American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter

What American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter does

The American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter (AMTA-CA) is a nonprofit professional membership association chapter serving massage therapists, educators, and enthusiasts in California. It operates as a regional node of the national American Massage Therapy Association and is governed by a volunteer board led by President Michael Roberson, with named functional leads covering Government Relations, Education, Finance, and chapter administration. Its offering centers on continuing education programming (including paid courses such as Professional Boundaries and a developing Trauma Informed Care curriculum), a recurring calendar of member-only virtual events (Lunch Breaks, Coffee Chats, Happy Hours, and a Book Club), an annual virtual educational conference, community outreach traditions such as the Gator Bash Family Day at Camp Pendleton and the MS Bay to Bay Ride, a mentorship program, and government-relations advocacy.

The chapter's principal ongoing initiative is a multi-year legislative campaign to replace California's voluntary CAMTC certification regime with mandatory state licensure, currently anchored by AB 1757 (a spot bill on the Massage Therapy Act) and active outreach to secure a legislative author. Its technology footprint is non-proprietary: virtual programming is delivered through Zoom and member communications are handled via a Squarespace-hosted website (amta-ca.org) and email at [email protected]. There is no owned software product, mobile application, API surface, or AI capability.

Revenue mechanics consist of (a) membership dues routed through AMTA National, (b) modest per-course registration fees for certain continuing-education events ($99 members / $149 non-members for Professional Boundaries), with most virtual events free to members, and (c) voluntary chapter financial contributions. There is no external funding, no headcount, and no chapter-level financial disclosure. The chapter is geographically constrained to California, where 226 of 256 cities already require CAMTC certification for massage therapists to practice.

Name

American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter

Legal name

American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter

Website

https://amta-ca.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The California state chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association, serving massage therapists, educators, and enthusiasts with continuing education, virtual and in-person community events, mentorship, and advocacy for mandatory state licensure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Massage Therapy & Bodywork (EDAOALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Massage Therapy Schools & Certification Programs (HSALANAJ)

Keywords

• Professional association
• Massage therapy membership
• Continuing education
• Professional development
• State chapter advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Chapter Contributions: The chapter accepts financial contributions from members to support chapter operations and advocacy efforts. Contact: https://www.amtamassage.org/chapters/contribution/california/
2. Event Registration Fees: The chapter charges registration fees for certain educational events and courses, such as the Professional Boundaries course ($99 for AMTA members, $149 for non-members). Some events are free for members.
3. AMTA National Membership Dues: As a state chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association, revenue is derived from member dues collected through the national organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter is a nonprofit state-level professional association that supports licensed massage therapists and massage therapy students in California through membership services, continuing education, virtual and in-person networking events, an annual educational conference, and advocacy representation on regulatory and legislative matters affecting the profession. Membership also grants access to curated member resources, mentorship, community outreach, and specialized training programs in areas such as trauma-informed care and professional boundaries.

Product overview

AMTA California Chapter offers a comprehensive portfolio of member services centered on professional development and community building for massage therapists. The core offerings include continuing education programs, virtual networking events (Happy Hours, Coffee Chats, Lunch Breaks, and Book Clubs), an annual Virtual Educational Conference with CE credits, professional training courses (Self Defense, Trauma Informed Care), community outreach events (Gator Bash, MS Bay to Bay Ride), government relations advocacy for mandatory licensure, member resources, mentorship programs, and national convention access. The organization functions as a professional association providing these services to advance the art, science, and practice of massage therapy in California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual Gator Bash Family Day at Camp Pendleton has been an ongoing tradition for over 20 years

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• AMTA National Convention (Denver, CO)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 August 2026Annual AMTA National Convention taking place August 27-29, 2026 in Denver, CO. The California Chapter hosts a free Meet & Greet Breakfast Social on Thursday, August 27th as a chapter engagement activity.
• American Massage Therapy Association (National)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMTA-CA is the California state chapter of the national American Massage Therapy Association. The chapter operates under AMTA National's guidance and shares the mission of advancing the art, science, and practice of massage therapy. The national organization provides resources, insurance programs, advocacy support, and the annual convention.
• Camp Pendleton (Annual Gator Bash)coreOthersThe Annual Gator Bash Family Day at Camp Pendleton is an annual tradition spanning over 20 years. The event is open to both professionals and students. Contact: Michael Roberson at [email protected].
• MS Bay to Bay RideminorOthersAnnual cycling event in Carlsbad/San Diego area (Saturday, October 17, 2026 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa). The chapter provides post-event massage services to riders as a community outreach tradition.
• California Legislature Business and Professions CommitteeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with the California Legislature's Business and Professions Committee to advocate for mandatory licensure and to secure a short extension to the CAMTC as opposed to a full four-year extension. Currently seeking a legislative author for a bill to transition from voluntary certification to mandatory state license.
• Timothy Peckinpaugh (Government Relations Chair)coreOthersGovernment Relations Chair leading advocacy efforts for mandatory licensure in California. Contact: [email protected].
• CAMTC (California Massage Therapy Council)minorOthersCurrent regulatory body for massage therapy certification in California. AMTA-CA is advocating to sunset the CAMTC and establish a full licensure board for the profession.
• Legislators/State RepresentativescoreOthersCurrently seeking a legislative author for a bill (AB 1757 - spot bill) to propose mandatory state licensure for massage therapists in California. Several legislators have expressed interest.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA National): Parent organization of AMTA-CA; sets national membership, insurance, advocacy, and CE standards that the California chapter implements locally. Most directly comparable as the overarching brand and operating model.
• National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB): National certification body offering Board Certification credential to massage therapists; competes for professional credibility and member engagement in California.
• International Massage Association (IMA): Smaller professional membership association offering massage therapists CE, certification, and insurance; competes for the same SMB California practitioner segment.
• Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP): Largest direct competitor professional association for U.S. massage therapists, offering similar CE, insurance, advocacy, and member benefits. Competes head-to-head for California members.

Regional players

• International Spa Association (ISPA): Spa industry association with overlapping massage therapist membership; less massage-specific but competes for CE attention from California practitioners working in spa settings.

Emerging players

• Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP): Membership association for estheticians and skin care professionals that increasingly bundles massage-adjacent services, competing for the personal-care practitioner wallet in California.
• Society for Oncology Massage (S4OM): Specialty association for massage therapists serving oncology patients; competes for CE dollars and member mindshare in California's high-spend clinical massage niche.

Broad incumbents

• Massage Magazine / MPS Media: Long-running trade publication and CE provider for the massage therapy industry; overlaps with AMTA-CA's continuing education and member resource functions.
• Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA): Accrediting body for massage therapy schools and programs; sits adjacent to AMTA-CA's education mission and shares the professional standards ecosystem.
• California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC): Current California regulatory body administering voluntary massage therapist certification across 226 California cities. AMTA-CA is actively advocating to sunset CAMTC in favor of mandatory licensure, making it both counterpart and competitor for regulatory influence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amta-ca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter