Administration Board

Maroine Bendaoud worked at the FQM from 2008 to 2012, inclusively, holding several positions (member services, communications agent, project manager). In addition, he drafted the brief tabled before the Office des professions du Québec for purposes of creating a professional order of massage therapists. He was also charged with changing the website and database, specifically for the computer records on the FQM’s 5,000 members. He went on to complete his PhD in administration and public policy, followed by two postdoctoral fellowships (McMaster University and UQAM). His research work earned recognition, receiving financial support from scientific funding agencies in Québec (FRQSC) and Canada (SSHRC). He also completed research stints at several renowned universities, including Berkeley, Yale University and Sciences Po Paris. Before returning to serve as Executive Director of the FQM in 2021, Maroine spent two years at the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), where he worked on the development of health-centered public policies and the evaluation of public health and social services programs. He was appointed president-executive director of the FQM in 2022, with the objective of protecting the public and representing the interests of members and partners. His chief objective is to improve working conditions for massage therapists and kinesiotherapists and position them as recognized actors in the health care field.

Sébastien Forgues has long nurtured a passion for the human body. After studying the martial arts, he went on to work as a contemporary dancer both at the national and international levels. After an injury put an end to his dance career, he turned to massage therapy, then kinesitherapy. He currently works exclusively in kinesitherapy. Sébastien’s wealth of experience and commitment to the profession make him a dedicated and rigorous manual therapist. He has developed and presented several training activities, while also being responsible for training accreditation and inspections at the FQM. Through his participation on the FQM board of directors, Sébastien aims to promote the “self-determination” of the profession, by and for its actors. In his view, the contours and the future of the profession lie largely in teaching, the exercise of the practice, and supervision, all of which call for higher standards, strategic positioning, and the professionalization of massage therapy and kinesitherapy in Québec.

Marie-Chantale Gaba has been a certified massage therapist since 2001. Like many of her massage therapist colleagues, her desire to offer adapted care stemmed from an intention to help a loved one dealing with pain. It was in witnessing first-hand the relief and comfort that massage therapy provided that she found her true calling. After completing her university studies in social sciences and management, she worked with various management groups, boards of directors and committees over the past 20-plus years. As a member of the FQM board of directors, she intends to continue promoting massage therapy as an integral part of the health care continuum, while supporting her peers in their practice as health professionals and upholding a strong commitment to public safety.

Joëlle has been practicing massage therapy as a self-employed worker and in various organizations for over thirty years. She also has extensive experience as a Swedish massage and polarity teacher. She has also been a Swedish massage and polarity evaluator for the FQM, and has led groups of trainers in updating the Swedish massage grid. She is currently a massage therapy expert witness in sexual assault cases. Having served on the Board of Directors in the 1990s, she joins the Board again in 2023, to contribute her wealth of experience to the professionalization of massage therapy in Quebec. It's a cause that has been close to her heart since the very beginning of her career!

Clare Parsons graduated with a diploma of anatomical sciences from McGill University in 1995. She went on to obtain her diploma in exercise science from Concordia University in 1998, with a specialization in sports therapy. The following year, she joined the Canadian Athletic Therapists’ Association as a sports therapist, which led her to work with a variety of amateur sports teams. In 2002, she decided to specialize in massage therapy and Swedish massage, becoming a member of the FQM. For three years, she travelled to world, offering massage therapy on cruise ships. In 2005, she marked a return to terra firma, accepting a position as a massage therapist at Concordia Physio Sport. Clare specializes in deep-tissue massage. She has also padded her CV, adding Vodder manual lymphatic drainage training to her skill set. She uses Vodder to treat lymphedema and patients in post-surgery. She has also completed her training in massage therapy for people living with cancer. Clare brought her wealth of experience to the FQM board of directors in 2019.

Claudette Maheux has always taken an active interest in the human condition. She defines herself as an excellent communicator with good listening and interpersonal skills, and strong human values. She acted as a suicide prevention “sentinel” in workplaces for 20 years and has accumulated several hours of volunteer work in suicide prevention.

Claudette has undergone training in Swedish massage, kinesitherapy, osteopathy and chronic pain. After supporting her mother through palliative care, she shifted her career focus to oncology. Since 2008, she has supported the families of children with cancer by offering home-based massage services. She also practices in chemotherapy rooms, and she recently began providing massage services to seniors in residential and long-term care centres (CHSLD).

After some 20 years as an FQM member, she joined its board of directors with the intention of helping develop quality training activities adapted to vulnerable or aging clients. During her term as a director, she plans to draw on the expertise she has forged with these clienteles.

Edy De Pretto has been practicing massage therapy for almost 25 years. Her interest in the professionalization of the occupation is as strong today as it was at the outset of her career. Her energetic and flamboyant personality makes her an excellent communicator with an innate marketing savvy, which helps the board of directors promote our beautiful profession.

Her wealth of experience, as president of the Saint-Alexis-des-Monts tourism committee and as a regional spa owner and trainer (Swedish massage, physical fitness and yoga), are sure to be of great value when it comes to decision-making. Through her knowledge, know-how, soft skills, and ability to adapt, Edy becomes a valued asset for our board of directors and for the advancement of massage therapy in Québec.

Ensuring that massage therapy has its rightful position in the health care field is a core concern for Ms. De Pretto.