Wednesday, October 21
| 3:30 pm | Registration Location: Presidio 1 Foyer |
| 4:30-5:30 pm | Orientation to Annual Meeting and Delegate Voting Location: Hyde 2-3 Whether you’re a first-time delegate or a returning participant, this session will get you oriented to your role in the FSMTB Annual Meeting. Join us to learn how to make the most of your state’s representation and confidently participate in the decision-making process. |
| 5:45-7 pm | Welcome Reception Location: Central Park Terrace Join us as we kick off the Annual Meeting with this reception featuring light refreshments and an opportunity to meet and mingle with regulatory peers from across the nation. |
Thursday, October 22
| 6-6:45 am | Morning Yoga Location: St. James Conference Room Start your day with an energizing yoga session designed to promote relaxation and well-being before diving into a full day of learning and discussion. |
| 7-7:55 am | Registration (continued) Location: Presidio 1 Foyer |
| 7-7:55 am | Networking Breakfast Location: Central Park Terrace |
| 8 am | Welcome, Call to Order, and Roll Call Location: Presidio 3-5 Elisabeth (Liz) Barnard, LMT, Executive Director of the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy, FSMTB President |
| Keynote: Turtle on a Fencepost Location: Presidio 3-5 Dr. Stephen Loyd, Internal Medicine & Addiction Medicine Physician Dr. Stephen Loyd’s keynote follows two parallel paths through American addiction care — the one he walked as a physician confronting his own substance use and the trauma beneath it, and the one a patient of his was routed down. Told side by side, the two accounts expose how sharply outcomes diverge depending on what someone can afford, and why a Recovery-Oriented System of Care must open its doors to every person seeking help, regardless of means. Dr. Loyd’s larger argument is grounded in optimism: addiction responds to treatment, and once clinicians, policymakers, and communities internalize that fact rather than merely acknowledge it, the way this country cares for people with opioid use disorder can fundamentally change. |
| Presentation of Candidates for Election Location: Presidio 3-5 Craig Knowles, LMT, Chair of the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy, Chair of the FSMTB Nominating Committee |
| Presentation of Resolutions and Bylaw Amendments Location: Presidio 3-5 Paul Andrews, LMT, Chair of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Massage Therapy and Chair, Chair of the FSMTB 2026 Policy Committee |
| 9:45-10:15 am | Networking Break Location: Presidio 1 Foyer |
| 10:15 am | President’s Report Location: Presidio 3-5 Liz Barnard, LMT, Executive Director of the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy, FSMTB President Explore FSMTB’s strategic vision and organizational priorities. The FSMTB president will present an overview of the organization’s key initiatives guiding its ongoing mission. |
| FSMTB Treasurer’s Report Location: Presidio 3-5 Caroline Guerin, LMT, Presiding Officer of the Texas Massage Therapy Advisory Board, FSMTB Treasurer Gain insight into FSMTB’s current financial standing and long-term fiscal stewardship. The FSMTB treasurer will present an overview of the organization’s finances. |
| Synaptic: Advancing Support Through Technology Location: Presidio 3-5 Brenna Hawley- Craig, Solution Architect, Synaptic Era Learn how FSMTB is leveraging technology to modernize regulatory functions and support your processes. |
| IMpact™ Update: Current Status and Recent Developments Location: Presidio 3-5 Patty Glenn, FSMTB Director – Professional Mobility Stay informed about the IMpact (Interstate Massage Compact) with a review of recent developments and the initiative’s current status, including what boards need to know going forward. |
| 12-1 pm | Networking Lunch Location: Central Park Terrace |
| 1 pm | Protect the Protectors Location: Presidio 3-5 Melissa Kaiser, Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker, Melakai Consulting Regulators and investigators play a critical role in protecting the public, but the work often involves exposure to disturbing details, complex cases, and ongoing stress. Over time, this can contribute to vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue. This session will highlight the mental health realities of investigative work and provide practical strategies to help professionals recognize warning signs, build resilience, and care for their own well-being while continuing to carry out their important responsibilities. |
| 2-2:05 pm | Intro to Afternoon Sessions Location: Presidio 3-5 |
