Our Faculty

Pacific Coastal College of Massage Therapy faculty are all Registered Massage Therapists in good standing with at least two years of practical experience.

Dee Brandes

Lead Instructor

Dee chose to become an RMT after seeing the benefits that her friends and co-workers gained from massage therapy. She graduated with distinction ACMT and became a registrant of the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia. She has worked at massage and physiotherapy clinics in Golden, BC, Calgary and at ACMT assisting instructors with teaching and curriculum development. It is her joy and honour to be a part of the exceptionally talented and committed HWCC team dedicated to educating and shaping our future RMTs. Her personal wellness path is dedicated to family, friends and dogs. Whether hiking, biking (road and mountain), skiing (downhill and XC), golfing, playing board games or just visiting, she always has a great day with them, except when they trounce her at frisbee golf!

Caroline Dawid

Lead Instructor/Virtual Instructor

Caroline graduated with a BA from UVic in 2008 and pursued a career in business before transitioning into a career in Registered Massage Therapy in 2016. She has built a successful practice as an RMT in Squamish BC and has enjoyed sharing her passion for healthcare and education through teaching new RMTs throughout the lower mainland.

Kim Sevilla

Lead Instructor

Kim has curiously explored the science of the body since 2004 and held different health related positions until becoming an RMT in 2014. She uses her extensive knowledge and experience to treat her patients and has been passionately teaching new and upcoming RMTs since 2019. She loves to learn and is inspired to share through teaching.

Keenan Hollingsworth

Lead Instructor/ Virtual Instructor

Keenan is a registered Physiotherapist in Ontario. He began his career in strength & conditioning, working with athletes, general personal training clients, and coaching Special Olympics powerlifting. In this role he quickly became interested in how to manage injuries athletes/clients suffer. He went back to school for Massage Therapy and worked for several years as an RMT in Ontario and Alberta, with a strong interest in assessing/treating musculoskeletal injuries. In this time, Keenan also taught and worked in curriculum development. His curiosity and passion spurred him to continue his education, getting a BSc in Human Sciences from Athabasca University, and an MSc in Physiotherapy from University of Alberta.

Keenan loves collaborating with people to help them manage all sorts of pain problems, including TMJ issues, chronic pain problems, sprains/strains, and anything in between. His curiosity drives him to constantly strive to learn/grow as a professional.

Outside of work, Keenan enjoys travelling with his wife, rubbing his cats’ bellies, and training for / competing in power lifting.

Alania Duvall

Teaching Assistant/Student Service Coordinator/Outreach Coordinator

Alania has been practicing/teaching within the field of massage therapy for the last 22 years. As Student Services/Outreach Coordinator, she guides and supports students on their journey within the PCCMT program from the moment of their enrolment acceptance all the way to graduation.

Liberato Reyes

Virtual Instructor

Lib is a devoted husband and proud father of twins, cherishing family, hard work, and integrity as his guiding principles. With a Bachelor of Human Kinetics in Exercise Physiology from the University of British Columbia and certification as a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) through the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia, Lib has built a career grounded in expertise and compassion.

With over 27 years of experience as an RMT, Lib has cultivated a diverse skill set. He is certified in Myofascial Release and Neuromuscular Techniques (Natale Rao), Craniosacral Therapy (Upledger Institute), Manual Lymph Drainage (Vodder School), and Deep Tissue Sports Massage (Sports Massage Training Institute). As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), he also trains athletes in High-Performance Plyometrics and Biomechanical Analysis, helping them achieve peak performance.

In his private practice, Lib welcomes patients and athletes from all around the world, leveraging his 27+ years of clinical experience to address a wide range of conditions and injuries. His holistic and patient-centered approach integrates academic knowledge with hands-on expertise to deliver exceptional care.

Passionate about education, Lib is committed to mentoring the next generation of massage therapists. He excels at making complex concepts accessible, connecting theoretical frameworks to real-world clinical applications. His teaching equips students with the tools they need to deliver thoughtful, effective patient care.

