Deborah Szekely
Founder Rancho La Puerta and the Golden Door
Deborah Szekely is known worldwide as a true pioneer of the mind/body/ fitness movement. In 1940, she and her husband, the late Edmond Szekely (renowned health researcher, philosopher, and author), founded Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico. In 1958, she alone established the world’s premiere spa: the Golden Door, in Escondido, California. Today Deborah, as active as ever at age 88, is Creative Director of both spas and travels frequently throughout the world lecturing on the principals of living the longer, healthier life and advocating health reforms such as anti-obesity programs for school children. In 1991, Deborah founded Eureka Communities, a national leadership training program for CEOs of nonprofit organizations. She served as Eureka’s President through December, 1995, and is currently Chair Emerita. From 1984 to 1990 Mrs. Szekely was President of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent foreign assistance agency of the United States government that furthers grassroots development by awarding grants directly to the organized poor in Latin America, Caribbean, and the groups that support their efforts. As a U.S. diplomat with the IAF, she traveled to virtually all democratic countries in the Southern Hemisphere and authored program innovations that increased cost effectiveness and accountability of U.S. development efforts. Since beginning operations in 1971, the IAF has made nearly 5,000 grants totaling over $650 million. After running for Congress, Mrs. Szekely conceived and launched Setting Course: A Congressional Management Guide. Now in its 11th edition, Setting Course continues as the comprehensive training and reference manual for newly elected Senators, Congress members, and their staffs who are faced with setting up and managing a congressional office. Representing the United States she was co-founder and co-president of the U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (Fulbright Commission). In addition, she served as the U. S.A. Principal Delegate to both UNESCO and the Inter-American Commission on Women (CIM). Current and Recent Board Memberships include Claremont Graduate University; Ford’s Theatre, Washington DC; Center for Science in the Public Interest; Partners for Livable Communities. She is the Honorary Chair of WSPA.
Philippe Bourguignon
Vice Chairman of Revolution Places, Washington, D.C.
and CEO of Miraval, Tuscon, Arizona
Philippe Bourguignon is Vice Chairman of Revolution Places, a company that is creating new and disruptive models for travel and tourism that promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle and establishes a consumer brand that reflects those values. He is also CEO of Miraval, Revolution’s best-rated destination spa in the U.S. The former Co-CEO of the World Economic Forum, he is also the former Chairman and CEO of Club Mediterranee and Euro Disney. Prior to this, Mr. Bourguignon spent 14 years with the Accor group, serving as Vice President, Development, Asia & the Middle East, Executive Vice President, North America, and President, Accor Asia-Pacific. He holds a Masters in Economics, University of Aix-en-Provence, and a Postgraduate diploma in Business Administration, Institut d’Administration des Entreprises, Paris. He is a Board Member of eBay, Zipcar, Informed Judgment (Geneva, Switzerland), and the celebrated Palais de Tokyo, Europe’s largest center for contemporary art in Paris.
Dr. Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP
Owner, Peeke Performance, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Pamela Peeke is an internationally recognized expert, physician, scientist, and author in the fields of nutrition, stress, fitness, and public health. Dr. Peeke was the first physician elected to the ISPA board of directors and during her tenure she facilitated the introduction of spa medicine to professionals in the healing arts, as well as the media. Dr. Peeke serves as Chief Medical Correspondent for Discovery Fit & Health TV, where she is featured on the award winning National Body Challenge series and is the host of Could You Survive? As Chief Lifestyle Expert for WebMD, Dr. Peeke’s multimedia healthy lifestyle program, Everyday Fitness with Dr. Pam Peeke, is followed by over 50 million WebMD members, including viewers of CBS’s Early Morning Show where she serves as WebMD’s expert. Dr. Peeke is the New York Times bestselling author of four books, including Fit to Live and Body for Life for Women. She is a regular in-studio medical commentator for the national networks, contributing editor for national magazines including Fitness, Glamour, and Prevention, and is a member of Oprah’s O Team of medical experts. The American College of Sports Medicine named Dr. Peeke the national spokesperson for their global Exercise IS Medicine campaign. She has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine as one of America’s leading physicians. Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. Peeke also holds dual master’s degrees in public health and public policy. She was the first senior research fellow in the NIH Office of Alternative Medicine, is a Pew Scholar in nutrition and metabolism, and holds the position of Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland. Dr. Peeke is senior advisor to the US Surgeon General with whom she is implementing the Surgeon General Walks for a Healthy and Fit Nation. A triathlete and mountaineer, Dr. Peeke is known as the “doc who walks the talk” and is the founder of the Peeke Performance Center for Healthy Living™.
Jennifer Cabe, M.A.
Executive Director and Board Member, Canyon Ranch Institute
Jennifer has spent over 20 years in positions dedicated to improving community and population health and wellness. She now leads strategic and operations functions as executive director for Canyon Ranch Institute, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Canyon Ranch Institute catalyzes the possibility of optimal health for all people by translating the best practices of Canyon Ranch and our partners to help educate, inspire, and empower every person to prevent disease and choose a life of wellness.
