Our Stories
Y.P. Taekwondo Academy was founded by Master YP on March 14, 2021.
It aims to introduce its students to the principles of the traditional Korean
martial art.
Dr. Yonel Pierre
Master YP (Yonel Pierre) is an 8th Dan Tae Kwon Do master Instructor. He began his martial arts training in his country of origin, Haiti and has been studying for over 40 years. Additionally, he trained under Grand Master Y.B. Choi at his school of Tae Kwon Do in New Brunswick, New Jersey. There, he has gained 15 years of experience and an affinity for teaching all ages and levels. He aspires to help individuals reach their full potential through the practice of martial arts. Master YP just retired from his full-time position with the Superior Court of the state of New Jersey and his adjunct faculty position at Rutgers University, Newark, NJ. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Affairs and Administration from Rutgers University. In his free time, he enjoys gardening and reading.
Y. B. CHOI
Grand Master Y. B. Choi was born in South Korea. He began practicing Taekwondo at a very young age. While in the Korean army, Grand Master Choi was a well-respected Taekwondo instructor. In the 1970s, he was called to Germany to help train the German army. From there, he went to Canada and continued his Taekwondo teaching journey. There, Grand Master had formed a large pool of exceptionally well-trained students. However, it was not until his arrival in the United States in the late 1970s that he had achieved his acclaimed fame as one of the most renowned martial art leaders. Grand Master has taught thousands of taekwondo practitioners some of whom went on and began their own martial art schools in the tri-state area. Likewise, scores of his former students also opened up Taekwondo schools all over the world, including Canada, Russia, Colombia, and Mexico. His contribution to the furtherance of Taekwondo worldwide is without measure. Grand Master Y.B. Choi holds a nineth degree black belt. He has been and continues to be a source of inspiration and motivation for many in the world of martial arts, including Master Y.P. who has been his student and disciple for nearly 20 years. He is the very embodiment of Taekwondo.
Jigna Gandhi
Jigna Gandhi is the manager of Y.P. Taekwondo Academy and handles business affairs, marketing, and administration. She is originally from India and currently working as Solution Architect for Amazon Cloud Technologies. She started learning Taekwondo in 2019 and now holds a black belt in Taekwondo. Outside of work, she likes to go out with friends and family, make glass paintings, and decorate her house.
Vivek Thyagarajan
Vivek Thyagarajan is a third degree black belt instructor at YP Taekwondo Academy. He holds a Masters Degree in Production Engineering.
He has been into martial arts for the past 42 years and has participated in tournaments over the past and regards Tae-Kwon-Do under Master Yonel Pierre as very fulfilling. His two daughters, who hold Black Belts, were trained under Grand Master Y.B. Choi and Master Yonel Pierre sometime in the year 2011.
Jeenal Shah
Jeenal Shah is the Event coordinator of Y.P. Taekwondo Academy. She handles marketing and administration of hosting events. She currently is a student studying at Rutgers Business School in New Brunswick. She currently holds the rank of brown belt in Taekwondo. During her free time she enjoys going on hikes, runs, and hanging out with family and friends.
