Fast-Find: Sandy Fritz, David Lauterstein, Benny Vaughn, Davonna Willis, Pete Whitridge, Julie Onofrio, Whitney Lowe, Dr. Patricia Benjamin, George Kousaleos, Dr. Susan Salvo, Don Dillon, Dr. Jeffrey Montoya, Cal Cates, David Palmer, Meg Donnelly, Laura Allen, Pam Fitch, Doug Nelson, Fiona Rattray, Timothy Peckinpaugh, Nicole Miller, Dr. Amanda Baskwill, Dr. Donelda Leverick (Gowan), Ruth Werner, Luke Fritz, Irene Diamond, Dolly Wallace, Meg Donnelly and Casey White, Grace Chan, Troy Lavigne, Pamela Ferguson, Kerry Jordan
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Kerry Jordan provided massage therapy and taught in hospitals and clinical settings throughout the Washington, DC metro area and around the world for adult and pediatric palliative care patients and other patients with complex needs and high symptom burden. Before training as a massage therapist, Kerry owned and operated a successful yoga studio in Boston for 15 years.
Kerry effortlessly weaves the principles of yoga and meditation into her teaching and service work with yogis, massage therapists and health care providers. She has worked as Healwell’s Operations Director since 2014, a position in which she coordinates strategy, communications and logistics for Healwell’s education and service programs. She leads Healwell’s development and fundraising activities and interfaces with the finance teams at Healwell’s partner facilities.
Kerry is a teacher for Healwell and brings 20 years of experience as an instructor and has an extensive background in teaching pathology and physiology and adapting massage therapy for special populations.
Episode #31 Spotify YouTube
Pamela Ellen Ferguson Dipl. Asian Bodywork Therapy (NCBAHM), AOBTA (r) and GSD Certified Instructor, LMT (TX) has developed Zen Shiatsu and CEU training in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, over the past four decades.
Her first career was in journalism and she has published 11 books including three textbooks, The Self Shiatsu Handbook (1995), TAKE FIVE- The Five Elements Guide to Health and Harmony (2000) published in English and German. Together with Debra Persinger (Executive Director of the FSMTB), Pam co-edited the anthology SAND TO SKY – Conversations with Teachers of Asian Medicine (2008). Pam is also the Asian Bodywork Therapy columnist for the monthly Acupuncture Today.
Pam is finalizing co-editing an anthology on PTSD/PTSI with Randall Sexton, a psychiatric nurse practitioner. In 2000 Pam formed a team with colleagues representing their national organizations, to successfully remove Shiatsu, Trager, Rolfing and Reflexology from Texas massage therapy laws.
Episode #30: Spotify YouTube
Troy Lavigne has spent two decades at the crossroads of touch, movement, and lived experience. He opened his massage clinic in Boulder, Colorado in 2005, and has since worked everywhere from professional cycling teams and elite soccer programs to pediatric settings and international care environments, including work with children with special needs in India.
His career has been shaped less by protocols and more by paying attention to bodies, nervous systems, and the stories they carry. A longtime leader in the profession, Troy served as director of education for the Colorado AMTA chapter from 2016 to 2023 and is a published researcher and author. He also hosts the sensory approach to manual therapy podcast where he explores how perception context and history influence the way we touch and heal.
Episode 29: Spotify YouTube
Grace Chan is a true builder of the modern massage profession. She is an osteopathic manual practitioner and one of the co-founders of the Sutherland-Chan School of Massage, an institution that has shaped massage education in Canada for decades and influenced how thousands of practitioners were trained, taught, and licensed.
Beyond the classroom and clinic, Grace has been a national and international leader, helping establish professional organizations, supporting research and education through the American Massage Therapy Association Foundation, and advocating for massage therapy at a time when the profession was still fighting for recognition.
Episode 28: Spotify YouTube
Meg Donnelly and Casey White – Bonus episode
We follow up on a story that developed during our last season as reported by Meg Donnelly. Although they both came to the profession through different routes, Meg and Casey found themselves united when a piece of unfair business regulation threatened massage therapists in their county.
Their collaboration offers a rare, real-time look at how history is made at the local level: through old laws rediscovered, new rules proposed, informal collectives formed, and practitioners learning—often for the first time—how governance, language, and professional identity intersect.
This conversation isn’t just about what happened in Fairfax County, Virginia. It’s about how massage therapists become part of the historical record simply by paying attention, organizing, and refusing to let outdated narratives define their work. Spotify YouTube
Dolly Wallace served as board president of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work, and advocate for more than 12,000 therapists of the American Massage Therapy Association. As a licensed massage therapist, she is a strong advocate for the fair regulation. During her 30 plus years of experience as a full-time practitioner, she has several senior level positions on the AMTA National Board of Directors to include serving as national president from 2017 to 2018. Dolly served as a trustee on the Massage Therapy Foundation’s board of trustees from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2019.
