INSTRUCTORS
OPEN SOURCE JIU-JITSU
We believe that an open and collaborative approach is important in creating more well-rounded Jiu-Jitsu and Judo fighters. Therefore, we encourage as well as seek out those who are able and willing to contribute to the creation of better martial artists by teaching. If you’re interested in helping to build a better BJJ or Judo community, please reach out to us!
That being said, there are a handful of familiar faces you will see leading classes at Open Source BJJ.
Check out their bios below!
Bobby McMasters
Instructor + Co-owner
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 *Beltchecker Verified BJJ Black Belt*
*Asheville's only IBJJF Certified BJJ Black Belt*
I'm an active competitor both in Judo and BJJ (gi and no-gi). I feel that competing is an important (but not mandatory) part of everyone's journey and I make an effort to compete when my teammates/students compete. It is through active competition that I try and stay current with the various rule sets and techniques as well as develop appropriate approaches and strategies as a coach.
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I’ve been very fortunate to have had a very rich and fulfilling “Jiu-Jitsu journey” thus far, with so many different sources of influence and inspiration and rewarding experiences along the way. I’ve been teaching BJJ since 2006, when I was a white belt. I’ve worked professionally as a teacher and counselor for most of my career, and I believe that this has significantly both shaped and complemented my path and place in the greater BJJ community. I have a strong interest in working with strict beginners and am always trying to improve my “teaching game,” just as much as, if not more than, my “Jiu-Jitsu game.”
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While you can probably find more detailed information and videos, etc on me by just plugging my name into a search engine, here’s a link to a short documentary on BJJ in Moldova I made way back in the day {watch it here} and here’s probably the nicest thing anybody’s ever written about me {read it here}.
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Grappling Career Highlights:
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2004-present: Dozens of competition placings (IBJJF, NAGA, Arnolds, Newbreed, Fight2Win, USA Judo, Grappling Industries, etc.)
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​2017: Started “Open Source Jiu-Jitsu”. Asheville, NC
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2011: Started first BJJ tournament series in Moldova (“Burlacu Tri-Duals”, Burlacu, Cahul, Moldova)
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2006: Started first BJJ program in Moldova as a Peace Corps Volunteer
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2004: Began training BJJ with Saulo & Xande Ribeiro, Detroit, MI
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1999-2002: Collegiate wrestling (NJCAA-DIII, NCAA D-II)
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Black belt under Rich Sab/BJJ Globetrotters // Beltchecker.com
Shodan (black belt) in Judo // Judochecker.com
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Lori Bruzenas
Instructor
I started training jiu-jitsu in 2007 in Oakland California and like most of us, it changed my life and I wanted to share my love of jiu-jitsu with everyone. At that time though there were not many women training, yet. One of the only other females at our academy and I got together and formed one of the first women's groups in the country called The Sweaty Betties. In the beginning we put together open mats every Sunday for women of any affiliation or beginners to come together and have a comfortable space to learn and roll at.
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My drive for knowledge and love of competition drove me to move to Hawaii to train under Luis Heredia at Maui Jiu-jitsu. Luis promoted me to blue belt shortly after arriving and I then got involved in managing the gym and assisting with the kids classes and kid’s competition team. Shortly after, I started our first woman’s class and competition team and we formed the Sweaty Betties Maui Chapter. I, alongside many of my students, competed at every local Hawaii tournament as well as traveling to the mainland for IBJJF tournaments. I have placed in my division at nearly every tournament including back to back gold medals at the U.S. Open and N.Y. Open at purple belt.
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After enjoying competitive success I realized that my true passion lies in teaching. The Sweaty Betties organized multiple week long women's camps and I began focusing on teaching more self-defense as well. I moved back to the bay area after receiving my Black Belt in 2017. My co-founder of the Sweaty Betties and I started a program offering free monthly self-defense classes to women of color in the bay area. In this time we got invited to do a demonstration to a sold out Expo for the Professional Business Women of California at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, we had a segment done on us and our S-D program that aired on ABC news Bay Area Life, and we got honored with a recognition award from the Mayor of Oakland, Ca for our work with the community.
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Outside of jiu-jitsu I work as a personal trainer [https://www.spidermonkeyfit.com/] with my main focus on helping people to heal from their chronic pain so they can feel good in their body again and work towards any goal they have without injury whether it be sports, martial arts, aging, or just daily living.
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I now live here in Asheville and I am honored to be a part of Open Source Jiu-Jitsu. We are all on the mats for different reasons and sometimes those reasons change along our journey. I love being able to share what I have learned and to help with empowering and building confidence in each individual whatever path they may be on.
