The Alliance for Massage Therapy, a new independent organization for massage schools and educators, announces that its Leadership Team has been finalized. A six-member group of veteran massage therapy educators will guide the development of this new body, which will be launching its general membership drive by December 1.

This Leadership Team is responsible for creating the administrative structure of the organization, and planning the Alliance’s formal organizational meeting in 2010. In addition to the four educators who were previously announced, here are the two final members:

• Su Bibik, LMT, of Kalamazoo, MI, is the Founder and Director of the Kalamazoo Center for the Healing Arts. She has been a leader in the community of ABMP-affiliated schools for many years, and served as a subject matter expert for FSMTB in the development of the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination.

• Eugenie Newton, MA, of San Diego, CA, is an educator and former Executive Director of the International Professional School of Bodywork in San Diego, CA. She is a specialist in human resources and organizational development, and continues to serve IPSB as a senior faculty member.

The Alliance for Massage Therapy Education will serve as the voice and advocate for the entire education sector – from entry-level training programs through post-graduate studies. It will include three primary groups: Schools (for the institutions themselves); Teachers (for instructors in those institutions); and Continuing Education Providers (for those who offer post-graduate training). The Alliance will be structured as a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors elected democratically from within its membership.

Massage school directors, administrators, teachers and continuing education providers who are interested in becoming members of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education are encouraged to email Executive Director Rick Rosen at <rrosen@afmte.org> for information.