Dana Stamos was born in Hollywood, California on February 6, 1955 and she grew up in Tarzana, California. She was extremely blessed to be born into a wonderful, always involved family with parents, Jim and Joyce Van Schaack.
Jim & Joyce Van Schaack (Dana's parents),
Assembly Woman Mimi Walters and Dana Stamos at Joyce Van Schaack's
California Woman of the Year Induction, 2005
She attended the University of Redlands graduating with a B.A. Degree in English, and with minors in theater and religion. While attending Redlands, Dana participated in a foreign studies program, living in Salzburg, Austria. While there she studied European culture, art history, and the governments of Europe. During her junior year in college, she toured with an acting troop, traveling in the United States and in Canada’s Newfoundland and the British Maritimes.
After graduation, Dana became the Awards Coordinator for R.I.M, a Hollywood company who produces millions of dollars in public service television programming. As R.I.M. Awards Coordinator, Dana coordinated and helped produce the first R.I.M. Awards program shown on KABC Television. R.I.M. awards are similar to the Emmy’s or the Oscar’s, awarding quality media in television, motion pictures, art, music, and literature.
Dana has worked in public relations and as media coordinator for numerous organizations. She has organized major press events for key political figures, and has assisted in events coordinated by the White House Staff Office.
Nancy Reagan, Dana Stamos and Ronald Reagan
Dana has three grown children who were born in Santa Cruz, California. In Santa Cruz Dana owned and operated the Santa Cruz Fitness Center. In 1986 she moved to Reno, Nevada. She now resides in the Capital of Nevada, Carson City.
Dana has been the Area Director for Washoe County Special Olympics. She coordinated hundreds of athletes and coaches in 15 different sports and organized numerous local and state games. She was the Executive Director for the Reno Executive Club, planning events for hundreds of Reno’s top executives. She has also been President of the Sierra Nevada Chapter of the ASSOCIATION OF COREL ARTIST & DESIGNERS and is a member of the local Craftman’s Club.
Dana has worked with computers for many years and has taught both MAC and PC based systems to people of all ages. She took a year off from her business and set up a computer lab for the teachers and students at a local elementary school as her way of contributing to education.
Dana owns and operates Visual Impressions, a graphic design, digital imaging and web design company. She is a CORELDRAW! instructor and is part of COREL Corporation’s beta team. Her clients include national companies like RMX, a UPS Company, for whom she has produced everything from business cards through full color brochures, trade show booth graphics, building signs and web sites. She has produced menu’s and table tents for numerous restaurants and ads for companies like Enterprise Rent A Car, Red Robin and Crystal Springs Water Company. Dana has enjoyed designing and producing projects such as the Beat the Heat Contest for McDonald’s and KREN Television and she has designed everything from back stage passes for musicians like Dru Hill and for Budweiser, Coors and Planet Hollywood. She has even designed music CD’s. Visit Visual Impressions, Dana's business web site for examples of her work.
Dana has designed and created web sites for many different types of companies including churches, law firms, artisits, restaurants, doctors, children's boutiques, dental companies, and bird toy companies. She owns and operates Carson Valley Online and Dayton Valley Online.
Dana is a Christian and she enjoys teaching Sunday School as well as deep theological discussions. She has studied with the likes of Francis Schaeffer, and other well known Christian thinkers of this century and she likes reading scholars like C.S. Lewis! She attends Calvary Chapel!
Dana is also a performance animation artist with CHOPS Live Animation, and does real time 3D character and 2D animation shows, that means its live. (Watch Videos)
Dana owns and operates USADOJO.COM, the worlds largest martial arts web site chalked full of information for anyone who wishes to learn more about her passion, the martial arts. She also owns and operates FightCon.com, a martial arts video web site like YouTube, sharing thousands of martial arts videos and THE MARTIAL MALL, an easy to use directory that links to martial arts supplies, products and services. She designs sites for other martial artists.
Dana Stamos and Jeff Jones Sky Diving Together
Perris Valley, California
Dana likes all kinds of extra curricular activities, but she loves martial arts. Dana has studied Tang Soo Do Karate with Harold Gross and Danzan Ryu JuJitsu with Professor Larry Cary. She studied Goju-Shorei Karate and Goju-Shorei Weapons wirh Master Dave McNeill. She is a Black Belt in Isshin-Ryu Karate and Kyusho-Jitsu with Master Glenn Ristine and she is part of Kyusho-Jitsu Kenkyukai. She has also studied the MULTI-MARTIAL ARTS SYSTEM (MMAS) with Sensei Jesus Suarez and she is part of Doce Pares International.
On Saturday, July 12, 2003, Dana was inducted into the Hawaii Martial Arts International Society Hall of Fame 2003 for her "Outstanding Contributions to the Martial Arts". The HMAIS Hall of Fame took place in Las Vegas, Nevada and was one incredible gathering of martial artists from around the world. She was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Martial Arts International Society as Director of Media and Public Relations. She sits on the National Board of A.T.A.M.A. (American Teachers Association of the Martial Arts) and on the Board of NNAMA (Northern Nevada Alliance of Martial Artists).
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Dana Stamos and TJ Storm, inductees into the HMAIS Hall of Fame, July 2003. |
Grandmaster Eugene Fodor, Dana Stamos, Sensei Akbar Fakourfar, inductees into the Masters Hall of Fame, August 2008. |
On Saturday, August 16, 2008, Dana was very honored to be inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame for her Contributions to the Martial Arts and into the Academy of Masters as a Founding Member. (Read Article)