Volunteer Profiles
Thank you to all our volunteers! We truly appreciate your dedication and your efforts make all the difference!
Board of Trustees
Douglas Nelson, LMT, BCTMB – President
Douglas Nelson began his career in massage therapy in 1977 and he maintains a very active clinical practice. His particular interest has been the role of soft tissue in performance, serving as a neuromuscular consultant to teams in the NBA and NFL, dance companies, and high level musicians. He is the President of BodyWork Associates, a massage therapy clinic in Champaign, IL. Established in 1982, the clinic has three locations and a staff of more than twenty therapists. His teaching institute, NMT MidWest, Inc., provides about one hundred trainings annually in Precision Neuromuscular Therapy™ across the USA; he has personally taught more than 13,000 hours of continuing education. He is also the author of three books- Table Lessons: Insights in the practice of Massage Therapy (two volumes) and The Mystery of Pain. Doug has been the recipient of numerous awards in his field, most recently the 2013 Massage Therapy Educator of the Year and the 2015 Pioneer Award from the Illinois Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association and was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2018.
Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS – President-Elect
Robin Anderson is the director of the massage therapy education program and health professions online learning coordinator at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in Maryland. She is a board certified and licensed massage therapist, maintains a small private practice, and is an NCBTMB approved Continuing Education provider. Robin has a Master of Education degree in Adult Education and Training from Colorado State University and published research on ergonomics teaching methods for improving body mechanics in massage therapy students. Robin is a frequent presenter at many professional conferences specializing in the realms of adult education, teaching methods, and ergonomics. Her unique connection to the Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) began when she was a massage therapy student years ago, she was the recipient of a Bronze Award in the MTF Student Case Report Contest for using massage as a conjunctive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. She also received an Honorable Mention in the MTF Practitioner Case Report Contest for the effects of massage on Parkinsonian-related edema. In addition to the MTF, Robin serves on committees with the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, the Alliance for Massage Therapy Educators, and the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation.
Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT – Vice President
Brent Jackson is a licensed massage therapist and the academic program manager for massage therapy at Central Carolina Technical College. Jackson designed and implemented the first hospital-based, clinical practicum for massage therapy education for the state of South Carolina, incorporating multiple acute-care facilities and additional long-term care facilities for inpatient and outpatient populations. He is an award recipient for the 2015 Miller Communications Excellence in Education Award, the 2016 South Carolina Technical Education Association Teacher of the Year Award, and the E.C. “Red” Kneece Teaching Excellence Award. His education includes a Master of Education in Instructional Design from Western Governors University in South Carolina, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, a Massage Therapy Certificate from South Carolina Massage & Esthetics Institute, and he is a graduate of the Nuclear Propulsion Program from the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, Charleston, SC. Brent is currently the chair of the Massage Therapy Foundation Education Committee.
Adrienne F. Asta, BA, LMT
Adrienne F. Asta has been practicing massage since 2001 and holds certifications in neuromuscular therapy and prenatal massage. Her clients range from permanently disabled to Big Ten collegiate athletes, all of whom teach her something new every session. She is privileged to serve as the chairperson for the Community Service Grants Proposal Review Committee for the Foundation. Additionally, Adrienne has volunteered with the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) on a local and national level for well over a decade. She has been deeply involved in the education arm of the massage industry including positions of instructor, Director of Education, and National Program Director among others and is a member of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education. She has developed ancillary materials for textbooks widely used in massage therapy programs and has trained all levels of practicing massage therapists and educators. It is a joy for her to volunteer alongside such an inspiring and dedicated group of people. Adrienne is proud to donate 1% of the proceeds of her practice to this honorable organization.
Jerrilyn Cambron, LMT, DC, MPH, PhD
Jerrilyn Cambron is Dean of the College of Allied Health Sciences and Distance Education and Professor in the Department of Research at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois. She is also adjunct faculty in the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division of the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has taught numerous research-related courses and post-graduate seminars including introduction to research and biostatistics, epidemiology, public health, practice-based research, critical appraisal of the literature, and writing case reports. She has served as a Principal Investigator on research studies focused on massage therapy and chiropractic care for 20+ years. She has been an investigator on several projects funded by federal agencies including NIH and HRSA, and private foundations such as the Massage Therapy Foundation. She has served on many scientific journal editorial boards and is currently the Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. Jerrilyn is the co-founder and Principal Investigator of MassageNet, a practice-based research network for massage therapists and is a strong supporter of massage therapy research in the clinical practice setting. Jerrilyn is passionate about helping therapists understand and apply the research literature in order to improve client care and also helping therapists write case reports about the interesting clients they have treated.
