Johnny Packard

Johnny teaches Tai Chi for Health in affiliation with Badger Community Education, the Lake Geneva Public Library, and the Williams Bay Recreation Department. He is an active volunteer and tai chi leader; he has taught at the Walworth County Jail and Make Arthritis Stop Hurting camp and was President of the United States Tai Chi Community from 2018 until 2024.

Johnny has practiced the Tai Chi for Health programs since 2008 and attained his first instructor certification in 2011. In October of 2023 Johnny became a Senior Trainer. Senior trainers are trained and authorized by the Tai Chi for Health Institute to conduct regional instructor practice sessions, and to assist Master Trainers in all matters relating to Tai Chi for Health programs.

With Dr. Lam, Johnny has studied the Depth of Tai Chi for Arthritis, Tai Chi for Energy 1 & 2, Tai Chi for Rehabilitation, Depth of Tai Chi for Energy, Exploring the Depth of the Sun Style 73 Forms, Depth of Tai Chi for Diabetes, Depth of the Yang 24 Forms, and Exploring the Depth and Secrets of all the Tai Chi for Health Programs.

He has also trained with Ben Lo, William C.C. Chen, Adam Mizner, and many Master and Senior Trainers.

In 2012 Johnny founded Tai Chi Lake Geneva to promote the appreciation and practice of tai chi in the Geneva Lakes area, southeastern Wisconsin, USA. Tai Chi Lake Geneva holds weekly ongoing classes, leads public tai chi demonstrations, and hosts community Tai Chi by Geneva Lake.

In 2014 Johnny was granted a Tai Chi for Health Community scholarship to attend the 2014 annual workshop in St. Louis. The scholarship committee cited his seriousness of purpose to develop Tai Chi for Health knowledge, defined goals to help people in the community, and past history of community involvement when awarding the scholarship.

In 2015 Johnny initiated the Tai Chi for Inmates program at the Walworth County Jail. This program has demonstrated both quantitative and qualitative positive outcomes. The Medical Team Administrator notes: the good and major news is that we ran the anxiety & depression testing again and while anxiety did not change much, depression did change significantly for the better. This is exactly the data we were hoping for. It legitimizes our efforts. About the program the Medical Team Administrator also shared this story: yesterday after your class one of the inmates was taken to the court and placed in a private room. The room has a camera in it and this inmate was witnessed practicing her Tai Chi moves. How is that for impact?

In 2016 Johnny was honored to be elected to the United States Tai Chi Community Board of Directors, and served as President from April 2018 until February 2024. USTCC.ORG is a professional organization that supports teachers and participants who practice tai chi for health improvement.

Johnny has bachelor degrees in Philosophy, German Literature, History and Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. On Wisconsin!

Johnny has been married to a wonder of a woman for 34 years, has five kids, owns a landscaping business, and is an avid beekeeper, chess player, and music listener.