Graciela Casillas ,Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee, "Women of the Year," and Inside Kung-Fu Hall of Fame member, has earned international acclaim as one of the world's top martial artists and self-defense teachers. The first athlete to simultaneously hold world titles in the two sports of kick-boxing (World Karate Association Bantamweight World Champion) and boxing, (International Women's Boxing Association Bantamweight champion) Casillas also became a world champion in Filipino stick fighting (World Escrima, Kali, Arnis Federation-WEKAF). she was the first and only women to be certified to the advance level of instructor under the late Grand master Angel Cabales.

After retiring undefeated, she spent the following decades incorporating knowledge acquired from different arts, including her own personal and professional experiences to formulate a highly effective street defense system. Devotion to the martial arts, coupled with two advanced degrees in Education, and Physical Education has led Casillas to dedicate herself to the promotion of the art as a teacher, student and writer.

Casillas has an eclectic approach to teaching and believes that teaching should be principle based.  Her curriculum is based on range and she stresses the importance of developing procedural (muscle) memory so that if threatened one can respond automatically, without conscious thought. When not teaching at her school, Casillas is a tenured counselor and professor at Oxnard College where she has developed a variety of courses for the Physical education department. Students are able to take a jujitsu, escrima, boxing, kick-boxing or self-defense course and transfer it to any Cal State University (CSU)  or University of California for college credit.