Jen Dexheimer, BS, LMT
Jennifer has been a Licensed Massage Therapist in Illinois since 2000. She has volunteered for the Massage Therapy Foundation for the past 9 years; serving on the Case Report Contest Committees, as Chair of the Research Committee, and Chair of workgroups for scientific submissions to both the American Massage Therapy Association National Convention and the International Massage Therapy Research Conference. Jen previously worked in research for 18 years at the National University of Health Sciences (NUHS), coordinating clinical studies on massage therapy and chiropractic and was co-founder of MassageNet, a practice-based research network. She also served as an in an instructor at NUHS for 8 years, teaching research literacy. Jennifer returned to full-time practice in 2017 and now owns Journey to Wellness, Inc.. She is involved in the community and serves veterans, first responders, and communities in need through volunteer work. In addition to opening her new practice office, she will be returning to university in Fall 2020 for completion of a Masters in Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Robin Miccio, MS, LMT, CEIM
Robin Miccio is a massage therapist and instructor with a Master’s in Health Science Research with a concentration in Integrative Health and Wellness. She works for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as a Research and Program Coordinator for its Community Asthma Prevention Program. Miccio volunteers her time offering integrative wellness and infant massage workshops. She has volunteered with MTF as a blog writer and case report contest committee chair; with the NCBTMB on the exam development committee; and with AMTA as the New Jersey Chapter Vice President.
Niki Munk, PhD, LMT
Niki Munk, PhD, LMT, is an Associate Professor of Health Sciences in Indiana University’s School of Health and Human Sciences at IUPUI, a non-practicing Kentucky licensed massage therapist, and member of the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health (ACIH) research work group. Dr. Munk is one of 13 international Fellows in ARCCIM’s International Complementary Medicine Research Leadership Program, co-investigator on the VA TOMCATT study, and former Practice and Education Sections Editor for the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Dr. Munk’s research explores real-world massage therapy for chronic pain and associated factors, trigger point self-care, massage for amputation related sequelae, and the reporting and impact of massage related case reports among other projects. Prior to beginning her gerontological doctoral pursuits in 2006, Dr. Munk worked as Program Director and a lead instructor for the Lexington Healing Arts Academy in Lexington, Kentucky. Discouraged by accessibility barriers to massage therapy faced by much of the population, she chose research and academia as a means to help bridge the accessibility gap reasoning that stronger evidence for the field will lead to increased routine 3rd party coverage for massage treatment. Niki has been volunteering with the Massage Therapy Foundation since 2011 and joined the Board of Trustees in 2017.
Joan Nichols, LMT, BCTMB
Joan Nichols is a Past President of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). A massage therapist since 1998, she has a massage therapy practice near her home in the South Metro area of Atlanta, GA, with a focus on on-site wellness programs and community events. She has served on the national board of directors of AMTA multiple times since 2011. Joan was a massage therapy educator from 2008 to 2015. She has also served in a variety of volunteer roles at the national and chapter level for AMTA since 2000 and as Georgia Chapter President from 2006 to 2010. Joan received her Massage Therapy Certificate from New Life Institute School of Massage Excellence in 1998 and became Nationally Certified the following year. She also volunteers with Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation for Children, Inc.
JoEllen Sefton, PhD, ATC, CMT
JoEllen Sefton, Ph.D, ATC is the director of the Auburn University Warrior Research Center, with the mission to assist the US Armed Forces in improving the physical and technical skills, equipment, health and performance of our Military, Families and Veterans. Dr. Sefton developed and led the Warrior Athletic Training Program at Ft. Benning, which provided sports medicine care and injury prevention, and performance improvement across most of the Ft Benning units for 8 years. She is currently a Professor at Auburn University where she develops and teaches courses related to neuromechanics, research, and sports medicine. As the Director of the Auburn Neuromechanics Research Laboratory, Dr. Sefton studies neuromuscular and physiological effects of orthopedic and neuromuscular injury; and the rehabilitation and therapeutic methods used to treat these injuries. Sefton has been a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist for 24 years, and a Certified Athletic Trainer for 19 years. She has worked with high school, college, Olympic and professional athletes, Broadway performers, professional musicians and Military and other tactical athletes. Sefton has volunteered with the Massage Therapy Foundation in different roles for the past 8 years.
