Executive Director
Cidalia Paiva, PhD.

Cidalia Paiva, Ph.D has been and is an active contributor and leader in the regulated healthcare field of massage therapy for over 25 years in British Columbia and Ontario.
As the Executive Director of the West Coast College of Massage Therapy she combines a professional administrative skill set with a strong educational background in instruction, curriculum development and accreditation. A couple of highlights of some of her recent accomplishments include the development of an articulation agreement with Thompson Rivers University providing WCCMT graduates with three years advanced recognition towards Thompson Rivers Bachelor of Health Science degree and founding British Columbia and Western Canada’s first College of Naturopathic Medicine, the West Coast Naturopathic Medical College, currently known as the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine. Cidalia has also authored three texts, numerous articles in academic and massage therapy trade journals in Canada and the United States and is a feature writer for Massage Therapy Canada Magazine.

Practical Program Coordinator
Najat Adams, RMT

Najat graduated from WCCMT in 1997. She has been active in private practice for over nine years in Burnaby and specializes in orthopaedic assessment and rehabilitation. She started her teaching career with WCCMT and has taught a wide variety of senior level courses including general orthopaedics, joint mobilization, pain and stress management and business practices for massage therapists. She has provided leadership to the College’s practical education department since January of 2007 in the position of practical coordinator.

Academic Coordinator
Vesna Stajic

Vesna Stajic, MD, graduated from the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1983). She went on to specialize in Anesthesia, Resuscitation and Recovery room care in Belgrade-Yugoslavia in 1991. She was Head of the Anesthesiology Department and Intensive Care Unit for 10 years at the General Hospital in Kladovo, Yugoslavia.
She moved with her family to Canada in 2002 and received her Hyperbaric Medicine Specialist Diploma-Long Beach Memorial Hospital (California 2003) and has worked in this field in Vancouver from 2003-2006. Vesna joined WCCMT in 2004 as a primary instructor and as of January 2009 assumed the role of academic program coordinator.
She began volunteering for CEMCOR (The Centre for Menstrual cycle and ovulation Research –UBC Endocrinology Department) in 2003 and is currently a research coordinator for the Progesterone-Vasomotor Symptom Study.
She was past President of the International Medical Doctors Association and past President of the BC Multicultural Health Society Vancouver (2003-2005).

Clinic Manager
Rich Ingram, RMT

Rich entered the field of massage after an extensive executive career in the Hotel Industry. He studied Massage Therapy at Sutherland Chan in Toronto and graduated in 1995. For 11 years he ran his own successful clinic in downtown Vancouver. In 1996, he started supervising in the student clinic at WCCMT, and since then has taught a variety of courses, and supervised in many outreaches over the years. His passion for teaching led him to further studies in education, and in 2004, Rich received his Provincial Instructors Diploma from Vancouver Community College. He took on the job of Clinic Manager in September 2006. His exceptional organizational skills, reputation for being a control freak, questionable sanity, and passion for Microsoft Excel made him the perfect candidate. In addition to managing the clinic, he teaches Systemic Treatments and Manual Skills level 3. He now practices part time in downtown Vancouver and attempts to balance his life between practice, school and “a life”! Rich can be seen around New Westminster walking his pet Schnoodle “Boofy”!

Senior Practical Advisor
Mike Dixon, RMT

Mike graduated from WCCMT in 1986. He has been active in private practice for over 20 years and specializes in Arthrokinetics, muscle energy and joint mobilization. He is a full-time practical instructor with the College and the Senior Practical Advisor to the Management committee. Mike also provides graduate education to massage therapists in Arthokinetics through his continuing education course offerings and is a published author and acknowledged subject expert in his field.

Spa Program Coordinator
Colleen Thompson, Registered Aromatherapist

Colleen is a registered Aromatherapist and has worked in the aromatherapy field for 12 years. In 2004, she opened a 4000 square foot aromatherapy store, spa and manufacturing business in Fort Langley called TAP. Colleen hired one of her first spa practitioners from WCCMT and soon developed a relationship with the College. In September 2006 she was hired as the Aromatherapy instructor for the Spa Program, and in January 2007, Colleen became the Spa Program Coordinator. She has 25 years banking experience and received her Instructor’s Diploma in 1997. When not working, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren. She is an avid reader, loves to entertain and has a passion for travel.


