AMTA-Illinois Board of Directors

The Chapter Board governs the activities of the AMTA-Illinois Chapter. Terms of office are for two years. President, 2nd Vice President, one Member-at-Large and Treasurer are elected in even-numbered years. 1st and 3rd Vice Presidents and the second Member-at-Large and Secretary are elected in odd-numbered years. If mid-term vacancies occur, appointments are made by the Board until the next scheduled election. Self-nominations are invited. Elections are by mail ballot unless all positions are uncontested; in that case the members attending the Chapter Annual Meeting are asked to affirm the slate of candidates in order to the save costs of a mail ballot.  Position descriptions for all of the Board positions can be found on the AMTA web site in the members-only section.

The Chapter Board meets monthly, either in person or by conference call. Members are welcome to attend in order to understand the operation of the Board. Call the Chapter office for date and location information for upcoming Board meetings, or check the calendar on the Home Page of this web site.

All Board members can be reached through the Chapter office at 847-865-0674 or via email at  .

	President – Mike Hovi As the leader, planner, mentor and mediator for the chapter, the President is responsible for overseeing the overall administrative functions of the chapter, guides the Chapter Board in new initiatives, encourages member participation in chapter activities, and cultivates future leaders. Mike graduated from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy in 1992.  He is the Director of Massage Therapy at the Hovi Clinic of Chiropractic, P.C. and Program Director/Instructor at The Soma Institute-National School of Clinical Massage.  Mike was instrumental in the drafting of the Massage Licensing Act of Illinois and has served as the Illinois Chapter Treasurer from 2007 – 2009 (February). Mike is also currently serving as a member of the Illinois Massage Licensing Board.
	1st Vice President – Tracy Smodilla The Vice Presidents are administrative advisors to the Chapter President and share the duties and responsibilities of chapter management. The 1st Vice President acts in the absence or incapacity of the Chapter President.  Tracy has been a practicing massage  therapist in Bartlett for X years.  Tracy currently serves as the Chapter’s Government Relations Coordinator, and was the Chapter’s 2009 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for her commitment and dedication to that role.
	2nd Vice President  – Becky Schwoebel The Vice Presidents are administrative advisors to the chapter president and share the duties/responsibilities of chapter management.  Becky has been a practicing massage therapist and massage educator in Belleville for 6 years and has served as Conference Coordinator with the chapter since 2007.
	3rd Vice President – Heather Rabbitt The Vice Presidents are administrative advisors to the chapter president and share the duties/responsibilities of chapter management. Heather Rabbitt graduated from the Soma Institute - The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy in 2004. For 6 years, Heather worked as a full-time massage therapist for Swedish Covenant Hospital on Chicago’s northwest side. Now, she splits her time between her private Infant Massage business and seeing clients at the Galter LifeCenter, a wellness center in Chicago. Heather has served on the Board of Directors since November 2009.
	Member-At-Large – Nestor Battung The Members At-Large bring the perspective of a wide range of member  viewpoints to Board deliberations. Nestor is a Licensed Clinical Massage Therapist with eleven years of experience. He received his basic training from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy April 2000, and Master of Clinical Massage training from the Soma Institute January 2010. He is certified in Orthopaedic Massage and Pre- and Post-natal Massage Therapies. Nestor typically treats clients seeking general relaxation, soft tissue recovery after physical activity, injury treatment and prevention, and chronic pain management, allowing him to practice fundamental techniques while incorporating the more specific modalities he has studied. Nestor is employed by the United States Soccer Federation and approved provider for the United States Olympic Committee. When he’s not traveling he has clinical hours at AthletiCo in Oak Brook. He brings a diverse back ground in Sports Massage which can bring opportunities for the Community Outreach Chair.
	Member-At-Large – Courtney Lewis The Members At-Large bring the perspective of a wide range of member viewpoints to Board deliberations. Courtney graduated from the Soma Institute in 2007. She is the owner of The Rub Chicago, Ltd. a therapeutic massage practice in Chicago's River West neighborhood.  Courtney is well versed in social media, keeping current on membership perspective and that of the massage community as a whole through Facebook, Twitter, and Linked-in.
	Treasurer – Vicki Gothard The Treasurer ensures that the Chapter uses financial resources responsibly and oversees the financial management services provided to the Chapter by the management consulting company, The Center for Association Resources.  Vicki has been a practicing massage therapist in Belleville for 11 years, and served as the Chapter’s Outreach Team Coordinator and conference volunteer since 2008.
	Secretary – Pat Malone The Secretary is the chapter historian, keeper of official records and generator of correspondence for distribution. The State Secretary relies on and acknowledges the contributions of our administrative office support, which makes the duties very manageable. Pat is completing the vacated Secretary position that is open to election in 2012. Pat spent 20 years in high tech medical sales, marketing, research as founder, and president of United Medical, Inc. He has been practicing massage therapy for over 25 years. In the past, Pat has served Illinois as President, 1st VP, 3rd VP, as well as serving on many committees. He has served as an Illinois Delegate many times, including the first seven House of Delegates. On the National level, Pat has served on the National Convention Committee, and he served several terms on the House of Delegates Operations Committee. Pat is currently the founder/director of both; Massage Therapy Associates, Ltd., and The Quality of Life Center.