Our Faculty & Instructors
“The ability of our school lies in the hands of our instructors. For this reason, we have assembled a team dedicated to the art of Massage Therapy and to teaching it. It is our belief that these are some of the best professionals anywhere and have been noted for excellence in their fields.”
– James Mongan, C.E.O.
Dorothy Mongan, L.C.M.T., AAS, Founder and Instructor
Massage Therapy has been a lifetime career for Dorothy Mongan. Her mother was a herbologist, reflexologist, and massage therapist taught by the old German modalities. Dorothy practiced all this from a very young age, and her joy in life comes from employing these skills and helping others gain a healthy life.
Mrs. Mongan obtained her first degree in massage at the Swedish Institute School for Massage in the 70’s. The teachings and practices of massage therapy intrigued Mrs. Mongan, leading her to open the Eaton Therapeutic Center in 1985. Later, she founded the Academy of Natural Therapy in Greeley in 1989 to help other’s find their path to becoming a healer. Mrs. Mongan previously taught a large portion of the classes offered at the Academy herself, but currently only teaches the Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy class.
Following the receipt of her degree from the Swedish Institute for Massage, Mrs. Mongan further studied massage therapy with the legendary Dr. Sole for seven years. During that time, she developed her own techniques which she still practices and implements today. However, her appetite for learning was far from quenched! She later received her Associate’s degree from Aims Community College in 1992. Currently, Mrs. Mongan is in the process of publishing her own book and video regarding these teachings titled, “The Dr. Sole Technique.”
Mrs. Mongan maintains a busy schedule by performing daily massages on her loyal clients, in addition to expanding her knowledge of massage therapy by learning new techniques from the St. John’s Institute. She also spends numerous hours in nutritional counseling and has continued to practice Contact Reflex Analysis testing for over 12 years now. In her free time, Mrs. Mongan enjoys sewing and spending time with her grandchildren.
Administration
James Mongan, CEO
James took over the Academy of Natural Therapy in 1995. His guidance, leadership, and wisdom have guided the school to expand and grow. James has always kept the quality of education very high, striving always to have a program that creates and molds successful therapists to be sent into the field of massage. He truly cares about the students and is dedicated to the massage industry as a whole.
Jennifer Mongan, Executive Officer, Quality Assurance, Owner, Human Resources
Jennifer has been assisting with the Academy of Natural Therapy since 2000 when she graduated with a Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Northern Colorado. Before that, she managed the Eaton Therapeutic Center and the Natural Therapy Health Center. In her free time, Jennifer loves to pray and to be with her seven beautiful and talented children. Jennifer is trained in several important departments at the Academy ranging from Management and Admissions to Accounting and Quality Assurance
Tim Gross, Director of Financial Aid
Tim has two Bachelors Degrees, one in Communications and one in Accounting. He has a background in finance, specifically Financial Aid processing. Tim joined the Academy in August of 2011, bringing with him several years of experience working with youth from a variety of backgrounds.
Mary Jo Thaxton, Accounts Director
MaryJo has a Bachelor of Science in Business/Finance from Colorado State University. When she’s not busy crunching the numbers, she loves to talk about her favorite soccer team.
Katie Brigham
With over 18 years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist, Katie Brigham is a vibrant force in the beauty industry! Her journey began behind the chair, where she honed her skills, built lasting client relationships, and ultimately owned and operated her own successful salon. From there, Katie took her passion for beauty and education to the next level as the Director of a Cosmetology and Barbering Program, where she inspired countless students to pursue their dreams.
Instructors & Therapists
Deborah Todd, Instructor of Hydrotherapy, Neuromuscular 2, Teaching Methods, Lymph Drainage, Special Needs, Communications, and Orthopedic Massage
Laura Syring, Instructor of Sports Massage, Neuromuscular 1, Business, and Canine Massage
Sheri McCaskill, Instructor of Herbology
Wendy McCormick, Instructor of Medical Massage and Sports Massage
Amy Smith, Instructor of Reflexology, Shiatsu, and Exercise & Nutrition