Prior to joining Canyon Ranch Institute in 2007, Jennifer was vice president of scientific communications for Feinstein Kean Healthcare, where she started and led the firms Washington, D.C. office. Jennifer previously served in the Office of the Surgeon General as communications director and speechwriter for Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona. In that capacity, Jennifer was responsible for the development and implementation of health literacy and communication initiatives in partnership with health professionals, advocacy groups, policymakers, community leaders, and the public. Jennifer was awarded the Surgeon General’s Medallion in 2005, which is the highest honor that the U.S. Surgeon General can confer. Jennifer also received the prestigious U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Honor Award for her role in developing the U.S. Surgeon General’s Family History Initiative. In 2006, Jennifer was also awarded the National Institutes of Health Team Merit Award for her work on The Cancer Genome Atlas, a collaboration of the National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute.
Brian Thiel
Consultant
Mr. Thiel is a government relations consultant to Capitoline Consulting, LLC. He has a broad range of expertise in defense, military health care, integrative medicine and medical information technology issues. He has nearly twenty years of federal government relations experience working at both private firms and as a non-profits in-house government relations Vice President.
Mr. Thiel has managed an extensive portfolio of clients, including major defense health care and information integration contractors, small and medium size medical research organizations, academic institutions, and public entities. He has provided a full range of government relations support, including legislative strategy, appropriations and political advocacy. He has been recognized for his creativity in developing federal funding opportunities for organizations he represents, and for innovative strategic teaming to achieve relationships that have flourished in government funding and contacting.
Katrina Frey
Executive Director of Frey Vineyards, Redwood Valley, CA
Katrina Frey apprenticed with Biodynamic/French intensive British horticulturist, Alan Chadwick, in northern California. There she met her husband, Jonathan Frey, and together in 1980 they founded Frey Vineyards, the nation’s first organic winery. Today the winery produces 80,000 cases of award winning additive free wine. Katrina is the Executive Director. She is the president of the board for Demeter U.S., the certifier for Biodynamic® farms. She was the fundraiser for Mendocino County’s successful ban on GMO’s. Katrina has been a featured speaker for organic farm issues at the Natural Products Expo East, the All Things Organic show and the Sustainable Brands conference. She is an avid perennial gardener and beekeeper. You can read her blog about bees at www.freywines.com.
Nora Pouillon
Chef and Owner, Nora’s Restaurant, Washington, D.C.
Nora Pouillon has crusaded for clean food since the early 70s. That’s when she first became aware of conventional farming practices and the use of chemical additives, pesticides and hormones in food. Her goal was to show people that healthy, clean food tastes delicious. The goal blossomed into a campaign for organics, and more sustainable lifestyles. Restaurant Nora opened in 1979 became the nation’s first certified organic restaurant. Her vision has been instrumental in shaping organic certification standards for restaurants nationally.
Nora broke new ground launching the initial framework for the farm-to-table movement that we know today. She was instrumental in establishing the first producer-only Fresh Farm Market in the nation’s capitol. She has campaigned to connect local farms, growers and producers with the urban population.
Nora combined her passion for cooking and teaching by establishing an organic internship program for Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR). WCR hosts five interns every year.
Nora also advocates for cleaner oceans, the preservation of fish populations, and other environmental issues. She actively serves on the boards of many significant environmental organizations; The Amazon Conservation Team, Fresh Farm Markets, Earth Day Network, Wholesome Wave, Sea Web, and the Environmental Film Festival.
Stephen Kiesling
Editor-in-Chief, Spirituality & Health
Stephen Kiesling is Editor-in-Chief of Spirituality & Health, winner of the Folio Gold Award for best magazine in religion and spirituality. He believes the quest for spirituality and for health are ultimately the same. He is the author of four books including the bestselling The Shell Game: Reflections on Rowing and the Pursuit of Excellence, and his writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, and Outside. He was a Scholar of the House in philosophy at Yale, where he was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team and awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement. He is a world champion rower in his age group, and was the oldest competitor at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Rowing Trials. He has been featured on NBC’s Today, All Things Considered, and The New York Times. He lives at Ti’lomikh Falls on the Rogue River in Oregon, the site of the Takelma Sacred Salmon Ceremony.
Jeremy McCarthy
Director of Spa Operations, Starwood Hotels
Jeremy McCarthy has had a lifelong career of pampering guests at luxury resorts in the spa and hospitality industry, including 14 years with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and 3 years opening and operating the new spa at famed La Costa Resort and Spa. Currently, he is the Director of Global Spa Development and Operations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts where he is responsible for the development of spas across Starwood’s many hotel brands around the world.
In addition to overseeing spa operations at Starwood Hotels, McCarthy also sat for several years on the Board of Directors for the International Spa Association. He speaks regularly at spa industry events including ISPA, Leading Spas of Canada, American Spa Expo, and SPATEC, is the author of “Become a Spa Owner,” and writes regularly for both “Pulse” and “Organic Spa Magazine” as well as his own blog on holistic wellness, “The Psychology of Wellbeing” (http://psychologyofwellbeing.com.) He has a Master of Applied Positive Psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania that he applies to his work in spas and luxury resorts. When he is not working, he enjoys surfing and beach volleyball.
