Rachel Hogancamp
Founder
Rachel Hogancamp has been a dedicated leader in the wellness field since 1994, when she began her massage therapy journey as a student at the Finger Lakes School of Massage. She went on to become a long-time instructor at the school, teaching kinesiology, pathology, ethics, business, and a range of massage modalities until 2012. Her deep roots in education, combined with a passion for holistic health, have shaped her vision for massage therapy as a meaningful and sustainable career path.
In 2006, Rachel co-founded Rasa Spa in partnership with Island Health & Fitness at the Cayuga Wellness Center, bringing to life a full-service integrative health spa designed to support the whole person. From the beginning, her mission was clear: to make therapeutic, high-quality bodywork and spa services accessible, not just as a luxury, but as a vital part of healthcare and well-being. Rasa Spa quickly became a cornerstone of the Finger Lakes wellness community, offering massage, skincare, body treatments, meditation, yoga, and more in a warm, inclusive environment.
Rachel's experience also includes co-owning Bodyworks Massage Therapy, a collaborative massage practice she helped grow into a thriving community of independent practitioners. She is a passionate supporter of the arts, an advocate for community wellness, and a photographer with a love for capturing the natural world.
With Living Essence Massage Institute, Rachel brings her decades of experience, her unwavering commitment to compassionate care, and her belief in the transformative power of massage education into a new era—one focused on cultivating mindful, skilled practitioners ready to serve with heart and integrity.
Dr. Ammitai Worob
Program Director
Dr. Ammitai Worob has been a healthcare leader in Central New York since 2009, providing chiropractic care in Cortland and Ithaca with the belief that every person deserves to live a healthy life. Dr. Worob has served on the board of directors of multiple health care organizations, is a guest lecturer, and has taught at universities and colleges in New York State, and continues to be the director for a small massage therapy clinic in Ithaca. Ammitai has been very active in local politics and government over the past few years, serving as Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Anna Kelles, then as her campaign manager, and also as the chair of the Town of Ithaca Democratic Committee. He is thrilled to be a part of the LEMI team, and to bring more exceptional massage therapists into the region. Everyone would benefit from more massage therapy in their life!
Hallie Sawyers
BA, LMT, APP, BCTMB
Curriculum Coordinator,
Lead Instructor
Hallie is the founder of Soul Song, offering continuing education in a wide spectrum of alternative approaches to health and wellness. She is an established and respected educator with extensive training in energy work and body-centered therapies. Her work with individual clients integrates techniques from the many disciplines in which she is trained, creating a deeply personalized and comprehensive healing experience.
Hallie has been practicing massage therapy since 1996 and is licensed in Connecticut and New York. She is certified in holistic aromatherapy, polarity therapy and reflexology, and a master instructor of Reiki and Integrated Energy Therapy. Hallie is also Board Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, an approved continuing education provider for the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCTMB), and has been offering NCBTMB-approved continuing education classes to licensed massage therapists since 2000.
Hallie’s unwavering dedication to advancing the field of massage therapy and holistic wellness makes her a sought-after educator, consultant, and practitioner. She taught four years for Cortiva Institute and 13 years for Finger Lakes School of Massage where she played a key role in mentoring, inspiring, and shaping future practitioners.
Her decades of experience in massage therapy instruction and program administration now guides and shapes her professional consultancy work with colleges, universities, and private institutions seeking to integrate massage therapy training into their degree programs and educational offerings. Among her recent accomplishments in this field, are the development of the 1000-hour massage therapy curricula for both Northeast College of Health Sciences in Seneca Falls, NY and Living Essence Massage Institute in Trumansburg, NY.
Hallie is passionate about empowering clients, students, and colleagues through education, healing, and mentorship. She is dedicated to promoting the benefits of integrative wellness practices and advancing the standards of massage therapy education.
Through her unique blend of hands-on experience, teaching excellence, and program development expertise, Hallie continues to inspire and elevate the next generation of wellness professionals, creating a lasting impact on the field.
Sondra Hartmann
BFA, LMT
Curriculum Coordinator,
Lead Instructor
Sondra has been licensed as a massage therapist in New York since 1991. She is Nationally Certified in Holistic Aromatherapy, a Master Instructor of Integrated Energy Therapy, a Usui Reiki Master Teacher, certified in Arvigo Therapy Massage and Arvigo Therapy Advanced Spiritual Healing, a certified Hands On Health Instructor for the Arvigo Institute, and a certified Reflexologist.
She was an instructor for the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Ithaca, New York, for 24 years, teaching since the school's inception. She also taught at the Arizona School of Integrative Studies for 10 years.
Sondra has spent seven years serving as the Education Director for Rasa Spa, overseeing the continuing education program, teaching CE classes approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and mentoring new instructors. Throughout her career, Sondra has built and nurtured a private practice that offers bodywork and energy work services to clients of all ages.
Her focus for the past 3 years has been Ayurvedic training in creative alternatives to health and personal transformation with Emily Glaser. Most recently, she played a vital role in the development of the 1,000-hour massage therapy curricula for both Northeast College of Health Sciences in Seneca Falls, NY, and Living Essence Massage Institute in Trumansburg, NY.
Sondra’s wide spectrum of expertise and her generosity shine through and inform all her work. Her wellspring of genuine interest and commitment to the healing possible through massage transforms the lives of her clients, empowers students, inspires fellow instructors, and illuminates the many possibilities of this career path.