Our dedicated faculty teach with the confidence and passion that comes from a well-developed expertise and a love for their work. As professional practitioners in their respective fields, our teachers bring a practical understanding of the subject matter - one that they delight to share with their students. They work closely with students, recognizing diverse learning styles and developing a supportive classroom environment for adults. Respect for each individual, reverence for the human body, enthusiasm for the healing potential of massage, and commitment to the learning process are hallmarks of the Cortiva approach.

Our teachers engage with their students because they believe in the importance of their work. A diverse group of qualified practitioners, they believe in high standards and generous support. Excited by their respective fields and committed to a collaborative educational process, teachers choose to teach at Cortiva because they believe in the possibilities of their students.

Click on a faculty member's name to read an individual profile.

• Angelini, Louise LMT
• Benson, Lou
• Coffey, Susan
• Cooke, Martha MEd
• Cote, Saskia
• Gabler, Karen LMT
• Geller, Tammy DPT
• Gillan, Cynthia A. MA
• Hall, Christine MA
• Hood, Kathy BA, MLS
• Jordan, Dawn
• Karis, Tom
• Mapel, Sue LICSW
• Myers, Tamar BA
• Pearson, Janice BS
• Peck, Kate BA, ATC
• Rivers, Todd
• Santoro, Lisa
• Spratt, Jeffrey
• Stryker, Michal MA, LMHC
• Sullivan, Mary Gail BA
• Tamrazian, Eric MA
• Upton, Margaret
• Whitehouse, Ralph LMT, NCTMB
• Wreszin Snyder, Sarah BS

Louise Angelini, LMT
Louise teaches Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology and Structure and Function. Her areas of specialty include myology , psychology, ethics, theory and technique, pregnancy massage, foot reflexology, sports massage, medical massage, meridian massage, Swedish / deep tissue massage, and hot stones massage. Louise received her training from the John Winslow Institute of Massage Therapy, and the New England School of Acupuncture where she studied Oriental Medicine . She received a BA in Psychology with a minor in Biology from Framingham State College .

Lou Benson
Lou teaches Anatomy & Kinesiology, Neuromuscular and Sports Massage, Myofascial Techniques and Assessments, and Clinical Reasoning and Research Literacy. She joined the faculty in 2002. Lou has been a practicing massage therapist since 1990 and has been teaching musculoskeletal anatomy and a variety of hands-on technique classes for massage therapy students since 1992. Over the years, she has pursued many avenues of continuing education, focusing primarily on studies in anatomy, myofascial bodywork and movement education. She is certified in Swedish Massage , Structural Integration, and Aston Patterning. She practices in Cambridge, MA.

Susan Coffey
Susan graduated from The Muscular Therapy Institute in 2003. Immediately after graduation, Susan left the mental health field and began work as a subcontractor in the spa setting. Her massage work focuses on therapeutic massage and energy work. She has received additional training in Reiki and Ayurvedic Massage . It was, however, her deep passion for excellence in the field of massage that led her to teaching at Cortiva Institute - Boston . She joined the faculty in 2006 and teaches Physiology, Pathology, Practice Development and Technique.

Martha Cooke, MEd
Martha teaches Professional Ethics and Communication and is a Class Advisor. She joined the faculty in 1999. Outside of Cortiva Institute, she is the Director of Project Safe , an education and advocacy program for perpetrators and victims of violence. She has also developed expressive therapy and pet therapy programs for the mentally ill population, and is an animal lover who commits one day a month to helping pets. Martha received her BA in Art History from the Massachusetts College of Art and her MEd from Salem State College .

Saskia Cote
Saskia teaches Clinic Foundations, Business Practices, as well as several hands-on massage courses. After studying Craniosacral in Europe, Saskia knew her calling was in the Holistic Health field. She continued her education by attending massage therapy school in Santa Fe, NM. Since graduating in 1992, she has been practicing bodywork and teaching. Over the years her work has evolved to include a variety of modalities such as Craniosacral , Hot Stone , Aromatherapy , Ortho-Bionomy, Sports and Deep Tissue massage. Saskia loves to share her diverse knowledge and experience through teaching at Cortiva Institute - Boston. Continuing her own personal and professional development, she will graduate in April 2008 as a Doctor of CORE Education .

