About the AWMAI - board members

Rank Certification Coordinator, Zosia Gorbaty

Zosia GorbatyZosia Gorbaty – Rank Certification Coordinator

Zosia Gorbaty brings an extensive background in martial arts/healing arts, education, and board service to AWMAI as the Rank Certification Coordinator. Training in yoga since 1966, in martial arts since 1976, she currently holds the rank of 8th degree black belt in Zujitsu Martial Arts.

Receiving a Masters of Physical Education from NYU, she has been a university faculty member since 1983, currently teaching self defense and yoga at Queensborough Community College.

She is a frequent seminar presenter on rape prevention strategies, served as a certified ER rape crisis advocate, and has appeared on radio and TV as a self defense expert. Together with her husband/teacher, Zujitsu founder Grand Master Chaka Zulu, they operated a martial arts school in NYC for over 20 years until semi-retirement in 2003.

Presently they teach private and small group classes in their home dojo, guest classes at Zujitsu branch schools, and seminars nationally. Winter months are mostly spent in St. Thomas, USVI where the Zujitsu Hillside Dojo is thriving. Gorbaty served as Board Chair of the NWMAF for two years and has been a member of their Self Defense Instructor Certification Board since 2004.

She has been a trainer at events for groups such as AWMAI, PAWMA, NWMAF, WOW, Camp Danzan Ryu, Camp Suigetsu, and Jujitsu America. The daughter of survivors of the Holocaust, she believes that supporting human rights and fighting for one’s dignity is in her blood. Gorbaty is committed to further enhancing the accreditation standards for AWMAI’s rank promotion certification process and supporting the journey of women martial arts instructors.




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