Please join us June 21, 2026 from 9:00 am-1:30 pm Central time for the 2026 Midwest Future Leaders Seminar. This event will be held at Great Lakes Aikido, 150 N Fairway Dr Ste 156, Vernon Hills, IL 60061 and also be live streamed.
An important aspect of Aikido Shimbokukai's mission is the education of future generations of Aikido instructors and leaders. We have therefore established our annual Midwest Future Leaders Seminar, with training led by up-and-coming teachers who do not yet serve as chief instructors of their own dojos. Invitations to teach at this event are extended across organizational boundaries, serving to additionally promote inter-lineage relationships and cooperation that will be crucial for Aikido to thrive in the future.
Seminar costs and registration fees are kept low to encourage as many people as possible to attend. This event is a great way for developing leaders to get experience teaching outside of their own dojo, and to people besides their dojo mates, as well as for event attendees to train with some innovative up and coming or lesser known instructors.
All affiliations, levels of experience, and styles of Aikido and also practitioners of other arts are welcome to attend!
(It’s our intention to have a series of seminars such as this, in various locations, and we hope people will support this endeavor for the future growth of Aikido. If your dojo or a dojo you know would be interested in collaborating an similar events please Contact Us!)
Our Instructors for this training event will be:
Stanley Archacki Sensei, Nidan, Tenshin Shinjitsu Dojo, Aikido Shimbokukai
Kay Barnes Sensei, Shodan, Lakeshore Aikido, Aikido Schools of Ueshiba
Denis Fitzgerald Sensei, Nidan, Evanston Aikido Center, United States Aikido Federation
Jaime Lam Sensei, Sandan, Aikido of Madison, Aikido Schools of Ueshiba
Each instructor will teach one 1-hour class. Tere will be a Q&A/Discussion session for 30 minutes following the classes.
After the event finishes we will be going to a neighborhood restaurant for food, beverage, and conversation. We hope everyone will join us!
There are a variety of options for participation-
- Participate live; in-person training at Great Lakes Aikido, 150 N Fairway Dr Ste 156, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.
- Participate virtually with your dojo mates from your dojo. For those who can gather and train together, please plan to attend the seminar from your dojo! Set up a computer, stream the event, and train!
- Participate virtually on your own from your home, or any location of your choice.
Please register using the PayPal link below. We will also be accepting walk-in registrations. Registration for the seminar is US$45 for in person participation and US$25 for virtual participation. For those with financial constraints please let us know as we have some scholarship options available. All affiliations and levels of experience are welcome!
We look forward to this event, and hope to see you on the mat, in person or virtually!
Instructors
Stanley Archacki Sensei, Nidan, Tenshin Shinjitsu Dojo, Aikido Shimbokukai
Stanley Archacki Sensei has been fascinated by Aikido since childhood, and started training at Tenshin Shinjitsu Dojo in 2005. He currently holds the rank of Nidan and serves as an assistant instructor at the dojo. Besides Aikido, he studies Kenjutsu and Filipino Modern Arnis. He enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, traveling, and historical re-enactment.
Kay Barnes Sensei, Shodan, Lakeshore Aikido, Aikido Schools of Ueshiba
Kay Barnes Sensei trains at Lakeshore Aikido in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She was introduced to Aikido at the University of Georgia in 1993 and trained for a few years as a young adult. Though she stopped training, those early experiences stayed with her. In 2019 the community at Lakeshore re-ignited the joy of learning, connection and community. Today, she works as a process engineer with a special focus in lean manufacturing and distribution. She has been married to her wife Satu for 11 years. They have five cats and still insist on feeding the strays.
Denis Fitzgerald Sensei, Nidan, Evanston Aikido Center, United States Aikido Federation
Denis Fitzgerald Sensei began his Aikido journey in 2007 on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, spending five years at Kohala Aikikai under Kevin McGough Sensei (6th dan) and Leilani McGough Sensei (4th dan), with guidance from Chief Instructors Kristina Varjan Shihan (7th dan) and Rico Varjan Sensei (6th dan). In 2012, he returned to Chicago and joined the Evanston Aikido Center, where he continues to train under Art Wise Shihan (7th dan). He earned his Shodan in 2017 and his Nidan in 2024. He is currently an instructor at EAC, dedicated to deepening his understanding of Aikido and sharing the art with others. Outside the dojo, he is a professional carpenter with more than 30 years of experience and remains deeply engaged in the craft and creativity of woodworking. He also enjoys a wide range of creative pursuits, including painting and music. When not building or creating, he spends time outdoors hiking, camping, and exploring the Midwest on his adventure motorcycle.
Jaime Lam Sensei, Sandan, Aikido of Madison, Aikido Schools of Ueshiba
Jaime Lam Sensei started his Aikido training in 2006 in Middlebury, VT at Blue Heron Aikido, and was drawn to the art’s emphasis on the responsible use of power. Studying abroad gave him his first opportunity to practice Aikido in Japan, where he trained at Seiseki Abe’s Ame-no-Takemusu Aikido Dojo. He later returned to Japan to work as a cultural coordinator and trained under the late Masao Ishii, a close student of Seigo Yamaguchi, for five years. After receiving his sandan rank from Ishii Sensei in 2015, he returned to the United States to pursue graduate studies in psychology, and was fortunate to find a new training community at Aikido of Madison. He teaches a twice per month Sunday class that explores the significance and function of seated technique (suwari-waza) within Aikido training.