Leadership

Hardee Merritt

Owner - 7th Degree Ninjutsu Black Belt - BJJ Black Belt under Roy Dean

Hardee Hakutoshi Merritt, owner of Chapel Hill Quest Martial Arts, has a talent for teaching students of all ages. His has the ability to equip and inspire students, and his engaging teaching style is equal parts informative, exciting, thought-provoking, and fun. Mr. Merritt is a Nanadan (seventh degree black belt) in To-Shin Do Ninjutsu, a black belt in Jiu Jitsu under Professor Roy Dean, a TRX, Max Kettlebells and Animal Flow certified instructor, and an ACE Certified Personal Trainer.

Justin Panza

Instructor & Media Director - 4th Degree Ninjutsu Black Belt

Justin Deitoshi Panza has been training at Chapel Hill Quest Martial Arts since 2009 and began teaching shortly after. A UNC graduate with degrees in film production and coaching education, he takes his love for creativity and translates it into his martial training. Working with youth is how he fosters encouragement and possibility for others, bringing to life the fantasy that brought him here as a teenager. He is a certified coach through the nationally accredited ASEP program; his cumulative experience makes him an ideal fitness and martial arts instructor. Mr. Panza is a Yondan (fourth degree black belt) in To-Shin Do Ninjutsu.

Brett Moran

Instructor - 3rd Degree Ninjutsu Black Belt - Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt

Brett Moran has been training at Chapel Hill Quest Martial Arts since 2012. As he progressed through his training, Brett became active in the Coach/Trainer program. He was handpicked for the instructor team not only because of his dedication to the art, but due to his warm personality and sincere desire to help every other student grow with him. Brett teaches Youth and Adult classes, Jiu-Jitsu fundamentals, and is involved in the fitness program. Mr. Moran is a Sandan (third degree black belt) in To-Shin Do Ninjutsu and a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu.

Nicki Howe

Instructor - Second Degree Ninjutsu Black Belt - Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt

Nicki is a Nidan (second degree black belt) in To-Shin Do Ninjutsu and a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu. She has been one of our Women’s Self Defense leaders for over 2 years. Nicki has a Masters of Science degree in Education, and is also an ACE certified personal trainer and health coach.

Staff

Rachel Merritt

Owner & Program Manager

Rachel has a Masters in Sustainable Development from The University of St. Andrews in Scotland. After graduating, she spent a year in New Mexico working with the Mescalero Apache tribe. She has been the Program Manager at Quest since 2014 and manages everything that goes on behind the scenes – events, logistics, community outreach, and the scholarship fund.

Bryan Evans

Instructor - 5th Degree Ninjutsu Black Belt

Bryan Guntoshi Evans graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2008 with a B.S. in Biology and has been training at the Quest Center since 2006. Before becoming an instructor, Bryan was extremely active in the Coach/Trainer program. His natural leadership abilities make him an ideal instructor for both youth and adults. Mr. Evans is a Godan (fifth degree black belt) in To-Shin Do.

Anthony Daniels

Instructor - 3rd Degree Ninjutsu Black Belt

Anthony is a Sandan (third degree black belt) in To-Shin Do. He has been an active member of our CTI team for over 9 years, and was promoted to instructor in 2019. He teaches both our youth and adult To-Shin Do classes.

Deedee Shull

Business Director

Deedee has been a part of our dojo family for over 10 years. She started out in the medical field and then made the switch to bookkeeping when she moved from Florida to Chapel Hill. When she is not behind the desk, you can find her out running or on the mat during fitness classes.