| 2:05 pm | Breakout Sessions Location: Presidio 3-5 Track 1: Continuing the Conversation: Regulation and Recovery Dr. Stephen Loyd, Internal Medicine & Addiction Medicine Physician This session provides an opportunity to engage directly with Dr. Loyd, ask questions, and take a deeper look at the themes and insights presented in his keynote. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the issues raised in the keynote and continue the conversation in a more interactive setting. Track 2: Minding the Gap: AI and Regulation Paul Andrews, LMT, Chair of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Massage Therapy This interactive session will examine practical and ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in regulatory board operations, including the potential benefits, risks, and implications of including or excluding AI tools from board meeting recordings and related processes. |
| 2:45-3:15 pm | Networking Break Location: Presidio 1 Foyer |
| 3:15 pm | Breakout Sessions Location: Presidio 3-5 Track 1: Continuing the Conversation: Regulation and Recovery Dr. Stephen Loyd, Internal Medicine & Addiction Medicine Physician This session provides an opportunity to engage directly with Dr. Loyd, ask questions, and take a deeper look at the themes and insights presented in his keynote. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the issues raised in the keynote and continue the conversation in a more interactive setting. Track 2: Minding the Gap: AI and Regulation Facilitator: Paul Andrews, LMT, Chair, Massachusetts Board of Registration of Massage Therapy and Chair This interactive session will examine practical and ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in regulatory board operations, including the potential benefits, risks, and implications of including or excluding AI tools from board meeting recordings and related processes. |
| 4:15 pm | Executive Session Location: Presidio 3-5 |
| 5:15 pm | Wrap Up Location: Presidio 3-5 |
| 6:15 pm | Networking Dinner Location: TBA |
Friday, October 23
| 6-6:45 am | Morning Yoga Location: St. James Conference Room Start your day with an energizing yoga session designed to promote relaxation and well-being before diving into a full day of learning and discussion. |
| 7-7:55 am | Networking Breakfast Location: Central Park Terrace |
| 8 am | Welcome, Call to Order, and Roll Call Location: Presidio 3-5 Liz Barnard, LMT, Executive Director of the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy, FSMTB President |
| Debate and Voting on Proposed Bylaw Amendments Location: Presidio 3-5 |
| FSMTB Elections Location: Presidio 3-5 • Board of Directors • 2027 Nominating Committee |
| Strengthening Public Trust Through Effective Communication Location: Presidio 3-5 Jennifer Kandt, Former Executive Director of the Nevada Funeral and Cemetery Services Board Explore effective strategies for crisis communication and managing public perception within a regulatory environment. |
| 9:45-10:15 am | Networking Break Location: Presidio 1 Foyer |
| 10:15 am | Ethics vs. Conduct: Understanding the Difference Location: Presidio 3-5 Facilitator: Ryan Lester, FSMTB Chief of Staff Sharon Oliver, Executive Director of the Maryland State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners, FSMTB Board of Directors Examine the distinct roles of a Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct in professional regulation. |
| Sharing Successes and Challenges Location: Presidio 3-5 Facilitator: Elise Baine, FSMTB Government Relations Specialist In this interactive, community-building session, each jurisdiction is invited to share a recent success, a key challenge, or a meaningful story from their work. This time is designed to promote connection, spark conversation, and highlight the diverse experiences across FSMTB Member Boards. |
| 11:45 am-12:45 pm | Networking Lunch Location: Central Park Terrace |
| 12:45 pm | Responding to Fraudulent Education Programs Location: Presidio 3-5 Facilitator: Kevin Snedden, LMT, FSMTB Director – Industry Relations Panel: Liz Wiggins, TDLR, Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Division Eric Salvatore Giunta, JD, General Counsel, Florida Commission for Independent Education Charlene Russell, LMT, FSMTB Eligibility Review Panel member This session will explore the ongoing challenges posed by fraudulent massage therapy education programs and their impact on licensure and public protection. |
| 2 pm | Closing Remarks and Adjournment Location: Presidio 3-5 Liz Barnard, LMT, Executive Director of the Nevada State Board of Massage Therapy, FSMTB President |
| 2:30 pm | FSMTB Board of Directors Meeting Location: St. James Conference Room |