OMTA - The Oregon Massage Therapists Association
OMTA History

The Oregon Massage Technicians Association was formed in early 1985 when the Oregon Legislature was preparing a Sunset Review of the Oregon Board of Massage Technicians (OBMT).

A group of LMTs formed a professional corporation and communicated with massage technicians throughout the State of Oregon. On March 14, 1985, Susan Kerr Shawn, Doug Montgomery, Jo White and Ray Siderius signed the Articles of Incorporation, and the Oregon Massage Technicians Association was born. This early effort helped retain the Massage Board and our licensing process, as well as raising our professional standards.

Since that early effort, we have grown into a well-defined, articulate professional organization.

A variety of member services have been developed, including: Touchstone (our professional journal), a membership directory and this website.

We have sponsored several major information and educational conferences and a number of professional workshops.

A less tangible but no less important outcome of our organization is stimulating and supporting our visionary process. Questions are raised about the future of massage, our place in the workforce, our professional standards and our ideals. Through discussion, controversy and action, a greater recognition of our interdependence as a community is born.

The OBMT changed our licensing title from Technicians to Therapists, on April 6, 2001, and we changed our name to the Oregon Massage Therapists Association.

At the 2017 Annual Meeting, the two remaining members of the Past Presidents Council, operating as the entire Executive Committee, unanimously voted to shutter OMTA due to declining membership and a decided lack of volunteers to run the organization. New members and renewals were accepted until December 31, 2017. Starting January 1, 2018, no new memberships nor renewals were to be accepted via the website, and any mailed-in new memberships and renewals were to be returned. OMTA ceased operations on December 31, 2018. We are keeping OMTA open as a holding operation until volunteers come forward to run it again.

Website History

In early 1997, the Executive Committee authorized Matthew Starrett-Bigg, a Portland massage therapist, to create a website for OMTA. The site went live on May 14, 1997. The original URL was http://www.altmedweb.com/~mattlmt/omta. Whew.

In 1999, Larry Park, our Membership Director, offered to create a website for OMTA. Larry secured the name, www.omta.net, and created a good stand-alone website, with basic info, a list of members and their businesses.

In 2002, Robert Bike took over, and the position of Webmaster was created on the Associate Executive Committee. Robert added all of OMTA's public documents, the library, and multiple ways to find LMTs in our Massage Finder.

In 2010, Heather Bennouri moved the membership management processes online. Wild Apricot was chosen as the membership hosting site and software tools. This allowed individuals to apply for membership online, online renewals, online event registrations, and the ability for members to actively manage their personal information directly. All of the material from the previous web site was migrated to the Wild Apricot "backbone" and new material was added as well.

In January 2019 the website information and pages migrated from Wild Apricot to temporarily be housed on Robert Bike's website, www.robertbike.com.

Executive Committee History of Officers

1985
President Susan Kerr (Shawn)
Vice-President Mary Smith
Treasurer Ron Rathburn
Secretary Mara Nesbitt
Relief Secretary Terry Miller

1986
President Susan Kerr (Shawn)
Vice-President Mary Smith
Treasurer Ron Rathburn
Secretary Kay Miller

1987
President Susan Kerr (Shawn)
Vice-President Beverly Reeves
2nd Vice-President Mary Smith
Treasurer Kathleen Sullivan
Secretary Susan Hill

1988
President Beverly Reeves
Vice-President Jan Monical
2nd Vice-President Susan Hill
Treasurer Kathleen Sullivan
Secretary Adela Basayne-Smith

1989
President Kathleen Sullivan
Vice-President Janet Williams
2nd Vice-President Adela Basayne-Smith
Treasurer Liz Addis
Secretary Barbara Feller

1990
President Kathleen Sullivan
Vice-President Chaim Sil
2nd Vice-President Sande Maxwell
Treasurer Marvin Lindquest
Secretary Julia Stephens
Membership Barbara Feller

1991
President Sande Maxwell
Vice-President Chaim Sil
2nd Vice-President Karen Davis
Treasurer Marvin Lindquest
Secretary Deb Thomas
Membership Myk Walker*, Ute Munger
Relief Secretary Ann Marie Maurer* denotes partial year

