Senior representatives of leading massage therapy organizations will meet next month to “hold a beginning conversation about major structural issues and impediments to profession progress,” according to a press release. “The desire is to have candid exchange about core challenges, quality concerns, consumer expectations and organizational roles.”
The meeting will take place Sept. 13–14 in St. Louis, Missouri.
“In order to promote candor and exploration of possible new perspectives by individual organizations,” the press release noted, the meeting will not be open to either press or the public. Participants anticipate issuing a joint press release after the meeting.
The following organizations and individual representatives are currently scheduled to participate in the meeting:
• Alliance for Massage Therapy Education
Pete Whitridge, President; Rick Rosen, Executive Director
• American Massage Therapy Association
Glenath Moyle, President; Shelly Johnson, Executive Director
• Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
Bob Benson, Chairman; Les Sweeney, President
• Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
Randy Swenson, D.C., Commissioner; Kate Henrioulle, Executive Director
• Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards
Kathy Jensen, Vice President; Debra Persinger, Executive Director
• Massage Therapy Foundation
Ruth Werner, President; Shelly Johnson, Executive Director
• National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
Alexa Zaledonis, Board Chair; Paul Lindamood, CEO
Each participating organization is contributing to creation of the specific agenda, which will be finalized at the beginning of the St. Louis meeting. All seven participating organizations are co-sponsoring this initial meeting, are equally sharing meeting costs, and are dividing up meeting planning tasks, according to the press release.
