Massachusetts Chapter Delegate Report: 2026 AMTA Assembly of Delegates, Denver

Prepared by Keli Lemoi and Jennifer Savage, Massachusetts Chapter Delegates

Massachusetts AMTA Chapter Delegates Keli Lemoi and Jennifer Savage represented the chapter at the 2026 AMTA National Convention in Denver, where the Assembly of Delegates (AOD) met on August 26th. Keli was serving her second year as Delegate, and Jennifer was newly elected, experiencing the AOD for the first time. Their work began several months earlier, when members were invited to propose topics that deserved further discussion and could be brought to the AOD. The National Office selected three topics from the proposals submitted by contributing chapters:

1. How can massage therapists responsibly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technology into practice while maintaining ethical standards and client-centered care?

2. Should the Chapter Mandatory Deliverables in AMTA policy be revised to reflect what members value?

3. How can chapters use their Delegates more effectively throughout the year to strengthen communication among members, chapter leadership, and National, while giving Delegates a clearer and more active role?

The Delegates had six weeks to gather member input. They hosted two Zoom calls, sent a survey to all members, and emailed new members directly, then carried that feedback to the AOD. The night before, they met to prepare, compile their notes, and walk through the proceedings.

Delegates from all 51 chapters attended the AOD and were seated at mixed tables, each bringing together Delegates from several states. Every table had a facilitator, who was not a chapter Delegate, and an official notetaker, who was. Keli and Jennifer sat at different tables throughout the day, which allowed them to hear a wider range of perspectives. This report combines their own notes with the official notes recorded at their tables.

Topic 1: AI and Emerging Technology in Practice

Delegates agreed that AI is not going away and that the profession should learn to use it responsibly rather than avoid it. One table noted that AI first needs a clear definition, since it covers everything from sentence completion, talk-to-text, and email assistance to transcription, business reporting, and clinical documentation; six of the seven Delegates at that table already used AI in some way. Across the tables, the main concerns were accuracy, client privacy and confidentiality, HIPAA requirements, cybersecurity, differing state regulations, and the environmental impact of AI data centers, particularly their water use and placement in rural communities. A cybersecurity specialist offered useful insight into how client data can be exposed, and some Delegates questioned whether the time AI saves is worth the effort of learning to use it securely.

Whatever the tool, the therapist remains responsible for it: understanding the platform, learning to prompt effectively, and reviewing every output for accuracy rather than copying it as-is. For further listening, Whitney Lowe's podcast, The Thinking Practitioner, has an episode on how AI may shape the profession.

Delegates at the other table sorted AI uses into a stoplight framework:

Green light: business and administration. Appointment confirmations, email, social media posts and graphics, sales reporting, and reconciliation can save time and raise a practice's visibility, provided client and treatment information stays protected. Many chapters even used AI to design this year's chapter pins.

Yellow light: research. Tools such as Google Scholar can help locate peer-reviewed studies relevant to clients. However, AI-generated summaries can misstate findings and may raise copyright concerns. Therapists should rely on a study's own abstract and full text rather than an AI summary, and always cite the original source.

Red light: client records and sessions. Until there is a better understanding of how AI tools store and use data, some Delegates strongly agreed that AI should not be used to write SOAP notes or to record sessions. Recording compromises client privacy, and no one can control what a client may say once it begins. Basic voice-to-text dictation, reviewed carefully, was considered acceptable for session notes. The general consensus was that AI also should not be used to interpret a client's medical diagnosis or determine contraindications; it can be wrong, and diagnosis is outside the massage therapy scope of practice. That information should come from the client, their healthcare team, or peer-reviewed research. Utilizing AI to formulate a treatment plan must also be cautioned, as we do not want to replace valuable clinical experience with AI.

The other group of Delegates took a more open view of documentation. They saw potential efficiencies in AI transcription and scribe tools, provided clients receive clear notice and can opt in or out, as some medical settings already allow. They also cautioned that clinical documentation is a professional skill therapists should understand and maintain. Both tables arrived at the same central question: at what point does AI stop assisting the therapist and start replacing professional judgment and responsibility? Many fear this negative outcome of adopting AI too generously.

