INSTRUCTORS

Instructor's hours vary according to subject. Please see your instructor if you are going to be absent or have been absent from a class and if you need tutor assistance. Instructors oversee Teacher's Assistants and report to the Director.

IAN NESBIT, N.D.
Dr. Ian Nesbit received his Doctorate in Naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University in 1994. He was the valedictorian speaker for his graduating class and completed two post doctorate residencies: one in physical medicine and one in cardiology. He was primary professor of cardiology at Bastyr University for three years before moving to Montana to begin a private practice. Dr. Nesbit also serves in the Air Force Reserves as a Pararecueman in the US Special Operations Command.


LINDSEY DOE, D.H.S.
Dr. Lindsey Doe, DHS is a adjunct faculty member at MSM, who certifies students in Intro to HIV. She has been an instructor at MSM since 2005 while working as the HIV Prevention Coordinator at Missoula AIDS Council. She currently has a private practice in clinical sexology (doctordoe.com) as a doctor of human sexuality. She says, "Collaborating with the Montana School of Massage is a treat. I enjoy working with the students and staff. Everyone is full of energy to help others and see how their education will benefit people living with HIV/AIDS."


NEIL CHAPUT de SAINTONGE
Neil teaches Reiki at our school. He is a Reiki Master and has been a Massage Therapist for over 24 years. A former student of Ansel Adams, he also is a founder and teacher at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography where he enjoys his other passion of 30 years.


PENNY L. PALM, L.M.T
Penny started her massage career in 1989 at Seattle Massage School graduating with honors. She began as a teaching assistant for Swedish Massage while still in school and then went on to teaching assistant for Deep Tissue for over a year. She began teaching Deep Tissue at SMS's Tacoma school in 1991 and taught there until 1995 where Penny eventually taught every part of the program except A &P. Penny began her education at Ulm Elementary School then went to Great Falls High School. After high school, she entered the University of Montana, majoring in Accounting. Realizing that was not her profession, she moved to Seattle where she worked in surgery at Swedish hospital while attending classes for a pre-medical major. She has associate degrees in Chemistry, Biology and Math. Through her work at the hospital, Penny saw a great deal of the inside of the body and learned more than many classrooms could teach. She also learned that being a doctor and being a mother were mutually exclusive and she wanted to be a mother more than anything.

Penny has been in private practice since shortly after graduation. She has worked in a chiropractic office and with many healthcare professionals. She moved back to Missoula in 1996 and has been practicing massage at a salon providing injury treatment and rehabilitation and sports massage treatment.

Penny is married and has 2 beautiful girls, A.J. and Elle. She has been a senior alpline member of the National Ski Patrol since 1998 where she is a certified instructor for Outdoor Emergency Care and Ski and Toboggan Handling. She is also a member of the Missoula County Sheriff's Posse andshe has played cowboy polo for the past 5 years.


SCOTT STIRES, FIRST AID-CPR
Scott Stires moved to Missoula from California with his wife Jennifer (a local girl) in 2005 and now calls this home. He is a recreation specialist who oversees the sports and wellness deptartment for Missoula Parks and Recreation. Scott graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.S. degree in Recreation Education and has been organizing recreation and wellness programs for various capacities for a little over 14 years. Among his recreation and wellness experience he has been a Red Cross certified instructor in CPR, First Aid and AED since 2003. In 2004, Scott and his wife who is an RN and IBCLC started their own business in hopes to educate individuals in safety and emergency response measures that will prevent and protect infants, children and adults from life-threatening situations. In 2008, they opened up Nursing Nook, LLC to provide support for mothers, fathers, families and the community. During his free time Scott enjoys running, fishing and spending time with his wife and two yourng daughters.


ERIN McALEESE, SWEDISH MASSAGE
Erin's passion for massage therapy developed during her childhood as she watched her mother recover from a back injury, and then continued as she began experiencing the benefits of professional massage therapy herself. Erin graduated from Southern Oregon University with a B.A. degree in Language Arts, and then went on to realize her dream by graduating from the Montana School of Massage in 2008 and becoming a certified massage therapist and Reiki, Level II, Practitioner. She furthered her knowledge by working as a teacher's assistant for Swedish Massage, and by continuing Education workshops in Lymph Balancing and Massage Cupping. Erin finds teaching the ultimate rewarding career because she gets to share her passion and knowledge for massage therapy with others.


JESSICA FARNHAM, LMT, CD; PRENATAL MASSAGE
Jessica Farnham, is a Minnesota native, who chose Missoula in 2003 to attend The Montana School of Massage. She graduated in 2004, at the top of her class, with hopes of expanding her skills, and one day own her own practice. Jessica started her massage career working at the Paws Up Ranch the summer of 2005, and went on to work privately as a mobile massage therapist for the next year and a half. After leaving Missoula, and returning back in 2007, Jessica came full circle, and returned to the massage school as a Professional Therapist in their school’s clinic from Feb.08-Nov.08. In April 2008, she met James Marquardt from Marquardt Chiropractic, and started working as an independent contractor in his clinic. By Nov.2008, Jessica finally had the opportunity to start her own private practice. In Dec. 2009, Jessica ventured on a new journey into the birth world by attending her three day certification seminar to start her two year process of becoming a professional birth doula (professional birth assistant).

