BRANCH CHIEF

Ted Howell‍ has been a martial arts practitioner for over 40 years and currently serves as Technical Advisor to the Upper Bay Budo Society (Maryland), Harrisburg Aikido (Pennsylvania), and Aikido Korindo Tijuana (Mexico). He has studied aikido under the Aikido Association of America, the United States Aikido Federation, Aikido of Hawaii International, and the Aiki Martial Arts Institute.

Howell Sensei began studying Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu under Kondo Katsuyuki Sensei (Daito-ryu General Affairs Director) in 1997, and was a founding member of the Maryland Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Study Group, established 1998. He is recognized as one of the first students outside of Japan to receive black belt ranking from Daito-ryu Headquarters and served as an assistant instructor at Daito-ryu Philadelphia under Derek Steel (Shibucho).

Ted was authorized to conduct classes at the Shobukan Dojo in 2004 and assumed leadership of the Maryland Daito-ryu Study Group in 2025. He was appointed an official Branch Chief (Shibucho) by Daito-ryu Headquarters in 2026 and maintains a close training relationship with the Ryuzukan Branch under the direction of Brian Wagner (Shibucho) and Chiba City Branch under Marc Trudel (Shibucho). Howell Sensei continues to study Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu under the guidance and leadership of Kondo Katsuyuki (General Director), Kondo Masayuki (Headquarters Director), Hasegawa Sumie (Assistant to Headquarters Director), and Usuyama Hideto (Vice-Headquarters Director).

TED D HOWELL

6th dan Aikido AMAI (2021)
4th dan Aikido Aikikai (2002)
3rd dan Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu (2025)

Brief Biography

Ted Howell is a retired law enforcement professional with a distinguished career in leadership, training, and operational excellence. During his career, he held several critical assignments, including Operations Division Commander, Professional Standards (Internal Affairs) Commander, Patrol Supervisor, Training Supervisor, and Senior Supervising Firearms Instructor. His expertise encompasses defensive tactics, impact weapons, firearms proficiency, and scenario-based active shooter response training. To further his professional development as a defensive tactics instructor, Ted was exposed to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Brian McPherson (Team Renzo Gracie) and Israeli Krav Maga under David Kahn (Chief Instructor for the United States).

Ted began studying martial arts in 1983 and was first introduced to aikido in 1985. While in high school, he studied Hakko-ryu Jujutsu, AAKF Karate, and scholastic wrestling. Upon attending Stockton University, he studied aikido under Eugene Waddell Sensei (5th dan Shidoin, Aikikai), Peter Tamagni Sensei (6th dan Shihan, Chief Instructor of Vineland Aikikai), and Shelby Broughton Sensei (5th dan Shidoin Aikikai, Stockton Aikido Club).

He later went on to study aikido under Toyoda Fumio Sensei (6th dan Shihan, Shinshin Toitsu Aikido / Aikido Association of America) and John Goss Sensei (7th dan Shihan, Aikido Korindo / Aiki Martial Arts Institute). In addition to his primary studies, Ted cross-trained with practitioners of Yoshinkan Aikido, Iwama-ryu Aikido, Tenshin Aikido, Nihon Goshin Aikido, Yoseikan Budo, Daito-ryu Kodokai, Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu, and Inosanto Filipino Martial Arts.

Mentors

Hasegawa Sumie (Kaiden-no-koto, Kyoju Dairi, Daito-ryu Hombucho-Hosa)

Keith Meido Moore (7th dan Shihan Aikikai / 5th dan Shihandai AAA)

Herbert Kondo (6th dan Aikikai / Aikido of Hawaii International)

Stanley Pranin (5th dan Aikikai / Editor-in-Chief Aikido Journal)

Derek Steel (3rd dan Shibucho Daito-ryu / Menkyo Shinto Muso-ryu Jo)

Damian DiLuigi (Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu / Inosanto Filipino Martial Arts)

Influential Teachers

Aikido Association of America

Glen Matsuda (6th dan Aikikai / 5th dan Shihandai AAA)

Alex Rusinko (4th dan Shidoin AAA)

Aikido of Hawaii International

Robert Kubo (8th dan Shihan Aikikai / President AHI)

Thomas Kaulukukui, Jr. (7th dan Aikikai / AHI)

Donald Shimazu (6th dan Aikikai / AHI)

Aikikai - Iwama-ryu

Vincent Salvatore (6th dan Aikikai / Iwama-ryu)

Donald Lyon (4th dan Aikikai / Iwama-ryu)

United States Aikido Federation

Yoshimitsu Yamada (8th dan Shihan Aikikai / President USAF)

Henry Smith (6th dan Shihan Aikikai / Aikikai of Philadelphia)

World Aikido Aikikai Incorporated

N. Zenko Okimura (7th dan Shihan Aikikai / President WAAI)

Daito-ryu Aiki Jujutsu (Mainline)

Kondo Masayuki (Menkyo Kaiden, Daito-ryu Hombucho)

Usuyama Hideto (Hiden Ogi, Kyoju Dairi, Daito-ryu Fuku-Hombucho)

Amano Shizuo (6th dan Hiden Mokuroku)

Stefan Kurilla (5th dan, Aiki no Jutsu)

Yokohama Youya (5th dan Hiden Mokuroku)

Stas Kopin (5th dan Hiden Mokuroku)

Marc Trudel (4th dan Hiden Mokuroku)

Scott Vogeley (4th dan Shibucho)

Marc Sumi (3rd dan Shibucho)