Our massage school faculty is dedicated to providing each student with caring attention and closely supervised instruction.
Cindy Anderson, LMT, MTI has been an enthusiastic student and practitioner of massage therapy since 1989. She practices Swedish massage, chair massage, shiatsu, Thai yoga massage, pregnancy massage, lomi lomi, hot stone, deep massage, sports massage, and many advanced hydrotherapies. She has been a massage therapy instructor since 1991. Her passion for giving, receiving, learning, and teaching bodywork has also led her to study reflexology, jin shin jitsu, watsu and waterdance. Cindy instructs in Semester One and Two.
John Conway, B.A., L.M.T., M.T.I. began practicing massage therapy in 1981. His background, prior to his massage studies, was in construction, gardening, journalism, and English Literature (B.A. Rice University, 1969). His early massage and bodywork training was with Zach Elrod, Bob King and numerous other national-level presenters. John was certified in sports massage by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) in 1986. Since that time he has worked countless triathlons, marathons, swim meets and track meets, and has been teaching sports massage for over 20 years. He served as Education Director for the Texas Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association from 1988 through 1992 and was one of the original faculty members of the Texas School of Massage Studies. His fascination with communicating the power of bodywork as a tool for change is reflected in his teaching and his clinical practice.
Gretchen Cole, B.S., L.M.T., M.T.I. has a degree in Sociology/Anthropology from Radford University with a minor in Archaeology. Working in Washington DC, she also studied at the Corcoran School of Art. Moving to Austin, Gretchen continued learning about human form and function, working with Naturopathic doctors for a number of years. She combined her interests by entering the massage and bodywork field, taking beginning and advanced training at Lauterstein-Conway, graduating in 1994. Having establishing a successful private practice, Gretchen returned to TLC to as a Core Instructor. She particularly relishes engaging students in the challenge of developing biomechanics; "looking beyond" rote technique to the relevance for the individual client; and discovering the unique effectiveness of hydrotherapy applications. Gretchen is gratified to be in a position to continually discover and work with the relevance of touch in today's world.
Tammie Culley, LMT, MTI, is a graduate of The Lauterstein-Conway School of Massage and is a massage therapist in the Austin/Round Rock area. She is currently teaching Swedish massage and Sports Therapy. Tammie has her fingers in the big pie and is found working in many places around Austin. You will often see her working side by side Chiropractors and Physical Therapists or working in a corporate setting helping ease tension and stress for both employees and employers. On occasion, you may find her at many of the races around Austin giving massage support to the wonderful athletes there as well as working her successful private practice which allows her the honor of attending clients in a more personal setting. Tammie is married and a mother of 4. She has a limitless curiosity for learning and finds joy in this endeavor. She also enjoys travel, camping, renaissance festivals, martial arts, reading, and spending time with her family.
Kazuko DeVirgilio, LMT, MTI, was born and raised in Japan. Growing up with four generations of her family under one roof taught her the essence of touch at an early age. She has been practicing massage therapy since 2006 after graduating from the Lauterstein-Conway Massage School. Her practice is in northwest Austin. She specializes in stress and chronic pain relief. She balances a busy schedule between her private practice, family and teaching. Her curiosity and desire to keep learning leads her to explore new modalities. She is currently studying Zero Balancing and Shiatsu passionately. She is excited to share her experience with students here at TLC.
Hannah Ford, BA, LMT, MTI traveled a winding path that began in South Dakota and meandered through Japan before settling in Austin in 2003. She became a licensed massage therapist in 2006 and graduated from Lauterstein-Conway’s 550-hour program in 2007. Hannah's private practice is in East-Central Austin, specializing in bodywork for the childbearing year, as well as the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy, deep massage, shiatsu and chair massage. She is the proud mama of a toddler and another on the way, and loves the schedule flexibility her massage career provides. At TLC, Hannah teaches practical classes in Parts 1 and 2, where she revels in the opportunity to watch students discover and master the power of caring touch.
Christopher Fritel, B.A., L.M.T. What feeds his sense of adventure? Working with the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa; attending the Natural Gourmet Cookery School in New York City; Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Christopher completed his massage training at TLC in 2001 and since has dedicated himself to sharing the message of massage with numerous Lauterstein-Conway students and in his private practice. Most recently Christopher has been trained in CranioSacral Therapy I and loves it!
Jan Hutchinson, BS, LMT, MTI, CNMT, CZB graduated in March 1969 from the University of Minnesota with distinction in Physical Therapy. Her massage therapy training was completed at The Third Coast School of Massage Therapy and licensed in November 1986. Jan has been certified in Neuromuscular Therapy from Judith Walker in 1991 and in Zero Balancing from Dr. Fritz Smith in 2001. She is a Massage Therapy Instructor and teaches courses in pathology, pharmacology, advanced deep tissue, Myofascial release and postural analysis. After 20 years, Jan enjoys helping practicing massage therapists actively problem solved during long standing structural/musculoskeletal problems in clients. She has had a private practice in Northwest Austin since 1992.
David Lauterstein, BA (Music Composition), LMT, Cert. ZB, TLC School Co-Director, MTI has been in massage and bodywork practice since 1977 and has become one of the most highly respected international educators in the massage therapy realm. He regularly teaches in England and throughout the U.S since 1982. He is the author of the book, Putting the Soul Back in the Body: A Manual of Imaginative Anatomy for Massage Therapists, numerous articles on the philosophy and practice of massage and bodywork, and is the former editor of the national magazine, Massage Therapy Journal. He is certified in Structural Bodywork and in Zero Balancing and is the founder of Deep Massage: The Lauterstein Method. He is a faculty member of the Zero Balancing Health Association. His background prior to massage therapy was in philosophy and music composition (BA, U of Illinois, 1972).
