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 ABMP Leadership 
Les Sweeney, president, Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, started at
ABMP in 1994. His responsibilities have
been wide-ranging, including oversight of massage-school relationships, student-member
recruitment, government relations, data processing and database management. He served as
ABMP executive vice president from 1999 to March 2006, when he was named president. Prior to joining ABMP, Les gained association management experience at the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) in Alexandria, Va. A graduate of the University of Virginia, he earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado, Denver, and completed his massage therapy training at The Holistic Learning Center in Evergreen, Colo. He became nationally certified in therapeutic massage in 2006. Les and his family reside in Evergreen. 
Bob Benson, chairman, joined ABMP in 1996 and provides strategic direction to the
company. Bob became president of ABMP in 1996, after 20-plus years as president of
two other fast-growing publicly owned service businesses. From 1971 to 1987, he helped
build Children’s World from scratch to the third largest child care firm in the nation.
Subsequently, he was president of VICORP Restaurants, which operated more than 400 family
restaurants. His interest in alternative healthcare goes back a long way. After graduation
from Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he spent five years in Washington, D.C.,
in the public policy arena, two of those years as a community organizer for the National
Urban Coalition. He is coauthor of a book on national priorities and has been published in
several magazines, including a cover story for The New Republic. Bob enjoys the performing
arts and is an avid sports fan and participant. He has been married to his wife, Cynthia, for
34 years, with whom he has a son and daughter.
Katie Armitage, executive director and vice president of operations, joined ABMP in 1993. She coordinates all day-to-day operations and spearheads the professional liability insurance and esthetician activities. For her ABMP role and her work launching Associated Skin Care Professionals in January 2007, Katie was named the 2007 Day Spa Person of the Year by the Day Spa Association. Katie is a fourth-generation native of Colorado and enjoys boating, camping, gardening and reading. She enjoys most sports as a spectator, especially as an avid Broncos fan. She lives in Golden with her husband, Tim. They have two college-aged kids.
Leslie Young joined ABMP in November of 2002. As VP Communication, she oversees the association's communication initiatives and serves as editor of Massage & Bodywork and Body Sense magazines. She thrives on input from readers of all backgrounds, and columnists/industry experts, as well as working with her talented coworkers. Leslie volunteers for the Massage Therapy Foundation, serving on its Board of Trustees and as chair of the Development Committee. She holds a master's degree and doctorate in organizational communication from The University of Utah. Leslie enjoys travel, scuba diving, and bicycling. She shares life with her husband Rick
Giase, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, and her spoiled Lab, Sundance.
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