Karen Gabler, LMT
Karen teaches Myofascial Techniques and Asessments. A 1983 graduate of the Massage Institute of New England, Karen went on to study Structural Integration or SOMA , a form of Rolfing . She apprenticed and assisted her teacher for ten years. At the same time, Karen studied Iyengar Yoga with Patricia Walden and Carol Nelson. She is Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and is a member of the AMTA . Karen is also certified in Zero Balancing, Infant Massage, and Yoga for Children. Karen continues her studies with Tom Myers using his Anatomy Trains and Judith Aston's Aston Patterning as well as Thai Massage . She is in the process of writing and developing her work which combines 23 years of experience into a process she calls Body Literacy.

Tammy Geller, DPT
Tammy teaches Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology and is a Physical Therapist at Spaulding Rehabilitaion Hospital . Her clinical interests include direct patient care, managing and teaching students as part of their clinical affiliation program, and participating in the management team for business development and growth. Tammy has her personal training license and encourages health and fitness in her patients. Tammy enjoys running, training for marathons and cycling. She received her BS in Communications Disorders and her MS and PhD in Physical Therapy at Boston University .

Cynthia A. Gillan, MA
Cindy teaches Foundations of Massage, Neuromuscular and Sports Massage and Clinic Foundations. A 1993 Cortiva Institute - Boston graduate, she joined the faculty in 1997. Cindy has a private practice working with athletes, elders in a retirement community setting, and the general population. She is Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, serves as a member of the NCBTMB exam committee, and is an AMTA member. She has taken coursework in the Benjamin Advanced Training and St. John's NMT. Cindy belongs to a running club and participates in the Pan Mass Challenge and a few triathlons each summer. Bikram yoga helps her to balance it all. She received her BS in Health Services Administration from Providence College and her MA in Health Care Administration from Framingham State College .

Christine Hall, MA
Christine teaches Foundations of Massage, Population Spectrum, and Student Clinic at Cortiva Institute - Boston . She also teaches the 3-day workshops on contact and creativity. She graduated from Cortiva Institute - Boston in 1991 and joined the faculty in 1992. She has a private practice in Arlington, MA and also works for an alternative therapies center in Melrose, MA. She specializes in end-of-life care and working with clients who have trauma histories. She incorporates energy work and breathwork into her practice after years of training. She also facilitates breathwork groups through the Arlington Center and The Huggins Yoga Center . Chris did her undergraduate work in psychology at Marist College and completed her graduate work in education at SUNY , New Paltz.

Kathy Hood, BA, MLS
Kathy teaches Foundations of Massage. A 1990 Cortiva Institute - Boston graduate, she joined the faculty in 1991. She spent six years in private practice as a massage therapist. Kathy has pursued a deep understanding of the mind body connection, studying extensively with Dawna Markova , a leader in the field of perceptual processing. Her interest in the mind, body and spirit interconnectedness led her to study and teach meditation techniques internationally from 1997 through 2000. Most recently she participated as an intern at the UMass Medical School Center for Mindfulness and continues to study mindfulness-based stress reduction. She practices massage as an independent contractor. She specializes in corporate on-site massage, stress reduction and relaxation and corporate on-site chair massage. Kathy received her BA in Liberal Arts from Upsala College in New Jersey and her MLS from Catholic University in Washington, DC.

Dawn Jordan
Dawn is President of BODYWISDOM P.C. which delivers body-based wellness programming, massage and bodywork. She has been trained in Brazil, India and Italy as well as the United States and brings a cross-cultural perspective to her work. Dawn is also passionate about building thriving businesses and private practices in massage and bodywork and has developed business mastery courses and mentoring programs for alternative health practitioners. She has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Romance Languages and Comparative World Literature. She has been practicing massage and delivering wellness programs for 25 years.

