AFMTE certified educators of massage and bodywork

Top row, l-r: Sandra Sue Cochran Fritz, Deborah Ann Kimmet, Margaret Sharenko; bottom row, l-r: Niccole Anthony, Sandy Grover Mason, Rebecca Farraway


On April 17, the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE) announced the first group of recipients of its new credential, Certified Educator of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. This new credential recognizes therapeutic massage and bodywork educators who have demonstrated meeting the teaching standards outlined in the AFMTE’s Core Competencies for Massage Therapy Teachers.

“We are pleased to acknowledge the trailblazing educators who attained our educator certification demonstrating competence in the Core Competencies for Massage Therapy Teachers. Their participation in the beta test of this new program developed to raise standards in therapeutic massage and bodywork education helped us in the final design of all aspects of the new program. Congratulations to these pioneers in massage education!” said AFMTE President Stan Dawson.

The first recipients of certification who volunteered to contribute their teaching portfolio for validating the evaluation process were: Sandra Sue Cochran Fritz, Deborah Ann Kimmet, Margaret Sharenko, Niccole Anthony, Sandy Grover Mason, and Rebecca Farraway.

“Taking our place as a health care profession requires that educators up their game too. AFMTE’s certification process is on the way to becoming the standard educator certification for our profession: a step that is a long overdue,” added Deborah Kimmet, AFMTE member, volunteer, and one of the first recipients.

The AFMTE Educator Certification Program is currently a voluntary portfolio review process through which educators can demonstrate they have achieved proficiency in the Core Competencies for Massage Therapy Teachers. The portfolio review process allows experienced educators to become certified without having to go through a formal teacher training process.

The AFMTE invites all therapeutic massage and bodywork educators to review the Guide for Assessing Massage and Bodywork Educators and to review the Core Competencies. Experienced educators should begin portfolio preparations now and be ready to apply as soon as applications are open. Be among the very first educators distinguished as a Certified Educator of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

About the Alliance

The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education’s mission is to serve as an independent voice, advocate and resource for the therapeutic massage and bodywork education community. Our vision is to support, strengthen, and elevate educational practices and standards in therapeutic massage and bodywork. The Alliance may be contacted at P.O. Box 40014 Tucson, AZ 85717. The phone number is (520) 329-2627, the general office email address is admin@afmte.org, and the website is afmte.org.