A native of Michigan, Dolly was instrumental in establishing the education and professional standards and licensing requirements for massage therapists in Michigan. Dolly remains a tireless advocate for massage therapy as a part of integrative care. She has published the Pain Practitioner which was the quarterly publication of the American Academy of Pain Management. Additionally, Dolly has been awarded the AMTA National Distinguished Service Award, AMTA’s National Outstanding Volunteer Group Chair for Government Relations, Florida Chiropractic Association’s Massage Therapist of the Year Award, and Massage Therapy Foundation’s Humanitarian Award.
Irene Diamond is the creator of Team Care, Precise Private Practice, and the Diamond Method. Therapists and clinic owners turn to her for business training to maximize revenue, delight clients, enjoy their life, and eliminate burnout.
A best-selling author of Design Your Dream Practice for Health and Wellness Clinics and Therapists, Irene was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2013, and is widely recognized as one of the most influential pioneers in the massage profession. She is known for her controversial but clear, practical, and leading edge approach to elevating both client care and therapist success.
Episode 26: Spotify YouTube
Luke Fritz, son of Sandy Fritz, was essentially born and raised under a massage table. He grew up in and graduated from Health Enrichment Center School of Therapeutic Massage in 2004, eventually gaining a bachelor’s degree of applied science in massage therapy.
He went on to work in many massage environments specializing in orthopedic rehab and athletics. He then had the great honor of becoming assistant to Arie Cander, strength and conditioning coach and physical therapist for the Detroit Pistons and worked with the Pistons and various athletes for over a decade. He has since returned to teach at health enrichment center, help open and operate a spa connected to the school and co-author with Sandy Fritz Mosby’s fundamental of therapeutic massage and Mosby’s essential sciences for therapeutic massage.
Episode 25: Spotify YouTube
Ruth Werner is an award-winning educator, writer, and former massage therapist who loves to share her passion about the role of bodywork for people who live with health challenges. Her textbook, A Massage Therapist Guide to Pathology, is now in its seventh edition and used all over the world.
Ruth is a columnist for Massage and Bodywork magazine and she teaches continuing education workshops on pathology research and ethics both virtually and in person worldwide. Her popular podcast “I have a client who…” pathology conversations with Ruth Warner is available wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode 24: Spotify YouTube
Dr. Donelda Leverick (Gowan) holds a bachelor of arts degree (honours) in psychology, a master of science degree in community health and epidemiology, and a doctorate in population health science from the University of Saskatchewan. She also has a diploma from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy in Sutton, Ontario.
Donelda is currently a director in the center for integrative medicine in the department of community health and epidemiology in the college of medicine at the University of Saskatchewan where she holds an adjunct professor appointment. She is the past research chair on the board of directors of the massage therapist association of Saskatchewan and the past chair of the Canadian interdisciplinary complimentary and alternative medicine research network.
Donelda is now a health service researcher and knowledge broker. Her main research interests include integrative health care and interprofessional collaboration as well as massage therapy.
Episode 23: Spotify YouTube
Dr. Amanda Baskwill is a massage therapist, educator, and academic leader. Her contributions include curriculum leadership in massage therapy education, government advocacy for professional regulation, and research that bridges clinical practice, and evidence-informed care.
Amanda’s work has consistently focused on elevating the profession’s visibility, credibility, and integration within broader health systems. Currently serving as the senior vice president, academic, and chief learning officer at Loyalist College, Amanda continues to support the growth of health and wellness professions through strategic leadership and innovation. She is also the executive editor and editor and chief of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork – IJTMB – where she champions scholarly work that reflects the complexity and potential of massage therapy.
A passionate storyteller and mentor, Amanda brings a reflective lens to her own professional journey and the evolving history of massage therapy, making her an insightful voice in conversations about where the profession has been and where we’re headed.
Episode 22: Spotify YouTube
Nicole Miller acquired a certificate in massage therapy – after an exciting career in higher education administration – inspired by her personal experiences as a client of massage therapy. During those experiences, Nicole developed an appreciation for the potential of massage therapy’s impact on the biopsychosocial model of care.
A therapist 20 years, and fueled by her veneration of massage therapy, Nicole has blended her experiences in education and massage therapy practice. While applying those skills to educate and care for others as a clinical massage therapist, Nicole has supported thousands of patients through the power of massage therapy and community outreach initiatives. Now, she enjoys sharing those experiences to help massage therapists through the power of education.
