The Safety Team consists of seven highly skilled women who together have over 50 years of martial arts training, including extensive training at the Martial Way Self-Defense Center in Colchester and Milton, Vermont. Our team has been offering women’s self-defense workshops for over 10 years to groups of all sizes. As women, we clearly understand the realistic concerns other women have regarding personal safety.
While we teach both introductory and advanced women’s self-defense trainings, all classes include a focus on verbal, tactical, and physical techniques that are effective and easy to learn. As an added strength, team members are professional women who work in fields ranging from psychology, education, law enforcement, physical therapy and forensic toxicology, and, as such, we bring a wide range of relevant skills and expertise to our workshops.
We welcome inquiries, and would be happy to talk with you about our programs. Please contact us at Christine@TheSafetyTeam.org for more information.
Christine DiBlasio, Ph.D. was inspired to study martial arts by her children, about 14 years ago. She currently holds the rank of 4th degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu. She continues to train on a regular basis and enjoys learning and being challenged through the martial arts. Christine is also a licensed psychologist and the director of an outpatient, private mental health practice, Stone House Associates. In this capacity, Christine has had the honor of working with many women who are survivors of violence and sexual assault. This in part has motivated her to offer these self-defense classes for women. Also, her experience as a woman and a mother of two teenage daughters makes the mission of women’s safety, well-being and empowerment one that is close to her heart. She continues to update The Safety Team’s curriculum on a regular basis, and her self-defense approach blends both her background in martial arts and psychology to provide simple, yet effective, mental and physical self-defense strategies for women. Her sense of humor, professional approach, and her respect for the sensitive nature of this material help her connect with course participants. Christine welcomes questions or inquires and can be reached at Christine@TheSafetyTeam.org
Darcy Richardson-Miller, M.S. has been training in the martial arts for approximately 13 years and holds the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu, as well as a Black Belt in Arnis, the Filipino art of stick-fighting. As a forensic toxicologist (See Vermont Forensic Services), Darcy has extensive expertise regarding the legal issues of assault and self-defense, as well as the evidence needed to present in a court. As part of her career, Darcy evaluates assault cases and renders opinions on issues of impairment and toxicity. This knowledge enriches The Safety Team workshops by providing a realistic perspective on specific risks and subsequent avoidance strategies. Darcy’s toxicology experience directly relates to the use of alcohol and drugs in date rape situations. This is especially important as alcohol is the number one date rape drug used and is a common social issue with a variety of age groups. Too often women don’t realize how this impairment can reduce their ability to protect themselves and get out of potentially dangerous situations. Darcy believes it is crucial for young women to understand these risks. As a mother, Darcy is especially dedicated to ensuring that women and children have the right skills to protect themselves. Darcy can be reached at Darcy@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Nancy Keller, M.Ed., C.A.S. has been a student of the martial arts since 2002 and a valued member of The Safety Team since 2004. She holds the rank of 2nd degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu, 1st Degree Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and 3rd Degree Brown Belt in Bushintai-Do, a martial art created especially for practice in public schools. Nancy is also a national board certified science and mathematics educator with over 25 years of experience teaching both young adolescents and adults. As a co-founder of Bushintai-Do Programs, a company that offers online classroom-based martial arts movement lessons for children and young adolescents, Nancy has witnessed first-hand the positive influence learning a martial art can have on the lives of students. While students learn and practice the physical skills of self-defense, they also make academic and social/emotional gains. Nancy is known as a warm, patient and encouraging instructor who combines her classroom expertise and martial arts training to help her students grow in self-confidence and independence. She can be reached via email at Nancy@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Hillary Boucher holds the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu and a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, testing her skills in competition regularly. Due to her successful competition record, Hillary holds numerous medals won in the Vermont Open Grappling Championship. Hillary is a forensic chemist with the Vermont State Forensic Laboratory, focusing on Serology and DNA. She brings valuable and relevant insight into The Safety Team’s self-defense workshops based on her experience and expertise in this field. Her caseload entails evidence that is collected from environments and situations where criminal activities and/or physical altercations may have occurred, including sexual assaults. Due to this, she has a keen understanding of the environment, situations, and evidentiary procedures that occur in situations where criminal activity and self-defense merge. Hillary entered into the study of the martial arts on the suggestion of a close friend, and quickly fell in love with training. She was honored when Christine asked her to assist in offering women’s self-defense classes as she really enjoys being able to reach women and help them build confidence and skills to avoid dangerous situations. She can be reached at Hillary@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Christina Allard, PT began her martial arts training when her daughter was in middle school, so that they could share a positive and empowering activity together. She has continued to train regularly and currently holds the rank of 3rd Degree Brown Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu. As a licensed Physical Therapist, Christina brings expertise about motor planning, physical training and its connection to mental and emotional well-being to the Safety Team workshops. Her work with children in school systems has given her first hand experience in witnessing how practicing coordinated movements can increase an individual’s sense of confidence and competence; this in turn reinforces her desire to give people who are feeling vulnerable the tools to protect themselves. She can be reached at Tina@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Eileen Mann began training in martial arts with her children at Martial Way Self-Defense Center, where she earned a 1st Degree Brown Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu. For 25 years, Eileen worked as a sales representative with GlaxoSmithKline, a major pharmaceutical company. Her responsibilities included presenting scientific research to physicians and pharmacists, training new sales associates, and serving on many boards responsible for advising upper level management. Eileen is currently a customer service manager for a small local business, and has volunteered in the community for many school activities and for several years with the American Lung Association. As a member of The Safety Team, Eileen brings her years of marketing and community outreach expertise to help make a difference in the lives of women. She can be reached at Eileen@TheSafetyTeam.org