Oregon Board of Directors
Emma Burke, Board President (2022-Present)
Emma Burke became a licensed massage therapist in January 2013 and immediately opened Ladyfingers Massage, exclusively for women. In August 2017, she opened her current entity Seluna Dawn Massage to include everyone. In addition to work and raising two preteens, she enjoys serving on the Board of Directors with AMTA-OR, her local Chamber of Commerce, as well as Xpose Hope, an anti-trafficking non-profit organization. Emma is excited to bring experience on local government, non-profit, and for-profit boards and committees to serve as the AMTA-OR President and bring back in-person events. Please feel welcome to contact her if you want to volunteer at an event, have ideas for new events and/or committees, and/or simply want more information about how volunteering will help increase fulfillment in your massage therapy career.
Donald Schiff, Board Member, Financial Administrator & Government Relations Co-Chair (2022-Current)
I’ve been practicing Massage Therapy since 1983, when I attended Heartwood institute near Garberville, CA. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, and extensive additional training in myofascial bodywork. I specialize in clinical pain relief and injury rehabilitation. If you hurt, I can probably help. You don’t have to hurt to heal! Since engaging resistance is counterproductive in most cases, I prefer to work within your pain tolerance. I tend toward precise, gentle bodywork, but I have a wide range of techniques available to suit different patient preferences. Occasionally the work may be challenging, but the pressure is always within your control.
Devery Broddie, Government Relations Co-Chair and Delegate (2022 – Present)
I graduated from the Atlanta school of massage in 1992. I I had the great privilege of being educated and mentored by some wonderful dedicated, talented and knowledgeable individuals. Being a small part of the profession as a massage therapist for 30 years, I’ve had terrific opportunities to share the amazing and proven benefits of our profession. By educating and sharing massage therapy with my own 4 children from the time they were born, I’ve been able to raise a generation (at least in my own home) of now young adults who strongly believe in, advocate for and utilize massage therapy in their own lives and I’ve begun to share massage therapy with my grandchildren as well. Being in the profession as long as I have has afforded me the experience of seeing the growth in large part because of the incredible and diligent work done by the AMTA. I’ve served on the board previously and I’m incredibly proud to be a part of the AMTA-OR board once again. I see the opportunity to serve our members as a privilege. I look forward to the continued work of strengthening the profession in our state.
Lowell Welch, Board Member, (2022-present)
I am Lowell Welch. I have been a massage therapist for 9 years. I mainly work in Woodburn, Focus Fusion Massage, and Newberg, Oregon Massage Clinic. Specializing in therapeutic work for injuries due to motor vehicle accidents and sports. I went to Everest Institute in 2010. I had the honor back in 2017 to 2018 to be an AMTA delegate for Oregon, which was truly enjoyable. Now, I am thankful to be a board member here in Oregon to help the massage industry continue
progressing ahead to the future. Looking forward to working and meeting all of you in the AMTA and massage world.
Sarah Olsen, Board Member (2022-Current)
Sarah is the owner at Elevated Bodyworks in Portland, Oregon. She has been working full time as a massage therapist since 2012. She is busy growing her practice to its second location and excited at the challenges building a growing practice brings.
She pursued her education in massage therapy due to her interest in the medical field and has worked in medical settings ever since. She has been lucky enough to work with a variety of providers from sports medicine physicians to surgeons and loves continuing her learning through study and collaboration with other providers.
Sarah believes that massage therapists have a unique opportunity within the healthcare environment and she loves helping her patient’s understand their bodies and the healing process. She gets extra joy from her work when she can connect people and has a great referral network of high level providers so she can help others get the most comprehensive care possible.
Jamin Rak, Board Member, Conference & Education Chair & Delegate (2022-Current)
Jamin has been an Licensed Massage Therapist and AMTA member since 1999 when he started his practice. After graduating in 1998 from East West College, he wen to work at a Chiropractic Clinic and latter a multidisciplinary Physical Therapy Clinic. At these clinics he learned the value in integrated healthcare for optimum patient recovery and rehabilitation. Now as owner and operator of Portland Massage Therapy, he continues to evolve his practice to help with acute and chronic pain symptoms through Orthopedic Massage Techniques.
Jamin decided to join the AMTA board to help facilitate the elevation of Massage Therapy as healthcare professionals in our State. He is a firm believer that through higher educational standards and testing we will no longer be view as “alterative medicine” but “complimentary medicine” as we work together with the entire healthcare community. He would like to see healthcare professionals working together to bring about lasting pain relief and increase the quality of life for our clients and patients all over the state.