Episode 21: Spotify YouTube
Timothy Peckinpaugh is a certified massage therapist and the current government relations chair for the AMTA California chapter based in Palm Springs. His practice specializes in chronic pain management. In his role as the government relations chair, Timothy focuses on engaging members, building coalitions with allied health professionals, and strengthening advocacy for the massage therapy profession.
Timothy’s primary initiative is advancing legislation to transition California from a voluntary certification system to a mandatory statewide license, bringing massage therapy in line with other health care professions and ensuring therapists receive the recognition and the respect they deserve.
Episode 20: Spotify YouTube
Fiona Rattray is perhaps best known as the co-author of Clinical Massage Therapy: Understanding, Assessing, and Treating Over 70 Conditions, a foundational textbook still used widely across North America and recognized as a core resource for licensing exams. Fiona has taught and mentored thousands of massage therapists through her years as faculty at the Sutherland-Chan School and teaching clinic in Toronto where she also served as chief examiner for practical skills and led curriculum development.
As the founder and president of Talus Incorporated, she spent the last 25 years researching, developing, and publishing high quality educational materials for massage professionals. Her workshops from injury prevention to clinical evaluation prep have taken her across Canada, the United States, and Australia. All this while maintaining her own clinical practice in Elora, Ontario. She’s a lifetime member of the Registered Massage Therapist Association of Ontario, and in 2013, she was honored with the lifetime achievement award from One Concept for her outstanding contributions to the profession.
Episode 19: Spotify YouTube
Douglas Nelson is Board Certified in Massage Therapy and Therapeutic Bodywork, beginning his career in massage therapy in 1977. He is the President of BodyWork Associates, a massage therapy clinic in Champaign, IL. The clinic has twenty-two therapists and was founded in 1982.
He is the founder of Precision Neuromuscular Therapy™, and the teaching institute has trained thousands of therapists since 1997. Doug is the past president of the Massage Therapy Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to advancing the knowledge and practice of massage therapy by supporting scientific research, education, and community service.
Having published many articles in numerous journals and magazines, 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 is the recipient of the 2013 Educator of the Year and 2015 Pioneer Award by the Illinois Chapter of the AMTA and was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2018. He also received the 2020 President’s Award from the AMTA National President Angela Barker. Most recently, Doug was awarded the 2024 Meritorious Service Award from the Massage Therapy Foundation.
Pamela Fitch – a Canadian massage therapy educator, writer, researcher and long-time practitioner – has explored professional, ethical and communicative challenges faced by manual therapists. She remains particularly interested in how massage therapy affects clients who have experienced trauma, post-traumatic stress and complex pain conditions.
A committed educator, she has been recognized with several awards for teaching. Her workshops explore ethical challenges, the massage therapeutic relationship, massage therapy and trauma, and the treatment of scars and she has presented widely across Canada and beyond. Pam is the author of Talking Body, Listening Hands: A Guide to Professionalism, Communication and the Therapeutic Relationship.
Pam brings humour, openness and comfort “in the moment” to her presentations, able to pivot between lecture, small and large group discussions while thoughtfully responding to participant questions. Pam’s dedication to transparent communication, integrity and respect ensure that even large groups feel cohesive and connected.
Laura Allen is the President of Sales & Marketing at CryoDerm, which creates pain relief and therapeutic massage products. A graduate of Shaw University and The Whole You School of Massage Therapy, Allen began her studies of bodywork in 1993, and a licensed massage therapist since 1999. Laura was the administrator and an instructor at The Whole You, and owned a multi-disciplinary clinic offering chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, esthetics, naturopathy, and nutritional counseling.
Laura is the author of 10 books, and has penned Heart of Bodywork – the regular ethics column in Massage & Bodywork Magazine – for the past 8 years. She is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education under the NCBTMB, offering classes in professional ethics, research literacy, business and marketing, massage therapy techniques, and training for those who want to be instructors of massage therapy. Laura has taught classes all over the US, in Canada, and Europe.
Meg Donnelly is a licensed massage therapist and the owner of NoVA Weekend Warriors, a massage and mobility studio in Herndon, Virginia. She’s been practicing since 2016 and mostly works together with folks on their pain management, stress reduction, or athletic recovery goals. Her catch phrase for NoVA Weekend Warriors, “Move freely. Feel awesome.”
When she’s not in session, Meg’s usually working behind the scenes to support the massage profession itself. She’s helped organize local therapists to push back on unfair town level fees, and county level regulations, co-led two courses on challenging racism in the massage profession, and spends a lot of time thinking about how massage can stay ethical, accessible, and human-centered, for clients, community AND massage therapists alike.
