C.M. "Sam" Elmore has been a martial artist since the age of 17. She has trained in Kenpo Karate, Kung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do before finally finding her home in Aikido. Sam began her Aikido career in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1993, under the instruction of Chris Fulkerson Sensei, a student of T.K. Chiba Shihan. From there, her job moved her to Central Illinois where she studied under students of A. Tohei Shihan for 3 years. After she married, her husband Chad's job moved the new family to New Jersey where she spent 7 years studying under Rick Stickles Sensei, a student of Y. Yamada Shihan. While there, she gave birth to her first three children. Chad's new job moved the growing family to Southeastern Pennsylvania in 2004, and shortly thereafter she began studying directly under Okimura Shihan in Newark, Delaware. Sam received her Shodan promotion in 2006 and her Nidan promotion in 2008. In the summer of 2011, her husband's job moved the family yet again, this time to Sweden where it was time to fulfill a lifelong dream of opening her own dojo! In 2013, Sam was promoted to Sandan and in 2018 she received her Yondan Promotion under Okimura Shihan, conferred by Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.

Sam is a World Aikido Aikikai Incorporated (WAAI) Yondan, Fuku Shidoin, registered with Rev. Zenko N. Okimura, Shihan and also a Fuku Shidoin in the Swedish Budokampssport Organization. Sam feels very blessed to have studied under Okimura Shihan who continues to inspire her to do her best both on and off the mat and hopes to live up to and pass on the ideals he teaches at WAAI. Sam's other interests include raising her 4 children (all of whom join Mom on the mat), riding her bike, and woodworking. 

Medlemmar av World Aikido Aikikai, Inc. och Svenska Budo och Kampsportsförbundet