Help Us Preserve Our Collective History
The Society of Massage Archives (SOMA) is dedicated to uncovering, preserving, and honoring the rich and often overlooked history of the massage therapy profession. One of our goals is to document the leadership and legacy of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).
We are currently building an AMTA Leadership Tree—a visual and historical record of national and chapter-level presidents, volunteers, and trailblazers who have shaped the profession over the decades. But we can’t do it alone. What we have started here comes from the available archives of old AAMM/AM&TA/AMTA newsletters. We are missing the early years – 1943-1952 but know where they are. They are in the University of WA Special Collections and also in the National University of Health Sciences Archives of Patricia Benjamin but we need to have them scanned and made available. This is where you come in.
We invite you to contribute to this living archive. Do you have names, dates, photos, documents, or stories about AMTA leaders past and present? Your input can help us build a more complete picture of our professional journey—one that honors those who came before us and helps guide those who are shaping the future.
Your contributions, whether historical information or financial support, make this work possible.
👉 Submit information here
👉 Donate to support our work
Together, we can preserve the legacy of massage therapy and ensure it is never forgotten.
Preserving the leadership history of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) isn’t just about names and dates—it’s about honoring the people who helped shape the massage therapy profession and understanding how their contributions brought us to where we are today. Without a clear record of who led, when, and how, we risk losing the context, lessons, and legacy that can guide future generations. Documenting this history gives us more than a sense of pride—it offers insight into our evolution, helps avoid repeating past mistakes, and inspires a more unified, informed, and strategic path forward. This is how we build a future rooted in understanding, vision, and respect for those who paved the way.
1943 – President – CHARLES T.WILLIAMS, California
Vice-President – IRA LEWIS, Washington
Secretary – E.D EASTER, Indiana
Treasurer – G. GALVERT, Indiana
1944 – President – IRA LEWIS, Washington
Secretary-Treasurer – CHARLES T. WILLIAMS, California
1945 – President – CLARK COTTRELL, Washington
Secretary-Treasurer – CHARLES T WILLIAMS, California
1946 – All officers re-elected
1947 – President – CLARK COTTRELL, Washington
Vice-President – BLANCHE PETRIE, New York
Secretary-Treasurer – CHARLES T WILLIAMS, California
Directors – GERVA CONNOR, Kansas MAE STOVER, Arkansas ARCHIE COREY, Michigan ARTHUR NELSON, Illinois
1948 – All officers and directors re-elected
1949 – All officers and directors re-elected
1950 – President – CLARK, COTTRELL, Washington
1st Vice-President – BLANCHE E. PETRIE, New York
2nd Vice-President – MELTON A, NIEDFELT, Washington
3rd Vice-President – J E ”DUDE” ALDRICH, Arkansas
4th Vice-President – REV, A. J„ GRISWOLD
5th Vice-President – EARL ALEXANDER, Illinois
Secretary -Treasurer CHARLES T WILLIAMS
Directors – ARTHUR D, NELSON, Illinois GERVA CONNOR, Kansas FLORENCE M, TAYLOR, Washington MAE.STOVER, Arkansas
1951 – President – CLARK COTTRELL, Washington
Vice President – ALFRED C TRQSSEN, Oregon
Secretary ~Treasurer CHARLES T • WILLIAMS, California
Directors – MAE Stover HUGHES, Arkansas
DELBERT VINCENT, Kentucky
GERVA CONNOR, Kansas
MARTHA SAVILLS, Virginia
1952 – President – EARL ALEXANDER, Illinois
Vice-President – FLORENCE TAYLOR, Washington
Secretary-Treasurer – D S, CARLSON, Georgia
Directors – VERA SETTY, Indiana
MARTHA SAVILLS, Virginia
HAROLD D COLLINS, Nebraska
BEATRICE MAE SMITH, Tennessee
1953 – President – EARL ALEXANDER, Illinois
1st Vice-President – FLORENCE TAYLOR, Washington
2nd Vice-President – FLOY BROWNLIE, Iowa