Shane Melear, LMT, Cert. ZB, has had a practice in massage therapy since 1995 specializing in deep tissue and chronic pain management. He is a graduate of Lauterstein-Conway and the Brian Utting School of Massage in Seattle, Washington. He has also studied cranio-sacral therapy and is a certified practitioner of Zero Balancing, one of 11 certified Zero Balancers in Texas. At Lauterstein-Conway he teaches anatomy, physiology, Swedish, Sports, Deep and Clinical Massage Therapy.
Julie Renfro, LMT, MTI graduated from Lauterstein-Conway in 2001 and has been working for the school since September of that year. As Clinic Director, Julie runs the Student Internship Clinic as well as the Graduate Clinic for professional therapists. When not working at TLC or at her restaurant, the most likely place to find her is in her garden.
Dena Roberts, Med., LMT, L.P.C. received her BA in Biology from St. Edward's University in 1979. In 1986 she became a Certified Rolfer after training at the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado. While conducting a private practice she undertook her Master of Education studies at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University). She received her M.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance in 1994, worked in a post-graduate internship, and became a Licensed Professional Counselor in 1997. Ms. Roberts first taught massage with David Lauterstein and John Conway at the Texas School for Massage Studies in 1988. Later she began her affiliation with The Lauterstein-Conway School in the early 1990’s, teaching anatomy and massage technique. We are delighted that Dena has taught the Psychology of Bodywork in our Advanced Clinical & Integrative Training (A.C.T.) since 2000.
Robert Steine, L.M.T. Instructor of Swedish Massage, Sports Massage, Clinical Bodywork, Deep Massage, Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology. Bob Steine has been in private practice for eight years specializing in chair massage, deep massage, and clinical bodywork.
Michael Hunt Self, M.S., L.M.T., M.T.I., CKTPTM™, began his massage career in 2002 upon graduating from The Lauterstein-Conway Massage School (TLC) and began his assisting/instructing at TLC in 2004. Prior to this “career”, he had retired from the U.S. Army after twenty years in the medical service corps engaged in hospital/logistics administration. He received his Bachelor’s degree in biology and Master’s degree in management (business administration). He has been a athlete and fitness counselor since the junior high years and has found great joy in incorporating the bodywork training into his business of personal health.The modalities that he has pursued and offers is craniosacral therapy, myoskeletal therapy, structural integration, Applied Kinesiology (muscle testing), Reiki, and other courses learned at TLC during his training – Swedish, sports, deep massage, shiatsu. He has also received training and registration in personal spiritual counseling and mediumship from Delphi University. His family has grown and provides a large hobby – grandchildren - six of them, along with two children and spouses and three sisters with their expanding families.
Gina L. Treuter, LMT, MTI had been an Office Manager/Bookkeeper for small businesses prior to becoming a Registered Massage Therapist in the fall of 1992. After receiving her first professional massage (from a TLC teacher) she immediately knew it was time for a change. She started Semester I within a few months and completed Semester II later the same year after taking the state exam. She returned to TLC in 2000 to complete what was then the Semester III training. She has well over 1,000 hours of massage and bodywork training, most of which was completed at TLC. She feels continuing education is imperative for creating a successful massage practice. Her experience during the past 18 years includes positions with massage clinics, fitness centers, salons, spas, chiropractic and medical clinics. Gina utilizes a variety of modalities; Deep Tissue, Sports, and Swedish massage, Hot/Cold therapies, and deep breathing techniques to create an integrated session for the specific needs of each client. Each session is designed to promote healing through a deep state of relaxation. She is currently in private practice at a Westlake Health Clinic. Gina has been married for twenty years and has two teenage daughters.
Keith Vencill, BS, LMT, MTI has been in private practice since 2003. He is an instructor of advanced classes at Lauterstein-Conway Massage School in Austin, since 2004. He teaches several workshops each year including three in Arizona in 2008. Keith has delivered massage in a variety of settings- the Hilton Austin downtown, Dell fitness center, a chiropractic office, the Texas Renaissance Festival, and the University of Texas men's basketball, baseball and football training rooms. He is also involved with the Community Living Assistance and Support Services program through the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, working with persons with disabilities.
Marsha Walker, PhD, RN, LMT holds a PhD in Holistic Adult Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin. Her dissertation research focused on Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and Distant Intentionality, which studies the effects of what we think and feel on the health of ourselves and others. Marsha has been active in the field of Holistic Health Care for 30 years, with a private practice in Austin offering massage and energy-based therapies. During this time, Marsha has also offered a variety of workshops, locally and nationally including energy-based therapies, massage, reflexology, stress and PNI, and spirituality and health. For five years she taught a variety of topics in the Holistic Nursing Series in the Continuing Education Department at the University of Texas School of Nursing. At TLC she teaches about the relationships between the endocrine system, stress, PNI and health. Her recent publications include Healing Massage (2003), a book co-authored with Jonathan Walker, and two articles in the Journal of Holistic Nursing (Sept. 2006 and Dec. 2008) reporting the effects of nurses practicing HeartTouch (a technique Marsha developed to address stress relief) in the hospital setting.
Tara White, B.A., LMT, Certified Deep Massage Instructor. Ms. White studied drama and vocal performance at the University of Houston and performed professionally in musical theater before coming to massage therapy. She is a graduate from all three semesters at TLC and has been a licensed, practicing therapist since 1994. She has also been a certified yoga instructor since 1997. She has also studied Zero Balancing and Aston Patterning. Tara is a certified instructor in Deep Massage -The Lauterstein Method and has taught numerous workshops in yoga and deep massage including a retreat in 2001 in Llandeilo, Wales. Ms. White specializes in rehabilitative and sports massage and bodywork which integrates the energetic and the physical. At TLC she is a senior instructor of deep massage, anatomy, structural and clinical bodywork.