Advisory Council
John Balletto, BSc, LMT, CKTP
John Balletto is a licensed massage therapist, author, educator, researcher and certified KinesioTaping® Practitioner in private practice in Providence, Rhode Island. He is past National Vice-President of the American Massage Therapy Association, past President of the Massage Therapy Foundation and a member of the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals, the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education, the Fascia Research Society, the Kinesio Taping® Association International and an affiliate member of the American College of Sports Medicine. In addition to his private practice, he serves as the massage therapist for several collegiate and professional athletic teams, as is the current Chair of the State of RI Board of Licensed Massage Therapists.
A graduate of Bates College, Lewiston, ME, John is an avid sculler, gardner, beekeeper and nature photographer. He currently lives with his wife, Janet, in Warwick, RI.
Grace Chan, BSc, RMT, DOMP
Grace is a founder and co-owner of the Sutherland-Chan School of Massage Therapy and is the founder and owner of the Sutherland-Chan Clinics. She is known in Toronto for her role as an educator and employer of massage therapists. Grace entered massage therapy school in 1975 with a diverse educational background. She completed the course of massage therapy study at 3HO Foundation and completed the course of shiatsu at Kikkawa College (Shiatsu). She is an honors graduate from the University of Toronto with a B.Sc in Physiology and Psychology. In addition, she completed post-graduate studies in Neuroanatomy, Advanced Physiology and Psychology. More recently, she graduated from the Canadian College of Osteopathy as an Osteopathic Manual Practitioner. Grace has a long history of volunteering for charitable organizations. Starting in 1972 with the Beverley School for students with intellectual and physical disabilities, she has worked with a diverse list of organizations in leadership roles including the Mon Sheong Foundation, and Mount Sinai Hospital. She has also worked extensively with massage therapy associations in Canada and the United States, including being the founding President of the Massage Therapy Foundation, begun in the early 1990s by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). Prior to that she was the founder of the Canadian Sports Massage Therapists Association (CSMTA) and was instrumental in the founding of the Canadian Massage Therapists Alliance (CMTA).
Aviad Haramati, PhD
Aviad “Adi” Haramati is Professor and in the Departments of Physiology and Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine with research interests in renal and electrolyte physiology. Dr. Haramati has taught medical and graduate students for over 25 years. He served on the Physiology Test Development Committee (USMLE Step 1) for the National Board of Medical Examiners, and is currently Chair of the Examination Section for the Certification Board of Nutrition Specialists (CBNS) of the American College of Nutrition. His CAM-related interests focus on the use of Mind-Body Medicine Skills for stress management and on the integration of CAM in health professions education. Dr. Haramati was the principal investigator of an NIH grant that is supporting a broad educational initiative to incorporate CAM and integrative medicine into the 4-year medical curriculum at Georgetown. Dr. Haramati is the past Vice-Chair of the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine and a member of the executive committee of the Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium. He chaired the program committee for the 2006 North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine, and was chair of the organizing committee for the 2009 Research Conference.
Janet R. Kahn, PhD, NCTMB
Janet Kahn is both a CAM practitioner and a medical sociologist with years of experience looking at issues of healthcare delivery and systems integration. She is currently serving as Executive Director of the Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium, and Director of Research for the Massage Therapy Research Consortium. Dr. Kahn is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont, College of Medicine. She was the co-investigator on three studies currently in the field — a clinical trial comparing two kinds of massage for people with chronic low back pain being conducted at Group Health Center for Health Studies; a Phase II SBIR grant to develop and test an educational DVD for cancer patients and their caregivers; and a qualitative study of the effects massage clients notice. Dr. Kahn is a past president of the Massage Therapy Foundation, and was a member of the NIH National Advisory Council on Complementary and
Alternative Medicine.
