Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois (Sept. 5, 2012): The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) board chair Alexa Zaledonis has been elected to the Board of Directors Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC-www.accahc.org). The ACCAHC is a dedicated multidisciplinary consortium with core membership from 16 national organizations representing integrative health disciplines. ACCAHC’s vision is of “a health care system that is multidisciplinary and enhances competence, mutual respect and collaboration across all health care disciplines.” Zaledonis begins a three-year term on a board that also includes nominees from ACCAHC core member organizations COMTA and AFMTE. NCB is an ACCAHC member.
“It’s an honor to be a member of this proactive board of health care professionals and part of a select group that represents the massage therapy industry,” said Zaledonis. “It is very important that as the largest alternative health care profession in the United States, the massage therapy community have a strong presence in groups such as the ACCAHC who are driving the integration dialogue.”
Zaledonis will be a true ambassador for the massage profession in promoting mutual understanding, collaborative activities and in education – furthering the mission of ACCAHC.
“ACCAHC is pleased to have Alexa’s perspectives and skills added to a top-flight team that is our unique, interdisciplinary Board of Directors,” states John Weeks, ACCAHC executive director. “The massage field provides the chief major connection many people have to the integrative health disciplines so we are particularly pleased to have increased insight from massage leaders as we collaborate on the strategies to help create truly optimal forms of access and integration.”
ACCAHC’s other core disciplines are chiropractic, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, naturopathic medicine, and direct-entry midwifery, with additional participation from the fields of yoga therapy, Ayurvedic medicine and homeopathic medicine. ACCAHC maintains multiple significant relationships with the medical educators in the field of integrative medicine.
Zaledonis has been NCBTMB board chair since 2011 and is a Lotus Palm Thai Yoga Massage practitioner, teacher and a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength Professionals Association. Zaledonis completed her Yoga Teacher Training (RYT500) in 2010 and continues to study eastern and western massage techniques.
ABOUT NCBTMB
The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) was established in 1992 as an independent, nonprofit organization fostering the highest standards of ethical and professional practice in the delivery of therapeutic massage and bodywork through two recognized credentialing programs. NCBTMB examinations are currently accepted or recognized in statute or rule by 38 states plus the District of Columbia. There are nearly 75,000 professionals with NCBTMB certification. NCBTMB’s certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.