06/08/2026
✨ND LMTs✨
Long post but important.
I sent in a concern about the current Board member composition on May 1st. It was sent to the Board, the Board's attorney William Woodworth, the Governor, state representative LaurieBeth Hager and the Board and Committee manager Dustin Assel.
I received a response from the Governor's office stating that he appoints the members and that's it, I guess and the Board's attorney responded.
The Board's attorney basically copy/pasted the time limits/qualifications on board member's terms that you can find on the website.
This is what I sent in - word for word.
"To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to express my concern regarding the current composition of the State Board of Massage Therapy. At present, three of the five board positions are held by past or current employees (Rochelle Hagen, Chad Alfson, and Melanie Jackson) of the same massage business, two of whom also own or work at the same massage school. While I recognize that the limited number of massage therapy schools in North Dakota may naturally lead to some overlap, this concentration of affiliations raises significant questions about impartiality and the potential for conflicts of interest. It is also difficult to believe that no qualified applicants without ties to Shelle Hagen at Elite Massage Therapy or Elite Massage Academy were available for consideration.
Boards play a vital role in regulating professions and upholding the standards of any field in our state. Its decisions must be made with the highest level of integrity and free from undue influence by any single institution. When multiple board members (Rochelle Hagen, LMT and Chad Alfson, LMT) share the same business or educational affiliations—particularly when they hold leadership positions such as president and vice president—it can create a perception, if not a reality, of bias. This perception risks undermining public trust in the Board’s actions and decisions. This situation would make anyone wonder what is happening within all boards of our state.
I respectfully request that the Board review its policies regarding member affiliations and consider measures to ensure broader, more balanced representation within the massage therapy community. Transparency and diversity in board membership are essential to maintaining the Board’s credibility and effectiveness.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I appreciate your commitment to supporting and strengthening the standards of massage therapy in North Dakota.
Sincerely,
Christine Hovell Matson
North Dakota Licensed Massage Therapist #1216"
Let me be clear.
I personally don't have an issue with these Board members being on the Board in general.
I have an issue with an owner of a massage school (when there are only so many in a lesser populated state), massage businesses, CE provider, and a massage related business being the president. And a close, current colleague is the vice president.
Under zero circumstances, should a LMT with their fingers in that many cookie jars be in a position of power. And have the Board stacked in their favor.
All I was asking for was a review of the Boards policies and a discussion about the clear conflict of interest.
Is my concern on the agenda for the upcoming June meeting?
Nope.
Am I surprised?
Also, nope.
But hey, be sure to tune into the Board meeting on Tuesday, June 23rd at 9:30. We'll receive more insight into the Interstate Compact License from FSMTB!
