ABOUT US

ARIGATAI Foundation

The Arigatai Foundation, formerly WSKF USA® Foundation (2017-2020), is registered in the State of New Jersey as a non-profit organization. It was founded by Sensei Francisco J. Quevedo and Sensei Andrea Quevedo-Prince, karatekas from Venezuela, for the purpose of sponsoring and promoting the development of karate-do as a sport and as a way of life in the US.

The Arigatai Foundation is still true to our original mission of supporting the development of Karate, but opening our doors to other organizations and worthy social causes, always in the best spirit of Bushido.

Francisco J. Quevedo

Born in Coro-Venezuela in 1956. Moved to Boston-USA, in 1973. Started practicing martial arts when he was 16. Graduated from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) in 1978. Got his MBA in 1982, a CAGSB in 1983, and a Doctorate in 2020 from Pace University, in New York. Moved back to Venezuela in '83, where he worked in top management positions in insurance and finance. Along with 3 top-ranked senseis, founded WSKF Venezuela Sports Foundation in 2008, acting as Comptroller, until 2016 when he moved back to the US to finish his doctoral studies and to teach at his alma mater.  

He is a 3rd Dan in WSKF, and founder of the Arigatai Foundation. He teaches Marketing and conducts research at Rutgers University in Newark and New Brunswick, NJ.

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Andrea Quevedo-Prince

Born in Caracas-Venezuela in 1998. Started practicing karate when she was 4 years old with Sensei Fouad Korban, and got her black belt, 1st Dan, when she was 9. WSKF Kata World Champion 2010-2011-2015, and WSKF Kumite World Sub-Champion 2013-2015. Moved to New Jersey-USA in 2016. She started training with Sensei Robert Young, in Miami-Florida, since August 2017.

She is a 3rd Dan in WSKF, and 1st Dan (homologated) in WKF. Member of the USA National Karate Federation (USANKF) and the Federacion Venezolana de Karate-Do (FVKD), and holds a Cum Laude B.S. in Health Science from Pace University. She has won 100 medals in a 18-year sports career; 9 in world events; 50 gold and 29 silver; 13 of them in the US, including the 2017 USA National Championship in Shotokan Kata, and regional championships in Boston and Providence. 

She worked as a Research Coordinator at Columbia University Irving Medical Center's DMD Screening Study and finished her M.A. in Psychology at Pace University. She is currently working as a Clinical Research Coordinator 2 at the University of Miami - Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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