Our Team
Meet the team of therapists from Richmond Sports Massage. Check out our background and experience serving the Richmond community and book with us today.
Lela White
Founder/ Licensed Massage Therapist
Lela White has been practicing massage therapy for over 20 years. Her career began in the sports medicine sector working under the guidance of physical therapists to provide clinical soft tissue mobilization for patients.
In 2009 she earned a degree in Exercise Science from VCU. She then went on to teach Kinesiology at the University of Richmond for several years before moving on to teach massage therapy at the Lotus Professional College.
Lela receives massage therapy on a regular basis from her apprentice Timmerie Woodland as part of her maintenance routine for scoliosis. She understands on a personal level how integral massage is to staying mobile and achieving a healthy lifestyle.
Due to her experience she is particularly adept at working with clients that have scoliosis, chronic orthopedic conditions or people that are in physical therapy. Her pressure is moderate to firm and she enjoys doing very specific work.
Lela believes massage therapy is excellent complimentary care to traditional allopathic medicine. Her practice is trusted by an extensive network of physical therapists, doctors, and athletic clubs throughout Richmond.
Timmerie Woodland
Licensed Massage Therapist
Timmerie has been a Licensed massage therapist since 2016. Her career started near Fort Lee where the majority of her clientele were military, bodybuilders and athletes. She adjusted her technique to the needs of her client base by developing her strength and learning advanced techniques.
Over the years her practice has specifically focused on deep tissue sports massage. She is very strong, uses firm to extra firm pressure and incorporates stretching into her sessions.
Timmerie is excellent at knocking out knots primarily in the neck, shoulders, lower back and legs. Her sessions are intense and not for the faint of heart. She excels at helping her clients achieve mobility and looks forward to helping you too!
Rasheeda Clanton
Licensed Massage Therapist
Rasheeda has been practicing massage therapy for eleven years. In 2013 she graduated from Virginia College with an Associates Degree in Massage Therapy. While there she was taught by Lela White, the founder of Richmond Sports Massage, and is thrilled to be rejoining her teacher in practice.
Specializing in deep tissue massage, she effectively addresses chronic pain and muscle tension. Known for her personalized approach, she tailors her techniques to meet each client’s unique needs, targeting knots and tight areas.She utilizes firm pressure but can work within her client’s pain tolerance to achieve the best possible outcomes for their treatment sessions.
Committed to continuous education, Rasheeda stays updated on the latest massage techniques and integrates various modalities into her practice. Her warm demeanor creates a calming atmosphere, making clients feel at ease. Rasheeda is passionate about helping others achieve a healthy lifestyle and feel empowered on their path to wellness.
Shaun Cowles
Licensed Massage Therapist
Shaun Cowles holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Exercise Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and an Associates Degree in Massage Therapy from Brightpoint Community College. His college internship was with VCU’s Sports Medicine Clinic leading him to focus his career on mastering the clinical modalities.
He is particularly adept at Sports and Deep Tissue Massage. During his sessions he utilizes moderate to firm pressure and tailors the treatment session to his clients individual needs. He uses a host of tools to help him achieve his clients objectives including heated graston tools, hydrocollator hot packs, silicone medical massage cups and cryo cups. In his off time he enjoys resistance training and spending time with his family.
Molly Rae Pearl
Licensed Massage Therapist
Molly Rae Pearl has been practicing Thai massage since 2015. She was taught by Jack Chaiya in Chiang Mai, Thailand and has studied with Damion Bond of Woven Body Healing Arts. She is a Licensed Massage Therapist and a graduate of the Lotus Professional College.
Molly Rae has a background in ballet and modern dance, and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Dance from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2014. She enjoys working with dancers, athletes, and all types of movers in her massage work. She can also be found practicing and teaching partner acrobatics and Zouk, a partner dance.
Aleea O'Neill
Licensed Massage Therapist
Aleea holds a Bachelors in Kinesiology and Health Science from West Chester University, Pennsylvania. She taught Health and Physical Education in Loudoun County, Virginia for the past 14 years before deciding to switch careers and become a massage therapist. Aleea was trained by Kristin Gaulin at the Lotus Professional college and graduated in 2023.
As a therapist, she excels at integrating modalities such as Sports Massage, Neuromuscular Massage Therapy, and Trigger Point into her sessions. She also utilizes passive and active stretching as well as hot stones when called for to meet her clients objectives for their treatment. Aleea can provide a soft or firm pressure massage while using her strong knowledge of kinesiology and anatomy to assess fascia and muscles.
Aleea is dedicated to helping her clients improve their overall health and wellbeing through therapeutic massage. She is very excited to join the team at Richmond Sport Massage, this has been her goal since deciding to attend massage school!
