Our Faculty
As a dedicated, independent massage school, FSM devotes all of its energy to educating and supporting our students and alumni. As an FSM student you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a enviroment carefully designed to bring the most important elements of massage therapy education together in a nurturing community. To that end, we have established high standards for our faculty - all are licensed massage therapists, nearly all are graduates of our program and all have completed a 6 month Teacher Assistant Program in preparation for joining our program as instructors.
- Our lead teachers have extensive experience practicing and teaching massage therapy - ranging from 15 to 30 years.
- Our master teachers embody and practice the principles that they share with our students and they have the skill and passion to transmit the wealth of knowledge available at FSM.
- Our teachers specialize in the massage therapy modalities and academic material they teach, giving you the opportunity to learn from instructors who are masters of their specific areas of interest.
Instructors
Anne Marshall and Valerie Broas
Anne Marshall. BA, LMT, and Valerie Broas, LMT, are practicing Herbalists. They studied at Sage Mountain, an herbal educational sanctuary run by world-renowned Western herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. Both Anne and Valerie have completed their apprentice and advanced herbal certification programs. Additionally, Anne and Valerie are both instructors at the Floriida School of Massage where they are an integral part of the teaching staff. They draw on their combined 26 years of teaching experience and private massage practice to create a learning environment that is heart filled, informative and fun. Anne co-owns and operates LifeThyme Cafe & Wellness in Palm Coast, FL. Check out the website: www.lifethymewellness.com.
Cristian Arroyo
LMT
Christian completed FSM?s Massage and Hydrotherapy Program in 2000 and the Sports Massage Certification in 2001. He joined the faculty in 2005 as an instructor in Neuromuscular Therapy and Kinesiology. He maintains a medical massage practice at a busy physical therapy clinic. In his spare time he enjoys his two children, running, playing soccer, surfing and shark wrestling.
Karen Ball
LMT
Karen has been a licensed practitioner of bodywork since 1983. She is the creator of the 250-hour Therapeutic Hand and Foot Reflexology Professional Certification offered in Florida since 1996. She teaches introductory Reflexology, Boundaries and Ethics, Living with AIDS, Professional Empowerment, and communication skills classes in FSM?s massage and hydrotherapy program. In 2000 she created the first online continuing education classes for massage therapists in this country, which eventually expanded into www.yourCEplace.com, an ever-growing education portal for online non-modality education for bodyworkers. Karen brings to everything an ongoing passion for the exploration of belief systems and their profound effect on peace and happiness.
Maura Brady
LMT
Maura brings her insights from life experience and personal work into the classroom. She loves teaching and providing students the space for growth as individuals and therapists. Maura teaches Connective Tissue Therapy, Polarity Therapy and Communication Skills.
Valerie Broas
LMT
Valerie graduated from FSM?s massage therapy program in 1999. She divides her time between managing the FSM bookstore, teaching in the Foundations of Bodywork/ Swedish massage and Hydrotherapy classes. Valerie loves animals, cooking and practicing Herbalism and conducts a private practice in the FSM professional clinic. One of her favorite pastimes is hanging out with her four furry faces: her husband Michael and their three dogs, Max, Pito and Baby.
Michael Broas
LMT
Michael graduated from FSM in 1999 and joyfully accepted the opportunity to join the staff. He currently teaches in Foundations of Bodywork and Swedish Massage, Polarity Therapy, Communication Skills and Elderly Massage, and is also available for one on one counseling with the students. Michael teaches advanced training in trauma and the body, as well as Hakomi based somatic therapies. He maintains a private practice in the FSM professional clinic, in which he enjoys bringing the deeper aspects of stillness and energy work. Michael is fascinated by the interplay of mind/body/spirit in all individual expression and is committed to the process of awakening.
Vincent A. Cambrea
LMT, CPT, CHEK III
Vincent Cambrea is a spirited instructor who continues to inspire students of all levels with his passionate teaching style and multi- dimensional approach to health and wellness. He spent the last ten years of his career uniting his love for functional anatomy with experience acquired through dedicated participation in the fields of integrative massage and exercise training. Vincent currently divides his teaching time between the Florida School of Massage (FSM) and the Go Primal Fitness and Training Institute. At FSM he teaches Sports Massage, Foundations of Bodywork, Integrative Flexibility, and the Orthopedic Massage Certification. At the Institute, Vincent teaches a three-tiered, nationally recognized personal training certification and a variety of massage-specific exercise classes. He brings every bit of his experience and passion into the classroom to create a dynamic learning environment. In addition to teaching, Vincent continues to work in the field as a massage therapist, personal trainer, lifestyle coach, speaker and a consultant for therapists, doctors and athletes.
Joseph Cosenza
BA, LMT
Joseph?s relationship with the Florida School of Massage began in 1990. He completed the massage therapy program in 1992, and served as FSM groundskeeper from 1992-1995. He joined the teaching staff in September of 1993 and retired from the Swedish Team after ten years of being in the classroom. He is currently co-director of the Student Clinic. Joe also parents four beautiful children: Joshua, Savannah Rae, Milena, and Aurora. His other time is divided between a career in music and a few hours of sleep here and there.
