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Meet the Team

Learn more about our knowledgeable and experienced team members.

The faculty and staff at LHAA are second to none! The experienced, supportive school administration team are here to help you pursue your passion and succeed. Our experienced, passionate faculty are here to educate, guide and coach you through an incredible journey of professional and personal growth. In our massage program our experienced, dedicated faculty combined have over 200 years as licensed massage therapists and over 175 years teaching massage therapy.  That level of experience brings quality and a depth of learning you can count on.  Join us in learning from the best and rest assured you are receiving a quality education.

Meet Our Staff

Bill Booker

Bill Booker

Executive Director, Owner

Learn More About Bill
BBA and MBA – George Washington University
LHAA staff since 2003.
Bill enjoys hiking, kayaking, basketball, travel, history, food, sustainability, and politics.
Fun Fact: His dogs run his life!
Debra Booker

Debra Booker

Co-Owner, LHAA Yoga Director

Learn More About Debra
Teaching yoga since 2009
LHAA Yoga Certification in 2009
Fun Fact: Debra has always loved making art. In the last few years, mixed media collage has been her focus.
Robyn Hardy, LMT

Robyn Hardy, LMT

Faculty Administrator & Co-Program Manager

Learn More About Robyn
Robyn is responsible for mentoring the faculty through their teaching experience. She oversees all curriculum changes. She graduated from LHAA Massage Program in 2001 and has practiced massage and craniosacral therapy since then. Her Cranial training spans 25 years, encompassing studies at the Upledger Institute and the Milne Institute. In 2008, Robyn took a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training to deepen her study of how the human body moves. She started training in Lymphatic Therapy in 2012 and is a Certified Manual Lymph Therapist. She continues her study of advanced courses in both modalities. Robyn loves to see the “connection” that happens for instructors & students in the classroom. As a therapist, she loves to see clients gain perspective on the mind/body connection and help their nervous system reset itself from fight or flight (stress) to rest and digest (relaxation).
Cynthia Petitt

Cynthia Petitt

Bookkeeper

Learn More About Cynthia
LHAA staff since 2018
Enjoys movies, board/card games, swimming, foster care and learning new skills
Fun Fact: She LOVES Hallmark Movies.
Carol Rajchel

Carol Rajchel

Admissions & Financial Aid Manager

Learn More About Carol

Admissions & Financial Aid Manager, comes from a background of Administration. She started with Lexington Healing Arts Academy in 2005 as a receptionist in our clinic. She moved to Office Manager in 2006 and then to Director of Admissions/Financial Aid in 2008 to 2013. She relocated to Nashville in 2013 and was employed by Moltow State Community College, where she worked in the Admission/Records office and the Business Office. She then returned to the Lexington area in 2018. Carol was elected as a Tennessee Promise Mentor from 2014 to 2018. Carol has received training in FERPA, Identity Theft Prevention, GLBA Information Security, Discrimination and Harassment Prevention for Higher Education, Title VI, Title IV Administration, and IT Security.

In her spare time, Carol enjoys hiking and spending time with her family and friends. Carol has two sons and lives in Nicholasville, KY.

Patricia Seaman

Patricia Seaman

Registrar, Student Support & Co-Program Manager

Learn More About Patricia
Patricia brings over 20 years of experience in higher education and records management to our community. With a Master’s in Library and Information Science, she focuses on creating a reliable, well-organized foundation for our school. Working closely with her Co-Program Manager, she helps uphold academic integrity while ensuring our curriculum evolves alongside the needs of the profession. Patricia is deeply committed to the student journey—from enrollment to graduation—and loves finding practical, innovative ways to support the community we’ve built here.
Meadow Smith

Meadow Smith

Social Media Coordinator

Learn More About Meadow
Social Media Coordinator at LHAA as of 2022
Focus of study in Psychology & Rehab Therapies
Has trained in martial arts for over 30 years and competed in full-contact fighting
Works part-time for major music touring productions and has likely met your favorite musician
Fun Fact: Has hitchhiked in about a dozen countries, and also worked in an open outcry pit on all 3 Chicago Trading Floors
Zack Sneed

Zack Sneed

Assistant Registrar

Learn More About Zack
Joined LHAA in 2022
Experience in record-keeping and business management Pursuing a Bachelor of Science at UK
Fun Fact: Zack is in a Monday night Bowling League
Jason Washburn

