Chris T. Johnson
FOUNDER
Christopher Thomas Johnson (CJ) was born in Brooklyn, NY to Pastor Thomas and Barbara Johnson. He was raised in Glen Rock, New Jersey.
CJ received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Hampton University, Hampton VA in 1992. Upon graduating from Hampton University, CJ was commissioned into the United States Navy as a Deep Sea Diver and Salvage Officer. Among numerous Naval Diving Operations, CJ was a Navy Deep Sea Diver for the TWA FLIGHT 800 CRASH RECOVERY; OPERATION RESTORE DIGNITY – the 1997 Haitian Ferry Recovery; and the famed Civil War Ship - USS MONITOR SALVAGE OPERATION. CJ received a Master of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Fels Center of Government in 2002 and was awarded the Fels Leadership Award. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant Commander in September of 2002 after serving as the Executive Officer of Naval Reserve Center, Fort Dix.
In the private sector, CJ was the Director of Government Affairs & Contracts for MAR-VEL International, Inc. from 2002-2009. There he was responsible for numerous multimillion-dollar contracts and programs.
In 2013, he earned his Master of Divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary.
He was the Pastoral Minister for Covenant House Atlantic City (South Jersey) from 2013-2015. Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless and runaway youth.
CJ has earned his 2nd Degree Black Belt in Traditional Okinawan GOJU RYU Karate (while in Okinawa, Japan), a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Kendo.
CJ is also the author of the children’s books, “The Making of a Yellow Belt” and “Sword Fighter: Strong & Confident.” These very positive and fantastical books share the true stories of Chris and his children as they journey thru their beginnings in the martial arts of Karate and Kendo. The reader experiences how martial arts have helped them through the real challenges of youth, race and gender.
CJ, his wonderful wife and children are members of Grace Temple Baptist Church of Lawnside, New Jersey where he is an ordained minister.
Obadiah Schottenfeld
Vice president
Obadiah “Obie” Schottenfeld was born in the Bronx, New York and raised in Waldwick, New Jersey, where curiosity, competition, and a stubborn sense of humor took early root.
Obie earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah in 1999. He later received his Master of Business Administration from Rutgers University–Camden in 2015.
He began his professional career in the fashion industry at Haband, before transitioning into the financial services sector. Obie has held roles at TD Bank and currently serves as a Product Owner at Wilmington Trust, where he works at the intersection of technology, business strategy, and problem-solving.
Committed to community involvement, Obie has coached recreational basketball and baseball, emphasizing teamwork, discipline, and having fun even when the scoreboard disagrees.
Athletics and martial arts have been a constant thread throughout his life. Obie began wrestling in high school, earning multiple medals in statewide and district tournaments. After college, he studied Tae Kwon Do, winning regional medals in forms and competing in full-contact sparring, which later led him to train in mixed martial arts. He is currently a 2nd Dan in Kendo at SYK, where precision, respect, and continual self-improvement remain central values.
Outside of work and training, Obie is an unapologetic enthusiast of One Piece, the Star Wars franchise, and a wide range of “nerd culture,” from epic storytelling to the communities that form around shared passions. He embraces fandom as a space for creativity, connection, and generational bridge-building.
He has been married for 25 years to his wife, whom he considers the most beautiful and intelligent woman in the world, and together they have two sons. One of his sons currently serves on the board of ETJ, further strengthening the family’s commitment to service and leadership.
Grounded in discipline, creativity, and community, Obie’s involvement with ETJ reflects his belief in developing the next generation through mentorship, character-building, and opportunities that extend far beyond the dojang.
Abraham Summers
TReasurer
Abraham “Abe” Summers was born and raised in Center City Philadelphia. Abe’s unusual upbringing included homeschooling throughout elementary school and high school and an exchange year in Germany before he attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine. There he received his Bachelor’s degree as a Government major, with a minor in Russian Language and Literature.
After college he pursued his interest in foreign cultures and languages by moving to the Far East. Between 2005 and 2013 he lived and worked in both Korea and China.
In 2016, after a long-term foot injury suspended his ice hockey career for several years, he discovered, began and immediately fell in love with kendo. Not long afterwards he heard about ETJ’s efforts and began volunteering in Camden and has been involved with the KIPP program ever since.
Abe is currently a 3rd Dan, and his two children also are long-time kendoka. His competitive kendo career has been unexpectedly fruitful for someone who started the martial art in his 30s, including two individual gold medals. He aims to successfully pass the 4th Dan test at the end of 2026.
Abe remains an avid ice hockey player. He is also a USA Hockey Level 4 coach, where his resume includes leading his team to the 2024/25 Mid-Atlantic Middle School Hockey League title.
Abe is passionate about speaking foreign languages, reading, and supporting his children’s kendo and sports journeys, and he is an active member of the synagogue. Since 2013 he and his family have lived in Chinatown in Philadelphia. He works as an executive in the golf industry at PGA Magazine.