About Us
Here at Lapel Arts Academy we are a team of driven people who share the values of sport, hard-work, service to the community, compassion, leadership and team work.
We are an IBJJF certified school and both of our head instructors hold official black belt certifications, 2nd and 1st degrees.
Scroll down to read our story and meet each of our instructors.
Our Story
Lapel Arts was founded in 2021 mid-pandemic, by us, Lucas and Pauline. At a time when Jiu Jitsu and all contact sports were taken away by the pandemic restrictions, we believed we could still provide a safe service for those who were passionate practitioners and needed the sport in their lives, just like us.
We built a studio gym in our work/live loft in Mount-Pleasant, Vancouver, where many artist have similar business-living spaces, and that was the start of Lapel Arts. The small, yet very nice studio welcomed at first only private classes and eventually grew to small group classes.
The people who supported us in this beginning made it possible for us to migrate to our larger current space, and some became our current instructors.
Our team of Instructors
LUCAS WILHAN
Owner/Head Instructor
PAULINE BAK
Owner/Head Instructor
Gi/NoGi Instructor
ALEX JOHNSTON
Alex is a black belt under Lapel Arts, originally passionate about NoGi, but after intensive training with Lucas for years, he has developed a solid knowledge both in Gi and NoGi. He is a great instructor and athlete and often represents the team in local tournaments, lately scoring a gold in the AVA Pro division and many more wins! Find him teaching in the early mornings.
Kids/Women Instructor
ZOE GLASS
Zoe is a black belt under Lapel Arts and the talented artist that decorates our gym with her Jiu Jitsu paintings and prints. Her passion for the sport is clear in her art and on the mats and is inspiring for everyone. Zoe is a big part of our Kids Program together with instructor Pauline and leading most of the classes. Zoe specializes in teaching neurodivergent kids and offer private classes packages for this service.
Gi/NoGi Instructor
CASEY MANDERSON
Casey is one of our first instructors and first to receive his black belt under Lapel Arts! He is a dedicated practitioner in both Gi and NoGi, experienced also in Muay Thai, yoga and physical training. His knowledge of the body and movements plus the extra time he takes to study the best athletes out there gives a lot of value to his teaching. Plus he is a cool actor! Catch his NoGi classes every Thursday at 12pm.
Gi/NoGi Instructor
WILL DUNN
Will is a black belt under Lapel Arts and experienced practitioner that stands out for his teaching skills. He does an amazing job tailoring for both beginners and advanced students, with a lot of patience and great Jiu Jitsu knowledge. He has collected some golds of his own in the local tournaments through the years. Instructor Will is in charge of our NoGi classes Tuesdays at 6pm.
DEVON CHAPPLE
Gi/NoGi Instructor
Instructor Devon is another one of our active competitors, having accomplished incredible performances locally in the NoGi scene. He is a knowledgeable teacher and an amazing training partner for everyone. Train with him on Wednesdays evenings.
TOM WHITTLE
Gi/NoGi Instructor
Instructor Tom is an active competitor for our team and has so far accomplished big wins including 2nd place and 3rd place (absolute) at Masters Worlds 2025 and multiple local gold medals. Tom is an asset in the training room and his classes are filled with charisma and positivity. Find him in the early mornings and Fridays 6pm.