Paul Davenport
LMT
Paul is the Director of the Florida School of Massage. He teaches Anatomy and Physiology, Communication Skills, Awareness Through Movement classes and advanced training in the Feldenkrais method for massage therapists. He has a degree in Psychology from the University of Florida, certification as a Feldenkrais practitioner, and is a practicing massage therapist.
Jennifer Downey
BA, AP
Jenn is a licensed Acupuncture Physician practicing Japanese acupuncture and Oriental medicine in Gainesville, interweaving both Eastern and Western energetic and herbal healing modalities. Jenn takes great delight in sharing her enormous enthusiasm for natural healing by teaching Oriental Theory in the massage therapy program. When she is not teaching, treating patients, making pottery, or petting her cats, she can be found performing music on flute, recorder, and harp.
Ashley Dunn
AP, CH
Ashley brings his clinical skills as an Acupuncture Physician into the classroom, teaching Oriental Theory with clarity and directness. He is an instructor at Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine, lectures across the state of Florida on Herbology and Japanese acupuncture, and offers diet and lifestyle counseling in his private practice. Ashley enjoys educating others on how health, environment, spirituality, and emotions are all interconnected.
Kirsten Engstrom
MA, LMT, Sculptor
Kirsten is often known first for her sculptures (16 of them) at the Florida School of Massage. They are whimsical folk who seem to move about the grounds at will. The most outstanding pieces are the ?hands? that support the FSM sign. She works as an artist and massage therapist, and assists in the neuromuscular and kinesiology trainings at FSM. She is author of ?The Muscle Transparency Workbook?, an interactive visual encyclopedia of 108 muscles done on transparency paper. She feels that her experience as a sculptor enhances her massage and teaching skills, giving her a uniquely dynamic ?hands on? approach.
Kathleen (Gift) Fox
LMT
Gift feels blessed and appreciative to be working in a community where the heart rules. She enjoys organizing student massage therapy outreach to different shelters in the area and the Ronald McDonald House. Gift co-directs the student clinic and teaches chair and infant massage. She shares front desk responsibilities and has a private practice in the school?s professional clinic.
Scott Greenwell
LMT, MD, BA
Scott is a practicing massage therapist in Gainesville. Motivated by his interest in the therapeutic benefits of massage, Scott joined the Sports Therapy Training Team in 1997. He brings a lighthearted energy into the classroom. In addition, Scott draws on his 17 years of experience as a physician to communicate the importance of fostering awareness of intent and focus as vehicles to achieving therapeutic results.
Jennifer Greenwood
LMT
Jen is an FSM graduate of the May 2000 class. She enjoys sharing the front desk responsibilities, maintaining a private massage practice, and offering a yoga elective at FSM. She?s also a teaching assistant in the Reflexology and Connective Tissue modalities. She has completed certifications in Reflexology, Yoga, and Structural Integration. FSM is one of her favorite places to be, with the other being sitting in the field of Shambhala with Ryan and Lilly.
Jacqueline Landis Ferber
BS, LMT
Jacqui has been a teacher at FSM since 1987. Her expertise includes Sports Massage, Ethics and Boundaries, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and she currently teaches Kinesiology in the main program. She utilizes both clay and surface anatomy (drawing on the body) to enhance the student?s learning experience. Jacqui has combined her love of and participation in sports with her 22 years as a practicing massage therapist. By specializing in treating injuries and chronic tension patterns in her clients, she integrates her clinical experience in the classroom. Her love of teaching and passion for understanding the biomechanics of movement create a multidimensional approach for her students.
Bob Lee
LMT
Bob began his journey into massage therapy in 2005 after graduating from the Florida School of Massage. He brings his life experience, passion for self-discovery, and joy of learning into the classroom during Connective Tissue Therapy. In addition, Bob works on the admissions team bringing awareness to massage therapy education through events in the community and working with prospective students. Bob also maintains a private massage practice in the school?s professional clinic. FSM has a special place in his heart; he met his wife here, discovered more of himself, and developed tools that empower him to create a life on his own terms. In his free time Bob enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, live music, disc golf, and fishing.
Juliana Leone
BS, LMT
Juliana graduated from the Florida School of Massage and the Sports Therapy Certification in 2001. She also has a BS in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of Florida. A confessed die-hard Gator sports fan, Juliana has been known to bleed orange and blue at the football home games she never misses. She divides her time between assistant teaching in the Sports Therapy Certification, the sports massage section of the Massage and Hydrotherapy Program, and her massage therapy practice at a rehabilitation clinic.
Paul Linn
MA, LMHC, LMT
Paul has been teaching bodywork and counseling skills since 1982 throughout the U.S. He has served on the core faculty of the Florida School of Massage, received graduate training in counseling psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, and has been a student of Vipassana Meditation since 1977. Paul?s synthesis of touch therapies, psychology, and meditation sets the stage for a delightful inquiry into healing, openness, and new possibilities of being.
