UNITED TIGER MARTIAL ARTS
SERVING CENTRAL FLORIDA SINCE 2002
OUR INSTRUCTORS
GRANDMASTER LEE
OWNER & GRANDMASTER INSTRUCTOR
Grandmaster Lee was born in 1966 and trained in the martial art of Taekowndo in South Korea beginning at age 10. He began his career as the B.K. Elementary Demo Team Captain. He came to the United States in 1984 and became the ATC Technical Advisor and Je's Taekwondo Sparring Team Captain. In 2002, he founded and became the Head Master of United Tiger Martial Arts. He is currently the Chairman of three United Tiger Martial Arts Schools and is an eighth degree Black Belt.
JONATHAN LEE
MASTER INSTRUCTOR
Jon began his martial arts journey at age three, when his parents enrolled him in a traditional TKD program in suburban Chicago. Over the years, he continued to train and is now a seventh degree black belt. He has also trained in Hapkido and Judo, and holds black belts from both the Korea Hapkido Federation and the Korea Judo Association. Master Jon is a certified coach and referee through World Taekwondo (WT), USA Taekwondo (USATKD), and AAU Taekwondo. He is a former school teacher with teaching experience in Orange and Polk counties, having received his Bachelor's in Secondary Education from Southeastern University.
RACHEL LEWE
MASTER INSTRUCTOR
Rachel began taking Taekwondo in suburban Chicago at the age of 14. She continued to participate in Taekwondo on and off until she and her daughter joined United Tiger Martial Arts in 2010. She received her first degree black belt in 2011, at which time she began assistant instructing. She has completed the International Masters Course through Kukkiwon in 2023. In addition, in November of 2024, she received her fifth degree Black Belt. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 1990 with a degree in Kinesiology.
TYLER LAPENNA
MASTER INSTRUCTOR
Tyler was born in 1993 and began Taekwondo in New York at the age of three. He continued to train and received his third degree black belt at the age of 17. He later moved to Florida in 2013 and became an instructor here at United Tiger Martial Arts that spring. In March of 2017, he received his fourth degree Black Belt. He currently works as an engineer in Melbourne, FL and is still actively involved with training our next generation of leaders through our STORM Team program.
SIVA ANNAMALAI
MASTER INSTRUCTOR
Siva began his martial arts journey at Tiger Martial Arts as part of our after school program. As a color belt, he showed an interest in helping out his fellow classmates and under the mentorship of Grandmaster Lee, Siva was one of our first inductees into our STORM Team program. Having achieved his fourth degree black belt, he actively instructs classes all while juggling a full time courseload. He is currently attending the University of Central Florida pursuing a degree in Biomedical Science, with the hopes of becoming a physician.
MANUEL VILLANUEVA
MASTER INSTRUCTOR
Manuel started taekwondo at United Tiger Martial Arts at the age of 7 and is a graduate of our after school program. He is a multi-year state sparring champion and was part of the Florida State sparring team. He is currently a fourth-degree black belt and continues to still train and teach at United Tiger. He is currently a student at Valencia College in hopes of one day becoming an engineer.
LAUREN HANCOCK
MASTER INSTRUCTOR
Lauren began to practice Taekwondo at the age of 5, and achieved her first degree black belt at 10. After a long break and life-changing challenges, she rediscovered her passion and love for the martial art at age 15. Despite going through two ankle surgeries, she has competed on a national level as a Kyorugi athlete and received her fourth degree black belt in April of 2024. Lauren is a certified referee through USA Taekwondo and AAU Taekwondo and is an active referee in various high level events around the country. She is completing her bachelor's degree from USF in December of 2024, and aside from teaching, does freelance voiceover work.