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Terri has been active in sports since she was a child. She played softball and basketball in her hometown (Kansas City) City League, helping her teams win several local and regional championships. After she entered college in 1979, she began formally studying movement arts, including both theatre and dance. From 1979-82, she studied dance at the UMKC Conservatory under the direction of ballet mistresses Titania Doukodovska (formerly of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo) and Shirley Weaver.
In 1984, Terri began her study of Taijiquan (T'ai Chi Ch'uan). The basic principles of balance, timing, and body placement followed easily from the discipline she had acquired for dance. In July 1985, she met Master Huang Weilun and began learning traditional Yang style taijiquan. Terri began teaching Taiji during the summer of 1988, leading small classes in Ft. Lauderdale.
In 1989, Terri won first place in Yang style taiji at the first US National Chinese Martial Arts Competition held in Houston, TX. Of all the competitors entered in the division, Terri finished with the highest total point score. This marked the beginning of a period of change and growth which led her to the International All Taijiquan Tournament in Winchester, VA during the summer of 1990 and then on to China.
Besides participating in the competition, Terri had the opportunity to meet and study with Master Yang Zhenduo, the youngest son of the style's founder Yang Chengfu.  On returning home to Miami, Terri received a letter offering her a job teaching English at a small college in Luoyang in the central province of Henan in the People's Republic of China. Terri lived in Luoyang from October 1990 to September 1991. While there, she had a second opportunity to go to study with Yang Zhenduo in his hometown of Taiyuan in Shanxi province.
During her stay in China, Terri met and began studying with Professor Liu Yuzeng, 31st generation disciple of the Shaolin Temple and 8th generation Wudang disciple. From him she has learned several sets from the Wudang system, baguazhang, xingyiquan, as well as several sets from the Shaolin Lohan system. Terri has gone back to China several times since, most recently in November 2002. She also brought Prof. Liu to the US every summer from 1995-2001.
In September of 1993, Terri opened a taijiquan class at the University of Missouri at Kansas City's Swinney Recreation Center. The following month, she was invited to perform Wudang taiji in the Master's demonstrations at the Lee Kwan Shan Memorial Tournament in Tampa, FL. In 1993 and again in 1996, Terri qualified for and was awarded the US Presidential Sports Award for her committment and dedication to teaching Taijiquan.
1994 was a busy year for Terri. During the spring term, she continued teaching taiji in Kansas City. In July, she successfully directed the first Central States Regional Championships for the USA Wushu-Kungfu Federation. A week later, she attended a traditional sword form seminar taught by Yang Zhenduo in Frederick, Maryland. Over Labor Day weekend, she attended the USAWKF Nationals in Orlando, FL where she again earned the US National title in Yang style taiji.
In the following years, Terri began concentrating more on teaching and judging rather than competing. Her students have all done well, earning first and second place at international events. But in 1997, Terri was again competing. That year, she entered the National Winchester, VA A Taste of China competition, earning third in Xingyi and fourth for Wudang Taiji. At the International Shaolin Festival in Zhengzhou, China Terri earned awards in all four of the events she entered, including third place in traditional Shaolin competition.
During the years between 1997 and 2002, Terri focused more energy on publishing and technical issues, but continued teaching, developing her Chinese language skills and working on her own martial arts practice. In 1996, Terri and Prof. Liu had formed the International Wudang Internal Martial Arts Research Association with the goal of making Wudang martial arts known in the west. The first step was to create one of the first English/Chinese web sites on the internet (this one:) 1996 wudang.com).
The second was to begin publishing what is hoped to be a series of books that will help all students of Wudang martial arts better understand themselves and their practices. The first of these Wudang Qigong, was published in 1999.
In 2000, their research on the medical benefits of taiji was included in the Clinician's Complete Reference to Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, an 850+ page medical reference text edited and compiled by Donald Novey, MD. In 2000, they published Going East or West? a handbook for business travelers based on their 10 years experience traveling between the US and China.
In 2003, Terri returned to Florida where she continues to practice and teach. She has visits Prof. Liu in China at least once every year. Her most recent visit to China was in April 2006.
