Career Development: Global Mentorship Program Press Release July 2017

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jean-Guy de Gabriac, Chair Career Development Initiative, [email protected]

THE GLOBAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAM DEVELOPS ON LINE PLATFORM
TO ADDRESS PREDICTED MANAGEMENT SHORTAGES IN THE SPA AND WELLNESS INDUSTRY

BRUSSELS, Belgium (July, 2017) – The Global Mentorship Program (GMP), an initiative of the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), has experienced dramatic growth since its inception in 2014. With the appointment of 9 Global Regional Directors and 46 Country Ambassadors, the GMP is rapidly connecting spa and wellness professionals around the world to address leadership shortages in the spa and wellness industry. Under the direction of Jean-Guy de Gabriac, Chair, Global Mentorship Program, a new online platform has been launched allowing wellness professionals across the globe to connect. “Spas usually have training budgets for receptionists to improve guest experience, cross-selling & rebooking ; and for therapists to enhance their manual skills, but there rarely is any budget to help Managers become better leaders. We strive to bridge that gap, by gathering experienced spa, wellness & hospitality professionals to actively mentor newer leaders, in order to help them become successful, thus generating value for all stakeholders: associates, guests & GM/ownership.” adds Jean Guy de Gabriac.

In response to a 2012 Global Wellness Institute (GWI) research study, authors Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston projected with continued industry growth the global spa and wellness industry would require an estimated 2.8 million persons employed by 2018. And by 2020, the industry would require an additional 400,000 trained spa therapists and over 70,000 experienced spa managers.

According to the International Spa Association (ISPA), recognized worldwide as the professional organization and voice of the spa industry since 1991, hiring qualified employees continues to be a challenge for many of their members globally. Approximately 40% of respondents indicated it was somewhat difficult, and 24% indicated it was very difficult to find and hire a qualified spa manager. This is according to a 2016 Year in Review Snapshot Survey of its members.

“The deficit in qualified leaders poses a significant threat to the future success of our industry- globally” says Kate Mearns, USA Regional Director for the Global Membership Program and past chair of ISPA. “Our initiative is designed to connect, inspire and advance spa, wellness & hospitality professionals to support the needs of our growing industry. Our goal is to engage our experienced managers with newer managers to foster, encourage and support professional growth.”

With a gap between expansive job opportunities and the lack of qualified candidates, researchers Yeung and Johnston recommended the GWI work to increase the management labor pool. De Gabriac saw this as a calling. “As an educator, I am passionate about helping others grow their skills, talents & passion, so they can become the best version of themselves. I am confident that GMP will make a positive impact on our industry. I am truly grateful that so many of the most experienced industry leaders carve out time in their busy schedules to work together and ensure the sustainable growth of our industry.”

Registration for the program is free. For more information visit the following sites:
www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/career-development
www.mentorshipevidence.com

Global Mentorship Program
TASKFORCE 2017 – 2019

CHAIR & Regional Director EUROPE: Jean-Guy de GABRIAC – CEO Tip Touch
TREASURER & Regional Director MIDDLE EAST: Shahida SIDDIQUE – CEO Altearah Bio
Regional Director AFRICA: Emmy STOLTZ – Owner Spa Fusion & board member South African Spa Association
Regional Director AUSTRAL-ASIA: Kent RICHARDS – Corporate Operations Director Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spas
Regional Director CARIBBEAN: Stephanie REST – CEO Founder Caribbean WE
Regional Director CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: Emmanuel ARROYO – Regional Director of Wellness Rosewood Hotel Group
Co- Regional Director INDIA: Naveen BHAVANISHANKAR – Founder & Managing Partner NCI
Co-Regional Director INDIA: Rekha CHAUDHARI – Owner & Managing Director JCKRC
Regional Director USA: Kate MEARNS – Principal Consultant 5 Spa Consulting, ISPA past Chairman

Global Mentorship Program
Country Ambassadors 2017- 2019

AFRICA:

KENYA: Lucy IMISON – Manager at Entim Sidai Wellness Santuary
NAMIBIA: Marinette KRITZINGER – Spa Manager Strand Hotel
SOUTH AFRICA: Dr Nadine de FREITAS – Editor Les Nouvelles Esthétiques /Executive Member South Africa Spa Association
SOUTH AFRICA: Taryn LILLEY – Spa Manager Cape Grace
SOUTH AFRICA: Corli SCHOEMAN – Spa Consultant/Distributor Niche
TUNISIA: Imen LATROUS – Regional Director,Middle East region, Groupe GM Paris

AUSTRAL-ASIA:

