Stephen K. Hayes served as the Dalai Lama's personal protection escort and security advisor for many years. He was also the first American to be accepted as a personal student by Masaaki Hatsumi, the thirty-fourth master of the Togakure-ryu ninjutsu tradition. He is the author of 20 books which convey the timeless knowledge of the East in pragmatic lessons for contemporary Westerners including The Ninja Defense and The Ninja and Their Secret Fighting Art. He is a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA) Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives and trains in Dayton, OH.