Tracy Williamson (Butte, MT) joined the BLMTB Board of Directors in November 2005. A Montana native, Tracy has been practicing massage therapy since 2003. She has worked for the Asten Center of Natural Therapeutics. Tracy has a degree in pharmacy, worked for Indian Health Services for 9 years before becoming a massage therapist, and is still working in the pharmacy field in a nontraditional sense. She has served as chairperson of the Board of Directors for the North American Indian Alliance in Butte, Montana. NAIA is an Urban clinic that provides health care and behavioral health to urban Native Americans in Butte and the surrounding areas. Along with her duties as a practicing massage therapist, a pharmacist, and as a member of the BLMTB Board of Directors, she is a mom with 2 beautiful children ages 7 and 10. Tracy left the Board in July of 2007 to pursue other opportunities.
Lynne Ann Kogut (Kila, MT) joined the BLMTB Board of Directors on February 5, 2010. Lynne has been a massage & bodywork therapist since 1987. She completed her massage training with the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, which at the time was a 500 hour program. She has continued her studies in Polarity Therapy & Craniosacral Therapy. Lynne is a Registered Polarity Practitioner (RPP), a Certified Polarity Educator and a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist (BCST).
Lynne moved to Montana in 2003. She is the Director of Dancing Bear Center for Polarity Therapy & Energy Studies, which is an APP level of Polarity Training recognized by the American Polarity Therapy Association (APTA). This is the first recognized school by APTA for Polarity Therapy in the state of Montana. Prior to her career in massage & bodywork she managed various Health & Fitness facilities in the New York area.
Lynne has joined the BLMTB board because she has felt that the BLMTB has provided a very valuable service to Montana. She has felt that the organization has safeguarded our field of practice in massage & bodywork therapies. Lynne writes: "Not only has it been instrumental in informing us of important issues around protecting our right to practice, but the organization has helped in understanding the legislative process, keeping the language appropriate for practicing, & having a watchful eye on over-regulating the field of practice." Lynne has appreciated the BLMTB’s effort and knowledge offered to the community of bodywork therapists. She has joined the organization as another voice for freedom to practice and for a fair and just regulatory system that not only accepts education and professionalism but also protects the intuitive nature of the practice of massage & bodywork which keeps it fresh and exciting as the field evolves.
Lynne feels that: "Less is more when it comes to regulating a system that has an excellent track record for exceptional practitioners. This is the inherent nature of massage & bodywork therapists and you cannot put that in a box or on a piece of paper."