Cortiva Institute School of Massage Therapy Tucson Appoints New President

Deanna L. Sylvester, former director of education for Cortiva Institute School of Massage Therapy in Tucson, has been appointed president of its campus.

“Deanna is an experienced massage therapy educator and we are pleased to have her at the helm of our Tucson school where she will be an enthusiastic advocate for our students and the profession,” said Arlin Schmidt, Cortiva Institute president and CEO.

Prior to joining Cortiva, Sylvester was the owner/operator of Therapeutic Bodywork by Deanna Sylvester in Tucson, where she provided therapeutic massage and shiatsu treatments to clients. In addition, Sylvester worked as a research assistant at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The demand for qualified massage therapists like those graduating from Cortiva Institute is on the rise. According to a recent report in U.S. News and World Report massage therapist careers are one of the “50 Best Careers of 2011,” showing strong growth over the next decade. According to the article, “As massage therapy becomes more popular, employment is expected to grow faster than average–19 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Labor Department.”

“I’m excited about helping to educate the next generation of professional massage therapists,” said Sylvester. ”The Tucson community has always embraced our school and they are knowledgeable about the positive benefits of massage therapy.”