Doug Loeb
BA, LMT
Doug graduated from the Florida School of Massage in 2002. He assists in both the Foundations of Bodywork/Swedish Massage and Polarity segments of the Massage and Hydrotherapy Program. Doug brings the awareness, stillness, and spaciousness he experiences as a student of vipassana meditation into both his teaching and his massage practice. He appreciates working in an environment that encourages growth through the process of inquiry and self-exploration. Outside of school Doug enjoys expressing himself through contact improv dance, playing his fiddle, and sharing his famous chocolate tofu pie.
Anne Marshall
BA, LMT
Anne teaches the Foundations of Bodywork/Swedish Massage and Integrative Massage/Transitions courses in the Massage and Hydrotherapy Program. She also maintains a bodywork and craniosacral practice in Gainesville and is the mother of two children. Anne brings forth quiet observation and listening with the skills of mothering and gentle loving kindness to facilitate healing and learning within her teaching and practice.
Frank Merillat
BA, LMT
Frank brings a love of people, their process, and personal growth to the practice of massage. He has over 20 years experience in education and service work. Frank teaches Kinesiology and Neuromuscular Therapy in the Massage and Hydrotherapy Program. He applies the concepts of movement and movement awareness extensively in his massage and Trager? practice. Frank travels extensively in Africa and teaches at the Institute for Natural Health in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Cate Miller
BA, LMT
Cate has been a therapist and teacher in the massage profession since 1982 and a teacher at FSM since 1986. Her specialty combines Neuromuscular Therapy with communication and perceptual awareness skills. She encourages her students to excel in both technical and intuitive aspects of bodywork. Cate lives on a 20 acre ranch where she facilitates groups and individuals to develop leadership and teamwork skills through the Challenge of Excellence ropes course. She travels throughout the United States offering advanced training workshops for massage professionals.
Dr. Annie Morien
PhD, PA-C, LMT
Dr. Annie Morien received her PhD in physiology and is nationally certified as a physician assistant and massage therapist. She currently teaches ?Introduction to Research for Bodyworkers,? and has taught Pathophysiology and Medical Massage at FSM. She has taught for over 20 years and enjoys every moment in the classroom. Dr. Morien?s medical specialty is Dermatology and she teaches workshops on Skin Diseases. Her research interests include effects of massage on scar tissue and skin diseases.
Mary Reis
LMT
Mary came to the Florida School of Massage from California in 1993 at the age of 23. After graduation, she became involved with FSM and became a Florida transplant. For her, studying, practicing, and teaching massage has felt like second nature, and a natural part of ?growing up?. Mary loves everything about doing and teaching massage (except maybe the paperwork) and is grateful to be a part of the FSM staff. She currently teaches in the Connective Tissue and Sports Massage modalities, and enjoys supporting students in their journeys of technical learning and self-discovery at the school. She also mentors the teaching assistants who come through the Teacher?s Assistant Program.
Megan Rood
BS, LMT
Megan graduated from the Florida School of Massage in 2002 and is currently teaching Connective Tissue and CPR. She brings her love and fascination of the body, mind and spirit into the classroom. Currently, she divides her time between teaching and working with University of Florida athletes providing sports massage therapy and traveling to events. She is in the process of gaining her Doula and Integrative Massage and Personal Training certifications which she intends to combine with her training in the Hakomi based somatic therapy to work with pregnant mothers who are trauma survivors.
Adam Silverberg
BS, LMT
Adam helps students explore Anatomy and Physiology and teaches in Foundations of Bodywork/Swedish Massage. Adam is a 1999 graduate of FSM and a certified practitioner of Visionary Craniosacral Work through Milne Institute. He also oversees our educational video library and coordinates the school?s organic vegetable garden. Adam believes learning should be fun, so he loves to add his lighthearted humor to all aspects of our community. Adam brings his connections with animals and plant energies into the classroom and his private bodywork practice to encourage deeper communication and spiritual understanding.
Laura TeHennepe
BA, LMT
Laura joined FSM?s Neuromuscular Therapy teaching staff in May of 2008. She?s beyond happy to be back at the Florida School of Massage after graduating in 1996 and spending 11 years as a massage therapist in Philadelphia. In June of ?08, she completed Vincent Cambrea?s IMAP training and became a F.I.T. certified level 1 coach. When not at FSM, she combines evaluation, corrective exercise and therapeutic massage in private practice at Cambrea?s Go Primal Orthopedic Clinic, where she gets to exercise her keen interest in and understanding of the dynamics of movement and health and her love of helping others find ease, joy and vitality in everyday life. When not working, you can find her hooting with the owls and coyotes on occasion, finding tiny perfect bones in owl pellets, salsa dancing, rambling in accents, laughing and learning to let a full range of Life flow through in all its colors.
Pete Whitridge
BA, LMT
Pete is a licensed massage therapist since 1988 and formerly served on the Florida Board of Massage Therapy. He teaches Business Practices, Florida Laws and Rules, Neuromuscular Therapy, and continuing education workshops on the Myofascial Components of Pain. His private practice is focused on using massage for stress reduction, pain relief and personal growth. Pete is formerly the Assistant Director of FSM.