3rd Vice-President – MRS, 0. P. COATES, Texas
Secretary-Treasurer – DS, DARLSON, Georgia
Directors – VERA SETTY, Indiana
HAROLD D, COLLINS, Nebraska
MARTHA SAVILLS, Virginia
ALFRED C TROSSEN, Oregon
1954 – President – RUTH E. WILLIAMS, Washington
1st Vice-President – FLOY BROWNLIE, Iowa
2nd Vice-President – DELBERT VINCENT,’ Kentucky
3rd Vice-President – HAROLD COLLINS, Nebraska
Secretary-Treasurer – D.S. CARLSON, Georgia
Directors – GLADYS WEILER, Nebraska
ANN WHITE, Massachusetts
MARTHA SAVILLS, Virginia
MARY HOWELLS, Illinois
1955 – President – D. S. CARLSON, Georgia
1st Vice President – SAMUEL DAHLGREN , North Dakota
2nd Vice-President – MARY HOWELLS, Illinois
3rd Vice-President – JESS WILLIAMS, Washington
Secretary-Treasurer – ARTHUR D. MELSON, Illinois
Directors – PAUL BOCKEK, Idaho
ARTHUR D MANN, Washington
LEONARD NEELS, North Dakota A
NNETTE WHITE, Illinois
BLANDFORD JONES, Pennsylvania
1952-1954 AMTA Leaders
Presidents Message: Feb 1954 See the full edition of the Feb. 1954 edition of “The Masseur”
“To me, this is the purpose of the A. A. M. M. – the philosophy of healing! To have and to master not one, but many of the natural healing techniques to pass on to others in our membership through our “Masseur.”
…”We are in a good profession. A business conducted in an ethical manner will grow and grow. One of the best ways to get a patient to give a recommendation is to make him realize the effort that is being made for his health and welfare. This can be done, too by being organized in a group and telling your patients about the organization convincingly and enthusiastically. Let them know you belong to a national organization and that we have a mark of distinction, display our certificate and decals with the A. A. M. M. emblem.”
See who said: ” We need more men with vision of what can be done by a well trained and well organized body of Masseurs. As president of the Oregon State Association of Medical! Masseurs, Inc., I am intensely interested in promoting a strong front in super trained Masseurs.”
1953 Chapter Leaders: from The Masseur
1954 – 1955: National President Ruth E. Williams from WA State.
Author of HISTORY IN THE MAKING (archive.org): A history of the American Massage and Therapy Association, (Formerly the American Association of Masseurs and Masseuses’) Depicting the growth, the aims and the purposes, From its beginning in 1943, to the present time of 1968. Full text on archive.org
Bio from History in the Making: “Ruth Ethel (Doyle) Williams was born on November 8, 1917, in El Reno, Oklahoma
At the tender age of one, she lost her mother and when she was ten she moved to Washington State with her father. When she was seventeen years old, she met and married Jess C. Williams. Ten years and four children later, she took
up the study of massage under the tutorship of Ermal Rothgeb (Charter member of the A.M.T.A.) and graduated from the John Granger School of Myopathy and Multi-Therapy in September 1947. She joined the A.M.T.A, later that same month. She has been actively engaged in massage work since then and was joined by her husband in the business in 1953. Together they have operated the Atomic Health Center in Kennewick, Washington since 1949. Mrs. Williams served as National President one year, and on the Schools and Colleges Committee as Chairman, On the State level, she has served as Secretary-treasurer for five years, as editor of the “Washington Massage News” and on the Board of Directors for a number of years. Her present office is that of Historian for the National A.M.T.A
1955-1958
DS Carlson, President AAMM
1956 Presidents Message: The Masseur.
“The A.A.M.M. is a small organization and we need the loyalty to our principles and pledge but we also pride ourselves that we are democratic and that we foster free and independent thought. We must guard against any split in our ranks that may result in a weakened condition but rather unite in effort in order to exist as a profession.
