AMTA-KY Chapter President Letter

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope you and your families are doing well, staying safe, warm, and healthy.

The Board of Directors have been working hard to put together the Spring Education Conference. There have been several roadblocks to contend with this year. We lost our regular venue of the Embassy Suites in Lexington due to religious holidays, space being renovated and rented out by other people, KY Horse Park events, Keeneland, and the Derby. All of which would make holding the event in Lexington, Louisville, or Northern Kentucky financially impossible.

We are currently planning on having it in Bowling Green on April 24-26, 2026, at Western Kentucky University’s Knicely Center. While, normally, we wouldn’t announce the venue until contracts are signed, we are having the education event in a different city and believe you all should know more than just the dates so you can get just as excited as we are.

Due to the Education event being held later this year, we are having annual business meeting separately on March 22 at 2 PM. This will be held virtually. Please watch for the email on how to RSVP to the meeting.

Even if you aren’t living or working in Louisville, please read Denise Logsdon’s report of the status of The Massage Coalition’s work to clarify the Louisville ordinance aimed to regulating massage businesses. This is an issue that will eventually affect us all as ordinances have already been put in place in Bowling Green and are actively being planned by other local governments across the state.

If you are working in Louisville, please contact your City Councilperson and, respectfully and clearly, tell them that you are a constituent and how this ordinance will affect your clients and business. Consider contacting your state Senators and Representatives, too. This sort of legislation will be coming to many more cities and counties in Kentucky. The more we speak up, the better. There is strength in numbers.

In closing, I ask that you consider making a donation to the Chapter when you renew your membership this coming year. The Board of Directors made the difficult decision to skip the education event in 2025 as a cost saving measure. While we do have more funds at our disposal because of last year’s decisions, we remain dedicated to being fiscally responsible. Even a $10 donation can make an impact. If all of our over 1,200 members donated that much, it would provide our chapter with an extra $12,000 to provide a wider variety of high-quality education at our events. As a reminder, any amount donated above the cost of your membership not only goes directly to your chapter but is also a tax deduction.

Donate to KY Chapter

Thank you for trusting us to represent you and your interests.

Jo Ann Klein, BSIBS, AASMM, LMT

AMTA-KY President