Instructors
Henry Doktorski
“Henry Doktorski teaches chess with humor and patience, showcasing it not only as an expression of logical thinking, but also of good sportsmanship.”—Franklin Chen, U. S. National Master and Pittsburgh Chess Club Champion
Henry Doktorski serves as a Chess4Kidz instructor, tournament director, and trophy-winning chess player. He began playing the game at the age of three, he was president of his high school chess club, and today he is a member of the the United States Chess Federation, the Temecula (California) Chess Club, and a former member of the Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Chess Club. Mr. Doktorski plays in about a dozen tournaments a year.
In 1997, he won first place in his division at Pittsburgh’s largest annual tournament, the Pittsburgh Open. In 2012 he tied for first place in his division at the same tournament. He tied for first/second place in the 44th Fred Thompson Memorial Tournament at the Pittsburgh Chess Club (June 21, 2014). He achieved the ranking of a Class A Player (his highest recorded rating was 1951 points) in August 2014. Currently he is ranked in the 92nd percentile among 61,668 USCF-rated players in the U. S. He began teaching Chess4Kidz classes in Allegheny and Butler Counties (Pennsylvania) from January 2007 until December 2015, and since February 2016 has been teaching classes in Riverside and San Diego Counties, California.
For more about Mr. Doktorski, visit http://www.henrydoktorski.com/chess.html
Melissa Drake
I helped open 10X Academy in 2021 which happened to be an incredible experience as a professional who is passionate about education and doing education differently. There, I was both the Language Arts and History teacher as well as the Activities Director. I am excited to embark on this new journey to become a vendor at 10X Learning Center and help be part of this opening as the English Language Arts and History teacher.
Professional Background: I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies, taught high school English for ten years in the public schools, and earned my Master's Degree in Education with an emphasis on teaching and learning. I love teaching literature and history, watching my students interact in discussion, and watch their minds grow as they think, write, and speak critically. I also loved being involved in student activities which is why I was class advisor and the Activities Director for several years. Lastly, I taught in the welding pathway which opened my eyes to the need for trade pathways and opportunities for students outside of the traditional school setting. I eventually decided to leave public education during the pandemic and consult. Then, the opportunity to open 10X Academy presented itself and I served that school, families, and students until its closing in 2024.
About Me: I love being an Auntie to my two nieces who I often visit in Colorado. I have a dog named Sadie who is full of energy, a family I like to visit in Orange County as often as I can, and great friends back home and here in San Diego who enrich my life on so many levels. I am a sports fanatic. I love the Pittsburgh Steelers, watching and following professional sports, and playing indoor soccer. I grew up playing soccer my whole life, so I coached in both the high schools and at 10X Academy.
Aidan Gilmore
The Essentials of Public Speaking: This course will give your students the opportunity to sharpen their communication and speaking skills through the essentials of public speaking which include lessons on verbal and nonverbal communication. In each class, students will be able to present speeches and get specific feedback to establish a skillset that will last a lifetime.
Bio: I am a seasoned public speaking coach specializing in growing students confidence through interactive techniques while making public speaking an empowering experience. My passion for public speaking and coaching has led me to dedicate the past 9 years of my life to empowering individuals of all ages in mastering the art of effective communication. As a public speaking coach, I have had the privilege of working with a diverse range of students, from kindergartners taking their first steps into public speaking to seasoned professionals looking to enhance their communication prowess.
Morris Lifschutz
Hello! My name is Morris, owner of Premier Martial Arts. My team and I are excited to bring Premier Martial Arts to the 10x community, as I truly believe in the power of our curriculum and life-changing skills we teach. As a former youth Black Belt myself, I know first-hand the power a successful Martial Arts program can have in a child's development to build confidence, self-discipline, and leadership skills. Premier Martial Arts takes a modern approach to teaching karate and self-defense to build well-rounded martial artists, who learn to “act like a Black Belt,” and not just earn one. We create a welcoming, never-aggressive, and inclusive environment for all fitness levels and personalities. We look forward to working with you and helping you reach your goals!
Bob Petty
Bob Petty is the President of the Hoosier Hardwood Basketball Association, a Professional Scout and Director of Player Development with 20+ years of coaching experience. He is passionate about helping players reach their dream of playing at the next level – College or Professionally – through hard-work and proper skill development.
Coach Petty spent 10+ years with the Indiana Class Basketball All-Star Classic – coaching the Top High School Athletes in the State. He was mentored by Indiana Basketball Legend – Kent Benson. Kent Benson was the #1 NBA Draft Pick and played for the great Bobby Knight at Indiana University winning the 1976 NCAA Championship.
In 2015, Petty founded MVP Results – which provides Basketball Skills Training to Youth, College and Professional players. He also founded the Hoosier Hardwood Basketball Association as a developmental league to Scout and Train Professional athletes. In the same year, he founded Bibles For Ballers – a Christian based Basketball Camp. Named as Director of Basketball Operations – Petty led his “Legends” Teams to (2) Championships, in 2014 with an undefeated season and again in 2021, with a record of 19-1!
