Our Instructors
Chris Wong
Dojo-cho and Chief Instructor
6th Dan, Shihan
Sensei Chris Wong is the Chief Instructor of Aikido of Santa Barbara. She is a 6th dan and a Shihan (senior teacher). She started Aikido in 1985 under the late Kensho Furuya. She studied under the late Mitsunari Kanai Shihan and Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan. After moving to Santa Barbara in 1998, she studied with the founders of Aikido of Santa Barbara, Geraldine Louise Tremblay and Xavier Staub.
Chris is on the Board of Directors of the United States Aikido Federation and holds the position of Secretary.
Benjamin Silver
5th Dan, Shidoin
Christy Calder
5th Dan, Fukushidoin
Eric Saint Georges
4th Dan, Shidoin
Eric began martial arts at age six, studying Judo in Paris. He started Aikido in 1972 in a dojo led by a former student of André Nocquet. He later trained in Paris and in the south of France, where he earned Shodan and Nidan through the French Aikido Federation and attended many seminars with Tamura Sensei.
After moving to the United States in 1994, Eric practiced at Aikido of Westchester with Douglas Firestone (7th dan) and at Aikido of Fairfield County with Ray Farinato (7th dan), receiving an Aikikai Shodan. In 2003 he relocated to Honolulu, where he trained in Ki‑Aikido with Naluai Sensei (7th dan) and earned a Ki Society Shodan. Eric moved to the Bay Area in 2010, where he trained for ten years at Mountain View Aikido under Nadeau Sensei (8th dan), and received his Nidan and Sandan. Since 2021 he has practiced at Aikido of Santa Barbara, where he was promoted to Yondan.
Formerly an electrical engineer, Eric now works as a sculptor. With more than fifty years of practice across multiple styles and teachers, Eric’s Aikido emphasizes being centered and relaxed, which he enjoys sharing when teaching.
Louis Jumonville
7th Dan, Shihan
Rev Louis Jumonville, Shihan, 7th Dan, began aikido training in 1977 at the University of Illinois. He was Dojo Cho, and Chief instructor of Hikari Dojo for 25 years. He was a long term Uchi Deshi for Morin Saito Shihan in O’Sensei’s Dojo at the Aiki Jinja for 1/12 years in 1987 and was a favorite uke for demonstrations.
Louis was awarded the Mokutoko teaching scrolls from Saito Shihan for Aiki Ken And Aiki Jo in 1991. He was awarded the only Menkyo Kaiden from Patricia Hendricks Shihan in 2025 He is also a Vedic Priest and mantra teacher, and an LMFT.
Louis Caron
5th Dan, Shidoin
Peter Matthies
2nd Dan
Following the advice of a Buddhist nun in the UK, Peter Matthies started training Aikido with Danielle Smith (7th Dan) and Michael Smith (6th Dan) at Aikido of Monterey in 1996. He realized the power of Aikido after his dreams started changing only months after he started practicing.
In 2003, Peter joined Aikido of Santa Barbara and has since enjoyed combining the martial arts and spiritual aspects of the Aikido practice. Peter has a keen interest to take the principles of Aikido off the mat and into corporate boardrooms around the world.
Tinka Sloss
5th Dan, Fukushidoin
After watching her son, Louis Caron, take his shodan exam in 2001, Tinka was inspired to start practicing Aikido. She studied aikido with the founders of Aikido of Santa Barbara, Geraldine Louise Tremblay and Xavier Staub, as well as Chris Wong, and recently received her 5th dan. In 2024, Tinka studied Qi Gong with Lee Holden and received her teaching certificate in 2026.
Tinka has a masters in clinical psychology and is a licensed MFT as well as a certified Somatic Experience therapist. Tinka is also an artist, specializing in fabric and paper art.
In addition to teaching adult and kids aikido classes, Tinka teaches the Aiki Lab class, which incorporates basic Aikido and Qi Gong principles. Tinka also teaches a weekly Qi Gong class.