Director of Admissions and Marketing
Eric O'Connor

Eric brings great enthusiasm and a solid background in marketing. Joining us in February of 2008, having spent over eight years at Squirrel Systems, Eric now brings his knowledge and expertise to a role that requires him to "sell" the college to prospective students by making the WCCMT a household name.
With his Irish sense of humour and his driving ambition, Eric hopes to give the WCCMT a new face for the 21st Century, one that resonates with the youth of today.
He is delighted to be working with such a talented and professional group of people and is looking forward to spending many years with the WCCMT, learning and growing together.

Accreditation Support Officer
Nadia Baran, BA

Nadia received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Diploma in Public Policy Administration from Concordia University. She joined WCCMT in January of 2005 as Accreditation Support Officer and enjoys working in a fast paced and dynamic environment. Outside of work she is busy with her children, driving them to and from their after school activities as well as volunteer work. She enjoys skating and skiing.

Oleg graduated from Langara College in 2008, with a BBA degree in Accounting.

Prior to this he worked at Lohn Caulder LLP, a chartered accounting firm,

in a co-op term position as a staff accountant and at a small construction company
as a sole accountant for one year. After graduation, he enrolled in a CGA program. With approximately 3 years left until becoming a CGA, we are happy to have Oleg as part of the team at WCCMT.

Laundry Attendant
Cuc Thu Vo

New Westminster RMT Faculty:

Majid Alimohammadi, PhD
Nimi Amarshi, RMT
Walter Ament, RMT
Daedrian Backus, RMT
Koby Blanchfield, RMT
Keith Bootsma, RMT
Constance Bos, RMT
Dana Bromley, BSc, RMT, DC
Darcie Burns, RMT
Kristen Burrows, RMT
Monica Cleland, RMT
Lisa Cohen, RMT
Anne-Marie Cote, BSc Nursing, RMT
Erin Daly, RMT
Mike Dixon, RMT
Majid Doroudi, PhD
Emily DeMontigny, RMT
Brad Dow, RMT
Denise Drisdell, RMT
Melanie Egleder, RMT
Lee-Erin Fairbairn, RMT
Matt Furlot, RMT
Kelly Hamilton, RMT
Liat Har-Lev, RMT
Barb Harris, RMT
Toshi Hasegawa, RMT
Richard Hawes, BSc, RMT
Rob Hemsworth, RMT
Charlotte Kaye, RMT
Elli Klause, RMT
Dan Kram, RMT
Len Krekic, RMT
Joey Lattanzio, RMT
Melba Lewis, BSc Nursing, RMT
Eugene Liang, BSc,RMT
James Lowe, MA, CCC
Phillippe MacInnes, BSc, DC
Michelle Morrison, RMT
Natale Rao, RMT
Michelle Renyard, RMT
Holly Samson, RMT
Jane Shin, MD
Vesna Stajic, MD
Shawn Trimble, RMT
Branko Turic, MD
Nikita Vizniak, DC
Andrew Weaver, RMT
Leslie Williams, RMT

New Westminster Spa Practitioner Program Faculty:

Tove Berg, Dip. Spa Practitioner Program
Kim Chalk, Esthetician

Mel Egleder, RMT
Len Krekic, RMT
Rene Lopes, MA, Cl Sc
Jen Lowden, Dip. Spa Practitioner Program
James Lowe, MA CCC
Anu Rakhra, Dip. Spa Practitioner Program
Saul Rosenbaum, Dip. Shiatsu
Daphne Roubini, Certificate Reflexology
Sam Sandhu, ND
Sarge Sandhu, ND
Jane Shin, MD
Vesna Stajic, MD
Adam Thomas, Certified Reflexologist