SPEAKERS & PRESENTERS
Bev Maloney-Fischback
Founder & CEO
Wellness Media Company/Organic Spa Media
Bev Maloney-Fischback is the Founder and CEO of Wellness Media Company, parent company to Organic Spa Media, Wellness Travel University, and Wellness Travel Advisors. A global citizen of the world, with living experiences in Asia, Africa and Canada, Bev brings a unique perspective into the core message of wellness living. With over 35 years in the media and wellness industries, and tenures at esteemed media outlets like The New Yorker, Vogue, Gourmet, The Washington Post among others, Bev is recognized as an astute media and wellness lifestyle entrepreneur.
Lisa Loverro
Editor in Chief
Organic Spa Media
Lisa serves as the Editor in Chief of Organic Spa Media. She has an extensive career in publishing, most recently at W magazine where she served as managing editor. Previously, Lisa has helped direct the content strategy of numerous publications, including Shape and Health magazines. In addition to her experience with national lifestyle magazines, Lisa has explored six of the seven continents as a luxury travel journalist penning columns on Forbes and Jetsetter, and launching the U.S. edition of Family Traveller.
Moderator: Combining Technology & Ancient Healing Practices
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Joy Bauer
Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyle Expert
TODAY Show
Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN, is one of the nation’s leading health experts. She is the nutrition and healthy lifestyle expert for the TODAY show and the host of NBC’s Health + Happiness. Additionally, she has her own Amazon Live show, Health, Happiness, Joy, where she cooks up delectable creations, answers viewers’ questions, and shares her favorite products. A #1 New York Times bestselling author of 14 books, Joy has been the nutritionist for the New York City Ballet for over a decade and runs JoyBauer.com, a popular online destination for cutting-edge health information and thousands of delicious recipes. She also hosts the webinar series “Dietitian to Dietitian.”
Keynote: Wellness in My Words
Dr. Mike Roizen
Chief Wellness Officer
Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Roizen initiated and developed the RealAge concept to motivate behavior change. He has served as Cleveland Clinic’s first Chief Wellness Officer from 2007 to 2019, and founding Chair of its Wellness Institute. The Clinic’s Wellness Programs helped the clinic not spend over 1.050 billion dollars for its 101,000 employees and dependents over 11 years compared with national averages, and help over 43.6% of participants achieve 6+2 normals® for health.
Keynote: The Great Age Reboot
Deborah Szekely
Founder/Co-Founder
Golden Door/Rancho La Puerta
Deborah Szekely, San Diego's beacon of vitality, embodies the essence of a "Blue Zone" centenarian as she embraces her 102nd birthday this Spring. Hailing from the streets of Brooklyn, her family embarked on a transformative journey to the shores of Tahiti for a healthier lifestyle. This formative experience laid the cornerstone for her lifelong dedication to holistic health and well-being, and in 1940 she became the co-founder of a primitive "fitness camp" in Baja California, Mexico, which we now know as Rancho La Puerta.
Keynote: This is What 100 Looks Like
Moderators
Michela O'Connor Abrams
Founder & CEO
MOCA+
Founder of MOCA+, an advisory practice focused on building brands through the lens of design. Formerly the CEO of Dwell Inc. – the modern design media brand she built from a small startup magazine to a global media brand on six platforms and a community of 2 million design trade professionals and design-centric consumers. Known for her innate ability to create world-class teams, Michela has won awards for her leadership from McGraw-Hill (Executive Leader of the Year), EWIPP (Exceptional Woman of the Year in Publishing), Folio (Sales Leader of the Year).
Moderator: Wellness Real Estate & Communities
Laura Begley Bloom
Founder
Begley Bloom Media
Laura Begley Bloom is the founder of Begley Bloom Media, a content-strategy agency that works with media, travel, and luxury lifestyle brands to create powerful storytelling. Media clients include Tripadvisor and Forbes (where she is a senior contributor), while corporate clients have included The Related Companies, Four Seasons, and Holland America. Laura also appears regularly on television as an expert guest and has spoken at conferences hosted by The New York Times, Harvard Business School, and more. Before launching Begley Bloom Media, Laura was the editor-in-chief of Yahoo Travel and the deputy editor of Travel + Leisure. Journalism is part of Laura’s heritage: Her great great grandfather was a Civil War correspondent for the Chicago Tribune.