Understanding HIPAA and AI

HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a federal law whose Privacy and Security Rules protect identifiable health information, known as protected health information (PHI). HIPAA applies to “covered entities,” which include health care providers who transmit health information electronically for standard transactions such as billing insurance. Many massage therapists in cash-based practices are not covered entities, but those who bill insurance or work in medical settings may be. Whether or not HIPAA applies, state licensing rules and the AMTA Code of Ethics still require massage therapists to keep client information confidential, and those state rules vary.

Using AI is not, by itself, a HIPAA violation; the risk comes from what is entered into it. A covered provider may share PHI with an outside vendor only if that vendor signs a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) committing to safeguard the information. Most free and consumer AI tools do not offer a BAA, and many may store what users enter, use it to train their systems, or keep it on servers that could be breached. Entering a client's name, health history, or session details into such a tool could therefore be an improper disclosure. Because data policies vary by product, account type, and settings, and change often, the safest rule is simple: never enter identifiable client information into an AI tool without confirming how the data is stored and protected and, for covered providers, having a BAA in place.

Robotic Massage

Delegates also discussed robotic massage, and experiences were mixed. One Delegate described a positive session in which the robot used a heated, oscillating disc that felt therapeutic. When the recipient contracted their abdominal muscles, the robot detected the change, eased off the pressure, and then slowly resumed. Other Delegates raised concerns that a robot cannot obtain consent or notice changes in breathing that a trained therapist would catch. This is especially important for clients with a history of trauma, who may freeze if triggered, and one Delegate reported difficulty getting a robot to stop once it had started. While the technology is advancing, many Delegates felt robotic massage cannot replace the attention and intention that define the work of a massage therapist.

Recommendations to National

1. Define AI and develop an acceptable use policy, possibly with a committee of massage therapists, recognizing that AI is already used in medical practices and VA Medical Centers.

2. Provide practical guidance on ethics, privacy, PHI/HIPAA, client consent, documentation, and professional boundaries, including an AI ethics FAQ and criteria for evaluating platforms.

3. Offer ongoing AI education, including at National Convention, update it as technology evolves, and designate an AMTA resource or liaison members can contact with questions.

Topic 2: Chapter Mandatory Deliverables

Chapters are currently required to provide:

1. News and information three times per year

2. One community-building event per year

3. An active, monitored email address and phone number

Delegates broadly supported reviewing whether these requirements serve members, keeping in mind that chapters vary widely in membership size, geography, volunteer capacity, and resources. Small and rural chapters with few volunteers and widely spread members often struggle to meet the same expectations as larger ones. Some programs cost too much for small chapters, and in large states such as Texas, events are too far away for many members.

Communication was the most common challenge. Delegates described low Constant Contact open rates, email overload, unsubscribes, and members who mark messages as spam yet later say they never hear from their chapter. Surveys draw few responses, and different generations prefer different channels. Delegates questioned whether Constant Contact remains the best tool and raised alternatives such as an app or a central member communication space, along with printed pieces like postcards that National could help produce.

Two complementary approaches emerged. One table suggested modest additions that would not overburden smaller chapters:

1. A fourth Constant Contact communication, making member updates quarterly

2. Government Relations updates when relevant legislation is pending, possibly as a regular newsletter from Government Relations and Delegates

3. An annual member survey, posted on the chapter website and emailed to members

The other table favored simplifying deliverables into a short list of clearly defined requirements, with optional activities chapters can take on as capacity allows. Regional conferences, collaboration among neighboring chapters, smaller community activities, and partnerships with nonprofit organizations could provide meaningful engagement without requiring large chapter events. This option ensures smaller chapters can meet the minimum requirements, while larger chapters, if able, can exceed expectations.

Recommendations to National

1. Keep chapter deliverables simple and clarify what is required versus optional, accounting for chapter size, geography, and volunteer capacity.

2. Evaluate Constant Contact and other communication tools, and give chapters strategies and resources to improve engagement, including support for printed communication.

