About the AWMAI - board members
Zosia Gorbaty – Executive Director
Zosia Gorbaty brings an extensive background in martial arts/healing arts, education, and board service to AWMAI. Training in yoga since 1966, in martial arts since 1976, she currently holds the rank of 8th degree black belt in Zujitsu Martial Arts.
Zosia earned a Masters of Physical Education from NYU, and has been a university faculty member since 1983. She taught at Adelphi University for fifteen years, and has been teaching self defense and yoga at Queensborough Community College, CUNY, since 1995.
Zosia is a frequent seminar presenter on rape prevention strategies, served as a certified ER rape crisis advocate at Mt. Sinai Hospital, and has appeared on radio and TV as a self defense expert. Together with her husband/teacher, Zujitsu founder Soke 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.
Gorbaty served as Board Chair of the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation for two years and has been a member of their Self Defense Instructor Certification Board since 2004. In 2008 she served as AWMAI’s Certification Director. She was inducted into the World Head of Family Sokeship Council International Hall of Fame for National Achievement in 2002 and as Self Defense Master Instructor of the Year in 2000. 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 supporting the journey of women martial arts instructors.
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