AUSTRALIA: Nicolette WIJERS – Wellness enthusiast and Hotel General Manager Six Senses Krabey Island
CHINA (Chengdu): Kelly COATES – Director of spa operations at The Temple House, Swire Hotels
FIJI : Debra SANDRANU – Spa Academy and Rejuvenation Centre
MALAYSIA: Jeanette TAMBAKAU – Co-Founder & Director of Jari Jari Sdn Bhd, President of The Association of Malaysian Spas
NEW ZEALAND: Michael CLARKE – Operations Director – Raison d’Etre Spas Fitness & Special Projects Director – Six Senses Spas
THAILAND: Tara HANRAHAN -Group Spa Director Centara Hotels and Resorts

CARIBBEAN:

ANTIGUA: Lisa M. ABRAHAM, Owner at House of Pamper Unisex Salon & Spa

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA

ARGENTINA: Willie CARBALLO – CEO – Owner at Fine Hotels, Spas & Resorts of The World – LATAM
COLOMBIA: Alejandra MILLAN – General Manager Alejandra Millan Cosmetologia & Spa
MEXICO: Adriana AZUARA – CEO ALL4SPAS SA DE CV

EUROPE

CYPRUS: George TAVELIS – Managing Director Sanctum Spa & Fitness & President Cyprus Spa Association
GERMANY: Angelika BAUR-SCHERMBACH – Owner Founder Day Spa Face & Body & Member of the German Wellness Association
GREECE: Dimitris OREOPOULOS – Owner & General Manager Uniteam Beauty
ITALY: Regis BOUDON-DORIS – Founder & CEO Be a Business Spa, YOU SPA
LATVIA: Alla SOKOLOVA – Founder & Managing Director Inbalans Group
LITHUANIA: Ina TURSIENE – Managing director ISPADO
NETHERLANDS: Annemarie L. WORTMAN – Owner of Consuming Passions – Concept & Project Studio Health|Wellness|Hospitality
POLAND: Arkadiusz DAWIDOWSKI – Owner FORSPA & President European Spa Foundation
ROMANIA: Ioana MARIAN – Founder and CEO of despreSpa.ro and Spa & Wellness Magazine in Romania
RUSSIA: Elena BOGACHEVA – Founder & President Spa & Wellness International Council
SERBIA: Natasa RANITOVIC – Europe Spa Expert & Consultant, President of Clu
ster Wellness Serbia
SPAIN: Cesar TEJEDOR – Founder & CEO Massage Around the World
SWITZERLAND: Larisa MARINICA – Spa Director Fairmont Montreux Palace
UNITED KINGDOM: Helena FIELD – General Manager, UK Spa Association ; Director & Founder Spa Pulse

INDIA:

Geeta MORAR – CEOSVA Spas and Salons
Dr Ranjan KAPOOR – Spa and Wellness Director at Six Senses Resorts and Spas
Alejandro LEO – Spa Director Grand Hyatt Goa
Gurpreet KAUR – Spa Director ITC Hotels Mumbai
Mahima SHARMA – Spa Director JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar
Dr. Harish KALATHI – Spa Director The Park Hotel

MIDDLE EAST

BAHRAIN: Ferdinand TAACA – Spa Manager The Domain Hotels
JORDAN: Andrew BARGE – Spa & Leisure Manager Marriott Hotels
LEBANON: Kamal KHALIL – Director Spa & Recreation Phoenicia Hotel Beirut
PAKISTAN: Mohammad TAYYM – Spa and Health Club Director at Serena Hotels and Resorts Asia
UAE: Maria HAGGO – Chief Wellness Operator, little miss wellness Co-founder, Wellness Inc Middle East

UNITED STATES of AMERICA

NEW ENGLAND: Michelle ADAMS – Spa & Wellness Director, Fourteen The Green, Vermont
NORTH EAST: Ginger McLEAN, Chief Operating Officer Bell Tower Salon Spa, Pennsylvania
NORTH CENTRAL: Cheryl HARTSOUGH – Account Representative The Industry Source
PACIFIC COAST: Terry PRAGER – Director of Spa & Wellness Villagio
SOUTH ATLANTIC: Ann BROWN – Founder Saltability, Boca Raton, Florida
SOUTH CENTRAL: Maggy T DUNPHY – Executive Director Spa & Wellness, Two Roads Hospitality, Texas
SOUTH WEST: Brennan EVANS – VP Trilogy, Phoenix, Arizona
NORTHWEST: Kim COLLIER – Operations & Education, Blu Spas, Inc. Collier Concepts