Jason Washburn

Anatomy & Physiology Instructor, Massage Program

Learn More About Jason

Teaching since 2022
Graduated from Louisville School of Massage in 2009
Graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with BS in Occupational Science in 2016
Graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with MS in Occupational Therapy in 2018
Certified Lymphedema Therapist
Fun Fact: Jason currently has 1 child and 6 cats that he cares for

Meet Our Educators

Sarah Atkins

Sarah Atkins

Massage Therapist

About Sarah
Sarah is a 2010 graduate of the Lexington Healing Arts Academy and has been practicing Massage Therapy since 2016. She teaches FM 1 and started working at LHAA in 2023. Her oldest child is also an LHAA graduate, and they happily work together.
Ann Boone

Ann Boone

Massage Therapist

About Ann
Kinesiology and Ethics Instructor, Massage Program
Practicing massage since 1979
Teaching since 1999
Graduated from LHAA 2003
Fun Fact: Ann has worked with UK Men’s basketball, track team, and professional equestrians
Matt Branstetter

Matt Branstetter

Massage Therapist

About Matt
Matt was a member of the first class to graduate from Lexington Healing Arts. He has been practicing massage professionally for 25+ years and is an instructor of Massage Fundamentals and is a licensed acupuncturist. He also graduated from the first Yoga Teacher Training offered by LHAA and now teaches yoga philosophy and meditation in this program. Matt is also a graduate of Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine.

Matt is a long-time student of meditation and martial arts. Matt has taught classes in Yoga and Tai Chi at the college level and is a certified qigong Instructor through Rising Lotus Qigong. He has explored perspectives on the relationship between the body, healing, and spirituality from a variety of cultures. Matt brings a passion for teaching and a love for the somatic arts to his various roles at LHAA.

Shane Burry

Shane Burry

LMT, CPT, BCS

About Shane
Kinesiology and A&P Instructor, Massage Program
Teaching since 2014
Graduated from LHAA 2013 – Personal Training
Graduated Dayton School of Medical Massage 2019 – Massage Therapy
Fun Fact: Shane loves books and has over 1,200 in his home library
Joseph Cinquina

Joseph Cinquina

Massage Therapist

About Joseph
Joe Cinquina is a licensed and Board-Certified massage therapist and a graduate of the Lexington Healing Arts Academy, where he has been a faculty member since 2010. He teaches Fundamentals of Massage 1 and 2, Career Development, and Thought Patterns for a Successful Career, and he also assists in Kinesiology. Joe is certified in Integrated Manual Therapy and Orthopedic Massage by James Waslaski’s Center For Pain Management and has a private practice. As an advocate of the benefits of hot stones and dynamic cupping, he teaches continuing education courses in both modalities at LHAA and has also taught clinical massage workshops for the KY chapter of the AMTA. Aside from massage, Joe also has a second career as a professional freelance musician. He is a Performance graduate of the Berklee College of Music, holds a BA degree in Composition and a Master’s Degree in Music Theory from the University of South Florida, and is the author of “The Practical Fundamentals of Music Theory.” Joe says one of his great passions is for teaching, whether it be massage or music.
Anamaria Flores

Anamaria Flores

Massage Therapist

About Anamaria
Anamaria teaches FM 1 and is a 2018 graduate of the Lexington Healing Arts Academy. She has been practicing massage therapy since graduating and has been a part of the LHAA Clinic team since 2019. Anamaria spends her free time reading, baking cakes, and walking while listening to good music. She’s also a bit of a movie buff!
Justin Gibson

Justin Gibson

Massage Therapist

About Justin

Justin Gibson received his master’s degree in Biomechanics and his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Kentucky and has been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association since 2012. During this time, he has worked with stroke survivors, multiple sclerosis patients, back pain sufferers, post-op knee replacements, and a host of other factors needing quality training and guidance to let people live and perform at their best. He has taught science courses for LHAA graduates of the Fitness and Nutrition Training Program, and now teaches for both the Massage Therapy and Fitness & Nutrition Coaching programs. He has competed in both bodybuilding and powerlifting and has a fondness for racket sports despite his sore lack of coordination.