Many masseurs and masseuses have the inclination to “let well enough alone” or in other words, where they are free to practice, make no effort to solidify their ground by massage legislation. It seems that efforts toward legislation come after the “freeze out”
attempts start. We must be aware of the fact that the first attempts toward “freeze out” start with the legislation aimed at registering physical therapists and requiring them to practice only under prescription by an M.D. Although we are aware that the program of registering physical therapy does not provide for the needs of massage we are not taking definite steps to inform the public of the massage program. To make the public aware of massage is to initiate a good public relations program on the state or local level with the coordination of the national organization. National organization coordination means the program will be more lasting as it usually is above splits caused by vengeance and childish actions that may disrupt a program at its inception. “
1958-1959
Thomas D. Olson, President AAMM
Seldom has anything happened in our association that has caused the comment (both pro and con) that equals our name change. We personally feel that the name change was both desirable and necessary for the development and growth of our organization.
Several letters have been sent to us about the name change; most letters, we are happy to re- port, are in favor of the change. We have had one letter in particular though, that severely criticized the name change and also criticized the fact that about one- third of our members have had some other education as well as massage therapy.
We strongly feel that anyone who is practicing Massage Therapy or Physical Therapy and has the proper licenses (if necessary ) should be very welcome in our association. They, of course, should meet the educational requirements as stated in our application procedure.
We do not feel that a higher education in any field should hinder anyone from joining our association. Even if a person is educated as a doctor in another field (medical, chiropractic, podiatrist, chiropodist, osteopath, etc.) as long as he is practicing massage therapy or physical therapy (not in conflict with his state law) he is a welcome addition to our membership.
The name change, of course, paves the way to obtain licensed Physical Therapists as members in those states where P.T.’s are licensed. It was about time for the change, too, as many of our members hold state licenses in Physical Therapy. In those states
where Physical Therapists are not covered by a law, we feel we should admit as members anyone practicing Physical Therapy who meets our educational requirements.
The same rule will hold true for Massage Therapy, of course. In those states that have massage laws, we will welcome as members anyone who is licensed by the particular state and who meets our educational standards. In those states that do not have a massage law, we will admit any- one practicing Massage Therapy who meets our educational requirements and is properly recommended.
We feel very strongly that the above statement of policy will pave the way to a good healthy growth of our organization and
will help the various state chapters grow in prestige as well as members.
May we all work together for the good of our worthy cause.
Massagicly yours,
Thomas D. Olson,
National President
George D. Gammon, President, 1959-1962
Samuel G. Dahlgren 1962-1965
Thomas R. Fink 1965-1968
Paul Sittler 1968-1971
Frank Persitza 1971-1974
Anne Bergholz 1974-1976
Thomas R. Fink 1976-1978
Darold Hartsook 1978-1982
Pierrette Plouffe 1982-1986
Robert K. King 1986-1990
Elliot D. Greene 1990-1994
Virginia H. Anthony-Barrow 1994-1996
Scott P. Lamp 1996-1997
E. Houston LeBrun 1997-1998
Adela T. Basayne 1998-1999
Maureen A. Moon (Miller) 1999-2000
Steven C. Olson 2000-2001
Carolyn Talley Porter 2001-2002
Brenda L. Griffith 2002-2004
2004
As of March 11, 2004
Mary Beth Braun 2005-2007
Leena S. Guptha, D.O. 2007-2008
M.K. Brennan 2008-2009
Judy Stahl 2009-2010
Kathleen Miller-Read 2010-2011
Glenath Moyle 2011-2012
Cynthia Ribeiro 2012-2013
Winona F. Bontrager 2013-2014
Nancy M. Porambo 2014-2015
Jeff Smoot 2015-2016
Nathan Nordstrom 2016-2017
Dolly Wallace 2017-2018
Joan Nichols 2018-2019
Christopher Deery 2019-2020
Angela Barker 2020-2021
Steve Albertson 2021-2022
Michaele M. Colizza 2022-2023
Christine Bailor-Goodlander 2023-2024
Kimberly Kane-Santos 2024-2025