1992
President Chaim Sil
Vice-President Sande Maxwell
2nd Vice-President Deb Thomas
Treasurer Karen Davis
Secretary Cliff Williams
Membership Ute Munger

1993
President Chaim Sil
Vice-President Tom Miller
2nd Vice-President Deb Thomas
Treasurer Karen Davis
Secretary Lynn Van Norman
Membership Ute Munger

1994
President Norma Peterson
Vice-President Tom Miller
2nd Vice-President Sande Maxwell
Treasurer Marsha Akers
Secretary Lynn Van Norman
Membership Sharon Jakeways

1995
President Norma Peterson
Vice-President Susan Shawn
2nd Vice-President Sande Maxwell
Treasurer Dolores Emmenegger
Secretary Annie Cook
Membership Sharon Jakeways

1996
President Annie Cook
Vice-President Susan Shawn
2nd Vice-President Paul Burris*
Treasurer Dolores Emmenegger
Membership Toni Bailie
Secretary Sharon DeBusk* denotes partial year

1997
President Annie Cook
Vice-President Patty Blakeley
2nd Vice-President Dee Stubblefield
Treasurer Dolores Emmenegger
Membership Toni Bailie
Secretary Robert Bike
Touchstone Editor Susan Shawn

1998
President Dee Stubblefield
Vice-President Patty Blakeley
2nd Vice-President Sharon Jakeways
Treasurer Stephanie Park
Membership Larry Park
Secretary Robert Bike
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Volunteer Coordinator Norma Peterson

1999
President Dee Stubblefield
Vice-President Katrina Rae-Morin*
2nd Vice-President Sharon Jakeways
Treasurer Stephanie Park
Membership Larry Park
Secretary Julie Lindsay*, Robert Bike
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie* denotes partial year

2000
President Sharon Jakeways
Vice-President Katrina Rae-Morin*
2nd Vice-President Kristin Wright
Treasurer Mary Kirkpatrick
Membership Larry Park*, Stephanie Park
Secretary Robert Bike
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Regional Manager Pam Baer
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke
Student Coordinator Dave Sharon* denotes partial year

2001
President Sharon Jakeways
Vice-President Kristin Wright
Treasurer Mary Kirkpatrick
Membership Marie Levering
Secretary Cindy Varvais
Directory Editor Robert Bike
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Regional Manager Pam Baer
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke
Student Coordinator Dave Sharon

2002
President Sharon Jakeways
Vice-President Kristin Wright
Treasurer Cathy Petersen
Membership Marie Levering
Secretary Cindy Varvais
Directory Editor Robert Bike
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke
Webmaster Robert Bike
Area Coordinator, Bend Cindy Varvais
Area Coordinator, Roseburg Mary Kirkpatrick

2003
President Cindy Varvais
Vice-President Rachel Smith
Treasurer Cathy Petersen
Membership Marie Levering
Secretary *
Directory Editor Meggan Uecker
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke
Webmaster Robert Bike
Area Coordinator, Bend Cindy Varvais
Area Coordinator, Eugene Melody Gandy
Area Coordinator, Roseburg Mary Kirkpatrick
Area Coordinator, Springfield Sharon Jakeways
OMTA Store Kristin Wright*Duties rotated within the EC

2004
President Cindy Varvais
Treasurer An'daesha K'Treva
Membership Brenda Schneider
Secretary Cynthia Mallea*, EC
Directory Editor Meggan Uecker
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke
Webmaster Robert Bike
Area Coordinator, Bend Cindy Varvais
Area Coordinator, Eugene Melody Gandy
Area Coordinator, Roseburg Mary Kirkpatrick
Area Coordinator, Springfield Sharon Jakeways
OMTA Store Kristin Wright* denotes partial year (resigned in February, rest of EC rotated as Secretary)

2004-2005
President Melody Gandy
Vice-President Bruno De Block
Treasurer An'daesha K'Treva
Membership Brenda Schneider
Secretary Heather Bennouri
Directory Editor Meggan Uecker
Librarian Sharon Jakeways
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke
Webmaster Robert Bike
Area Coordinator, Bend Cindy Varvais
Area Coordinator, Eugene Melody Gandy
OMTA Store Kristin Wright

