Management Team Biography

Charles Pegg, LMT

Charles Pegg is Director of the SISTEM. He is on the faculty of the Massage Therapy Program of the Swedish Institute, where he teaches Introduction to Eastern Massage and Qi Gong exercises. He also is co-director of the Off-site Internship Program.

He has a private practice as a licensed massage therapist, with a special focus on sports massage, at an office in upstate New York. He is the official supervisor of massage therapists for the New York Roadrunners' Club, which holds 6 major races a year, including the ING NYC Marathon.

Pegg had a career as a professional athlete until he broke his back in a surfing accident and spent the next few years learning to heal himself through massage, yoga and good nutrition. This experience led him to massage therapy and an education at the Swedish Institute, from which he graduated in 1996.

In 2002, Pegg resumed competitive sports as a tri-athlete and became a member of the Hudson Triathlon Club. In 2005, he finished within the top ten overall in the NYC Triathlon. On his first attempt for the Iron Man at Lake Placid, Pegg finished in 11 hours and 6 minutes. In 2005, he was honorably mentioned as an all-American USAT member and qualified for the National Triathlon Championships. In an Albany marathon in 2005, he completed the run in less than three hours.

In 2006, he qualified for the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon by coming in second in his age group at the Westchester Triathlon and he was awarded All-American Status in the USAT National Rankings.

Born and educated in England, Pegg played in the England School Boys U-15 hockey and cricket teams and was captain of the Radley College cricket team. He came in 4th in the U-14 All England 400ms. and went on to play for the MCC, Middlesex 2nd XI and later coached as an overseas cricket professional in Australia.

He is excited to be able to combine his love for athlete care and event management and looks forward to being able to provide excellent services on a world wide scale.

Ericka Clinton, LMT

Ericka Clinton, LMT, is Director of Personnel for the SISTEM. She is a faculty member at the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences, where she teaches Swedish Massage II, Advanced Western Techniques, Shiatsu, Self-Care and Clinical Strategies. She has also been a supervisor in Clinic I, II, and III, as well as Director of Student Services. She is currently chair of the Clinical Studies Department.

She has worked as a massage therapist in numerous environments, such as NY Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and the NYC Marathon. Prior to her training in massage therapy she worked for a national Jewish organization coordinating large professional conferences.

Clinton earned her Massage Therapy Diploma from the Swedish Institute, and has continued studying various forms of structural and myofascial work.

Jenn Sommermann, B.S., L.M.T.

Jenn Sommermann is the Manager of Business Development for SISTEM. She is Chair of the Business Practices Department of the Massage Therapy Program and teaches classes within the department. Previous teaching experience includes the Muscular Therapy Institute and New England School of Acupuncture, both in Boston.

Sommermann runs a successful private practice, "Massage by Land and Sea", providing on-site massage to people's homes, boats and offices. She previously owned and operated Jenn Sommermann and Associates, a wellness clinic in Boston, for 12 years.

She has been a member of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) since 1992 and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the New York chapter of the AMTA. She is the President of the NYC/Long Island unit of the AMTA. The unit consists of over 1,700 members and duties include coordinating continuing education opportunities and acting as liaison to the national level.

Two additional boards of directors (Greater Nassau Chorus and Solstice Films) keep her active in the other business arenas.

Sommermann has recently become nationally certified to provide continuing education classes and now offers her business classes around the country. In addition, she is available for business coaching and consulting, having successfully coached hundreds of massage therapists and allied healthcare providers.

She graduated from the Muscular Therapy Institute, MA, with a Muscular Therapy Certificate and is nationally certified (NCBTMB). Her continuing education concentration has been on myofascial release work, neuromuscular therapy, Trager work and Touch for Health. She earned a B.S. degree in Mathematics from Framingham State College, MA.

After a degree and career in mathematics and actuarial sciences, Sommermann came to massage therapy in 1992. She had always been an avid athlete, having participated in Track and Field from the age of 14. After almost 30 years, she still remains an avid runner. At the age of 40, she found a new passion when she joined a Triathlon competition. In 2005 she placed 128^th out of 3,597 women in the Danskin Triathlon in Seattle, Washington.