AMTA-NM 2022-2023 Chapter Board

AMTA-NM President, Susan Myers

I am so pleased to have been elected as the 2020-2021 President of the New Mexico Chapter of the AMTA.  In this year of Covid, AMTA-NM has some unique challenges before us.  Just a reminder – the AMTA Vision Statement declares, “As the most trusted professionals in massage therapy, American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) members are integral to health care and wellness.”  AMTA’s Mission Statement affirms, “To serve AMTA members while advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy.” With these guidelines invoked, we are guided by AMTA Core Values put forward as * We are a diverse and nurturing community working with integrity, respect and dignity. * We are a nonprofit member-driven organization of ethical professionals. * We embrace consistency in education. * We endorse professional standards. * We affirm and promote the benefits of massage therapy as validated by research. This culture of self empowerment and professionalism has been put into action by years dedicated massage therapists.  How about engaging all members to participate in the AMTA Massage Community?  In my opinion, active Member outreach is the crux of engaging new therapists entering the field. Our AMTA National Organization supports outreach to new and seasoned members.   A coordinated plan, on-the-ground support and encouragement to continue to reach out and support our chapter members, in person and online, is my goal. We’ve got a good team on the New Mexico Chapter Board and I will continue to work with chapter members to re-energize AMTA-NM throughout these challenging times. Vision becomes reality with teamwork and community support.

AMTA-NM Financial Administrator, Carl Hime III

I have been an LMT in NM for the last 20 years and I am still excited to go to work! I am blessed to be a graduate of Crystal Mountain, Apprenticeship in the Healing Arts 1997. I was able to return that blessing as an instructor for the school the past 15yrs, until the school closed, 2018. As many LMTs, I was drawn to a massage therapy career as an opportunity to work with individual people and their soft tissue issues. Over the many years of practice and teaching, I have discovered that it is not always that simple of a fix. The body, the mind, the heart, and the spirit all must be attended  to for proper “fixing”, healing.  As an AMTA member since 2010, I believe in the organization, its mission, its CEUs, and the desire to support its members. That is why I felt it was time for me to support where I could. I was accepted as Financial Admin in 2019, re-elected in 2021, and will continue those duties into 2023.  Blessings.

AMTA-NM Board Member/Delegate, Robin Faux

I am honored to serve as chapter board member and a delegate representing the New Mexico. As an AMTA member since 2007 and a massage therapist since 2003, I have watched our industry evolve. I look forward to helping continue our momentum as a profession that New Mexicans see as a go-to option for relief from pain and stress. I am a native of Dayton, Ohio where I earned a degree in Integrative Medical Massage Therapy from Self Health Institute and Sinclair Community College. My travels across the country have offered me the privilege of learning diverse techniques such as Thai massage, neuromuscular therapy, Kinesio taping and manual lymphatic drainage. I also had the opportunity to teach anatomy and physiology to massage therapy students for 10 years. Through these experiences, I learned pathways to healing are as unique as one’s fingerprints. So it is no surprise to find massage therapists in New Mexico present a variety of modalities to help their clients and I look forward to representing the interests of this diverse group of professionals.

Delegate, Virginia Anthony Barrow 

I’ve been active in AMTA since I joined shortly after completing my initial Therapeutic Massage training at Lindsey Hopkins in Miami, Fl. Additionally, I am a Certified Neuromuscular Therapist, Certified Reflexologist, Certified Nutritional Consultant, Sports Massage Specialist (part of the medical team for Atlanta Olympics), and Physician Trained Medical Assistant in Cardio-Pulmonary OB/Gyn and Endodontics. I have been an Instructor in Massage Therapy Schools in four states. I was appointed by the Florida State Board of Massage Therapy as an Examiner for applicants for licensure. I have served as an elected Chapter Board member in Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. I was elected to the National AMTA Board of Directors at our Convention in Canada and served for 8 years afterwhich I was elected, at our New Mexico Convention, to be the National President of AMTA, 1994-1997. Interesting fact: at the time, I was only the third woman to be elected as National President since its inception in 1943. Quite an Honor! I have seen, over the years, the acceptance of Touch Therapies as a benefit to the public, as well as the appreciation of and incorporation into the Medical Field. There is always more we can do to educate the public and other Medical Professionals as to the value, benefit, and effectiveness of Therapeutic Massage. I look forward to participating with leaders and members of the New Mexico Chapter.