David Palmer is credited with creating the first school of Traditional Japanese Massage in the United States in 1982. However, he is best known as the acknowledged “father” of contemporary chair massage. David’s journey began in 1982 when he started experimenting with training graduates of his school, The Amma Institute, to adapt acupressure massage techniques to work with fully clothed clients seated in a chair rather than on a table.
Just a few years later, in 1986, he unveiled the first professional massage chair and launched TouchPro International setting the stage for the global spread of chair massage through practitioner training, innovative techniques, and effective marketing strategies. All of his work has been motivated by an effort to democratize the experience of positive touch and to provide a new source of meaningful work. David is a 2007 Massage Therapy Hall of Fame inductee.
Cal Cates is an award-winning writer, published researcher, international speaker, and the founder and executive director of Healwell, – a nonprofit whose mission is to improve quality of life for people affected by acute, chronic, and serious illness. Healwell has trained thousands of healthcare providers in skills of resiliency, self-awareness, communication, and forgiveness.
Cal has dedicated their career to advocacy in healthcare, massage therapy as social justice, and to revolutionizing education for healthcare providers. Cal has trained with Roshi, Joan Halifax, Ram Dass, Frank Osticeski, and other leaders in the field of contemplative care and has created curriculum and written for trade journals on topics ranging from end-of-life care to interdisciplinary education, to racism, and the endless ways that humans make it hard to live in successful, equitable harmony.
Dr. Jeffrey Montoya has a passion for well-being through massage therapy and body work. He is a Reiki master teacher, board-certified massage therapist, and massage educator. He holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert’s college a master’s degree from Cardinal Stritch University. A diploma in therapeutic massage from Madison College and a doctorate in Health Professionals Education from Logan University.
Jeffrey is the founder and president of Academy of Health Massage School. Jeffrey has volunteered and served in leadership for our massage professional organizations. He has received the AMTA Teacher of the Year Award AMTA Wisconsin Chapter Meritorious Service Award, Aveda Power of Touch Award, and was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame.
Donald Quinn Dillon, RMT is a practitioner, writer and practice coach, residing in the province of Ontario, Canada. His 33+ years of practice include managing a multi-practitioner practice, with active roles in representing his professional association to insurers and government. Dillon has been contracted as a subject matter expert with the Ontario regulator, and for 8 years provided training and consulting with one of the corporate chains that employ hundreds of massage therapists.
Dillon was a regular columnist for Massage Therapy Canada magazine. He has guest lectured at a number of the massage therapy schools, and presented to MT associations across Canada. Dillon contributed in a very small way to the 4th edition of Outcome-Based Massage by CK Andrade – an international textbook used by physiotherapists and massage therapists. Find him at DonDillon-RMT.com.
* Dillon thanks Bodhi Haraldsson for introduction to Peter and Margaret Behr re: history of regulation in British Columbia.
Dr. Susan Salvo has been a massage therapist for over 40 years and teaches at the LA Institute of Massage Therapy, Unitech Training Academy, and the New Mexico School of Massage. Susan has written several textbooks, reviews case reports for the Massage Therapy Foundation, and was a task force member for both the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge project and the Council of State Governments’ Massage Interstate Compact.
Susan gives presentations across the U.S. and U.K, and focus on advancing the fields of massage, complementary and integrative healthcare, and higher education. A perpetual student herself, Susan is currently enrolled at the University of Louisiana studying psychology, film, and literature. Author of: Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice and Mosby’s Pathology for Massage Therapists
George Kousaleos – a Harvard graduate and former substance abuse counselor – entered the field of massage therapy after a rugby injury in 1975 led him to discover its healing potential. He trained at the SOMA Institute of Neuromuscular Integration, later becoming an instructor and introducing the program internationally.
In 1990, he co-founded the CORE Institute in Tallahassee, training over 2,000 students and developing the CORE Myofascial Therapy Certification Program, taught worldwide. George played pivotal roles in professionalizing massage therapy through work with the NCBTMB and the Massage Therapy Foundation and was a leader in integrating massage into elite sports, including the Olympics and NFL training programs. He continues to teach and practice, focusing on structural integration and performance bodywork for elite athletes.
Patricia J. Benjamin, PhD is an author, history enthusiast, and retired massage therapist and massage therapy educator. She is author of the book The Emergence of the Massage Therapy Profession in North America: A History in Archetypes, published by Curties-Overzet Publications, 2015.
