Ms. Rebecca Montaño was born in Denver Colorado, USA, and began learning Taekwon-Do in Broomfield, Colorado in 1985 under the instruction of Grand Master C.E. Sereff. Ms. Montaño earned her 1st Degree (Dan) Black Belt from the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) on March 18, 1989, and was certified as a 5th Dan on July 23, 2005, at which point she retired from competition. She moved to Ontario, Canada in July 2006 to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Toronto. In November 2019 Sabum Nim Montaño graded for her 6th degree black belt and was promoted by Master Alvey, Master Hance, with President Johnson and the Technical Director of ITF-TAO Mr. Mike Morningstar on her testing board.
As an accomplished international competitor and a two-time USA National Champion; Sabum Nim Montaño was awarded a Bronze medal (while representing the United States) in Womens 4th Degree Black Belt Patterns in the 13th ITF World Championships held in Daejon, South Korea. Ms. Montaño used her extensive experience as a competitor to aid her in coaching Albuquerque Taekwon-Do Junior team members who competed at the 2006 USA Jr. Qualifiers, at which she also served as Tournament Director.
Sabum Nim Montaño had the privilege of training under the Founder of Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong Hi, his son Grand Master Choi Jung Hwa, as well as with First Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha. She was one of the honoured few to attend the General’s final instructor’s course in April 2002, less than a year before his passing.
Ms. Rebecca Montaño began teaching Taekwon-Do while studying for her Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics at the Colorado School of Mines. She obtained her Masters Degree in Physics at the University of New Mexico, and while there, taught for Mr. Charles McGinnis, VI Dan, at Albuquerque Taekwon-Do from 2000-2006. She has assisted at Morningstar Taekwon-Do in Oakville, and has taught introductory classes with the Waterdown Beavers and Self-Defense seminars for the Canadian Cadets. She is a certified class A International referee and has been an official at regional, national and international competitions. She continuously trains to deepen her understanding of Taekwon-Do; annually attending International Instructors Courses, as well as internationally recognized training seminars to maintain her own skills.
Sabum Nim Montaño encourages families to train together in her classes. Training with her father and attending tournaments and seminars together were priceless experiences that created a strong familial bond. She wants to provide that opportunity to other families. In addition, Ms. Montaño is ADHD and the mother to Autistic and ADHD children. She works with neurodiverse students to provide them the environment they need to learn the art of Taekwon-Do. Please feel free to contact Sabum Nim Montaño with any questions you may have regarding her instruction of neurodivergent, Autistic, ADHD and non-vocal students.
