Sifu Serpas was born on April 5, 1946 and has practiced martial arts since the age of 7. He studied Elementary School in San Francisco, California; obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of New Mexico on a U.S. Government Scholarship; his Post-Graduate studies are in Biomedical Engineering in England and Scotland, under a British Government Scholarship; History and Political Science at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona; and Philosophy at New Acropolis, El Salvador. He has founded several companies, mostly in the medical field and was President of Saint George Acropolitan University in El Salvador.  

Sifu Ben Serpas learned Tai Chi Chuan with Sifu J. Riquelme (Beijing, China) and Sifu C. Paganini (Santiago, Chile). He founded the Philosophical Martial Arts Institute in Central America in the late 1990’s, which is affiliated with the Bodhidharma International Philosophical Martial Arts Institute.  

He is a Master of Tai Chi Chuan and Archery: Tai Chi Chuan (Yang Style), Chi Kung, Luo Han Kung, Tai Chi Chien, Tui Shou, and Archery (as a martial art).

In 2006 he was appointed National Director of the Bodhidharma Philosophical Martial Arts Institute for the United States of America. Professor Serpas is presently working out of our central school in Phoenix, Arizona. His knowledge of this region brings the hope of sharing the benefits of these enriching philosophical martial arts in America.

Erin Wilson grew up on Pine Island, Florida and attended the University of Tampa on a Presidential Scholarship completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts in 2003. She is currently opening a business to provide affordable start up advertising services for local, small businesses in Arizona. She has been a member of  New Acropolis since 2003 and P.M.A.I since 2007. Along with her studies in Symbology at New Acropolis Southwest.,  she is teaching practical  psychology as an instructor. In September of 2009 she began pursuing a Master’s degree in Counseling at Argosy University (Formally known as the American School of Psychology). She hopes to promote Tai Chi by opening a center for well being where children and parents can be offered  play, filial, and art therapy services  in the future.

Taylor Arbour is from Monroe, Louisiana and completed his bachelor’s degree in

biology from Louisiana State University before moving to Arizona to complete his instruction in Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM) in 2009. Taylor graduated from the PIHMA Institute for additional concentration in the field of acupuncture. His hopes are to incorporate Tai Chi into his practice of helping others reach and maintain optimal health.