SLC: 1-800-407-3251

Orem: 1-800-864-0012

Faculty & Administration
Salt Lake City Main Campus

Our faculty consists of contract working professionals unless otherwise stated.

Megan Allen, LMT, graduated from UCMT in 1993. Megan has been working in various areas in the field and instructing for over 25 years. She became a birth doula in 2014 and specializes in prenatal and infant massage. She currently teaches Massage 1, Hydrotherapy, Prenatal, Geriatric Health & Wellness, and Ethics of Touch at our SLC campus.

Sara Bateman, LMT, graduated from HMMS in 2015 as the cohort S16 and worked in the medical massage industry for several years before going back to school at Salt Lake Community College to become a Physical Therapist Assistant in 2020. Sara loves the ability to combine massage therapy modalities with physical therapy to better help her clients and patients. While Sara teaches many modalities and loves them all, her favorites are Anatomy, Kinesiology, Sports Massage, and Trigger Point Therapy. Sara utilizes a hands-on and kinesthetic approach to better help the student learn as well as keeping the learning fun and engaging. Currently, Sara is working on a Physical Therapy Aquatics Certification as well as a Pilates instructor certification.

Hillarie Christley, MS, is an occupational therapist and has been working since 2008. She became a certified lymph therapist in 2019 and works in her private practice with clients who want manual lymphatic drainage. She teaches intro to Lymphatic Drainage at our SLC campus.

Jessica Derrick, LMT, CPT, CES, graduated from the Myotherapy College of Utah in 2007. She is also a certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist, specializing in sports massage, performance, and recovery. She teaches Sports Massage and Kinesiology at our SLC campus.

John Edwards, BS, graduated from Utah Valley University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He worked as a cost accountant, an accountant, and for the past several years as a charter school Business Manager. In John’s free time he enjoys being in nature with his family scuba diving, taking underwater photography, skiing, bicycling, hiking, and camping. John is the school accountant working out of the SLC campus.

Wendy Edwards, LMT, graduated from Healing Mountain Massage School in 2007, and has been an instructor at the school for the last 13 years. She has a passion for education and has been teaching in one form or another for the past 31 years. Wendy has done advanced training in Myoskeletal Alignment, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Hydrotherapy, Structural Integration, Visceral Manipulation, and Cadaver Dissections. She teaches Massage Therapy III, Anatomy & Physiology, Kinesiology, Sports and Intro to Lymphatic Drainage at the SLC Campus. She currently practices at her private practice in SLC.

Avery Farmer, LMT, RYT, graduated from UCMT and continued her education in Reflexology, Ashiatsu, and yoga instruction. She has worked in the spa industry since graduating and has a passion for Shiatsu and Reflexology. Avery currently teaches Shiatsu, Reflexology, Anatomy & Physiology, Pathology, Acupressure, Energetic Anatomy, Career Development, and Business Basics at the SLC campus.

Daniel Fisher, LMT,Reiki Master/Teacher, graduated from Healing Mountain in 2015. Daniel has been a Reiki Master/Teacher since 2000 and has completed continuing education in Craniosacral 1 through the Milne Institute, as well as CS1 & CS2 through Upledger. He currently teaches Craniosacral, Reiki, Massage 1 & 2, and the Communications class, and offers Reiki 1 & Reiki 2 Continuing Education courses. Daniel also oversees the student clinic and serves as the school’s Spa Director while sitting on the Orem campus’s Board of Directors.

Libby Hudspeth, LMT, graduated from UCMT in 2017, and received her pre- and postnatal massage training from Rebecca Overson’s program in 2019. She has seen a variety of clients for the past three years. She is currently working towards becoming a certified birth doula. Libby teaches Prenatal Massage and Hydrotherapy at the Salt Lake City campus.

Jeremy Kellum, LMT, MBA, graduated from Healing Touch School of Massage Therapy in 2003. He got his Bachelor of Science with an emphasis in Athletic Training from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2012 and his Masters of Business Administration from Western Governors University in 2022. He specializes in connective tissue and injury-related massage. He has worked on rehabilitating professional and semi-professional athletes and has been a massage instructor, beginning in the state of Mississippi, since 2006. Jeremy is Healing Mountain’s school director and Board Chair on the SLC Board of Directors.

Aaron Nikola completed the Crystal Healing course at Healing Mountain Massage School in 2005. Since then, he has actively practiced Crystal Healing and Chakra Layouts. In 2006, he began incorporating his crystal healing expertise into the massage field by teaching and working with both clients and students. Aaron is also a silversmith who integrates healing crystals into his designs. In 2011, he became the manager of the Healing Mountain Crystal Shop. Aaron graduated from the school’s Massage Program in 2013 and became a faculty member at Healing Mountain Massage School in 2017. Furthermore, from 2018 - 2023, Aaron taught the Sound Healing course for Healing Mountain’s Holistic Health Practitioner program. He continues to practice Sound Healing privately, sharing his knowledge and passion for using sound as a healing modality.

Jesse Nikola, LMT, BFA, graduated from Healing Mountain in 2000 and furthered his education from Salt Lake Community College with an Associate of Visual Art and Design in Multimedia, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UVU in Graphic Communication. He worked as the SLC campus spa director for eight years and SLC campus director for seven years. He currently is the school’s president and chief executive officer.

RJ Nikola, LMT, JCD, BA, is the founder of Healing Mountain. He graduated from UCMT, has a JCD in education and a BA in education from BYU. He is the author of Japanese Full-Body Shiatsu and Creatures of Water. Randy served as a commissioner on the ABHES accrediting bureau from 2009-2017, served two terms on the Utah State Massage Board, and is currently a member of the Utah State Massage Therapy Education Peer Committee.

James Seay, LMT, graduated from UCMT in 1997. He has helped open top spas such as; Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, The Spa at Pebble Beach, and The Waldorf Astoria Spa - Park City. James had a role as Massage Lead at The Spa at Pebble Beach in which he trained the other therapists in a range of treatments for their guests. He maintains a private practice visiting his clients in their homes as well as seeing clients in his office, located in Millcreek. James currently teaches Massage 2 & 3, Sports 1 & 2 and Reflexology at the SLC campus.

Amber Sommers, LMT, is the SLC Admissions Representative. She graduated from UCMT in 2008 and has worked as an LMT ever since. She specializes in treating clients with headaches, migraines, and TMJ issues. Amber’s dream is to attend the Upledger Institute to further her education in Cranial Sacral Therapy. When she’s not working with clients or at the school, she enjoys spending time with her family, rock hunting, reading, or working in her garage in her home silversmithing shop.

Michael Sudbury, LMT, graduated from HMMS and has studied extensively with John Barnes, PT, LMT, creator of the Myofascial Release Approach®. He runs a thriving, specialized MFR practice helping frustrated people recover from chronic pain. Michael teaches the Myofascial Release course in our Holistic Health Practitioner program at the SLC campus.

Melissa Welter, BSBM, MBA, graduated from the University of Phoenix in 2011. Melissa has previously worked for Utah College of Massage Therapy as a regional financial aid director and has been in the financial aid field for almost two decades. Melissa is our school Financial Aid Administrator.

Rashelle Youngdell, LMT, graduated from HMMS in 2015. She has 10 years prior experience in sales, marketing, training, billing, and bookkeeping. She is passionate about promoting a holistic understanding of health, encompassing physical, emotional, and energetic wellness through massage therapy. Rashelle teaches Business Basics, Energetic Anatomy, Acupressure, and Universal Standards & Precautions at the SLC campus.

Page updated: 12/2/24