Meet our Founders

Shifu Shawn Cartwright, MBA

Shifu Shawn Cartwright is co-founder of TCCII and has devoted decades to the study, practice, preservation, and transmission of traditional Chinese internal arts and culture. His work focuses on helping students develop authentic skill while building practical bridges between classical Eastern traditions and modern Western life.

Known for his ability to translate complex concepts into clear and actionable training methods, Shifu Cartwright combines a passion for excellence with extensive experience in martial arts, meditation, wellness practices, and traditional Chinese philosophy. His training includes Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, Qigong, Wing Chun, Fujian White Crane, Shaolin Kung Fu, Tongbeiquan, Bajiquan, Piguaquan, Feng Shui, Yijing, and Internal Alchemy.

Shifu Cartwright co-founded TCCII to promote meaningful exchange between East and West through education, training, media, and the preservation of traditional knowledge. Through lineage training programs, seminars, articles, videos, recordings, and educational materials, he helps students access complete traditional systems that might otherwise remain unavailable to modern audiences.

As a producer, writer, and storyteller, Shifu Cartwright uses written, audio, and visual media to share these arts. His creative projects include the feature-length screenplays Hidden Immortal and Talisman Sword, which draw upon traditional Chinese martial culture, mythology, and philosophy. His current work includes developing training programs, publishing educational materials, producing media projects, and documenting traditional teachings for future generations.

His son, Drake Cartwright, teaches alongside him and assists in the ongoing effort to document, preserve, and transmit these arts to the next generation.

Shifu Cartwright earned an MBA and Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science and Mathematics from Vanderbilt University and completed additional graduate-level coursework at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also a published author in the field of strategy.

Dr. Yinong Chong, PhD

Dr. Yinong Chong is a wellness educator, researcher, and co-founder of TCCII who combines modern scientific understanding with traditional Chinese wisdom to help students improve health, well-being, and quality of life. Her work focuses on building meaningful bridges between ancient traditions and contemporary knowledge so that timeless principles can be applied in today's world.

A Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach, Dr. Chong earned a PhD in Sociology from Arizona State University, an MA in Journalism from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and a BA in English Literature from Peking University. Her academic training also includes graduate studies in research methodology at the University of Maryland and postdoctoral fellowship training with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemic Intelligence Service.

Dr. Chong's unique combination of research expertise, cultural knowledge, and proficiency in Classical Chinese enables her to interpret traditional Chinese philosophy, wellness practices, and cultural concepts for modern English-speaking audiences. She is known for presenting complex ideas in a clear, practical, and accessible manner that inspires students to pursue health, personal growth, and transformation.

Over more than twenty years in public health research, Dr. Chong has conducted epidemiologic and methodological studies that have been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings. She led the development of highly successful educational and communication initiatives and received the Director's Award from the National Center for Health Statistics for her work.

As co-founder of TCCII, Dr. Chong has helped guide the development of educational programs, seminars, courses, publications, and wellness resources that preserve traditional knowledge while making it meaningful and relevant to contemporary students. She is a sought-after speaker on health, wellness, culture, transformation, and the intersection of Eastern and Western approaches to personal development.