Leadership

Alliance Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the Alliance’s policymaking body. According to the Bylaws, the eight-member Board is comprised of two Directors each from the School, CE Provider and Teacher membership categories, plus one Director-at-Large. Board members are elected for a two-year term and can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The officers of the Board – President, Vice President and Treasurer – are elected annually by the Directors. The Alliance’s current Board Members and Officers are:

	Pete Whitridge, LMT, President Faculty member and former Director of Education for the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, FL; past chairman of the Florida Board of Massage Therapy, and past legislative chair for the Florida State Massage Therapy Association. Bachelor's degree in history and political science from the University of Colorado. Pete is a Florida Licensed Massage Therapist, and is an NCBTMB Approved CE Provider, based in Fort Pierce, FL. Email: pwhitridge@afmte.org
	Iris Burman, LMT, Vice President Founder and Director of the Educating Hands School of Massage in Miami, FL. A Florida Licensed Massage Therapist, Iris has a rich background in both teaching and practice across the spectrum of healing arts. She is coauthor of TouchAbilities: Essential Connections, a basic textbook for massage therapy education. She formerly served as a COMTA Commissioner, and has collaborated with Dr. Tiffany Field at the Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine. Email: iburman@afmte.org
	Su Bibik, LMT, Treasurer Founder and Director of the Institute for Massage Education at the Kalamazoo Center for Healing Arts in Kalamazoo, MI. She has worked as a massage therapist and a teacher trainer in a variety of settings, and has been a leader in the community of ABMP-affiliated schools for many years. Su has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Colorado State University, and was a math teacher at the high school and college levels. Email: sbibik@afmte.org
	Mark Beck, Director Author of Theory and Practice of Therapeutic Massage (5th Ed.), Mark is a highly-respected educator and leader in the field. He practiced massage therapy for many years and founded the Magic Valley Massotherapy Institute in Twin Falls, ID. He has a bachelor's degree in vocational education from the University of Idaho, and lives in Fort Collins, CO, where he also works in the area of Restorative Justice and Community Peacemaking. Email: mbeck@afmte.org
	Stan Dawson, DC, Director Owner and Executive Director of the ASHA School of Massage in Atlanta, GA. A pioneer in the field of holistic health care, Stan founded the first integrative health clinic in the Southeast in the late 1970’s. He is a chiropractor, massage therapist and Ayurvedic physician, and is a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA. Email: sdawson@afmte.org
	Cherie Sohnen-Moe, Director Author, business coach, international workshop leader, and Director of Sohnen-Moe Associates in Tucson, Arizona. She was in private practice for many years as a massage and holistic health practitioner, has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA, and is an NCBTMB Approved CE Provider. Cherie is author of Business Mastery (4th Edition), is co-author of The Ethics of Touch, and has written more than 100 articles for 15 publications. Email: csohnen-moe@afmte.org
	Ralph Stephens, LMT, Director National and international presenter of continuing education workshops, Ralph specializes in the clinical aspects of massage therapy. He is former chair of the Iowa Board of Examiners for Massage Therapy, and also served on the AMTA Board of Directors. He is author of Seated Therapeutic Massage as well as numerous training videos. Ralph has a bachelor's degree in industrial education from Iowa State University, and is a 2008 member of the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame. Email: rstephens@afmte.org