Cortiva Institute

Shelly Byrnes, LMT

Shelley Byrnes has a BA in English and an AAS in Therapeutic Massage. Her Associates degree was received with special emphasis in Craniosacral Therapy and Eastern Therapies. She has worked as a licensed therapist since 2003 in various venues including: massage clinics, chiropractor’s office, and a private resort club while building her own private outcall business. Before joining the massage field, Shelley gained experience teaching at both a private boy’s prep school in Washington DC and a school for autistic and mentally disabled children and adults. She has additional education in Thai Massage, essential oils, biodynamic craniosacral therapy, rehabilitative massage and five element theory. She’s been teaching in the massage field since 2005 and here at Cortiva since 2006. Her passion is witnessing her students’ growth through their clinic experience.

Dr. Davis

Dr. Davis graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelors degree in Physical Education. She has been in practice for over 11 years as an Arizona Licensed Chiropractic Physician. Dr. Davis is also a Licensed Massage Therapist and NCTMB certified. She has taught massage therapy and related studies for over 20 years and has assisted Judy Walker Delaney and NMT Center Staff nationally for over 10 years.

Patrick Davis, LMT

Patrick Davis holds a degree in clinical and sports massage therapy and has been a Licensed Massage Therapist for over 15 years. Patrick has taught massage therapy for over 11 years and has served as a Clinic Supervisor, Department Chair of Clinical and Sports Massage and Clinic Director. His focus is on Injury care, Rehabilitation, Pain Management utilizing: Neuromuscular Therapy, Orthopedic Massage, Active Release Therapy, Deep Tissue, Flexibility Training and Sports Massage. His private practice includes a history of physical therapy and professional and amateur sports teams.

David Katz, DPM, BS

A graduate of the University of Illinois in Education and Kinesiotherapy, David went on to teach science in his post college days while attending the Chicago School of Massage Therapy. He continued his education in Watsu and infant massage, and devoted extensive time with starting a massage business in Northern California.

With a desire to bridge eastern and western medicine, David attended California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco, and his residency through the Catholic Medical Centers in New York. David has been an instructor for 13 years and joined the Cortiva Family in 2008. He works towards bridging the gap between classroom didactic studies and outside life applications. As the Anatomy, Research and Business instructor – David ensures that all his courses relate to one another through case studies and reports as well as the Massage Road Map – a path for lifelong learning.

His passions outside of teaching include cycling and hiking. After a hiatus of 15 years after running competitively for 15 years, he is now enjoying the comforts of competition once again and has completed several cycling tours here in Arizona. David also joined a cycling team and has taken on the task of riding competitively both in a group as well as on the track.

Grant Lessard, RMT

Grant is a graduate of Western College of Remedial Massage Therapies with over 3000 hours of clinical massage training based upon osteopathic soft tissue techniques. He has been practicing since 1989 in a variety of environments including holistic health care centers, medical facilitates while specializing in rehabilitative therapies. His professional studies include Craniosacral, Myofascial Release, Lymphatic Drainage, Muscle Energy Technique, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, Sports Massage, and Exercise Rehabilitation. Grant has been training students and instructors in massage modalities, sciences, exercise rehabilitation and others since 1995. Grant's teaching style is collaborative, interactive and dynamic.

Donna Partenio, LMT

Donna currently holds a MA in Education and has been a practicing licensed massage therapist since 2003. She divides her time between her private practice and ProFormance Health, a soft tissue treatment center in Scottsdale, AZ. The majority of her massage experience has been within chiropractic offices that focus primarily on injury related issues and patients who suffer from chronic pain. She is proficient in a variety of therapeutic massage modalities and enjoys working with a clientele ranging from high school to professional athletes. Donna is a new addition to Cortiva Institute and is grateful to have the opportunity to combine her two passions...teaching within the realm of massage therapy.

Sophia Perkovich, LMT

Sophia has over 17 years of experience in massage therapy and massage therapy education. As a former instructor, dean of education, campus director and consultant to the state of Arizona, Sophia has an extensive background in massage therapy. Her studies were conducted in Ontario, Canada, where she completed a 3,000-hour program in clinical massage therapy. To complement her knowledge of the body, she completed a year of gross anatomy. Prior to that she attended the University of Windsor, majoring in biological sciences.

Angela Reiter, LMT

Angela Reiter is a graduate from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy, and has practiced professionally since 1994, as well as instructed for Cortiva Institute in Chicago. Before relocating to Arizona she owned a spa and a private practice offering clinical massage therapy to those suffering from chronic discomfort or pain. She is proficient in Myofascial Release, trigger point therapy, sports massage and pregnancy massage as well as a blend of many other modalities. Angela is certified with the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and a member of the American Massage Therapy Association. Her teaching style is innovative and inspiring while creating a safe and healthy environment for acquiring knowledge and comprehension.

Brooke Ryan, LMT

Brooke Ryan attended Cortiva Institute in 2007 and has been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2008. Brooke was previously educated at Florida State University in Art History, as well as a Birth Doula, and was blessed to be able to work with expecting couples and to help them through their individual birth experiences. Brooke has been instructing at Cortiva for four years and as well as serving as a Supervisor in the student clinic. She is proficient in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports Massage, Lymphatic Drainage and Pregnancy Massage. In addition to her private practice, she has worked at ASU Athletics with the Sports Medicine Department, and is also a Certified Infant Massage Teacher (CIMT). Brooke has had the pleasure of working with several Olympic swimming and diving athletes as well as a MLS soccer team. Brooke enjoys teaching the introductory Swedish Massage courses as well as the Ethics and Communication courses.

Patrick Ward, MS, CSCS, LMT

Patrick has been working in the field of strength and conditioning for over 8 years. He is also a licensed massage therapist in the State of Arizona, specializing in clinical, therapeutic, orthopedic and sports massage. Patrick is certified in Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT), Active Release Techniques (ART) for the Upper Extremity and Functional Movement Screen (FMS). He graduated from Cortiva –Scottsdale in 2008 and began teaching at the school in 2011. Patrick holds a Masters Degree in Exercise Science, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf Fitness Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist through National Academy of Sports Medicine, and a USA Weightlifting-Certified Coach.

Nicholas Warner, DC, CMT

Dr. Nicholas Warner, CMT, DC., "Dr. Nick", is a Certified Massage Therapist and Doctor of Chiropractic, who has been practicing the healing arts of massage since 1990 and Chiropractic since 1996, and has been instructing body work since 1993. His teaching philosophy is to help the therapist develop confidence in their anatriptic artisan skills in a fun and supportive environment.

Dr. Nick received is Bachelor's Degree in 1984 from San Diego State University; Initial massage certification in 1990 from Santa Monica School of Massage Therapy; Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1996 from Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He is advanced certified in Nimmo Receptor Tonus Technique. A sample of subject he has taught: Anatomy and Physiology, Facilitated Stretching, Basic Massage, Seated Massage, and Trigger Point Therapy (NMT).

Brian Watt

Brian has a Bachelors of Science degree in Communications and a minute in Business from Northern Arizona University. He earned an Associates of Applied Science degree in Massage Therapy from Rainstar University in 2004 and has been instructing massage therapy since 2006. Brian operates a private practice with an emphasis on injury & pain assessment with an integrated treatment approach utilizing deep tissue, trigger point and eastern therapies. He is also certified with the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). Brian offers a teaching style to the massage foundations courses at Cortiva focused on providing each student with individualized attention and creating a fun safe atmosphere conducive to learning.