2005-2006
President Melody Gandy
Vice-President Bruno De Block
Treasurer Sharon Jakeways
Membership Brenda Schneider
Secretary Heather Bennouri
Directory Editor Emden Griffin
Librarian Sharon Jakeways*, Kathy Hensley*
Touchstone Editor Toni Bailie
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke Hensley
Webmaster Robert Bike
Area Representative, Bend Cindy Varvais
OMTA Store Kristin Wright* denotes partial year

2006-2007
President Bruno DeBlock
Vice-President Emden Griffin
Treasurer Sharon Jakeways*, Michael Jordan*
Membership Brenda Schneider
Secretary Heather Bennouri
Directory Editor Emden Griffin
Librarian Kathy Hensley
Touchstone Editor Heather Bennouri
Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Paschelke Hensley
Webmaster Robert Bike
Area Representative, Albany Larry Johnson
Area Representative, Ashland Ramah Rosenquist
Area Rep, Eugene/Springfield Melody Gandy
Area Representative, Portland Heather Bennouri
Area Representative, Roseburg Carol Duncan
OMTA Store Kristin Wright

2007-2008
President Bruno DeBlock
Vice-President Emden Griffin
Treasurer Brenda Schneider
Membership Heather Bennouri
Secretary Carol Corey*
Librarian Kathy Hensley
Touchstone Editor Heather Bennouri
Advertising Manager Daisy Talbado
Volunteer Coordinator Emden Griffin
Webmaster Robert Bike
Area Representative, Albany Larry Johnson
Area Representative, Portland Heather Bennouri
Area Representative, Roseburg Carol Duncan
OMTA Store Kristin Wright

2008-2009
President Robert Bike
Vice-President Daisy Talbado+++
Treasurer Brenda Schneider
Membership Heather Bennouri
Secretary Carol Corey*, Rowan Varvais**
Librarian Kathy Hensley, Bruno DeBlock
Touchstone Editor Heather Bennouri
Advertising Manager Daisy Talbado +++
Volunteer Coordinator Emden Griffin
Webmaster Robert Bike
State Coordinator Carol Duncan
Area Representative, Albany Larry Johnson
Area Representative, Eugene Mike Pooler+
Area Representative, Newport Rose Jade++
Area Representative, Portland Heather Bennouri
Area Representative, Roseburg Carol Duncan
OMTA Store Kristin Wright
* resigned 10/29/2008; **inducted 11/8/2008
+as of 4/19/2009, ++resigned 5/23/2009, +++resigned 9/24/09

2009-2010
President Robert Bike
Vice-President Carol Duncan
Treasurer Kami Manselle
Membership Heather Bennouri
Secretary Joni Kutner
Librarian Bruno DeBlock
Touchstone Editor Heather Bennouri
Volunteer Coordinator Emden Griffin
Webmaster Robert Bike
State Coordinator Emden Griffin
Area Representative, Albany Larry Johnson
Area Representative, Eugene Mike Pooler
Area Representative, Hillsboro Neva Winters
Area Representative, Portland Heather Bennouri
Area Representative, Roseburg Carol Duncan
OMTA Store Kristin Wright

2011-2012
President Patty Glenn
Vice-President
Treasurer vacant
Membership
Secretary S. Heather Bennouri
Publications Editor S. Heather Bennouri
Librarian Robert Bike

2012-2013
President Robert Bike (interim appointment)
Vice-President Melody Morton Gandy (interim appointment)
Treasurer vacant
Membership Sharon Jakeways (interim appointment)
Secretary S. Heather Bennouri
Librarian Robert Bike
Publications Editor Donovan Monroe
Assistant Publications Editor S. Heather Bennouri
Webmaster S. Heather Bennouri

2013
President Melody Morton Gandy
Vice-President vacant
Treasurer vacant
Membership Sharon Jakeways (interim appointment)
Secretary S. Heather Bennouri
Publications Editor Donovan Monroe
Assistant Publications Editor S. Heather Bennouri
Webmaster S. Heather Bennouri

2014-Present
OMTA is now being run by its Past Presidents Council, Melody Morton Gandy and Robert Bike.

Year

Journey of the Spirit