Our Founder:
Fakir Musafar
Born in Aberdeen, South Dakota — B.S. in Education, Northern State University, M.A. Degree San Francisco State University (with California Teaching Credential) — U.S. Army, Instructor in Demolitions & Explosives — Over 40 years experience in body piercing & branding, 30 years commercially — Conductor of Shamanic Rituals since 1990 — Photographer & artist — Spirit+Flesh photobook — International speaker and television personality on body modification and spiritual explorations — Father of the Modern Primitive movement.
May 2018: A Farewell Letter.
Born in Aberdeen, South Dakota — B.S. in Education, Northern State University, M.A. Degree San Francisco State University (with California Teaching Credential) — U.S. Army, Instructor in Demolitions & Explosives — Over 40 years experience in body piercing & branding, 30 years commercially — Conductor of Shamanic Rituals since 1990 — Photographer & artist — Spirit+Flesh photobook — International speaker and television personality on body modification and spiritual explorations — Father of the Modern Primitive movement.
May 2018: A Farewell Letter.
Our Instructors:
Ken Coyote, Director, Lead Instructor
Native of California — B.A. University of California — Attended Fakir Basic Course 1993 — Advanced work with Fakir & Erik Dakota in 1994-1996 — Primary professional experience in Santa Cruz and San Jose, California. — Developer and innovator of course instruction and materials including the Advanced and Comprehensive Body Piercing curricula, Health & Safety Guidelines, and Aftercare for Body Piercing — Photographer, Diver, Writer.
Native of California — B.A. University of California — Attended Fakir Basic Course 1993 — Advanced work with Fakir & Erik Dakota in 1994-1996 — Primary professional experience in Santa Cruz and San Jose, California. — Developer and innovator of course instruction and materials including the Advanced and Comprehensive Body Piercing curricula, Health & Safety Guidelines, and Aftercare for Body Piercing — Photographer, Diver, Writer.
Jori Zan, Instructor
Native of Oregon — Professional piercer since 1989 — Attended Fakir Basic in 1993, Fakir Advanced in 1997 — Owns, operates, and pierces at Jori Zan's Body Piercing in Salem, Oregon, since 1994 — Oregon Health Licensing Agency (OHLA) Proctor for Body Art Practitioner licensing and testing — APP Business Member — Loves to play in dirt, water and/or fire at any given chance — Cheer Captain for Fakir Intensives.
Native of Oregon — Professional piercer since 1989 — Attended Fakir Basic in 1993, Fakir Advanced in 1997 — Owns, operates, and pierces at Jori Zan's Body Piercing in Salem, Oregon, since 1994 — Oregon Health Licensing Agency (OHLA) Proctor for Body Art Practitioner licensing and testing — APP Business Member — Loves to play in dirt, water and/or fire at any given chance — Cheer Captain for Fakir Intensives.
Ian Bishop, Instructor
Native of Tennessee — Middle Tennessee State University and student of Herbal Medicine — Attended Fakir Basic 1994, Fakir Advanced 1997, Fakir Basic Branding 1996 — Owns and operates ICON Body Piercing in Nashville and Murfreesboro — Guest piercer in Philadelphia, Santa Cruz, Oklahoma City, San Jose.
Native of Tennessee — Middle Tennessee State University and student of Herbal Medicine — Attended Fakir Basic 1994, Fakir Advanced 1997, Fakir Basic Branding 1996 — Owns and operates ICON Body Piercing in Nashville and Murfreesboro — Guest piercer in Philadelphia, Santa Cruz, Oklahoma City, San Jose.
Tod Almighty, Instructor
Native of Dallas, Texas — College work in communications — Attended Fakir Basic and Advanced in 1994 and 1997 — Tod has pierced professionally for 15 consecutive years in Dallas, Santa Barbara, San Jose, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles — Currently staff member at Anatometal in Santa Cruz — Expert in male genital piercings and Innovator of many techniques.
Native of Dallas, Texas — College work in communications — Attended Fakir Basic and Advanced in 1994 and 1997 — Tod has pierced professionally for 15 consecutive years in Dallas, Santa Barbara, San Jose, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles — Currently staff member at Anatometal in Santa Cruz — Expert in male genital piercings and Innovator of many techniques.
Dustin Allor, Instructor
California native — Began her piercing career in 1994 at age 17 — Attended Fakir Basic in 1997, Advanced in 1998 and apprenticed under Ken Coyote in Santa Cruz — Professional piercer in California, Texas, Tennessee, and Australia — Associates Degree in Jewelry From Austin Community College — Owner/Designer of Phoenix Revival Jewelry
California native — Began her piercing career in 1994 at age 17 — Attended Fakir Basic in 1997, Advanced in 1998 and apprenticed under Ken Coyote in Santa Cruz — Professional piercer in California, Texas, Tennessee, and Australia — Associates Degree in Jewelry From Austin Community College — Owner/Designer of Phoenix Revival Jewelry
Jef Saunders, Instructor
Native of Rhode Island — Attended Fakir Basic 1999, Fakir Advanced 2000, Fakir Branding 2000 — Professional piercer since 1999 — Owned and operated Rockstar Body Piercing in Providence, Rhode Island — Innovator of piercing techniques and expert instructor — Guest piercer and educator all over these United States — Blogs body piercing insight and social commentary — APP Business Member and APP Board of Directors.
