ABOUT US

Meet Our Experienced Instructors

Meet the experienced instructors behind Apex Retreat Seminars, each bringing a unique blend of real-world practice, advanced training, and a deep passion for helping wellness professionals grow. From aromatherapy and Thai bodywork to Traditional Chinese Medicine-based techniques, our team is committed to teaching proven methods that help practitioners work smarter, expand their offerings, and apply what they learn with confidence in real practice.

Born in the Island of Puerto Rico, Fernanda Santiago has always had a passion for wellness and helping people get healthy.  Her great grandmother was a midwife, herbalist and considered by many to be an expert in the use of natural healing compounds. This knowledge of herbal medicine and natural healing has been passed down for generations.

Fernanda was introduced to Aromatic Botanical Medicine early in her career and has specialized in Aromatherapy for 20 years. She has also trained in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and mentored by Acupuncture Physicians, and Botanists, gaining hands on experience. She has studied with both Floracopeia and The School of Aromatic Studies.  She loves gardening, the outdoors and creating custom formulations for her clients. She has a private practice in Apex, NC named Healing Feels Good®. Here she provides consultations, Aromatherapy treatments & formulations as well as bodywork sessions such as Reflexology, Thai Massage and Thai Herbal Poultice treatments.

She is the co-founder of Apex Retreat Seminars, a nationally approved continuing education school for massage therapist and is a Level 2 NAHA Certified Professional Aromatherapist.

She loves to share her knowledge and passion for helping others using traditional methods of healing.

For Inquiries:

Susan Good is a Licensed Massage Therapist and the proud owner of Latitude Massage in Charlottesville, Virginia. After completing yoga teaching training in India in 2012, she began teaching and quickly realized that her calling was to help others connect with their bodies through movement and therapeutic touch. 

Susan’s experience as a Birth Doula in Honduras and Ireland led her to train in massage in 2017. After giving birth to her daughter, she holds a deep connection working with women in the prenatal and postpartum periods.

Susan specializes in Thai massage and has studied in Thailand three times, with more intensive study trips in her future! She is excited to work with other massage therapists through Apex Retreat Seminars and share her passion for learning.

Rapeewan Kannawat (Gail)

LMBT

Gail, born and raised in Thailand, brings a rich cultural heritage and deep passion for holistic healing to her role as an instructor at our continuing education school. With a dedicated focus on enhancing student practices and promoting client well-being, Gail specializes in Table Thai Massage and Thai Foot Massage. Her teaching philosophy integrates traditional Thai techniques with modern practices, empowering students to work smarter and support their clients' health and healing goals effectively. Gail’s extensive knowledge and genuine enthusiasm make her a valuable asset to our program and a source of inspiration for all who work with her.

Lijing Liu

LMBT, pHD

Lijing Liu is a dedicated educator and practitioner with an extensive background in Traditional Chinese Medicine and integrative movement science. She earned her undergraduate degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, where she received comprehensive training in classical medical theory and hands-on clinical practice.

Driven by a passion for bridging Eastern and Western approaches to health, she went on to complete both her master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Tsukuba in Japan, conducting advanced research on the impact of physical activity on skeletal health. Following her doctoral studies, Lijing continued her academic career at Waseda University, where her work focused on promoting healthy growth and development in children through improving motor skills in adolescents.

After immigrating to the United States, Lijing further expanded her therapeutic skill set by studying Western therapeutic massage techniques at Wake Tech Community College in North Carolina. This diverse training allows her to seamlessly blend traditional bodywork principles with modern anatomical understanding.

Lijing specializes in teaching TCM-based courses, sharing her wealth of knowledge with massage therapists, estheticians, and bodyworkers. Known for her grounded teaching style, cultural insight, and scientific perspective, she offers students both practical skill and a deep appreciation for the body’s energetic and structural systems.

Her mission is to empower practitioners to elevate their craft through authentic TCM principles, evidence-informed movement science, and holistic understanding.

 Dr. Monica Sinnett, AP

Dr. Monica Sinnett is a board-certified acupuncturist through the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM®), a Florida-licensed Acupuncture Physician, and a Licensed Massage Therapist. With more than 28 years of clinical experience in independent and integrative healthcare settings, Dr. Sinnett brings a distinctive blend of Eastern medicine, hands-on therapeutic practice, and integrative wellness to her teaching.

Her journey into natural medicine began with an early interest in herbal traditions and holistic approaches to health. While studying dietetics at Florida State University, she worked as a licensed massage therapist and explored the practical applications of natural therapies. In 2005, Dr. Sinnett graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Florida College of Integrative Medicine, earning a Bachelor of Science in Professional Health Studies and a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine. She has continued to expand her knowledge through postgraduate education in pain management, nutrition, aesthetics, psychoneuroimmunology, and energy-based therapies.

With 20 years of teaching experience, including at the collegiate level, Dr. Sinnett combines her extensive clinical background with a passion for helping others learn. As both a clinician and educator, she connects traditional healing principles with contemporary clinical perspectives, emphasizing individualized assessment, thoughtful application, and an understanding of the many factors that influence health and the body's response to treatment.

Her teaching style is interactive, supportive, and focused on practical application. She believes continuing education should go beyond learning new information; it should give practitioners the opportunity to practice techniques, ask questions, refine their skills, and develop the confidence to incorporate what they learn into their work. Her goal is for students to leave class with a clearer understanding of the techniques, hands-on experience applying them, and practical skills they can begin using in their professional settings.

Dr. Sinnett is passionate about helping practitioners deepen their understanding of integrative care, expand their clinical perspective, and discover meaningful ways to incorporate complementary approaches within their professional scope of practice. She strives to create a learning environment that welcomes curiosity, encourages growth, and makes advanced concepts accessible and relevant to everyday practice.

 Josephine McErlean

LMBT, PTA, RYT

Josephine McErlean is a licensed massage therapist, licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, Somatic Movement Therapist, yoga teacher, and Pilates practitioner and educator with more than 20 years of experience in holistic healing and movement education.

A graduate of the Bancroft School of Massage Therapy in Boston, Josephine brings a comprehensive understanding of anatomy, postural assessment, myofascial function, and neuromuscular techniques to her work and teaching. Her clinical background bridges conventional rehabilitation principles with Eastern bodywork traditions and somatic approaches, offering students a multidimensional understanding of the body and its capacity for change.

Her areas of expertise include advanced myofascial release, Thai massage, trigger point therapy, manual movement techniques, and somatic practices. By integrating precise hands-on skills with movement awareness and thoughtful assessment, Josephine helps practitioners develop a deeper understanding of therapeutic touch, functional mobility, and the relationship between structure, movement, and the nervous system.

As an instructor, Josephine brings practical clinical insight, an appreciation for individual learning styles, and a strong emphasis on intentional, effective body mechanics. Her teaching encourages practitioners to move beyond memorized techniques and develop the awareness, adaptability, and confidence needed to apply their skills thoughtfully in practice.

Inspired by Joseph Pilates' philosophy that movement can be a catalyst for healing and transformation, Josephine believes therapeutic work can be both effective and deeply supportive without relying on unnecessary force. She encourages an approach that honors the whole person while helping practitioners refine their technique, improve their own body awareness, and deliver more purposeful care.

Through her teaching, Josephine is committed to helping massage therapists expand their clinical perspective, elevate their hands-on skills, and cultivate a more integrated approach to therapeutic bodywork.

FEATURED IN