Anne Bramham
Founder of the American Spa Therapy & Education Certification Center
A respected industry mentor with more than 25 years of professional experience as a consultant, designer, and trainer of spa therapies, British born Anne Bramham is the founder of ASTECC (American Spa Therapy and Education Certification Council) and an instructor for the Dr. Vodder School of North America. With a focus on the holistic, therapeutic value of spa, the ASTECC curriculum serves as a bridge between the worlds of leisure spa and medical wellness. Widely regarded as the gold standard for post-graduate spa education, the ASTECC curriculum provides training in the disciplines of Hydrotherapy, Soft Tissue, Chemical Elements, and Personal Lifestyle Profiles and has been adopted by top resort spas throughout the U.S., including the prestigious, award-winning Spa Montage properties.
A Dr. Vodder instructor since 1995, Anne has been instrumental in introducing Manual Lymph Drainage to both the U.S. medical and the spa wellness communities. In 1996, she opened one of the first hospital based lymphedema treatment centers in the U.S., and in 2006, she collaborated with the Dr. Vodder School International in developing the now popular Advanced Spa Body program. A frequent speaker at conferences and a regular contributor to trade publications, Anne resides with her family in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Martha Honey
Executive Director, Center for Responsible Travel
Martha Honey, co-founder and Co-Director of CREST, heads the Washington, DC office. She has written and lectured widely on ecotourism, Travelers’ Philanthropy, and certification issues. Her books include Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? (Island Press, 1999 and 2008) and Ecotourism and Certification: Setting Standards in Practice (Island Press, 2002). She worked for 20 years as a journalist based in East Africa and Central America and holds a Ph.D. in African history. She was Executive Director of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) from 2003 to 2006.
Roberto Arjona
General Manager, Rancho La Puerta
Roberto Arjona heads a staff of over 400 at North America’s first “destination spa,” Rancho La Puerta—founded in 1940 in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico. From the beginning, the resort’s mind/body/spirit emphasis has offered an integrated wellness program that includes nutrition, physical activity, spiritual balance, and alternative practices. In 2010, it was recognized as “World’s Best Destination Spa” by the readers of Travel & Leisure magazine.
Prior to Rancho La Puerta, Mr. Arjona has held executive positions at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, California, and The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla, California. Between his time at the Ranch and home he shares with his family, Mr. Arjona is actively involved in the global resort business community. He currently serves as President of Green Spa Network and is active in Global Spa Summit, Destination Spa Group, and CREST (Center for Responsible Travel). His passion for the wellness community has made him a strong advocate for both cultural and environmental programs that support sustainable tourism. He believes strongly that the future success of the global travel industry will be determined by its ability to integrate wellness and unique experiences with social responsibility.
Ted Ning
Executive Director of the LOHAS Forum
“Mr. LOHAS”, whom many affectionately call Ted, has spent the last 8 years being at the epicenter of all things LOHAS. He is uniquely positioned to have a large picture understanding of macro trends affecting the LOHAS market that can indirectly affect how your company conducts business in the future and assess new opportunities. Ted is best known for his work as executive director of the LOHAS Forum and executive editor of the LOHAS Journal. He has worked closely with the executive teams at Jurlique, Primavera, The Green Spa Network, Rancho La Puerta, Chris Blackwell’s Island Outpost, Macy’s and many other wellness and green companies.
Ted has been instrumental in the development of the global LOHAS concept that has spread rapidly throughout the world as an identifier of elevated and deeper connection with planet, people, profit, and healthy living. He is a contributing writer to various national and international business publications and serves on several boards promoting sustainability, education, social entrepreneurship, racial integration, and micro-credit enterprises.
Ted grew up as an outdoor enthusiast in the mountains of Colorado where his family developed a nonprofit that helps impoverished women in Vietnam and Guatemala through micro credit financing and currently has over 5,000 loans in the field. He has been involved in community outreach and nonprofit work from a young age. He has a Master’s degree in adult education and a strong passion for teaching. He has lived overseas in Asia where he assisted in nonprofit work and studied Chinese. He also lived in Japan and was a ski coach during the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. He, his wife and his dog currently reside outside of Boulder Colorado where he walks his talk; he rides his bike to work, is a member of a community supported organic farm where he gets his meals, recycles and composts to reduce their waste, and lives in a green built home powered by solar.
Kitty Yancey
Travel Writer, USA Today
A leisure travel writer and blogger at USA Today, Kitty’s specialties include spas, wellness retreats and luxury hotels. She has been at USA TODAY almost since its start in 1982, but has been traveling to spas since 1978. In her words, “A visit to Sheila Cluff’s former The Palms in Palms Springs transformed my body and my life.” A graduate of Middlebury College, Kitty holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri. In 2009, her former “Hotel Hotsheet” won the Silver Award for Travel Blog from the Society of American Travel Writers
