About Us
Purpose:
To empower people to improve their health and wellness
Who Are We? 
-
Members of the Governing board:
Jim Starshak - Chair
Rhayun Song - Vice Chair
Roy Geib
Janet Cromb
John Gough
Margaret Brade - Treasurer/Secretary
Marty Kidder
-
Chief Operational Officer: Anna Bennett
-
USA Manager: Carmen Murray
AUSTRALIA
6 Fisher Place
Phone:
Fax: 61 2 9534 4311
Burlison, TN 38015
Phone:
What Do We Do? 
Our primary focus is to train safe and effective instructors for the program. We aim to fullfill our purpose, realise our vision by followinng our Mission:
• Training effective and safe teachers of the Tai Chi for Health programs
• Developing effective programs though research and development.
• Making the world aware of tai chi as a modality that promotes health.
Scope of the mission
1) Certify instructors and updates.
a) Goal #1: Establish and revise criteria for selection of instructors
b) Goal #2: Establish and revise training curriculum for new instructors
c) Goal #3: Establish and revise criteria for maintenance of instructor status
a) Goal #1: Establish and revise criteria for selection of Senior Trainers
b) Goal #2: Establish and revise training curriculum for new Senior Trainers
c) Goal #3: Establish and revise criteria for maintenance of Senior Trainers status
3) Develop and execute Master Trainer certification programs
a) Goal #1: Establish and revise criteria for selection of Master Trainers
b) Goal #2: Establish and revise training curriculum for new Master Trainers
c) Goal #3: Establish and revise criteria for maintenance of Master Trainers status
d) Training of Master Trainers
Developing effective programs through research and development:
1) Modify existing programs as needed and create new ones as the need arises.
2) Provide support to Master Trainers / Senior Trainers /instructors
3) Serve as consultant for proposed research projects
4) Develop collaborative projects with universities and other research investigators
5) Provide leadership for targeted clinical research in fall prevention, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, health challenges for kids, etc.
Making the world aware of tai chi as a modality that promotes health.
1) Collaborate with other organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation.
2) Serve as a resource for health policymakers, academics, and development practitioners including journalists, teachers, youth and civic leaders.
3) Target universities, key organizations and work sites for instructor workshops
4) Obtain accreditation for CEUs for instructors taking the workshops
1) Keep a data base for all students utilizing the Tai Chi for Health programs
2) Keep a data base on all research in tai chi for health
3) Create a speakers bureau and PowerPoint presentations to increase knowledge of tai chi for health programs and their benefits
back to the top
Director
Dr Paul Lam, a family physician in Sydney and a tai chi teacher since 1976, is a world leader in the field of Tai Chi for health improvement. Dr Lam is dedicated to promote Tai Chi for health and wellness. He has participated and published in peer-reviewed journals research projects relating to Tai Chi for health improvement .
Dr Lam has composed several Tai Chi for Health programs that are supported by Foundations around the world including that of Arthritis foundations of Australia, America and UK. By 2010 over two million people around the world has learned and benefited from one of his programs. Dr Lam has written 4 books: Overcoming Arthritis, Tai Chi for Beginners, Tai Chi for Diabetes and Teaching Tai Chi Effectively.
Click here for more information about Dr Lam.
back to the top
Chair
Fitness Trainer, and founder of The Home Gym, where he teaches tai chi, fitness, CPR, first aid, and continuing education workshops.
After 22+ years in the US Army, mostly in Special Forces (“Green Beret”) units, Jim is a disabled veteran who teaches tai chi for overall health, functional fitness, and inspiration to others. He has earned two Master’s Degrees and is an approved continuing education provider for the American Council on Exercise, Kansas Physical Therapy Association, and Kansas State Board of Nursing for his tai chi workshops, as well as completing the process to provide continuing education for Occupational Therapists and Athletic Trainers.
As a board member, Jim brings a variety of experiences that include designing training & development programs, orchestrating requirements for R&D programs, operating effectively in complex environments, and working with various health and fitness certification organizations. His positive attitude, team building ability, diligence, and internal drive will be a tremendous asset to TCHI in whatever capacity the members deem appropriate.