As of Feb.2009, Jessica now owns her own private practice called The Roots of Wellness Massage Therapy & Birth Support. She now specializes in prenatal/postpartum/infant massage, and birth doula, along with the specialties of Massage Cupping Bodywork Therapy, Lymphatic Balancing, and Myofacial Release. In the fall 2009, Jessica was offered to teach the massage school’s Prenatal Massage portion of their program, and she has loved the opportunity to pass along this essential information, and continue her passion for working with pregnancy, child birth & beyond.

Jessica is an active participant in building Missoula’s small business community, and is the co-founder of the local Missoula Doulas Network, and the newly formed non-profit organization called The Lotus Project, advocating information, empowerment, and choice for a healthy, joyful birth experience for Montana Families. Please visit www.therootsofwellness.com, and The Missoula Doulas, & The Lotus Project on Facebook for more information on what’s happening in Missoula’s birthing community.


KAREN FISHER, NCTMB - DEEP TISSUE, KINESIOLOGY, ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Born in upstate NY, Karen grew up in NJ and moved to Missoula from PA in October 2008. She graduated from the Somerset School of Massage Therapy in June 2003 and received the practical valedictorian award for her class. After graduation, Karen tested and received her national certification through NCBTMB. Karen was invited to work as a massage therapist for the Rutgers collegiate swim team at the Big East Championship in Hempstead, NY both as a student and two other times after graduating. Karen maintained a theraputic massage office in NJ for five years before her move West.

A huge proponent of continuing education, she is always looking to further her training in the massage field. Karen is certified in Neuromuscular Therapy and is a Level 2 Reiki Practitioner. She has also had the opportunity to complete continuing education workshops with such leaders as Aaron Mattes and Paul St. John.

As a horse enthusiast, Karen competed in combined training events back east and was certified in 2002 by Equissage, INc. in equine sport massage therapy. It is her hope to enjoy the beauty of her new home state through hiking, kayaking and just wandering around Montana on horseback.


TRENT POLLARD, C.M.T, TEACHER'S ASSISTANT
Originally from Michigan, Trent studied at Tulane and Harvard Universities before graduating from Bennington College, in Vermont, with a B.A. in literature. He moved to Missoula in 2009 to pursue an education in massage therapy. He graduated from the Montana School of Massage, at the top of his class, before joining the staff. He loves living and working in Missoula, although he wishes he had more time for camping and skiing—hobbies he has taken up since moving here.

Trent is a Professional Massage Therapist at MSM in the student/professional massage clinic and the Student Events Coordinator. He is a teaching assistant in the Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage classes, and is also available as a tutor.


JEANNE CASTILLO, M.A., BUSINESS CLASS
An instructor, writer, and consultant with over 10 years of experience teaching adults and teens. Jeanie has taught and developed classes in diverse fields such as English language, research writing, linguistics, and career and business development. Before starting her consulting business, she worked as an employment specialist assisting people with disabilities in finding and maintaining meaningful employment and in the non-profit arena working for organizations dedicated to increasing educational opportunities and disability awareness in rural America. More recently, Jeanie has worked as a consultant designing educational programs related to employment, business development, and language learning.


JOE BEATTY, B.A., BUSINESS CLASS
Joe Beatty has been a local resident with the combination of Missoula and Seeley Lake his entire life. As a small town boy from the Seeley-Swan valley and a diehard Grizzly, Joe has some deep seeded roots in the community. A graduate from the University of Montana in Education for both History (5 -12 grade levels) and Health and Human Performance (K – 12 grade levels) Joe taught for 8 years at all the grade levels. Coaching track, cross-country, and basketball at the high school and junior high level was also part of his teaching years. While attending the academic world at The University of Montana, Joe was an athlete in Cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track. Joe was fortunate enough to be part of a great group of fellow distance runners. That team won the last Men’s Cross-country team championship at UM, and raced to a 9th place national finish the same year. Individually Joe claimed 2 Big Sky titles and eclipsed the elusive 4 minute mile barrier.

Even though academics and athletics were part of his past and still part of his future, Joe’s greatest accomplishment is fathering his 11 year old son, Marshall Hunter Beatty. Being a father has been the most rewarding experience he has ever encountered and lives each day to share new experiences with his adoring son. One of Joe’s favorite sayings is “I am smart enough to know that I do not know it all. We can learn so much from others young and old. With children, we just need to stop and listen.”

Joe had some other business ventures in real-estate and sales before purchasing The Montana School of Massage in March of 2007. Finding, recruiting and taking care of his wonderful staff have been the highest priority in his business hierarchy. The staff has fostered the most informative, eye-opening, and positive learning environment at The Montana School of Massage. Looking forward to the next day and all its lessons to learn!