martial discipline meets mental mastery

Coach Mitch has a remarkable personal story of overcoming significant adversity, including childhood trauma, drugs, violence, bullying, racism, and poverty.

He is a military veteran and a former intelligence & terrorism expert for the U.S. Government. He is also a decorated martial artist, holding multiple black belts, a Muay Thai kickboxing champion, a former professional MMA/Cage Fighter, a world silver medalist in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, was a hand-to-hand combat expert on the nationally syndicated television series, "Personal Defense TV", and was a featured father in the Documentary film, “Presence over Presents” (a film dispelling the myth of the absent Black father).

Coach Mitch is also an Award-Winning author (Analyzing the Black Box: Bullying & Depression amongst African American Youth), Mastering Masculinity: A guided resource for navigating manhood, and co-host of Cincinnati’s “The Black MEN-tality" radio show. He uses his skills to affect mental health and transform lives leveraging the principles of martial arts and the concept of associative anchoring. He is the Founder and head instructor at POWER Academy. It is here that he leverages those (martial arts) principles to mentor and empower dozens of kids. Instilling confidence, discipline, respect, emotional regulation, and the understanding that their circumstances do not define their future.

As the current Director and Vice President of US Bank’s Global Security Operations Center, he not only leads an international team of cyber experts, but was awarded the “Friends in Education“ award from Ohio Governor Mark DeWine. This was in recognition of his efforts helping to establish a nationally recognized cyber program in local Cincinnati high schools. The program provides instruction and certification training in the field of cyber security. It equips students (who may not have the desire or resources to attend college), with the skills and opportunity to enter the career field upon graduation.

With a heart to give, Coach Mitch remains steadfast in his alignment with God to share his skills, knowledge, time, and resources to those who might benefit from what he has to offer.