How did you discover the massage therapy profession?
I discovered the massage therapy profession at age 21, when I experienced a severe lower back injury and discovered how massage therapy could alleviate my symptoms.
How did you develop your passion into a career?
I attended massage school back in 1999 while teaching elementary school during the daytime.
Upon graduation, I traded my stressful teaching job for a full-time career as an LMT for the spa at Williams Island, Florida. After several years into my career as a massage therapist, I accepted a full-time position as a classroom and clinical instructor at a massage school. Over the next few years, I was inspired by helping students achieve their academic goals and entry into the massage profession.
How has your career evolved?
I would say my career really evolved when I relocated from Miami to Satellite Beach, Florida and accepted the greatest job ever at Keiser University in Melbourne, Florida. It allowed me to grow over a 7-year period as an educator and eventual program coordinator, earning two awards for teaching excellence in the process. The next evolution happened by accident when I was introduced to a professional rower who trained in my city each spring and winter. Over the next decade, I was introduced to more and more athletes from Olympic national teams who came to me for massage therapy and corrective exercise interventions. This afforded me international recognition and allowed me to make lifelong friendships with some amazing people. The next evolution came as a CE provider, where I developed a successful educational website (CEULMT.com) and continued offering live clinical instruction at different venues. This led me into teaching at FSMTA chapter meetings and an invitation to be a featured educator at the Florida Massage Convention. I reached a milestone by being inducted into the 2017 world massage festival massage therapy hall of fame. During all of this, I earned a master’s degree in applied exercise science and specialization in corrective exercise from the national academy of sports medicine. In my spare time, I teach online as an adjunct professor for Concordia University Chicago’s graduate program in exercise science.
What does Board Certification mean to you?
Board Certification means that as a massage therapist I am held to a higher professional standard and expected to demonstrate a commitment to excellence in both my personal and professional life.
What does becoming an Approved Provider mean to you?
Becoming an NCBTMB Approved Provider for Continuing Education has allowed me to share my teaching skills and clinical instruction on a national stage, and represent myself as an educator whom adheres to the highest industry standards for massage therapy continuing education.
What does the future hold for you?
My desire is to continue teaching in some capacity until I reach 100 years of age. As the years go on, I hope to create greater awareness of a condition called Scleroderma and solicit research funding in finding a cure for this illness which took my mother Anna from me. Finally, I want to continue being the best “dad” I can to an amazing and accomplished daughter who attends Cornell University and will one day change the world!
How do you hope to see the massage therapy and bodywork profession evolve?
I hope to see continued integration of science-based peer reviewed clinical research studies which further validate the benefits of massage therapy and alternative medicine.