Sendoff for an Industry Leader
After nearly 18 years at the helm, Tricia Hughes has decided to retire from full time employment and step down from her role as Chief Executive Officer, Massage & Myotherapy Australia.
Chairman, Andrew Gallagher, said that 'Tricia has been instrumental to the success and growth of the Association and the industry. She has been an industry leader in every sense of the word’.
‘Tricia’s accomplishments are many and those of you who have been a part of the massage sector know that she has been at the forefront of beneficial change and innovation to maintain and improve the profession.
‘Under her leadership, the Association membership has grown from around 4,000 to over 8,600 alongside financial stability and growth from a turnover of 0.6 million to 2.4 million.
‘Despite being a small fish in the health sector’s very large pond, the Association has become a leading voice of reason that is respected and acknowledged by Government, and the wider registered health community.
‘This has contributed significantly to policy and regulatory change to recognise the professionalism of the massage sector, from the continued inclusion of massage in the Private Health Insurance Rebate, government-funded veterans services, and the removal of massage from the 457 Visa eligibility criteria, among others.’
‘Tricia has set many new and leading benchmarks for the sector, including solid governance and quality assurance to protect the brand, Board and membership, and the delivery of high value benefits and services to members. She also secured an ongoing Research Agenda through UTS:ARCCIM and initiated and developed the inaugural national industry Quality Assurance Standard for massage therapists, endorsed by ACCC and IP Australia.’
‘Those of us who have worked with her know her for her professionalism and straight talk, her sense of strategy and diplomacy, and her genuine caring nature. On behalf of the Board, staff and members, I thank Tricia for her dedication to the Association, her contribution to the industry, and her friendship. We all wish her well into the future.’
Tricia will continue with her charitable and volunteering works that have included the GAP Program run by Grey Hound Racing Victoria, Angel Gowns Australia Inc, St Vinnies CEO Sleepout, Share the Dignity and Hope 4 Women International.
Tricia said that while 18 years sounds like a long time, it feels that the time has passed in no time at all. I have enjoyed my role immensely, including the many challenges, opportunities, and problem- solving and feel that I have grown personally alongside the success and growth of the Association’, Tricia said.
‘I am glad to have been able to make a contribution that is valued and been able to illustrate to young women that there are many opportunities and paths to achieving a successful career. As an industry we still have a long way to go until professional massage and myotherapy services are fully understood, appropriately funded, and fully integrated within the wider health sector.
‘I believe that the wide adoption of the Certification program, the development of uniform ‘scopes of practice’ and the publishing of high-quality research is fundamental to achieving this.
‘I thank the many volunteer Chairs and Board members for their support, confidence and dedication to make Massage & Myotherapy Australia a success. ‘And of, course, without a solid team of staff very little could have been achieved. In the same way that it takes a community to raise a child successfully, it takes a dedicated team of like-minded people, working for common goals to make any organisation a success.
‘For my part I leave Massage & Myotherapy Australia, thankful to have been a part of such a caring industry, that gave me so many opportunities to make a successful contribution.’