Andy McErlean
Instructor
Andy started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2013 in Dallas, Texas. He received his black belt under Wellington Brito at Nova Uniäo in Austin, Texas. *More bio info soon! :)*
James Thomas
Instructor
James Thomas is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu starting his journey in Charlotte under Zeb Mefford in 2015. When he’s not on the mats, James runs a family-owned coffee shop in Asheville and is always geeking out over the latest BJJ videos, picking up all the slick, twirly moves. His enthusiasm for coaching shines through in his creative, outside-the-box approach to helping students improve and have fun while doing it!
Garrett Greiner
Instructor
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt
*More bio info coming soon*
Amanda McMasters
Instructor + Co-owner
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If you’ve ever been to our gym, then you’ve probably been greeted by me! I’m the co-owner of Open Source Jiu-Jitsu along with my husband, Bobby. Where he takes care of stuff on the mats, I’m responsible for all the business-y stuff off the mats. I love meeting and getting to know all the folks who train with us - whether they’re trying jiu-jitsu for the very first time or dropping in as a traveling black belt road tripping across the country, all are welcome here.
I truly believe that everyone has something valuable to contribute on the mats. Sometimes they have a totally different way of approaching a jiu-jitsu technique and sometimes they simply have a positive attitude and willingness to learn.
I’m excited to occasionally step into the role of “Coach Amanda” instead of “Boss Lady Amanda,” an opportunity that opened up to me when we started our Women’s Class in 2021. My approach to jiu-jitsu is based strongly in the fundamentals. I started training in 2017, I'm a purple belt, and compete at least two or three times a year.
Nate Galtieri
Kids' Instructor
It is said that everyone has a different BJJ journey, I am no exception. I feel like it started in 1993, my first year wrestling at Rugby middle school, and then continued at West Henderson High School. It was there that I really learned about the importance of the team dynamic and the strong friendships it creates, similar to what I found later in the military. That being said, wrestling also gave me the courage, confidence and sense of self-accountability that comes from competition as an individual alone on the mat.
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Though I have worn a lot of different hats professionally throughout the years I have always wanted to return to the mat to compete and coach young people to do the same. Open Source has given me the perfect opportunity to do that. I feel that the life and character lessons that I learned from coaches in general - but especially wrestling coaches - have profoundly shaped me and made me a better person. I think I have always wanted to be a part of shaping both a skill-set and the character of as many young people as I can, including (especially) my own. My two teenage daughters also train at Open Source and actively compete multiple times a year.
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I really feel like we are building something here at Open Source that will continue to benefit everyone involved in our BJJ family as well as the community in which live. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
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Milestones:
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2019: Promoted to Blue Belt as the first "home grown" Open Source BJJ Blue Belt • Current competition record 30-6
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2018: Started as coaching assistant for the Kids at Open Source BJJ • 4 more competitions including the 1st alongside my kids
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2017: Started taking class at Open Source and first 2 competitions
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2003: Graduated UNCA with BA in history emphasis in education
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2000: Graduated Georgia Military College with AS in Military Science and Education emphasis Special Ed
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1996: Wrestling Team titles: Part of NC Dual Team Wrestling State Championship team West Henderson • Junior Olympic team Freestyle Camp and Greco Roman Runner up for Strong and Courageous Wrestling •• Individual Titles: Junior Olympics, Greco Roman State Champ and Freestyle Runner up
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1994: Junior Olympic Folk Style State Champ
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1993: Junior Olympics Folk Style State Champ
ASHEVILLE JUDO CLUB
Jeff Tipton
Judo Instructor
Jeff Tipton is a Sandan(3rd degree Judo black belt) who started studying judo in 1993 with the Asheville Judo Club under Sensei Wayne Jersey and later on studying traditional JuJitsu under Sensei Carl Wilcox and Sensei Jeff Rhodes of Center for Martial Arts in Asheville. He was introduce to judo by his father, David Tipton, who had started judo a year earlier and invited him to express his natural talents of subterfuge and being in exactly the wrong place at the right time. Studying judo with his dad for so many years is one of his great honors, defining their relationship and bringing them closer than either thought possible.
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Having previously studied at The Southern Academy of Ballet in Tallahassee, Jeff was looking for the next form of physical expression. Judo fit the bill perfectly. The two principles at judo's core being efficiency of effort and benevolence resonated deeply with Jeff. He realized judo is the physical syntax of these ideas, expressing them more fluently than any spoken language can. Now in middle age, Jeff has discovered the joy of watching students grow both on and off the mat.
Zach Hill
Judo Instructor
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Zach has been training Judo since 2002 and currently holds the rank of Nidan (2nd degree Judo black belt). His instruction style focuses on competition as he’s been an active competitor for his entire Judo career. He placed 4th in Junior Nationals at 13 years old and competed in the first Judo division of Kakuto, placing double gold. He’s a multi-time State Champion in Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
His first Judo coach trained under Sensei Nageyasu Ogasawara at West Point Military Academy. Zach has also helped train US Olympic National Team members and professional MMA fighters. He’s a former wrestler and holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He owned his own dojo for 10 years and was the assistant coach for a middle school wrestling team for two years.