Native of Rhode Island — Attended Fakir Basic 1999, Fakir Advanced 2000, Fakir Branding 2000 — Professional piercer since 1999 — Owned and operated Rockstar Body Piercing in Providence, Rhode Island — Innovator of piercing techniques and expert instructor — Guest piercer and educator all over these United States — Blogs body piercing insight and social commentary — APP Business Member and APP Board of Directors.
BettyAnn Peed, Instructor
Native of Maryland — Attended Fakir Basic and Advanced courses in 2003 and 2005 — Owns and operates Dahlia Fine Jewelry & Body Piercing in Nashville — Associate degree in Business Administration from the College of Southern Maryland — Aesthetics license in Tennessee since 2007
Native of Maryland — Attended Fakir Basic and Advanced courses in 2003 and 2005 — Owns and operates Dahlia Fine Jewelry & Body Piercing in Nashville — Associate degree in Business Administration from the College of Southern Maryland — Aesthetics license in Tennessee since 2007
Cody Vaughn, Instructor
Native of California — Attended Fakir Basic in 2007, Fakir Advanced in 2008 — Professional piercer since 2004 — Owns and operates Vaughn Body Arts in Monterey California — APP Business Member in good standing and elected to APP Board of Directors 2014 — Guest piercer gigs in California, Oregon, and Rhode Island — Super organizer.
Native of California — Attended Fakir Basic in 2007, Fakir Advanced in 2008 — Professional piercer since 2004 — Owns and operates Vaughn Body Arts in Monterey California — APP Business Member in good standing and elected to APP Board of Directors 2014 — Guest piercer gigs in California, Oregon, and Rhode Island — Super organizer.
Laura Jane, Instructor
Native of Michigan — Attended Fakir Basic 2010, Fakir Advanced 2012 — Professional piercer since 2010 — Veteran of several popular piercing studios, including Rockstar Body Piercing in Providence, RI, Adorn in Portland, OR, and Jori Zan's Body Piercing in Salem, OR — Guest piercer at several shops around the US — Cool Mom (not a regular mom) — APP Business Member At Large
Native of Michigan — Attended Fakir Basic 2010, Fakir Advanced 2012 — Professional piercer since 2010 — Veteran of several popular piercing studios, including Rockstar Body Piercing in Providence, RI, Adorn in Portland, OR, and Jori Zan's Body Piercing in Salem, OR — Guest piercer at several shops around the US — Cool Mom (not a regular mom) — APP Business Member At Large
Becky Dill, Instructor
Native of California — Attended Fakir Comprehensive Piercing Intensive in 2015 — Professional piercer since 2003 — Works in San Francisco at Cold Steel America — APP Business Member since 2009 — Founder of the Bay Area Piercers Group — Volunteer for the APP's Body Piercing Archive — Loves painting, arts and crafts, learning spanish.
Native of California — Attended Fakir Comprehensive Piercing Intensive in 2015 — Professional piercer since 2003 — Works in San Francisco at Cold Steel America — APP Business Member since 2009 — Founder of the Bay Area Piercers Group — Volunteer for the APP's Body Piercing Archive — Loves painting, arts and crafts, learning spanish.
Neo Collett, Instructor
Neo is a native of New York State, and an ardent branding and tattooing enthusiast — Neo attended Rensselaer Polytechnic in New York in 1989 and currently works in Accounting for Whole Foods Market — She completed Fakir Intensives in 2000 and was a shop assistant at Black & Blue Tattoo in San Francisco — Neo's passion is the art of branding where her skills excel in multi-strike work.
Neo is a native of New York State, and an ardent branding and tattooing enthusiast — Neo attended Rensselaer Polytechnic in New York in 1989 and currently works in Accounting for Whole Foods Market — She completed Fakir Intensives in 2000 and was a shop assistant at Black & Blue Tattoo in San Francisco — Neo's passion is the art of branding where her skills excel in multi-strike work.
William (Grin) Grindatti, Instructor
Grin is a native of Michigan and recent transplant from Detroit — Graduate of Michigan College of Art and Architecture and licensed architect — Ardent branding, tattooing and scarification enthusiast with 20 years of practice in these arts — Graduate of Fakir branding and piercing schools — Currently scarification and tattoo artist in the San Francisco area plus instructor at Fakir Intensives.
Grin is a native of Michigan and recent transplant from Detroit — Graduate of Michigan College of Art and Architecture and licensed architect — Ardent branding, tattooing and scarification enthusiast with 20 years of practice in these arts — Graduate of Fakir branding and piercing schools — Currently scarification and tattoo artist in the San Francisco area plus instructor at Fakir Intensives.