William C. Meeker, DC, MPH
Dr. Meeker was appointed president of the San Jose Campus of Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2007. Prior to that he was Vice-President for Research for Palmer College of Chiropractic, and the Director of the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR). During his 12 year tenure, the PCCR became the largest chiropractic research program in the world. He was the editor of the Journal of the Neuromusculoskeletal System, and now currently serves on the editorial boards of The Spine Journal, the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Explore, The International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and others. Dr. Meeker has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers, books and book chapters and has made over 100 scientific and policy presentations to multidisciplinary audiences around the world. He is a former member of the National Advisory Council of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at NIH, and a former member of the Governing Council of the American Public Health Association. He currently serves on the Boards of the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, and the Academy for Integrative Health and Medicine. Dr. Meeker received his BA in political science from Wabash College in 1973, his Doctorate in Chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1982, and his Master of Public Health degree from San Jose State University in 1988.
Thomas Myers, LMT
Thomas Myers directs Anatomy Trains, which offers courses in manual therapy and the anatomy of movement worldwide. Tom is the author of Anatomy Trains (Elsevier 2001, 2009, 2014),Anatomist’s Corner (Kinesis 2012), Body3 (Kinesis 2010), and co-author of Fascial Release for Structural Balance (North Atlantic 2010, 2016). Tom has authored numerous chapters and contributes frequently to trade magazine and journals. Tom has produced 16 DVDs and a dozen webinars for manual therapists and movement teachers. Tom speaks frequently on fascia, connected anatomy, and movement.
Tom is a certified Rolfer ®, a member of the Health Advisory Board for Equinox Fitness, and has formerly been on the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, as well as the Rolf Institute’s Board of Directors. He studied directly with Drs. Ida Rolf, Moshe Feldenkrais, and other luminaries of the bodywork world, and had successful practices in London, Germany, Italy, Australia, and various cities in the US. Tom developed the Anatomy Trains myofascial meridians system from a combination of his practice and anatomy teaching to his students. This system, which connects the muscles into functional units through the fascial bio-fabric, has been taken up with enthusiasm by a variety of body-oriented practitioners from rehabilitation and performance enhancement.
Whitney Lowe, LMT
Whitney Lowe is a recognized authority on pain and injury treatment with massage therapy. His contributions to the massage field are wide-ranging and include extensive research, professional publications, teaching, clinical work, consulting, and participation in national boards and committees. He is the author of the books, Orthopedic Assessment in Massage Therapy, and Orthopedic Massage: Theory and Technique, which are used in training programs and schools nationally and internationally. He is a former chair of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork and In 1994 founded the Academy of Clinical Massage (formerly OMERI) to provide massage therapists the advanced education they would need for treating orthopedic soft-tissue disorders. He is a member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies and has been a regular featured author in publications such as Massage Magazine, Massage Today, The Journal of Soft-Tissue Manipulation, and Massage & Bodywork.
John Weeks
John Weeks has worked in integrative health for 32 years as a chronicler, columnist, speaker, organizer, and executive. His writing includes the Integrator Blog (www.johnweeks-integrator.com), News & Reports, Integrative Practitioner, and other regular columns. In May 2016 he said yes to taking on a part-time role as editor-in-chief for the pioneering peer-reviewed journal in the field, JACM (Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine). Weeks has consulted with the NIH, AHA, IHPM, and numerous professional and academic organizations. He is particularly proud of serving as an adviser to the WHO on its 2014-2023 Traditional Medicine Strategy and PAHO on its traditional medicine initiative. Weeks has helped create and/or direct multi-stakeholder and interprofessional initiatives including the Integrative Health Policy Consortium, the National Education Dialogue to Advance Integrated Care, and the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care, for which he served for 8 years as executive director. Weeks attended Stanford University for three years, writing poetry and studying history. Four academic institutions have granted Weeks honorary doctorates. In 2014 three integrative consortia collaborated to grant him a Lifetime Achievement Living Tribute award. While particularly pleased at having found ways to move with his family and work from Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Puerto Rico, he presently works from a home-office in Seattle, Washington.