3. Provide standardized new-member welcome materials, encourage regional collaboration, and offer additional help to chapters struggling to meet deliverables.

Topic 3: Strengthening the Delegate Role Year-Round

Delegates supported a clearer, year-round role for Delegates as a communication bridge between members, chapter leadership, and National. Rather than concentrating activity solely around the annual AOD, Delegates could report back to members afterward and begin gathering input on future topics months before the next convention. Releasing Discussion Topics earlier would help; this year, the Massachusetts Delegates had only six weeks to gather member input. Delegates also proposed a Delegate working group, coordinated with governance, to review deliverables and other chapter needs.

Ideas for strengthening the role included:

1. Training and onboarding: Delegate training is limited, and this year's new-Delegate check-ins consisted mainly of asking whether there were questions, which new Delegates aren't yet equipped to answer. Potential options include an interactive training video, a CE opportunity, an improved handbook, an April or May Zoom orientation, or an evening Delegate Open House modeled on this year's virtual Volunteer Leadership Conference (VLC) training.

2. Board involvement: Delegates should attend board meetings and have access to appropriate communication channels so they understand chapter activities and can serve as liaisons between the Board and National, offering support to smaller chapters. Since the Delegate is an elected position, it makes sense to include them in the larger chapter conversation and decision-making process.

3. Board membership: Delegates also debated whether Delegates should be formal, voting Board members. Supporters felt this would strengthen involvement and recognize the elected role; others worried it would increase the commitment and remove an accessible entry point into AMTA leadership. Regular, non-voting participation in Board meetings was discussed as a middle ground.

4. Member communication: Delegates could gather input through chapter events, surveys, informal conversations, virtual meetings, Delegate coffee hours, or an early-year town hall explaining how to submit AOD proposals. They could also contribute a “Delegate Update” to the quarterly newsletter and hold quarterly Zoom discussions.

5. Volunteer and outreach roles: Delegates could join a Sunshine (welcome) Committee with Membership; support Education and school outreach; and survey members at events to encourage volunteering. A formal Government Relations/Delegate partnership, reflected in updated job descriptions, was raised at more than one table.

6. Regional awareness: Delegates could follow what neighboring chapters offer, including through their Facebook pages, and report ideas at board meetings.

7. Recognition: Delegates could receive a discount or membership reimbursement in recognition of their service.

Recommendations to National

1. Release Discussion Topics earlier and develop a recommended annual timeline for Delegate engagement.

2. Establish comprehensive Delegate onboarding and clear expectations for how Delegates work with members, chapter Boards, Government Relations, and National.

3. Guide chapters on using Delegates throughout the year, and further evaluate whether Delegates should hold a formal Board position with voting rights.

Conclusion: Key Messages for the Massachusetts Chapter

The Assembly of Delegates brought together dedicated massage therapists with a remarkable range of expertise, and Keli Lemoi and Jennifer Savage were proud to represent Massachusetts. In addition, Jennifer Savage took on the role of official notetaker, further representing the Massachusetts chapter on a national level. Across tables, three themes stood out. First, AI is already part of many practices and can help with business and administrative tasks, but therapists remain responsible for its output, and protecting client information is both a legal and an ethical obligation. Second, chapter deliverables should fit each chapter's size and capacity and reflect what members value, which means communicating consistently through the channels members actually use without overwhelming inboxes. Third, with better training and earlier topics, Delegates can serve as a year- round link between members, the Board, and National.

The Delegates are bringing several messages home to the chapter. Members should use AI thoughtfully: verify everything it produces, never enter identifiable client information into an unsecured tool, and keep it out of SOAP notes and session recordings until clear guidance exists. Guidance on AI is expected from National, and member input will help shape it. The chapter wants to know how often and in what form members prefer to hear from it, so members are encouraged to respond to the annual survey. Finally, members can expect more visible Delegates throughout the year, through closer work with the Board, opportunities such as a town hall or coffee hour, and regular Delegate Updates. Member ideas become future AOD proposals, and the Delegates thank the membership for the opportunity to carry its voice to National.