflict and chaos, of holding compassion for myself in the struggle for self-growth so that I can be present, available, healthy and prepared for what is to come. As a board member I share the responsibility of the health and safety of our members as well as the financial stability of ELA as a nonprofit organization. This includes troubleshooting obstacles in our path, being a clear and thoughtful spokesperson for the practice of aikido and the values we hold as a community, and thinking creatively about fundraising and outreach efforts so that we can take action steps towards greater access and inclusivity for those experiencing discrimination and physical, social and economic barriers to practice. 

I am proud to be an active participant in sharing and holding our vision for the future of the dojo - how it can grow, evolve and stay rooted for the long term. We face many challenges: the current pandemic; the dismantling of systemic racism and white supremacy; our own individual barriers to self-compassion, humility and courage. I am excited to see how we come together to face these painful realities and I trust that the practice of aikido can provide a touchstone that lights the way. 

Marit Peterson

When Galen asked us to write about the role the dojo plays in our lives as members and now as board members, I knew I would worry about what to say, but that I would try to tell the truth about how I feel. Confronting this worry is itself an example of the dojo’s impact on my life. The dojo has been a refuge, a celebration, an astonishing challenge, and a tremendous aid to me over the past two years and certainly the last six months. To be a member of East Lake Aikido means to be connected to other people who acknowledge the importance of this practice in their lives; and to be a board member means I can serve the dojo itself, its membership, and its continuity even marginally as significantly as the dojo has served me. 

To me, the dojo is the space in which we practice aikido, and it is the place from which our practice begins, which means the dojo is everywhere we practice, which means the dojo appears everywhere. My aikido practice is dependent upon the generosity of dojo membership and leadership both within and outside the dojo space, and which applies meaningfully in surprising (or perhaps not!) moments in my life. I’m so grateful to be the beneficiary of this generosity, and to experience and share the open possibilities that this practice represents. 

I feel trepidation as many do about the coming colder weather and what that means for our ongoing outdoor practice, but I’m thrilled on reflection by the commitment and ingenuity our dojo and our community has shown through this past season of change. I am excited to see how our practice grows and changes again this winter, recognizing that growth and change are the only constants. This is, for me and thanks to you, a wondrous adventure.

Jesse Walker

Something was missing from my life, and the lives of my family, a few years ago. We are a physical family.  We needed a way to channel this physicality in a meaningful way. Also, we were missing a community of friends (something we hadn't really had since our graduate school days). East Lake Aikido provided both of these things in spades. Discovering the profound depth of this artform is an added bonus.  I'm honored to be able to contribute as a board member to ELA. I'm glad whatever life skills I've gained running a dance company, and later our fitness company Happy Human, can be put to good use helping ELA.