Patricia has been researching and writing about the history of massage therapy for over four decades, and seeks to enlighten and inspire with stories about the profession’s past. After graduating from massage school in the early 1980s, during a period of dynamic growth in the profession, she became intrigued by the stories of its earlier days. She is a former Director of Education and National Historian for the American Massage Therapy Association, and has periodically written about massage history for the Massage Therapy Journal (MTJ) and other professional journals.
Patricia holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University in Leisure Studies with a concentration in Historic Preservation. She is also the author of the entry-level text, Tappan’s Handbook of Massage Therapy, Blending Art with Science, Pearson Education.
Whitney Lowe is a known authority in massage therapy, with a 37-year career marked by clinical work, research, publication, and teaching in advanced massage principles. He specializes in treating pain and injuries using massage and is one of the pioneers of the orthopedic massage approach.
Lowe’s Orthopedic Massage Program Academy of Clinical Massage stands out in its engaging and accessible design and comprehensive curriculum. Students, whether learning online or in-person, praise Lowe for his approachable style and personalized training. Lowe’s Orthopedic Assessment in Massage Therapy text, originally published in 1995, continues to be an industry staple (new edition due 2025).
Julie Onofrio, LMT has been a massage therapist for over 38 years and has created many websites over the years for massage therapists.
Her current work is at www.massagetherapynexus.com where she has gathered her insights on advocacy work for the massage therapy profession. Julie is one of the three initial founders for SOMA.
Pete Whitridge has been a licensed massage therapist since 1988. He teaches his Myofascial Components of Pain workshops, Florida required courses, business building classes, and research literacy courses throughout the country. Pete completed his four-year term on the Florida Board of Massage Therapy, serving two years as Chairman. He has served as a faculty member at massage schools throughout the nation: Gainesville, FL, Melbourne, FL, Costa Rica, Des Moines, IA, and Asheville, NC.
Pete is a frequent speaker for AMTA and FSMTA chapter meetings, and National Conventions for AMTA, FSMTA, and FCA. He has received multiple service awards (2004 and 2016), and is a founder and past president of the Alliance For Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE). Pete has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education, and currently serves on the Probable Cause Committee (PCC) for the Florida Board of Massage Therapy. Pete is an Accreditation Team Leader for the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). He lives in Fort Pierce, Florida with wife (and editor), Lee. See Whitridgewellness.com
Episode 4: Hands of History with Davonna Willis
Davonna Willis is a respected health and wellness practitioner and entrepreneur. She shares her journey from being a certified athletic trainer to becoming a massage therapist through studying at the Swedish Institute in New York City.
Willis discusses the benefits of massage therapy and her passion for promoting its healing powers. The hosts also touch on topics such as the history of massage therapy regulation in New York, the different modalities they offer, and Willis’ involvement in founding the Black Massage Therapist Conference.
Benny Vaughn, a highly influential professional in the field of massage therapy. The interview covers topics such as Vaughn’s background in massage therapy, his career journey, and his experiences at major international events such as the Olympics.
Vaughn’s passion for massage therapy stemmed from his athleticism and he has been practicing for nearly 50 years. His career has taken him all over the world and he has received numerous awards and recognition for his contributions to the field. He also currently works as a life coach, inspiring others to achieve their dreams. Benny Vaughn Bio
David Lauterstein David Lauterstein is a distinguished collaborator, instructor and author in the bodywork profession, presenting workshops for therapists and teachers since 1982 throughout the US and the UK. He employs an illustrious background in music composition philosophy and social action. David is an International spokesman for the union of Art and Science in massage and Bodywork, and co-director of the Lauterstein-Conway massage school in Austin, Texas.
David has authored numerous articles, and 5 books- including, “The Deep Massage Book”, “Life In The Bones: A Biography of Dr. Fritz Smith and Zero Balancing”, and co-authoring “The Memory Palace of Bones”. David is a 2011 inductee into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame with the World Massage Festival. He has been honored as AMTA’s Jerome Polansky Teacher of the Year in 2012, and the 2013 educator of the Year by the AFMTA.is Co-Director of Lauterstein-Conway Massage School in Austin, Texas.
Sandy Fritz is a licensed massage therapist, Board Certified through the NCBTMB and a Certified Massage and Bodywork Educator by the AFMTE. Sandy has over 45 years of experience as a massage therapist.
You may be most familiar with Sandy through her textbooks, Mosby’s Fundamental of Therapeutic Massage which was first published in 1995 and soon followed by Mosby’s Essential Sciences for Therapeutic Massage– both with multiple updated editions over the last 3 decades. Sandy has also authored other massage therapy related textbooks and articles.
Sandy is an active member on the executive committee for the International Consortium on Manual Therapies, a science-based interdisciplinary research community for practitioners and researchers.
Episode 1: Spotify YouTube (Read the full transcript)