Professionally, Bob is the Vice-President of “Ready Set Fund” coordinating School Fundraising. In 2016, he accepted a position with Great American Opportunities as Director of Professional Sports Marketing, working with the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Houston Rockets. He currently resides in Carlsbad, CA with his wife Adrienne and his two children Becca and Izaak. He continues to Scout and Train players in Southern California.
Jason Russo
Jason Russo is an American-born entertainer from Allentown, Pennsylvania. From a young age, he began performing in musicals, which led to continued performances throughout various colleges and universities, ultimately graduating from the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.
Jason specializes in improv, character acting on stage, performance in films, television and commercials, and also voice-over. He is inspired by the greats like Buster Keaton, James Cagney, and Joe Pesci. Jason is currently represented by the Luciano/Reeves Talent Agency in Los Angeles.
Jason has resided in San Diego, CA, since 2020, and continues to work on the crafts of acting, improv, and comedy. He is one of the founding cast members in the North County Improv Squad, the Historic Sunshine Brooks Theatre's first ever house improv team. They have been performing regularly to packed houses in Oceanside, as well as other surrounding venues. Recently, Jason has been coaching and mentoring young performers, (and even many first-timers) in Improv Comedy for Kids. His classes can be found on the Oceanside Theatre Company’s website, and he is also a guest Teaching Artist for the Oceanside Unified School District.
James Sago
James is a versatile educator and STEM enthusiast with a rich academic background, including a degree from the University of Oxford and a Master's Degree in Biochemistry from UC San Diego. He also went to the University of Florida to study biochemistry, merging together his favorite subjects - biology and chemistry. With over twelve years of experience in educational leadership roles, James has thrived in driving academic excellence, fostering inquiry-based learning, and implementing innovative curriculum initiatives.
James brings STEM to life for middle school students through immersive, hands-on experiences. His science classes cover Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth Space Science with a lab-based approach, while his math courses span grades 6 through 10. His Project-Based Learning (PBL) course, featuring exciting projects like building solar-powered jousting robots, captivates and engages students. He also offers tutoring to all level of math and science.
When he's not inspiring young minds, James enjoys life with his wife, stays up late playing video games, travels abroad, works out, chases sunsets, and is picking up Spanish.
Discover more about him at mrjames.net
Jeanie Smith
Jeannie Moravits Smith, Founder and President of Dynamism Leadership, formerly HR-Rx, Inc. a leadership and organizational development consulting firm established in 2005. Jeannie has a proven track record of successfully helping people cultivate trustworthy relationships so that they can notably connect with themselves and others. She leverages her diverse skill set and executive experience to steer individuals and organizations past obstacles paving the way for them to thrive.
Jeannie has over 30 years of combined experience in human centric positions and has earned the following: Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from Chapman University, Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from San Diego State University. Senior Professional in Human Resource Management Certification, with the State of California add-on (SPHR-CA) from the Human Resources Certification Institute, Senior Certified Professional Certificate (SHRM-SCP) from the Society for Human Resource Management, Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and Master Practitioner (ELI-MP) from Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching and is an ICF Credentialed Professional Certified Coach (PCC). In addition, Jeannie is certified as a Youth Mental Health First Aid responder and an AIM Advisory Council Member.
Jeannie has a passion to help leaders of all ages and stages in their life develop trustworthy relationships with themselves and others, resulting in increased alignment, connection, engagement, productivity, and profitability.
Let’s Connect: https://www.dynamismleadership.com/
Jeannie has a passion to help leaders and teams develop trustworthy relationships resulting in increased employee alignment, engagement, productivity, profitability, and connection. She is the developer of the Peace Program benefiting clients through leadership advisory, group and 1:1 coaching, team training and assessment.
Kristen Washington
Kristen fell in love with theater when she performed in her very first show: Almost Treasure Island in 2008. Since then, Kristen has gone on to gain her B.F.A. in Theater Arts Performance from Hofstra University in New York., as well as working professionally with Forbes 30 under 30 Director Samantha Cannold, and Hamilton's Ariana Afsar. As a San Diego County local, she has gotten to work with La Jolla Playhouse for their WOW! Festival, The San Diego Repertory Theater, Trinity Theater Company, Coronado Playhouse and others. While her love of performing is strong, Kristen has truly found a passion for supporting the next generation of actors fall in love with performing themselves. She has made some of her favorite memories directing children's theater, mainly Disney shows, (you will come to know she is an avid Disney fan). She has been fortunate to put on shows like The Lion King Jr., The Little Mermaid, and Annie! And now is the time to take that step further to create an entire space for children to feel confident, welcome, and ready to be the next best story tellers!