Moderator: Trends in Wellness & Sustainable Travel
Lambeth Hochwald
Contributing Editor
Organic Spa Media
Lambeth Hochwald is a New York City-based journalist who focuses on health, relationships and issues of importance to women. She's an active practitioner of #compassionatejournalism and reports stories through an empathetic lens.
Moderator: Adventure & Experiential Travel
Pam O'Brien
Writer & Editor
O Quarterly, Shape, Fitness, & Health Magazines
Pam O’Brien is a writer and editor specializing in wellness, food, lifestyle, and travel. Her work has been featured in O Quarterly, Shape, Fitness, and Health magazines among others. She is an expert on wellness topics and has appeared on national TV programs, including TODAY and Good Morning America.
Moderator: The Science of Balance & Self-Care
Liz Vaccariello
Editor in Chief
First for Women & Woman's World
Liz Vaccariello has spent a 30+-year magazine career inspiring women to be healthier and happier. She’s been Editor in Chief of Real Simple, People, Parents, and Reader’s Digest. As Editor in Chief of Prevention, she co-authored the #1 New York Times bestselling Flat Belly Diet! She is a highly sought-after speaker, host, and moderator on subjects like women’s health and wellness, parenting teens, Gen X pop culture, and home and beauty trends.
Moderator: Menopause & The Microbiome
Jennifer Walsh
Acclaimed Entrepreneur, Speaker, Author & Media Figure
Jennifer Walsh is an acclaimed entrepreneur, speaker, author, and media figure who has spent over 25 years working at the intersection of wellness, retail, nature, and neuroscience to help people flourish.
She pioneered America’s first experiential retail brand, Beauty Bar, in the 1990s, integrating biophilic wisdom long before mainstream and the very first omni channel beauty brand in the US. Her trailblazing brand earned her regard as a “Beauty Futurist”. After the sale, Jennifer went on to create 2 more CPG brands before launching Walk with Walsh in 2016. That same year she created her Wellness Walks to get more people outdoors and to educate on the health benefits of time spent outside. Jennifer guides organizations globally on biophilic design and nature based solutions. She has helped brands in the US and abroad create holistic/biophilic brick and mortar locations and programs.
Moderator: Conversation Around Clean Beauty
Panelists
Bija Bennett
Author, Speaker & Founder
BijaB
Bija Bennett is an internationally respected author, speaker and wellness activist who conveys the tenets of mind-body health in remarkably accessible and engaging ways. A translator of ancient wisdom and modern science, Bennett has written four acclaimed books and publishes regularly in Rolling Stone and AGEIST magazines.
Panelist: The Science of Balance & Self-Care
Anne Biging
CEO
Healing Hotels of The World
Anne Biging is the visionary and CEO of Healing Hotels of the World, a unique hospitality brand that features the most exclusive and authentic hotels and resorts in the field of holistic healing, enabling guests to find their way back to the true values of life and to live from their hearts. Pioneering social change and human development, she is also a co-founder of the HEALING SUMMIT, an annual conference for likeminded individuals to collaborate, raise awareness and inspire change for the better.
Panelist: Adventure & Experiential Travel
Julia Brodska
Author, Regression Hypnotherapist & Founder
Best Life-ing
Julia Brodska is an international best selling author, hypnotherapist and the visionary behind Best Life-ing, a holistic wellness company who specialize in on-demand private health retreats and wellness experiences. Her mission is to empower individuals to embrace their authenticity and purpose, creating a life of fulfillment and abundance.
Panelist: Combining Technology & Ancient Healing Practices
Michele Chala
VP of Revenue Operations
THE WELL
Michele Chala is the Vice Preseident of Revenue Operations for THE WELL - your one-stop shop for wellness. Prior to THE WELL, she founded Soul Scoop Wellness, offering pre and postnatal executive coaching to women navigating their successful careers and motherhood. Michele has spent her career across Operations, Sales and Business Development, developing highly effective teams, scaling revenue growth, optimizing selling processes and growing both B2B and B2C relationships.