Vice-Chair
National University, Korea.
I have been practicing Tai Chi since 2000 since I was first introduced tai chi for arthritis program as an alternative exercise intervention for my research. Through conducting research utilizing Tai Chi, I realized this form of low intense exercise would be beneficial to those with chronic disease.
Since that time, I have been practicing Tai Chi and at the same time conducting research with a full professional support from Dr. Lam as a co-investigator. In association of “Korean Association of Joint and Muscle Health” and 14 Master trainers in Korea, along with international Tai Chi colleagues, we successfully hold the first international conference of tai chi for health in 2006 in Seoul, Korea.
such a positive tool with in his personal journey of healing that he expanded his studies to include: Tai Chi for Diabetes, Back Pain, Kidz, and Work. He has also studied Sun 73 and Chen 36 at Dr. Lam’s week-long workshops.
Roy earned a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas. He is a Professor at Indiana University School of Medicine where he teaches and conducts research. His research focuses on exploring the interactions between the stress-response and the immune system with a particular emphasis the effect of tai chi practice on the immune system of individuals with chronic health problems. He is particularly interested in educating health care providers and the community on the health benefits of the Tai Chi for Health programs.
Roy’s goals for TCHI include:
After working with the TCA programme for several years and seeing first hand the benefit that the practitioners gain, I have a firm belief in the principles of the programme. The Institute is the next step to formalizing the education and on-going support of instructors and students in their tai chi journey. I am looking forward to making a contribution to helping others on their tai chi journey.
A significant portion was spent in the building services industry attaining levels of responsibility in regional, state and general management, also serving on the Industry Association Executive in numerous roles including that of State President.
I also served as President and District Governor of Serra International.
Having attended numerous workshops and attaining teaching certification in Dr Paul Lam’s Tai Chi for Health Programs, I have first hand knowledge of how these programmes, and Tai Chi as a whole, can help people.
workshops in England. She continues to instruct and to support the spread of workshops in many ways.
Margaret has a history of voluntary and community work over many years, becoming a full-time occupation in 1994 when, driven by strong values around empowering people to health, wellbeing and independence, she left her career in the private legal sector. Margaret was appointed to the position of Chief Executive of Age Concern Stockport early in 1995 and has established a respected reputation for openness, integrity and positive partnership working.
Margaret has shown great commitment and dedication to preventative activities both in her work and personal life, and particularly champions’ tai chi for health across the many sectors she works in partnership with. Through her work she has innovated and established groundbreaking preventative non-clinical programmes earning national recognition.
Margaret has played an interested role in the development of the Institute from its beginnings. She has used her considerable knowledge skills and experience both as a lawyer and as a Chief Executive in a leading voluntary organisation to benefit the thinking and the eventual structure, principles and policy of the Institute.
In June of 2003 Marty was certified to teach Dr Paul Lam's Tai Chi for Arthritis. He taught his first class in July 2003.
In Jan 2005, after 30 years of service in the US Navy as a human resource manager, Marty transitioned to civilian life. Marty has a Masters Degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, his undergraduate degree is in Business Administration, he currently serves on the board of directors for two national nonprofit organizations: The US Navy Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund and the Tai Chi for Health Community.
In the spring of 2006, Marty was nominated and selected to be a Senior Trainer in Dr Paul Lam’s Tai Chi for health programs. As a Senior Trainer, Marty assisted Master Trainers in certification workshops and mentored new Tai Chi for Health instructors helping them strengthen their instructor and tai chi skill sets.
In Jan 2008 Marty accepted Dr Paul Lam’s invitation to attend a Master Trainer course in Sydney Australia. As a Master Trainer, Marty is certified to conduct Tai Chi for Arthritis instructor certification workshops.
Since Jan 2008 Marty has conducted 32 TCA workshops throughout the USA.
Marty has also taught TCD and TCO in the June 2009 workshop and TCA & Fall Prevention in the June 2010 workshop.
