Walter is a retired pathologist. His previous career was divided between being director of medical laboratories and working in biomedical research. He taught pathology at Ohio State University, and as an adjunct faculty member at Tufts University as well as for an educational pathology foundation.He became interested in massage over 20 years ago through the Stroking Community. Following retirement from the practice of pathology, he attended and graduated from the Florida School of Massage where his student research project was on the relationship between massage and blood pressure. He has done massage as a hobby for 22 years and professionally for 10 years. He has worked as a professional massage therapist in a medical clinic and a retirement home, and had a private massage practice in Gaithersburg, MD, as well as at Avalon for the past 5 years. He is a nationally certified massage therapist and is currently licensed as a massage therapist in West Virginia and in Florida.
Nancy Goodpasture Castro, LMT, NCTMB
Nancy was born in Illinois, raised in Mexico City and the suburbs of Chicago, and moved to West Virginia in 1974. Shortly after that, she began her first career as a paralegal in northcentral West Virginia. Changing careers a couple of decades later, she attended and graduated from the Pittsburgh School of Massage Therapy and has been a Professional WV Licensed Massage Therapist since July 1998. She also spent one month in 2002 studying massage at the Esalen Institute in California, began her involvement with the Stroking Community in 1999, is Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and is a member of the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. In her private practice (and occassionally at Avalon), Nancy primarly performs Swedish massage and deep tissue neuromuscular therapy. She enjoys teaching as well, and is also currently studying Oriental medicine.
Beyond bodywork, she enjoys being creative in the visual arts, music, and writing at her home in Fairmont, WV.
Beyond bodywork, she enjoys being creative in the visual arts, music, and writing at her home in Fairmont, WV.