JUDGING:
- 2006 June, Orlando, FL (International) Taiji, Weapons, Push Hands
- 2005 July, Orlando, FL (International) Internal, Push Hands
- 2004 July, Orlando, FL (International) Internal, Push Hands
2002 May, Tulsa, OK (Regional) Internal
- 2001 June, Tulsa, OK (Regional) Internal
- 1999 July, Dallas, TX (International) Internal
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1998 May, Dallas, TX (International) Internal
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1998 July, Toronto, Canada (International) Taijiquan
- 1997 December, Baltimore, MD (National) Taijiquan
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1997 June, San Francisco, CA (International) Taijiquan
- 1996 June, Tulsa, OK (Regional) Taijiquan
- 1995 August, Baltimore, MD (International) Taijiquan
- 1995 April, Tulsa, OK (Regional) Taijiquan
- 1994 May, Bradenton, FL (State) Taijiquan
- 1993 October, Tampa, FL (Local) Taijiquan
APPOINTMENTS/ELECTIONS:
EVENT PROMOTIONS:
- 1997 August, Kansas City, MO (Regional) USAWKF Central States Regional
- 1994 July, Kansas City, MO (Regional) USAWKF Central States Regional
- (First all-Chinese styles martial arts tournament in the eight state area)
- 1992 October, Miami, FL (State) All Florida Open
- 1992 March, Miami, FL (State) Florida Open Invitational
- 1984 April, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (State) Ft. Lauderdale Open
DEMONSTRATIONS/EXHIBITIONS:
- 2006 June, Orlando, FL (International) Kung Fu Championships
- 2005 July, Orlando, FL (International) Kung Fu Championships
- 2004 July, Orlando, FL (International) Kung Fu Championships
- 2002 September, Kansas City, MO (Regional) Renaissance Festival
- 2002 June, Tulsa, OK (Regional) Teacher's Exhibition, USAWKF Regional Championships
- 1998-2001 Promotions and class arrangements for Prof. Yuzeng Liu
- 1998 July, Dallas, TX (International) Master's Demonstrations
- 1997 December, Baltimore, MD (National) Master's Demonstrations
- 1997 December, Kansas City, MO (Area) Chinese Cultural Festival
- 1997 August, Kansas City (Regional) Master's Demonstrations
- 1996 October, Kansas City (National) Exhibition with Chinese National Team
- 1995 June, Tulsa, OK (Regional) Teachers Exhibition, USAWKF Regional Championships
- 1994 July, Kansas City, MO (Regional) Master's Demonstrations
- 1993 September, Tampa, FL (Regional) Master's Demonstrations
- 1992 June, Miami, FL Chinese Healing Arts Symposium
- 1992 March, Miami, FL Cultural and New Year Celebration
- 1990 March, Miami, FL University of Miami International Cultural Festival
- 1990 February, Miami, FL University of Miami Chinese New Year Festival
- 1989 April, Miami, FL Chinese Cultural Association Benefit
- 1989 September, Miami, FL Chinese Culture and Exchange Benefit (private party)
- 1989 February, Miami, FL University of Miami Chinese New Year Festival
COMPETITION:
- 1997 September, Zhengzhou, China (International)
- 1st, Yang Style Taiji
- 3rd, Shaolin Traditional (Lohan)
- 6th, Wudang Style Taiji
- 1997 July, Winchester, VA (International)
- 3rd, Xingyiquan
- 4th, Advanced Taiji (Wudang)
- 1996 July, Winchester, VA (International)
- 2nd, Advanced Taiji (Yang)
- 1994 September, Orlando, FL (International)
- 1st, Advanced Yang Style Taiji
- 2nd, Advanced Stationary Push Hands
- 3rd, Advanced Other Taiji Division
- 4th, Advanced Taiji Sword
- 1993 May, Tampa, FL (Local)
- 1st, Advanced Taiji Division
- 1992 June, Miami, FL (Local)
- 1st, Taiji Instructor Division
- 1992 February, Miami, FL (Regional)
- 1st, Taiji Instructor Division
- 1990 September Houston, TX (International)
- 3rd, Yang Style Division
- 1990 July, Winchester, VA (International)
- 4th, Yang Style Division
- 1990 April, Shreveport, LA (Regional)
- 2nd, Advanced Tai Chi Division
- 1989 October, Miami, FL (International)
- 1st, Open Division
- 1989 September, Houston, TX (International)
- 1st, Yang Style Taiji
- 3rd Moving Push Hands
- 5th Stationary Push Hands
- 1989 August, Miami, FL (Regional)
- 2nd Advanced Stationary Push Hands
- 1989 March, Miami, FL (Regional)
- 2nd, Advanced Tai Chi Division
- 1989 March, Miami, FL (Regional)
- 1st, Open Division
- 1989 February, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Local)
- 3rd, Open Division
- 1987 December, WPB, FL (Local)
- 1st, Open Division
- 1987 November, Miami, FL (Local)
- 2nd, Open Division
- 1987 October, Miami, FL (State)
- 1st, Open Division
- 1986 April, Miami, FL (Regional)
- 2nd, Open Division
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