Greetings and Welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Dolly Wallace.

Dolly Wallace brings a wealth of experience to the massage therapy profession as a licensed massage therapist, Board President of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, advocate for more than 102,000 therapists of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), and a visionary leader in the field.

She is a strong proponent of fair and effective regulation of the massage therapy profession. With more than 30 years of experience as a full-time practitioner, Dolly has held several senior-level positions on AMTA’s National Board of Directors, including serving as National President from 2017 to 2018. She also served as a Trustee on the Massage Therapy Foundation’s Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2019, and as a member of the Safety Advisory Council for Massage Envy. In 2019, Dolly joined the Board of Directors of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, where her work—and that of the organization—focuses on elevating the profession by encouraging excellence in education, continuing education, therapist competency, and high professional standards.

A native of Michigan, Dolly was instrumental in establishing the state’s education and professional standards, as well as licensing requirements, for massage therapists. She remains a tireless advocate for massage therapy as an integral component of integrative care.

Dolly has been published in The Pain Practitioner, the former quarterly publication of the American Academy of Pain Management. Her honors include AMTA’s National Distinguished Service Award, AMTA’s National Outstanding Volunteer Group Chair for Government Relations Award, the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Massage Therapist of the Year Award, and the Massage Therapy Foundation’s Humanitarian Award.