Adrienne Asta Receives Distinguished Service Award

Posted:Wednesday, May 28, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Massage Therapy Foundation Announces Adrienne F. Asta as the
2025 John Balletto Distinguished Service Award Winner

Evanston, IL, May 27, 2025— Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF) announces Adrienne F. Asta, BA, LMT, Tucson, Ariz., as the 2025 John Balletto Distinguished Service Award Winner. The award is given to individuals whose service to the massage therapy profession, through generous volunteer efforts on behalf of the Massage Therapy Foundation, goes far beyond the norm.

Asta joined MTF as a Community Service Committee volunteer in 2007, serving as Committee Chair from 2012-2025. She joined the MTF Board of Trustees in 2017, and served as Board President from 2022-2025.

MTF Past President John Balletto, LMT, presented Asta with his namesake award on April 27, 2025, at MTF’s International Massage Therapy Research Conference (IMTRC) in Alexandria, Virginia. Asta was recognized for her service to the profession and her years of volunteer work for the Foundation.

“Adrienne Asta has been a force in the massage therapy world for many, many years, bringing a‘win-win’ energy. She has been a passionate steward of the profession, not just for the Foundation but for the field, the end users, and all of the pieces connecting how important research is and getting it to clients.” said current MTF Trustee, Dr. Niki Munk, who served alongside Asta on the Board throughout the span of Asta’s 2017-2025 Board service. Receiving the award, Asta said, “we have a responsibility to let people know about the work we do, and this conference [IMTRC], and the case reports, the literature; this is how we contribute to the conversation. It means a lot to me as a massage therapist doing this work every day.”

About the Massage Therapy Foundation

The Massage Therapy Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to supporting scientific research, education, and community service within the massage therapy profession. The Foundation publishes an open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal and provides educational resources for massage therapists, educators, and students. MTF fosters international scientific collaboration through grants, resources, training, and services.

For more information contact: Teri Mayo at tmayo@massagetherapyfoundation.org

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