Outside of work, Lib enjoys spending quality time with his family, staying active, and continually learning to refine his craft. His dedication to his profession and his patients is matched only by his commitment to his family and values.

Taylor Laviolette

Clinical Evaluator

Taylor is practicing Registered Massage Therapist in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has been in massage therapy education since 2009, and since then has focused his career on research and education. He has enjoyed the honor of speaking at medical conferences to educate health care providers (including doctors, surgeons, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and mental health professionals) on modern and evidence-based approaches to musculoskeletal care. Massage therapy is his focus. He strongly believes that Massage Therapists are uniquely positioned to provide the highest value of care to those living with musculoskeletal aches and pains. From a structurally minded orthopedic therapist, to the facially oriented, or craniovisceral therapist there’s room for everyone at the table.

Andrea Rees

Outreach Supervisor

Andrea has been a Massage Therapist for 24 years. After relocating from Ontario in 2022, she is thrilled to be in a thriving practice as well as assisting the students at the school to be the best they can be. She believes this is truly a rewarding health career to be a part of!

Tara Maki

Teaching Assistant, Virtual Instructor

Tara has a rich background in Fitness and Wellness and education, spanning over 20 years. After graduating from PCCMT in 2022, she began her practice in the same year. Throughout her career, she has held various roles in educational institutions related to fitness and Massage Therapy. This dual perspective gives her a unique understanding of the challenges and rewards within the educational journey. Tara aims to leverage her knowledge and empathetic approach to support students, helping to cultivate skilled, quality therapists in their future practices.

Heather MacIntyre

Lead Instructor/Virtual Instructor

Heather is a BC Registered Massage Therapist with over a decade of experience, having started her career in the wellness industry in 2006 as a spa therapist. Since becoming an RMT in 2011, she has established a thriving massage therapy practice on Vancouver Island, blending her extensive experience with a strong commitment to client-centered care. Over the past three years, Heather has embraced her passion for education as a lead instructor for second-year RMT students at PCCMT, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of therapists. Her dedication to professional growth and personalized care fosters a warm, welcoming, and highly skilled approach to every client and student.

Christina Baltzis-Urch

Clinic Supervisor

With almost 18 years of experience as an RMT, Christina graduated in 2007 from the Massage Therapy program at Sutherland Chan School in Toronto and currently is registered in BC.

As a Clinic Supervisor, she really enjoys the opportunity to help students grasp the practical application of the theory they learn in class. Christina is dedicated to the safety and success of students in Student Clinic.

Savannah Scotland

Clinic Supervisor

Savannah completed a 3-year massage therapy program at Georgian College in 2016. Her love for the mountains sparked a move to Vancouver in 2019 and she spent 5 years growing her practice out of a beautiful multidisciplinary clinic in the heart of downtown. This profession has allowed her to practice and witness the power of touch and its ability to nourish both the mind and the body. Savannah approaches her practice with an interactive treatment approach focusing on empowering each individual in their own healing journey. Outside of being an RMT, Savannah loves spending time with her dog in nature or studying up on the latest graphic design trends.

Elizabeth Nerland

Student Support

Elizabeth has always had an interest in the healing arts.

Fresh out of high school, she pursued both a degree in nursing and a degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary. After spending some time working as a registered nurse at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, she decided to travel and explore more “upstream” health care – connecting with clients to promote health before disease sets in.

She moved across the world, landing in Melbourne, Australia, where she dove deep into the practice of yoga and studied and began practicing massage. The birth of her three children brought her back to Canada where she devoted herself primarily to raising her children while teaching yoga on the side. As her children have became more independent, she went back to school and obtained her Massage Therapy diploma from the Pacific Coastal College of Massage Therapy, and now works as a Registered Massage Therapist in her hometown of Squamish, and provides student support at PCCMT.

Outside of work, you can find her practicing yoga, tending her gardens, walking her dog in the forest and spending time with her family.