Ruth Werner, BCTMB
Ruth Werner is a massage therapist, writer, and educator with a passionate interest in massage research and the role of bodywork for people who struggle with health. Her groundbreaking textbook, A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology was first published in 1998; keeping it current is now her main occupation. In addition, she writes a column for Massage and Bodywork magazine and teaches continuing education workshops all over the country. She has served on committees for the Utah Department of Public Licensing, the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the National Certifying Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), and the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). Ruth was extremely honored to be selected for the AMTA Council of Schools Teacher of the Year Award for 2005. Ruth is a past President of the Massage Therapy Foundation and served on the Board of Trustees from 2007-2018.
Leslie A. Young, PhD
Leslie has enjoyed donating to and volunteering for the Massage Therapy Foundation since 2008; she was honored to serve as a Trustee and Development Chair until 2016. In 2002 Leslie joined the massage profession as Editor-in-Chief of Massage & Bodywork magazine; she’s also Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals’ Vice President Communication. Her dedication to the Foundation traces back to her appreciation for inquiry and her respect for evidenced-based practice. She sees the Foundation as the philanthropic crossroads for the massage profession and particularly enjoys stewarding key Foundation relationships and educating professionals about its three focal points: community service grants, research grants, and education on the efficacy of therapeutic massage.
Volunteers
Current Massage Therapy Foundation Committees:
Executive Committee
Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB (Chair)
Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS
Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT
JoEllen Sefton, PhD, ATC, CMT
Community Service Grant Proposal Review Committee
Adrienne Asta, LMT (Chair)
Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS
Dawn Geula, LMT
Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB
Sarah Lashley, LMT, BCTMB, PNMT
Nicole Swayne, BA, LMT, CNMT
Development and Marketing Committee
Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB (Chair)
Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS
Adrienne F. Asta, BA, LMT
Joan Nichols, LMT, BCTMB
Kim Nimmo, BCTMB
David Otto, LMT BCTMB,
Collette Wilson, LMT
Education Committee
Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT (Chair)
Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS
Karen Hobson, MS. Ed., LMT
Nancy Levitt, RN BSN
Kevin Wade, LMT, CINT
Ruth Werner, BCTMB
Pete Whitridge, BA, LMT
Finance Committee
Lindsay Bodkin, B.A., LMT, CPT (Chair)
Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT
Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB
Governance Committee
Robin Miccio, MS, LMT, CEIM (Chair)
Adrienne Asta, LMT
Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT
Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB
Dolly Wallace, LMT, BCTMB
Poster Session Workgroup
Jen Dexheimer, LMT, BS (Chair)
Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS
Jerrilyn Cambron, LMT, DC, MPH, PhD
Ruth Werner, BCTMB
Research Committee
Jen Dexheimer, BS, LMT(Chair)
Jerrilyn Cambron, LMT, DC, MPH, PhD
Rob Hemsworth, BPE, Bed, MRSC, RMT
Ann Blair Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH
Gordon MacDonald, BSc
Robin Miccio, MS, LMT, CEIM
Niki Munk, PhD, LMT
JoEllen Sefton, PhD, ATC, CMT
Research Grant Proposal Review Committee
JoEllen Sefton, PhD, ATC, CMT (Chair)
Virginia S. Cowen, PhD, LMT
Albert Moraska, PhD
Niki Munk, PhD, LMT
Cynthia Price, PhD, LMP
Antony Porcino, PhD, HSI
Student Case Report Contest Review Committee
Robin Miccio, MS, LMT, CEIM (Chair)
Jen Dexheimer, BS, LMT
Portia Resnick, PhD, ATC, BCTM
Susan Salvo, EdD, LMT, NTS
Ruth Werner, BCTMB
Andrea Winzer, M.Sc., BCTMB, PCC
Writing Committee
MK Brennan, MS, RN, LMBT (Chair)
Adrienne Asta, BA, LMT (BOT liaison)
Jolie Haun, PhD, LMT
Natalie Lorick, HHP,LMT
John Paradiso, LMT
Judy Stahl, MA, LMT
Jacqueline Tibbett, PhD, LMT
Arthur Veilleux, PT
Andrea Winzer, M.Sc., BCTMB, PCC
International professionals work with the Massage Therapy Foundation in various capacities. We designate their academic degrees and professional credentials according to the countries in which they qualified. We make every effort to do this as accurately as possible.