About the Board
Jurisdictional Overview
The Massage Practice Act was enacted in 1997 and subsequently revised in
1999. It originally established a Massage Therapy Advisory Committee (MTAC)
composed of six members to review and recommend massage related issues to the
Board of Chiropractic Examiners. In 2008, the Legislature abolished the MTAC and
statutorily reconfigured the Board as the joint “Board of Chiropractic and
Massage Therapy Examiners.”
Board Composition
The joint Board is composed of eleven volunteer members: six licensed
chiropractors, three licensed massage therapists, and two consumer members. Laws
and regulations for massage therapists may be found respectively at MD Code
Annotated, Health Occupations Article, Section 3-101 et seq. and Code of
Maryland Regulations, 10.43.01 et seq. There are two standing Board committees:
Educational Committee and the Regulatory Review Committee; these meet as
necessary/as directed by the full Board.
Members of the Board
Stephanie J. Chaney, D.C., President
Michael Fedorczyk, D.C., Vice-President
Jonathan Nou, D.C.,
Secretary/Treasurer
Joanne M. Bushman, D.C., Member
Kay B. O’Hara, D.C., Member
Duane R.
Sadula, D.C., Member
Karen Biagiotti, L.M.T., Member
David A.
Cox, L.M.T., Member
Gwenda Harrison, L.M.T., Member
Mary Anne
Frizzera-Hucek, MS, Consumer Member
Ernestine Jones Jolivet, Consumer
Member
Administrative Policies
The Board usually meets monthly on the 2nd Thursday (unless pre-empted by
disciplinary hearings). The Board General Session meetings are open to the
public. Anyone may petition the Board to have an issue placed on the Board
agenda. Such petitions must be submitted in writing c/o the Executive Director
at least two (2) weeks before the scheduled General Session meeting. Executive
Session meetings are closed to the public.
The Board’s Jurisdiction and Function is to Administer
- All licensing functions of chiropractors, massage therapists and
chiropractic assistants.
- All continuing education for the aforementioned healthcare professionals.
- All disciplinary investigations and hearings relating to any violations of
laws or regulations related to licensees or registrants.
Duty to Protect the Public
In essence, the Board’s main function is to protect the Maryland healthcare
public by ensuring that Chiropractors, Chiropractic Assistants, and Massage
Therapists are properly licensed and registered, are properly trained and
educated, and fully comply with all required laws and regulations governing
their respective scopes of practice.