Experience & Training

Tasha Ina Church, Iyémote (Strives for Empowerment)

Founder & Lead Guide | ElleLiveAction

Tasha Ina Church, Iyémote (Strives for Empowerment of the Stó:lō Nation), is an Indigenous entrepreneur, empowerment educator, and the Founder of ElleLiveAction—a global empowerment company rooted in safety, healing, and embodied leadership.Tasha’s first experience with self-defense training was Warrior Spirit with Jeff Alexander, (who was the trainer for Rocky). She also trained in multiple styles of Martial Arts and currently studies Aikido through Berkshire Hills Aikido trained by Ron Ragusa & Mary C. Eastland. The trainings provides individuals with tools needed to prevent violence before it starts and to interrupt violence when it is happening and to act if needed. 

With 26 years of experience in empowerment, self-defense, and self-healing education, Tasha has guided more than 14,000 students since 2022 across 133 countries and 34 languages. Her work bridges Empowerment Self-Defense, self-care, somatics, and trauma-aware education, helping people remove internal and external barriers so they can become their own hero.

Tasha teaches that empowerment is not a concept—it’s a practice. Through her programs, students learn how to protect their peace, trust their voice, set boundaries, and move through the world with grounded confidence.

Rooted in Lineage. Trained for Real Life.

Tasha was born and raised in Washington State by two educators and was deeply influenced by her mother, who was adopted by an Elder Medicine Woman of the Stó:lō Nation. Tasha’s mother traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada participating in Indigenous healing work—experiences that shaped her lifelong belief in self-healing, community care, and embodied wisdom. This wisdom was passed down to Tasha.

Her first formal self-defense training began with Warrior Spirit Training under Jeff Alexander (trainer to Sylvester Stallone). She went on to study seven styles of Japanese martial arts, Tai Chi, protester safety, and trauma-aware self-defense, and currently studies Aikido through Berkshire Hills Aikido under Ron Ragusa and Mary C. Eastland.

Her training emphasizes violence prevention, de-escalation, voice, and choice—teaching people how to interrupt harm before it escalates and respond effectively when needed.

Educator. Program Builder. Global Guide.

Tasha has co-founded and led in-school and after-school empowerment programs, creating original curriculum for middle and high school students focused on self-esteem, body image, consent, and self-defense. Her work has reached over 2,000 youth in schools and expanded to serve all genders and ages 3–92, including the Deaf, Blind, and differently-abled communities. She has published eight online courses and recently piloted her Empowerment curriculum at Kamehameha Schools in Makawao, Hawaiʻi, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and educators alike. Tasha currently teaches in Hawaiʻi and Washington State, while offering online trainings and certifications worldwide.

She has published 10 online courses and piloted her Empowerment curriculum at Kamehameha Schools in Makawao, Hawaiʻi, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and educators alike. This spearheaded Tasha’s Work with Hawaii Technology Academy, where she runs her IMPower Programs for girls, boys, and all genders. Tasha currently offers trainings in Hawaiʻi and Washington State, with online trainings and certifications available worldwide.

Advanced Training & Credentials

Tasha completed extensive training in Empowerment Self-Defense through ESD Global, studying under Arlene Limas, a pioneer and leading voice in the Global Empowerment Self-Defense movement. This training informed her trauma-aware, consent-centered approach—grounding her work in prevention, de-escalation, voice, and ethical response rather than fear-based tactics. Tasha holds one of the highest levels of professional training in the field of Empowerment Self-Defense:

• Level-4 Certified Empowerment Self-Defense Instructor (one of the only instructors globally at this level)

• Nationally Certified through the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF)

• Credentialed ESD Professional (ESDP) through the Association of ESD Professionals

• 50+ hours of IMPACT Personal Safety training through IMPACT Global

• Certified in Somatic EMDR Therapy

• Currently, Tasha is also counseling and is preparing to enroll in her 2nd Master’s Degree Program.

In the Empowerment Self-Defense field, credentialing is equivalent to a bar exam—demonstrating ethical practice, mastery of core competencies, and professional accountability.