Chief Master Laura Kowkabany

Chief Master Laura Kowkabany is an 8th DEGREE BLACK BELT who began her training in Taekwondo in Jacksonville, Florida in 1973 with her instructor, Grand Master Bill Clark, one of the founders of the American Taekwondo Association. GM Clark is still her instructor today!

Chief LK in the Early Years

In her college years, in addition to her Taekwondo training, she competed in cross-country. She studied secondary education at Florida State University and began teaching Taekwondo in 1983 in Jacksonville. During her many years of competition, she was consistently ranked from first to third in the world for sparring, forms and weapons.

Chief Master Laura Kowkabany was recognized for her teaching excellence by being named “Instructor of the Year” in 1996 out of 1500 schools in the American Taekwondo Association.

Chief Master Kowkabany Earning Her Titles

In 1999, she became one of the first four women in the United States to earn the title of Master Instructor, being honored with the title by the founder of the American Taekwondo Association, Eternal Grand Master Haeng Ung Lee.

In 2006, she was given the title of Senior Master Instructor by Grand Master Soon Ho Lee.

Chief Master Kowkabany earned her current rank of 8th Degree Black Belt in 2012, and in 2013 she received the title of Chief Master Instructor from Grand Master In Ho Lee and was inducted into the ATA Hall of Fame.

For over 20 years, Chief Master Kowkabany served on the ATA’s International Protech Staff teaching weapons certification clinics to instructors from around the world. She is a Certified Instructor in Single and Double Ssahng Jeol Bong (nunchuks), Single and Double Bahng Mahng Ee (stick fighting), Pressure Point Control Tactics, Ssahng Nat (kamas), Spontaneous Knife Defense, Kickboxing, Jahng Bong (bo staff) mid-range and long-range, Oh Sung Do (Chinese broadsword) and Tai Chi. She is also Certified as a Level 1 and Level 2 Warrior Krav Maga Instructor under Grand Master Bill Clark.

In 1996, she and her husband, Chief Master David Kowkabany, moved to Tampa to open their ATA school in the Tampa area.

Chief LK Still Teaching Daily

After 53 years of training and 43 years of teaching, Chief Master Kowkabany still teaches a full set of daily classes five days a week, including KFMA’s Tiger class for pre-school children.

With no plans to retire, she still finds joy in teaching and maintains a deep passion for the traditional martial arts.

For more information regarding our family martial arts classes, just give us a call at 813-540-5528. KFMA is located at 13910 Monroes Business Park, just two doors down from the Tampa Bay Brewing Company off Racetrack Road.

To see more photos of Chief Master Laura Kowkabany from her years of training, please take a look at this gallery:

https://teamkowkabany.com/gallery/nggallery/team-kowkabany/historical-photos-of-our-chief-masters

Kowkabany’s Family Martial Arts is chartered with the American Taekwondo Association: https://atamartialarts.com/