Gregory Goodson

Gregory Goodson

Massage Therapist

About Gregory
Kinesiology and Fundamentals 2 Instructor, Massage Program
Practicing massage since 1987
Teaching since 1988
Graduated from the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics
Fun Fact: Gregory saw “Koala Crossing” signs and ran with kangaroos when he lived in Australia
Robyn Hardy

Robyn Hardy

Massage Therapist

About Roybn
Robyn began her career with Lexington Healing Arts Academy in May of 2000 as an Office and Clinic Manager. In her time with LHAA, Robyn has served in many capacities. She graduated from the Massage program in 2001 and the Yoga program in 2008. In 2003 she added Fundamentals Instructor and Ethics Instructor to her duties. She is now the Clinical Director. Robyn has a full-time private practice in Lexington. Her practice includes Craniosacral and Lymphatic modalities.
Scott Jordan

Scott Jordan

Massage Therapist

About Scott

Scott Jordan has been practicing massage since 1999, after graduating from the Flint School of Therapeutic Massage. Having worked in spa and clinical settings, he enjoys creating a blend of the two in order to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of his clients. In 2016, he graduated from the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher training at Om Bodies yoga studio in Mount Pleasant, MI. He ran a successful massage and yoga business in his hometown of Saginaw, MI, before moving to Lexington in 2018. He currently runs a small startup studio with plans to expand in early 2021. His other passions include caring for his dog and cat, as well as growing and breeding orchids.

Jen Patterson

Jen Patterson

Massage Therapist

About Jen

As an athlete from a young age, Jen developed a love and passion for exercise and movement. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology – Exercise Science from the University of Kentucky, she completed a massage therapy training program and has been a practicing massage therapist since 2002. Her first experience with yoga was a prenatal yoga class when she was expecting her first child and she fell in love with the calmness and balance that yoga offered for the body and mind. In the fall of 2020, she decided to further her study of the body and attended a YTT-200 with Amanda McMaine at the Essence of Yoga. Jen is passionate about teaching body alignment and mindful movement through yoga and breathwork. She developed a specialized, one-of-a-kind class at the YMCA of Central Kentucky teaching Yoga for Osteoporosis, patterning the class after the work and research of Dr. Loren Fishman’s on yoga vs osteoporosis.

Jen previously taught on faculty at LHAA in the massage therapy program for 10 years prior to the covid pandemic and left to focus on homeschooling her boys. She is very excited to come back home to LHAA as a yoga instructor. When she is not teaching yoga and seeing clients in her private massage practice, you can find her out on hiking trails around KY, SUP boarding and kayaking in the summers, spending time with her family, and pursuing learning of all kinds related to health, nutrition and movement. Her goal is to be teaching and practicing yoga until 100!

Joyce Shirazi

Joyce Shirazi

Massage Therapist

About Joyce

Joyce was an instructor at LHAA when it was first founded in 1999. She received her massage training from the New Hampshire Institute for Therapeutic Arts. Joyce has advanced training in Reflexology and Neuromuscular massage. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with students. Joyce teaches Kinesiology.

Tomme Sturm

Tomme Sturm

BS, LMT

About Tomme
Ethics Instructor, FM 1 and 2 TA
Practicing massage since 2020
Teaching at LHAA since 2024
Massage certificate from LHAA, BS from US Military Academy at West Point
Fun Fact: Tomme enjoys roller skating and ballroom dancing
Lauren Ward

Lauren Ward

Massage Therapist

About Scott
Lauren is a Licensed Massage Therapist and a 4th generation organic baker. She’s been involved with the Healing arts and holistic therapies since 2002 and has taught holistic modalities since 2003. She is a Certified Teacher for the Vedic Conservatory, as well as a Certified Reiki and Yoga instructor. Lauren offers a variety of therapeutic modalities including Movement Re-Education, Visceral Manipulation, Visionary Cranial Sacral therapy, Vedic Thai Yoga Massage, Acupressure & a variety of Eastern modalities, Zero-Balancing, and more.

Since childhood, Lauren has wanted to help people feel better, and through her own challenges, sought alternatives to traditional allopathic practices and traditions. Being told she had a “gift” with her hands, she went to massage school. That experience opened many doors and began a wonderful journey for her own inner healing and ability to help others. Anything that helped her in her own healing process, she went and got more training. “I am honored to be in service,” says Lauren.

Jason Washburn

Jason Washburn

Massage Therapist

About Jason

Teaching since 2022
Graduated from Louisville School of Massage in 2009
Graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with BS in Occupational Science in 2016
Graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with MS in Occupational Therapy in 2018
Certified Lymphedema Therapist
Fun Fact: Jason currently has 1 child and 6 cats that he cares for

Jeff Zutaut

Jeff Zutaut

Massage Therapist

About Jeff
Massaging since 2015
Graduate of LHAA
Born and raised in Southern WV
2021 Massage Envy Therapist of the Year
Fun Fact: Jeff owns 400 houseplants

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Lexington Healing Arts Academy
272 Southland Drive
Lexington, KY 40503

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