Tom Karis
Tom teaches Anatomy and Kinesiology, Physiololgy and Pathologies, and several hands-on massage courses.  Tom Karis has worked in the massage therapy profession, both as a practicing therapist and as an instructor since 1996. He applies a unique blend of myofascial release , trigger point therapy , orthopedic massage and myoskeletal alignment techniques in his own work with clients. From 2001 - 2007, Tom was owner and director, as well as an instructor, at the Massachusetts Institute of Therapuetic Massage . In addition to developing and teaching the massage therapy curriculum, he has developed a 100-hour NCBTMB approved CE course in structural bodywork.

Sue Mapel, LICSW
Sue is the Director of Student Services. She has been on the faculty of Cortiva Institute - Boston since 1993 teaching Skills and Dynamics of Therapeutic Relationships. Sue is a clinical social worker and also has a strong connection with the field of massage therapy. She has completed Massage Therapy Basics, second degree Reiki , and is a certified Infant Massage Instructor. In addition to her work at Cortiva Institute, Sue has a practice as a child and family therapist, and also pursues her love of Balkan singing, dance and music. Sue received her BA in English and French from Bucknell University and her Masters in Social Work from Boston College .

Tamar Myers, BA
Tamar teaches Foundations of Massage. A 1993 Cortiva Institute - Boston graduate, she joined the faculty in 1994. Tamar practices muscular therapy in Lexington, MA. She is Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and has done additional coursework in Benjamin Advanced Injury work, Craniosacral Therapy , Neuromuscular Therapy and Reiki . Presently she is studying Aston-Patterning® . Combining movement education with massage came out of Tamar's own love of movement and dance. When not doing bodywork or teaching, you are likely to find her on a dance floor doing Contradance, Swing, Lindy-hop, West Coast Swing, Salsa or Israeli folk dancing. Tamar received her BA in Anthropology from Boston University .

Janice Pearson, BS
Janice teaches Foundations of Massage, Neuromuscular and Sports Massage, and Student Clinic. A 1998 Cortiva Institute - Boston graduate , she joined the faculty in 2001. She has a private practice at the Tennis & Racquet Club in Boston's Back Bay, and also sees clients on a home visit basis in Newton, MA. Janice works with a lot of athletes, but also enjoys providing massage to pregnant clients and new mothers. She teaches infant massage and recently discovered the rich reward of increasing quality of life for ALS clients and those with end-stage cancer. She is a member of the AMTA . A former competitive figure skater and swimmer, Janice continues to enjoy those and other activities in her spare time, including a new love of the game of squash. Janice received her BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University .

Kate Peck, BA, ATC
Kate teaches Anatomy & Kinesiology. She joined the faculty in 1999 and has been in private practice for 8 years. She specializes in therapeutic massage, orthopedic massage, myofascial release , craniosacral therapy and somatoemotional release . Kate has an office in Newton, MA but also does home visits for the elderly and disabled. She also provides massage and craniosacral therapy for brain injured patients at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston. Kate has been a certified and licensed athletic trainer for the past 23 years. She has worked with athletes at the high school, college and semi-professional level. She enjoys teaching athletic trainers about massage and myofascial release in treatment of athletic injuries.

Todd Rivers
Todd teaches Foundations of Massage and Myofascial Techniques and Assessments. A 2001 graduate of Cortiva Institute - Boston , he joined the faculty in 2004. He is nationally certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and is a member of the AMTA . Todd has spent many years in the spa and alternative healthcare industry, and has had additional training in Myofascial Release Technique , Reiki , Healing Touch and the Benjamin Advanced Training. Todd has a deep desire to share his knowledge and experience with others.

Lisa Santoro
Lisa teaches Foundations of Massage and Student Clinic. A 1995 Cortiva Institute - Boston graduate, she joined the faculty in 2000. She is a member of the AMTA and the International Association of Infant Massage . Lisa has studied the Benjamin Advanced Training, fascial work, Shiatsu , pre- and post-natal massage, infant massage instruction, and Reiki . She is the founder of the massage program at Harvard University's Health Services . Her work is focused on injury prevention and the energetic components of wellness. Lisa has developed a "hands-free" method of chair massage that is taught through continuing education at Cortiva Institute and with the AMTA. In her infrequent spare time, Lisa is a knitter and beaded jewelry artist. Lisa is also the proud mother of two boys who are learning good listening skills.

