about us

ZEN THAI: The Birthing of a Mission
Zen Thai the company has been evolving since Beth and Martin first lived in Thailand more than a decade ago. Their story stretches through years of experiences, adventures, mishaps and journeys.  

Prior to their meeting, Martin spent half of his 20s in the role of astute and dedicated student, committed to great success as an MBA at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Afterward, he moved to a small town in southern Vermont where he learned to cultivate an inner voice of wisdom, listen to intuition, and manifest a life that encompassed more than text books and meditation. Focused on social issues from the environment to human rights, Martin worked for Cultural Survival, several waste management projects and The School for International Training. His curiosity took him to sweat lodges, fire walks, yoga retreats and intellectual musings over some of the best micro brews in the world. 

Martin met Beth while she worked on her graduate studies (see more below) and soon they moved to Thailand to teach English as a second language together. It was there that they first collaborated a vision by creating empowerment building projects for marginalized populations of northern Thailand via a project they called OneWorld Kids.

Returning to the US they homesteaded a five acre plot of land in Vermont. They enjoyed raising goats, chickens and rainbow trout, learning the art of maple sugaring and growing food for the long winters. 

Eventually, Martin began to feel a draw to traditional Thai bodywork based on his experiences living in Thailand. Now, years later, after intensive study with the most revered masters of Thai Massage, Martin feels honored to share this wisdom in the classroom. His thirst for knowledge takes him back to Asia on a yearly basis to continue his studies, deepening his understanding, and allowing him to bring new insights of this amazing work to his students.

Martin has taught hundreds of individual therapists and has trained some of the leading spas in the country including:

Please see Martin’s CV for a detailed description his educational background.
See Chronological List of teaching "An Introduction to Thai Massage"

As for Beth, the CEO and "Chief Problem Solver" of the company...
Upon graduating from SUNY Geneseo, Beth heard the world calling. Leaving behind the comforts of resumes and interviews Beth found herself riding her 10-speed graduation gift along the canals of Holland and through cobbled streets in Belgium. Months later, with less than $100 in her pocket she ventured into Morocco for one last fling with destiny before returning to what some people call "reality." A simple one-month affair with the exotic turned into a lifetime of romantic cross-cultural rendezvous. Periodically returning to the USA to earn enough money for another plane ticket, Beth spent the next 10 years leaping into adventures from India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Egypt, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia and others. She experiences travel as an inner journey experienced through the complex maze of the one's true self.

In 1993, The Wall Street Journal, a garbage can and Vermont Bread's Sunflower Loaf brought Beth and Martin together as autumn leaves tinged fire-orange and the air chilled to frost. While finishing her graduate work that year at SIT in Brattleboro, VT, Martin left his job at the college to serve as the Director of the English program at Assumption College, Lampang, Thailand. Beth followed several weeks later and thus began an odyssey that would spawn many creative ventures. Together they discovered what not to eat in a Tom Yum Goon (hot and sour shrimp soup), how to best get around during monsoon floods while exploring open-air markets, and the finer points of using a squat toilet. On weekends they worked with a group of hill tribe children several hours from their home, building basketball courts, making drinking mugs from bamboo and recycling found objects. Thailand soon became like a second home.

It was in the rice paddies, during an afternoon jog, that Martin proposed to Beth, wrapping a rice stalk around her finger. They married amongst the Karen, Hmong, Akha, Lisu and Lahu hill tribe children wearing traditional Karen tribal garb. Sealing their commitment to each other in black and red cloth woven on a bamboo loom, barefoot, and unable to understand the priest, Beth and Martin began a journey of a lifetime together.

The "honeymoon" was in Nepal and India (on a Thai English teacher's salary of $150/month). And now, 10, 11, 12 years later (ask Beth's mom, they certainly don't know), Beth and Martin continue to peak around corners, down tiny little alleyways and just over the next hillside finding... well, maybe you will meet them and learn more.

Anne-Marie N. Pyrda
I love to have fun. I enjoy spending my time being rewarded with people's comments about how wonderful they feel due to the work I do. Outside of my office I enjoy doing things like spending time in the woods, riding my motorcycle, and playing with my two girls. I am your average career woman with attainable goals, powerful intentions, and purposeful actions. My thoughts and actions are well thought out designs. Sometimes I get a little off course, only to meet someone interesting that can help me get back on track! I love my journey through life.

Morgan Coggins has been a massage therapist for 5 years now and she absolutely loves what she does! Helping people is one of her passions in life. When she's not at the office she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She is one of seven, the only girl and a twin! She grew up as a tomboy and loves anything that comes with an adrenaline rush! Bungee jumping is one of her favorites! Morgan also loves to travel and see the the world outside her home in central Illinois! (and yes, she hopes to see it all one day). Morgan likes music, dancing and art. During the summer you can usually find her at a music festival hula hooping to some of her favorite bands.

Jo Ann Christina
They say you can't compare apples and oranges and they are right. After living in the Big Apple for 8yrs, I moved to the sunshine state. What a difference! Going from fitness to massage was a natural transition but one I never thought about. Now I could think of doing nothing else! In Naples florida I am lucky enough to have a clientele that knows the importance of massage and it's benefits on a daily basis...I keep my life balanced with attend the Philharmonic, the beach, and traveling when possible.

Minerva Noltee
I live in South West Florida and have a small private practice. I have a loving, supportive husband, and two little dogs. I love music, art and traveling. I have experience in the healthcare industry for over 22 years, starting as teacher’s assistant to developmentally disabled children and a Certified Nursing Assistant. My natural evolutions led me to massage therapy.

Since the beginning of my massage career seven years ago I have been studying Thai Massage. As my thirst for more knowledge about this fabulous healing modality, and a believer in destiny, my path led me to Martin and Beth, the founders of Zen Thai. What I thought to be a once in a lifetime opportunity in 2005, turned into two amazing journeys, the latest in 2008. Under the direct supervision of Zen Thai, traveling through Thailand studying, I learned much more then Thai Massage.

I am part of a Massage team, Florida Immediate Response Stress Team or F.I.R.S.T. This team is deployed to administer massage to the emergency responders during a man made or natural disasters. "We take care of the people that take care of the people" is our motto.

Cindy Falke
...I am a wife, mother and friend. I like to spend time with my family. I am interested in outdoor things like playing games, camping, hiking, swimming, horseback riding, motorcycle riding or just reading quietly. If given a choice I prefer the mountains and streams of the northwest or perhaps the rainforest of Costa Rica. I love to watch wildlife and hear the whispers of nature. I am organized and orderly, although some unscheduled adventure can steal away my attention from time to time. Once upon a time I did have jobs that ranged from babysitter to CEO of a large corporate company.