Commissioners are volunteers who represent various perspectives from our community. As an accrediting agency with a specialized area of programmatic review, our commissioners represent educators and practitioners who have direct experience in massage and esthetics schools and programs.
Dr. Healey is an Associate Professor in the Institute for Integrative Care at Northwestern Health Sciences University. Dr. Healey was trained as a chiropractor at Parker College of Chiropractic, but his career has focused on massage therapy education since 1997. He received his Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota in 2014. Dr. Healey represents COMTA on the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health (ACIH) Council, where he serves as Co-Chair. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine.
Toshiana has been a professional, licensed esthetician since 2006, serving the industry in a variety of roles. With a background in journalism from Syracuse University, Toshiana has authored business development modules for spa employer partners across the US, as well as employer training curricula on product and service protocols and esthetics standard operating procedures. Read Full Bio Previously, Toshiana served as Regional Director of Operations of a multi-unit spa brand and Regional Account Executive for a leading cosmetics retailer. She developed a passion for esthetics education and made dedicated contributions as Global Education Manager and Director of Education Development where she demonstrated leadership in educational innovations for esthetics employers. Recently, she has partnered with skincare product manufacturers to modernize employment and training for estheticians to meet the needs of the multi-media digital age. Toshiana is committed to the sustained growth of estheticians’ employment options and continuing education post-licensure, having completed post-graduate studies in various subjects herself. A motivational speaker, she facilitates training seminars and workshops for estheticians on various topics, to inspire and empower them to continually take their careers to the next level. Collapse Full Bio
Lurana is the Program Director for Massage Therapy and Health & Wellness Management at Elgin Community College in Elgin, IL. She has over 20 years of experience an adult educator, administrator, and continuing education provider. Lurana led the initial program accreditation and three subsequent renewals for Elgin Community College with COMTA. Prior to becoming a commissioner, she volunteered with COMTA as a site reviewer and site team leader since 2013. Lurana is Board Certified with NCBTMB and is a member of AMTA. She has been a massage therapist since 2003 having worked in many settings and now maintains a private practice in northwestern Illinois. Lurana currently serves on the Illinois Massage Licensing Board and committees with AMTA, NCBTMB, and FSMTB. An advocate of lifelong learning, she holds a BA in psychology and recently earned her M.Ed. specializing in adult education.
Dr. Patrick Comstock, PhD has a demonstrated 30 year history of working in the higher education industry. A lifelong learner, he has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Irvine; a Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration from Governors State University; and a PhD in Education from Northcentral University. Dr. Comstock brings a strong professional background in higher education leadership, compliance, admissions, student recruitment, and educational consulting. He began his career with the TruMantra Education Group as the Director of the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Mount Kisco, NY and was promoted to his current position as National Director of Compliance.
After graduating from Parker College of Chiropractic in December 2004, Dr. Riffe opened and maintained a chiropractic and massage practice. When Parker University opened its Massage Therapy program in 2007, he was asked to be the Program Director which he accepted. In 2015, Dr. Riffe assumed the role of the Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Parker University. Dr. Riffe has volunteered for many massage industry affiliates including as a site team lead and reviewer for COMTA since 2009.
Co-founder and Principal at Higher Education Licensure Pros (HELP), LLC. HELP is a consulting firm that provides higher education institutions with research analysis and strategic planning to comply with professional licensure requirements and deliver outstanding student support. Nan has experience and expertise that includes researching state-specific licensure requirements, aligning curriculum against external standards (gap analysis), and designing communication strategy and templates. Prior to HELP, Nan had experience working in both a not-for-profit, land-grant university and a for-profit, online university in specialized accreditation, program and operational management. She was principal investigator at the University of Minnesota on child welfare and foster care training projects and directed the MSW distance education program. At Capella University, she worked with school leaders to gain specialized accreditations and provided program and operational support for the School of Counseling. Nan received her PhD in Organizational Leadership and Policy Development from the University of Minnesota in the higher education track.
Lynn is the Manager of Therapist Development at four Massage Envy locations in Rhode Island. She is a 1986 graduate and former Instructor and Department Head of Massage Techniques and Theory at the Bancroft School of Massage Therapy in Worcester, MA. Lynn is also a shiatsu practitioner, graduating from the Ohashi Institute in NYC, and is a member of both the AMTA and AOBTA. Lynn is grateful for the 37 years that she has devoted to the profession and has been a continuous practitioner in the field working within corporate settings, medical facilities, and in her own private practices in Massachusetts, New York City and Rhode Island. She is dedicated to advancing the profession and holding it to the highest ethical standards. In service to the profession, she accepted an appointment to the Board of Massage Therapy for the state of RI and has served for the past 7 years.
For over 22 years at Tricoci Salon and Spas, Cassandra Stratton is currently the Massage and Esthetics Director for 13 locations in the Chicagoland area. With an active massage license for 23 years, she is also CE provider. Her focus at Tricoci is enhancing guest experience, product and service development, and most importantly supporting the careers and success of her therapists and estheticians.
India is the owner of two separate entities, Dolly Monroe Studios (circa 2015) and Dolly Monroe Beauty Academy (circa 2018). She maintains her impact in the beauty industry through innovative technologies, products, and teaching methodology. Her mission to lead by example remains constant byway of education, advocacy and support.
While consistently enhancing her skills, she has become one of Florida’s leading and youngest estheticians, business women, academy owners, cosmetic product specialists, skin therapy experts, and professional & permanent makeup artistry educators.
India firmly believes that education is what makes you “pretty powerful;” and Providing a quality education to all of the future service providers that walk through the doors of Dolly Monroe Beauty Academy will forever be her passion.
As a industry leader, she has made great strides in her pursuit to be the difference, all while having the honor of joining the board of commissioners through COMTA that will further solidify that mission.