Jeffrey Spratt
Jeffrey teaches Business Practices and Sports Massage. He holds a BS from Metropolitan State College , Denver, is a graduate of Cortiva Institute - Boston , is a member of the America Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), and is Nationally Certified in Massage and Body Work. With his years of experience in the service and massage industries, Jeffrey is able to put a unique personal perspective on the business aspects, incorporating students' own experiences to create their perfect massage career. Jeffrey is dedicated to his family and career as a massage therapist. Always continuing to learn and grow, he finds balance in being with family, studying Asian disciplines, training for triathlons, and playing the drums.

Michal Stryker, MA, LMHC
Michal teaches Professional Ethics and Communications. She is a 1993 counseling psychology graduate of Lesley College with extensive experience in teaching, group facilitation and individual psychotherapy. Michal's work over the years focused on the treatment of eating disorders, couples counseling and spiritual development.

Michal has also combined her professional psychotherapywork with her love of dance and is teaching a form of expressive dance called "Dance Infusion" at The Arlington Center .

Mary Gail Sullivan, BA
Mary Gail teaches Foundations of Massage. A 1993 Cortiva Institute - Boston graduate, she joined the faculty in 1994. Mary Gail is Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and is a member of the AMTA . She has been in private practice since 1992, focusing on injury evaluation and treatment. She has done additional coursework to become certified in the Evaluation and Treatment of Musculoskeletal Injuries. Mary Gail played competitive Rugby for twenty-two years; in 1991 she captained the USA team to victory in the first Women's World Cup. In her retirement from rugby, she finds plenty of time for off-road unicycling, snow boarding, rollerblading and restorative yoga. Mary Gail received her BA in Liberal Arts from the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota.

Eric Tamrazian, MA
Eric joined the Cortiva Institute - Boston faculty in 2006 to teach Physiology. His interest in physiology comes from his strong background in science and his future aspirations as a physician. He completed his B.S. in Biopsychology and a minor in Exercise and Health from the University of California , Santa Barbara. He then pursued graduate education at Boston University School of Medicine where he completed his M.A in Graduate Medical Sciences. He is currently a research associate at Harvard/MGH working in a muscular dystrophy /ALS lab. He has written several articles and has been published in the Journal of Comparative Neurology. Eric has been involved in martial arts, enjoys playing the guitar and outdoor activities.

Margaret Upton
Margaret teaches Special Populations and the Fundamentals of Massage and Alignment. She graduated from the Swedish Institute of Massage Therapy in 1997. Margaret is licensed in Swedish Massage and Shiatsu, and has trained in Deep Tissue Massage and Craniosacral Therapy . She has traveled around the country working in her private practice, with a concentration of business in New York, Connecticut and Martha's Vineyard.

Ralph Whitehouse, LMT, NCTMB
Ralph joined the Cortiva team in February 2007. He is an instructor for Foundations of Massage, and Neuromuscular Technique and Sports Massage.
It was the rigors of hard training for marathons and triathlons that led him to utilize sports massage as part of his training to help facilitate recovery and prevent injuries from developing. Volunteering and being inspired in 1990 and 1991 at the Boston Marathon with the sports massage team is when he decided to go to Bancroft School of Massage Therapy . After completing his sports massage training in April 1992 he returned to the Boston Marathon as a sports massage therapist and has continued to volunteer annually. He now massages a variety of athletes including wheel-chair participants, elite and Boston Athletic Association invited runners. Ralph believes being an avid athlete gives him insight into the psyche of the athlete.
His focus to get to the cause of soft tissue pain has led him to become certified in Orthopedic Massage through the Orthopedic Massage Education and Research Institute.
He lives in Plymouth and practices massage at Therapeutic Muscle Studio 1 and is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association .

Sarah Wreszin Snyder, BS
Sarah teaches Foundations of Massage and Student Clinic. A 1998 Cortiva Institute - Boston graduate, she joined the faculty in 2000. She has a private practice in Fall River, MA within a holistic practice. Her focus is therapeutic muscular therapy, Reiki , and caring for people with cancer. She is committed to teaching students with passion, support, and a mindful approach to the work of muscular therapists. Sarah received her BS in Human Services from Lesley University .