The United States Tai Chi Community Board of Directors is composed of volunteers who share a passion for supporting tai chi practitioners and instructors in the United States. New Board members are elected by the current Board to two-year terms and are eligible to serve a maximum of three consecutive terms. The Board is responsible for realizing the four-part mission of USTCC.ORG, and engages in a diverse range of activities.
Toni Dixon
Dickson, TN
Toni has been a Tai Chi for Health instructor since 2017 and served on the Member Communications and Scholarship Fundraising Committees on the USTCC.ORG Board. She has been an Information Technology contract Project Manager in the Oil & Gas Industry, the Department of Defense, and the US Army in Anchorage, Alaska and for the United States Army at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Now retired, Toni teaches Tai Chi at the Dickson, TN Senior Center and YMCA. Toni fell in love with Tai Chi in 1974 and started to study in 1996 with the Eight Brocades and other Qigong forms that prepared her path to Tai Chi and Dr. Lam. She finds interacting with her participants to create a caring, supportive community to be the most valuable part of practicing and teaching tai chi.
Kate McKee
Albany, NY
Kate holds an MS in Rehabilitation Psychology and a PhD in Counseling Psychology, and has taught undergraduates and graduate students. Her career included working with autistic adults, oversight work for the care provided for persons with developmental and psychiatric diagnoses in NYS, and as Director of Labor Relations & Training for NYS Parks. Semi-retired, Kate has expanded her tai chi related activities and teaches several weekly classes. She began her journey in search of a way to be physically active despite an aggressive onset of rheumatoid arthritis. She has practiced tai chi for 15+ years, and is a TCHI Senior Trainer. Kate has been a member of the Scholarship Committee for five years, and has co-chaired that Committee with MT Julie Oberhaus for three years. She is honored to serve on the Board of Directors with a special interest in finding ways for the USTCC to be a valuable resource for members.
Donnie Poling, ST
Tucson, AZ
Donnie’s tai chi journey began after an accident significantly affected his balance. He had trained in martial arts as a teen and throughout his military career, and believed tai chi may offer a solution when other forms of exercise had not. After realizing tai chi practice helped regain balance, improve range of motion, and reduce his arthritic pain, Donnie became an instructor in 2015. In 2019 Donnie volunteered to take on the role of USTCC Treasurer and has worked diligently to ensure the organization is on a firm financial base so that it may continue to support TCHI and its members. Though Donnie has semi-retired from teaching weekly classes, he continues to assist other instructors and maintains his practice of the Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention, Sun 73, and Chen 36 forms.
Laurie Fox
Wheelersburg, OH
Toni has been a Tai Chi for Health instructor since 2017 and served on the Member Communications and Scholarship Fundraising Committees on the USTCC.ORG Board. She has been an Information Technology contract Project Manager in the Oil & Gas Industry, the Department of Defense, and the US Army in Anchorage, Alaska and for the United States Army at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Now retired, Toni teaches Tai Chi at the Dickson, TN Senior Center and YMCA. Toni fell in love with Tai Chi in 1974 and started to study in 1996 with the Eight Brocades and other Qigong forms that prepared her path to Tai Chi and Dr. Lam. She finds interacting with her participants to create a caring, supportive community to be the most valuable part of practicing and teaching tai chi.
Tracey Anfuso
Pinehurst, NC
Tracey has over 10 years of Tai Chi for Health instructor experience, holds 14 different Tai Chi certifications, has her BA degree, and is certified in Montessori Education. She enjoys bringing the benefits of Tai Chi to various settings such as art, education, fitness, and wellness centers, assisted living, memory care facilities and women’s organizations. Tracey is a Senior Trainer, where she assists in training other aspiring Tai Chi instructors.
Terry Crews
Lake Havasu City, AZ
In 2011, Terry discovered and began teaching Tai Chi for Arthritis. She went on to become board certified in many of the other Tai Chi for Health Institute programs. Terry’s volunteer work includes a period with the Livermore, CA Veterans Administration holding tai chi classes for Veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries in the Polytrauma recovery clinic. Often these injuries resulted in anger management concerns and/or chronic pain issues. The Tai Chi for Arthritis program was instrumental in helping to improve their conditions. Terry’s love of Tai Chi led her to the Yang 24 and Sun 73 forms as well as many Qigong forms.. Terry teaches online via Zoom and in person through a variety of community organizations in Arizona. Terry’s classes consciously focus on maintaining and improving health through breathing and gentle movement practices.
Trish Gonzales
St. Petersburg, Florida
Trish is a Faith Community Nurse in St. Petersburg, FL. Her tai chi story started in 2001 when she and her mother began studying TCA together. Her mother suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. Seeing the benefits of continued tai chi practice on the improvement to her mother’s health and quality of life was remarkable. It is the ease of movement, stress management, and relaxation that sustains Trish’s commitment to tai chi.
Libby Hill
Shaker Hts. Ohio
Ms. Hill is a Senior Trainer with TCHI and was first certified as a Tai Chi for Arthritis instructor in 2003. She teaches 12-15 classes per week in the greater Cleveland area. She has served as the Senior Trainer representative for North America on the TCHI Board of Directors since 2018. Her passion is sharing the benefits of tai chi practice.
Mike Poole
Dublin, OH
Michael is a Senior Trainer with the Tai Chi for Health Institute (TCHI) and also holds tai chi instructor certifications through TCHI in Tai Chi for Heart Conditions, Seated Tai Chi, Tai Chi for Arthritis, Tai Chi for Fall Prevention, Tai Chi for Diabetes, Tai Chi for Energy, Tai Chi for Rehabilitation, Qigong for Health, Tai Chi for Life, Tai Chi for Kidz and Tai Chi at Work. He also teaches Tai Chi for Commuters.
Bob Werner
Vero Beach, FL
Bob’s hard Martial Arts background has given him a solid foundation for the wonderful soft Martial Art of Tai Chi. He competed on the West Point Karate Team as a cadet; he coached the West Point Karate Team & instructed Youth Activities Karate programs for children during his 30 years of service as an Army Officer. His Tai Chi journey began in a Yang 108 Classical Form class taught in the traditional way. Then he went to a TCHI TCA class, and ever since he finds he can’t get enough Tai Chi. He has been a TCHI instructor since 2017, and a TCHI Senior Trainer since 2020. He teaches Tai Chi & Qigong in Sebastian, FL. Bob’s background enables him to appreciate the martial basis of Tai Chi movements and he enjoys sharing his appreciation with others, enhancing their view as they climb the Tai Chi Mountain together. Bob is honored to serve on the Board of Directors.
Deborah Yaffee
Shelburne Falls, MA
Deborah has enjoyed sharing the Tai Chi for Health programs since 2011. She is enthusiastic in supporting Master Trainers in their work and has hosted and assisted in many Instructor Certification workshops. A good number of her participants have gone on to become instructors. Deborah is also a Certified Hypnosis Instructor with the National Guild of Hypnotists, a Certified Nutritionist, Reiki Master Teacher and Veriditas Certified Labyrinth Facilitator.
Nina Zeldin
Ellsworth, ME
Nina graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maine at Augusta with a Bachelor of Science in Mental Health and Human Services. She has been a TCHI instructor since 2014, and a TCHI Master Trainer since 2023. Nina is a Community Outreach Coordinator for Healthy Acadia, a non-profit health coalition serving Downeast Maine. Motivated by the health benefits she realizes from regular tai chi practice and her passion to help others help themselves, she launched Healthy Acadia’s Tai Chi for Health program in 2014. To date, over 3,000 people have participated in the program’s free community classes. Nina is honored to be able to help build the tai chi for health community, and to serve as a board member of the USTCC.