Advisory Board
The Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy Advisory Board
The Honorary Board of Advisors is comprised of trusted advisors who are experts in a variety of arenas, which relate to the operations and academic program of The Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy. The Advisory Board determines who will receive the grant funds and functions as a decision-making entity with regard to policy.
Michael R. Ryman is the Chair of the Berkana Advisory Board, and ally of the Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy. He is the Acting Director of Operations and insures that the facility is being utilized in a way that is aligned with the overall integrity and intent of the mansion including, but not limited to: safety, preservation, resource management, damage control, space usage, environmental and conservation considerations and basic functionality. He is also instrumental in the organization and facilitation of all special events. He is a bodywork enthusiast and a regular client in the student clinic.
Til Luchau is a lead instructor and the Director of Advanced-Trainings.com. As a Certified Advanced Rolfer®, Til is a faculty member and Coordinator of the Rolf Institute'sFoundations of Rolfing Structural Integration program, where he is the originator of Skillful Touch Bodywork (the Rolf Institute's own training and practice modality). His regular Myofascial Techniques column appears in Massage & Bodywork magazine, and his articles have been published in peer-reviewed and technical journals in Australia, Canada, and the USA. Formerly a resident practitioner at the Esalen Institute, Chair of the Rolf Institute's Teacher Training Committee, and Adjunct Faculty member of Naropa University's Somatic Psychology Department, he has trained thousands of practitioners in his popular courses at schools and centers in over a dozen countries on five continents. His private practice is based in the Boulder/Denver area, and includes Rolfing, supervision, and professional coaching with clients from around the world.
Pete Whitridge LMT is a licensed massage therapist in Florida and an approved provider for both the state of Florida and NCBTMB. He is the former Director of Education at the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, FL. He teaches “Myofascial Components of Pain” workshops throughout the Southeast, as well as Florida law and business building classes. His training as an EMT, a CPR instructor, and 30 years of teaching experience have given him many insights into the learning process. Pete incorporates visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learning aides to provide students with a well-rounded class. Students receive individual attention and everyone is encouraged to HAVE FUN! Pete has been active in the professional associations and completed a four-year term on the Florida Board of Massage Therapy, serving two years as Chairman. He received the Charles Canfield Award from the FSMTA in 2004 for Service to the Profession. He is a frequent presenter at state and national massage therapy and chiropractic conventions. Pete currently resides in Fort Pierce, Florida with his wife (and editor) Lee and their wiener dog Oscar.
Diana Panara NCTMB is one of the most outstanding and interesting teachers in the field of bodywork today. She holds a Masters degree in Social Work from Tulane University, and a Holistic Health Practitioner degree from the International Professional School of Body Work. She has been teaching for over 30 years in the field of body centered therapy. A Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, her work has been instrumental in the development and understanding of somato-emotional integration. Diana is the originator of Relational Somatics. She regularly teaches and consults across the United States and abroad in Israel. She has been appropriately described as "a humanitarian who continues to find a way to make a difference through education where ever she goes."
Pam Thayer is a busy massage therapist in Boulder Colorado. She has been practicing since graduating from the Boulder College of Massage Therapy in 1978 and taught Swedish Massage there for 16 years. She has worked at Indian Springs resort for 7 years where she met her mentor, Rose Traynor, who at 80 was still giving terrific massages.
Dr. Tim Lowney, D.C. has been practicing in Boulder, Colorado since 1989. Aside from traditional chiropractic care, Dr. Lowney also integrates physical therapy, massage therapy, IMS trigger point acupuncture (dry needling), traditional acupuncture, nutritional counseling, custom foot orthotics, and therapeutic exercises into the care he provides to patients.He attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, and graduated from Life Chiropractic College-West, with honors, in 1988. He then taught at the Boulder School of Massage Therapy from 1989 to 1996, completed a one-year post-graduate certification in sports injuries in 1991, and received his acupuncture certification in 1998. He is also the father of three wonderful children and has been involved in coaching various youth sports for many years.
Dave Goetz is the owner of the Bodywork Bistro as well as co-directer of HeartMind Bodywork. He has trained and worked extensively with Matthew Sweigart in the Ohashiatsu, Zen Shiatsu and HeartMind method since 1990. He is the co-creator of the HeartMind Shiatsu Meridian Chart. With extensive training in Qigong and personal cultivation methods with such teachers as Master Chunyi Lin, Master Li Jun Feng, Ken Cohen and Roger Jahnke, his background includes 25 years in the natural foods and health and wellness industry. His further studies include Quantum Touch with Richard Gordon, Matrix Energetics with Richard Bartlett, and is currently studying the LifeLine technique with Darren Weisman. He teaches Shiatsu at the Healing Spirits Massage Training Program in Boulder as well as continuing education classes for HeartMind bodywork.
Mollie Houkom graduated from University of Minnesota with a BA in Anthropology and Psychology and went on to gain experience by working with youth in social services and non profit management with the American Red Cross. Feeling limited in helping people by the system, she decided to pursue her calling in massage therapy and graduated from the Boulder College of Massage Therapy in 2001. She currently owns High Point Massage in Jackson, Wyoming where she is also an independent contractor for Aman Resorts. In addition to massage, her passions include playing mandolin, backcountry skiing and backpacking. In 2006, she completed a 2650 mile hike of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Demi Karagas is a Massage Therapist specialing in Swedish Massage. She has been practicing and teaching massage therapy for 15 years in Copenhagen Denmark. Her passion is with integrating connective tissue massage with energy work. She teaches yoga, and has a dedicated movement practice. She is the proud mother of 3 phenominal children.
Jonathan Colby was born in Long Island, New York and later moved to Boulder, Colorado to attend and graduate from CU Leeds school of Business in 1988. He started Rage Unlimited in 1989, a custom branded merchandising and design firm. He currently serves as the president and salesman for his firm made up of 20 employees. Jon and his wife Lucky have a dog JJ (Jon Junior) and 2 cats and reside in Boulder, Colorado. Jon loves animals, music, nature, storms, the sunshine, chilling at the beach, skiing, running, hiking, biking and playing his drums!
Leslie Divy Nelson has been singing professionally since she was 14. As a singer/songwriter/vocal facilitator Divy's had an eclectic, well paid career. Starting out as one of "The New Christy Minstrels" she loved performing all over the world but "the road" was not her first choice. She decided to become a studio musician or session singer and her list of credits is very long. Here are a few highlights: Toyota, Dodge, Ford Motor Corp, Coors Beer Co, Proctor and Gamble, Warner Bros, Fox Searchlight Prods, American Furniture Warehouse, Six Flags, NBC, CBS, the Japanese and Canadian Film boards and many independent projects. As founder of The Womens' Ecstatic Choir and Faculty at Naropa University Divy worked with such notables as Deepak Chopra, Joan Boresenko, Brian Weiss to name a few. She taught thousands at the Led By Sprit conferences throughout the 90's on sustainable business in the new millennium.Working with the band Firefall, musicians in the league of Marc Cohn, Jackson Brown, Wasis Diop and many more have allowed Divy to record, sing, travel and teach.
