Tim Warneka's interest in human performance strategies began at the age of 10. Living in a house with two parents, five siblings (four sisters!), and one bathroom, Tim quickly learned the importance of non-violent communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution! From that point on, Tim has been a dedicated student of human performance.      Growing up in Lakewood, Ohio, Tim was immersed in the post-Vatican II Roman Catholic culture of St. Clements’ Elementary School, part of the Diocese of Cleveland, where he heard his first folk mass, which launched his interest in music and guitars. His involvement in the YMCA Indian Guides (now know as "Y Adventure Guides") with his father and brother sparked his interest in Native American culture, mythology, male development and group dynamics.

     At age 12, Tim's family moved to Perry, Ohio, where he learned about the power of culture and groups on human behavior. While attending Perry High School, Tim participated in Lake Erie College’s Learning About Business (LAB) program, which ignited a passion for entrepreneurship that continues to the present day.

     Tim graduated from Perry High School and began his undergraduate studies at the University of Dayton, Ohio’s largest private Catholic university. Beginning his studies in electrical engineering, Tim soon learned that he was fascinated by powers of a different sort as he was exposed to Freudian and Jungian psychology, the writings of Joseph Campbell and Eastern and Western contemplative approaches by various members of the Society of Mary (also known as the Marianists), the Catholic order that runs U.D.

     While a short time in the school of business fanned his passion for entrepreneurship, Tim soon began pursuing his enthusiasm for human performance by majorning in psychology. In 1987, while his peers were out partying on the weekends, Tim could often be found volunteering for the Dayton Suicide Crisis Hotline, honing crisis intervention skills that he continues to use to this day.

After graduating from U.D. in 1989, Tim headed toward the great city of Chicago to begin his graduate training at Loyola University Chicago. On November 1st, 1989, Tim saw his first demonstration of Aikido (“The Art of Peace”) by Kisshomaru Ueshiba, son of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido. It was love at first site.      Three days after watching the demonstration, Tim stepped onto the Aikido mat for the first time at the Midwest Aikido Center (MAC). He had the great good fortune to begin training under Akira Tohei sensei (sadly, now deceased), at the time the highest ranking Aikido instructor in North America, holding an 8th degree black belt.      Tim has been practicing Aikido continuously since then, currently training (and somtimes teaching) at the Cleveland Aikikai on Mayfield Road in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Tim is fascinated by exploring off-the-mat application of Aikido principles.

     Deciding that living in the windy city was a bit too much excitement for him, Tim returned to Cleveland, Ohio, where he completed his M.Ed. degree at Cleveland State University. After graduation, Tim spent one year in starting up a home-based therapy program at the Lake County Mental Health Center and then spent the next 10 years working at Crossroads, a child & adolescent community mental health center.

During his time at Crossroads, Tim was instrumental in developing cutting-edge programs for sexually- and physically- aggressive children, adolescents and their families. Tim got his first taste of leadership here, leading multi-disciplinary treatment teams comprising of social workers, counselors, psychologists, educators, psychiatrists, juvenile court personnel and others.

     In 1995, Tim completed his three-year counseling residency, passed the state licensing board and was awarded an independent counselor’s license (L.P.C.C.) by the State of Ohio. In 1998, Tim launched his private practice where he offered his consulting, coaching and keynote speaking services to individuals and organizations.
 
     In 1999, Tim formed the Black Belt Consulting Group to better serve the demand for his work.

     In 2000, Tim began his post-graduate training at the world-famous Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, where he spent the next five years completing advanced training to become a certified Gestalt practitioner. Tim completed the initial 18-month Gestalt Training Program, the advanced track training program in Working With Physical Process as well as the advanced training track Working Integrally with Groups and Small Systems. It was at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland where Tim first encountered the writings of Ken Wilber and the integral approach, a perspective which has increasingly come to influence Tim’s work. In addition to his Gestalt training, Tim has studied with Paul Linden, Ph.D., 5th degree Aikido black belt and creator of the Being in Movement© mindbody training as well as training in Nervous System Energy Work created by Jim Kepner and Carol DeSanto.

Believing that everyone is called to be a leader, in 2003 Tim created Asogomi Publishing International, an independent publishing company Tim founded to deepen the public's awarness about new frontiers in leadership science and research.

     In 2005, Tim responded to the national crisis that was Hurricane Katrina, spending 2 weeks in Southern Mississippi with an international disaster relief organization.

In 2006, Tim released his first book Leading People the Black Belt Way: Conquering the Five Core Problems Facing Leaders Today. Backed by over three years of independent research, Leading People the Black Belt Way has received international acclaim and consistently received positive reviews on Amazon and other on-line book retailers.

     

     After years of researching spirituality and leadership, 2008 saw the release of Black Belt Leader, Peaceful Leader: An Introduction to Catholic Servant Leadership, with a foreword by Bro. Ray Fitz, S.M., Ph.D., past president of the University of Dayton.

     When he’s not writing or spending time with his wife and two children, Tim provides Keynote Speeches and presentations to organizations across the United States and around the world, coaches and counsels individuals, families and groups, and provides leadership training at the local, state and national levels.

     Tim is an active member of St. Noel’s Catholic Church in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, practices various forms of Eastern & Western meditation and contemplation, and is a board member of Aiki Extensions, an international organization dedicated to taking the principles of Aikido off the mat.

     Tim loves camping and hiking in the woods with his family, fly-fishing, being silly with his kids, poking the fires in his wood burning soapstone stove, playing the guitar (he owns a 1930's Gibson jazz archtop and a 1980 Yamaha SBG-2000 solidbody electric guitar) and listening to all styles of music.

Tim has recently begun exploring the world of Apple computers with the recent purchase of a Macbook laptop as his publishing company moves into the realm of video creation.

     His alternate career choices? “If I wasn’t doing what I’m doing, I’d enjoy being either a sushi chef ... or a blacksmith!”

     He lives, works and plays on the shores of Lake Erie near Cleveland, Ohio.