Panelist: Wellness Real Estate & Communities
Darryl Do
Perfumer
Delbia Do Company
Darryl Do is a Senior Perfumer at Delbia Do Fragrances and Flavors, located in the Bronx since 1968, He is a second-generation perfumer, training under his father, Dennis Do who was a perfumer and flavorist as well as the founder of the company.Darryl is on the Board of The American Society of Perfumers and the World Taste and Smell Association. He is also an Editorial Advisor to Perfumer and Flavorist magazine.Darryl also speaks globally on Regulatory for the Perfume/Cosmetics industry.
Panelist: Conversation Around Clean Beauty
Susie Ellis
CEO & Chair
Global Wellness Institute
Susie is a leader in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy. A wellness research advocate, trends expert, and pioneer, Susie is chair and CEO of the nonprofit Global Wellness Institute, the industry’s leading global research and educational resource, and the Global Wellness Summit, an organization at the heart of the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy.
Panelist: Wellness Real Estate & Communities
Guy Heywood
Senior Vice President Operations
Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Guy Heywood is Senior Vice President Operations for Raffles Hotel & Resorts based in New York City. Guy oversees Accor’s portfolio of Raffles properties globally and plays a critical role in powering the continued growth and development of the Raffles brand by driving operational performance and excellence, cultivating strong relationships, and building long-term value for owners.
Panelist: Trends in Wellness & Sustainable Travel
Sara Jensen
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Hugh & Grace
Sara and her husband Ben founded Hugh & Grace after their 14-year struggle with unexplained infertility, where they learned the importance of hormone health. Incredibly, two of their sisters volunteered to be their surrogates and they named their brand after their miracle children. Hugh & Grace creates products, content and community that helps promote hormone health.
Panelist: The Science of Balance & Self-Care
Robin Kuehne
Founder
NEO Science
Robin Kuehne has spearheaded the introduction of cutting-edge technologies to the US for over 15 years. A pioneer in cryotherapy since 2008, he consistently focuses on innovating equipment for business owners and health enthusiasts. NEO Science, his latest company, offers a suite of devices focused on cold and light therapy.
Panelist: Combining Technology & Ancient Healing Practices
James Law
CEO & Co-Founder
BioCharger
Jim has been a managing Advanced Biotechnologies, LLC member since co-founding the firm in 2013. Jim’s entrepreneurial track record includes founding/co-founding two prior start-ups implementing innovative and disruptive technology-based solutions.
Panelist: Combining Technology & Ancient Healing Practices
Charles Lerebours
Executive Director of Sales
JK Products & Services
Charles Lerebours, Executive Director of Sales for JK America, has 15 years of experience in Sales, Operations, and International Business Development. In 2019 he is entering the wellness industry developing expertise in Wellness equipment and Touchless services. Charles is passionate about helping companies and business partners achieve their full potential.
Panelist: Combining Technology & Ancient Healing Practices
Karen Loftus
Founder
Women's AdventureTravel
Karen Loftus is a long-time multi-platform creator, writer, producer, sought-after speaker, and luxury travel, lifestyle and adventure writer for over 100+ print and online publications (Forbes, Robb Report, Vogue, Architectural Digest). In 2018, she launched Women's Adventure Travels/WAT, a hub for women-driven content and events, and a travel company where she designs and leads trips for women where they see destinations through a feminine lens. Karen also creates custom trips, and retreats under her Lofty Traveler umbrella for individuals, groups, and companies.
Panelist: Adventure & Experiential Travel
Massimo Lucchesi
Export Area Manager
ICOONE, I-Tech Industries
Mastering the art of global business development isn't just a skill; it's a thrilling challenge that I embrace wholeheartedly. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, I've consistently propelled brands to new heights by strategically expanding their international market shares. My journey in export has been defined by surpassing ambitious goals and witnessing remarkable recoveries, even in the face of adversity, leveraging dynamic partnerships and innovative sales channels to unlock unparalleled growth opportunities.
Panelist: Combining Technology & Ancient Healing Practices
Gemma Marshall
Head of Spa & Digital Marketing
ESPA/THG
With a proven, successful and experienced track record with ESPA since 2005, Gemma aims to drive ESPA forward to be at the forefront of changing the landscape of the Spa industry, taking both the brand and its partners into the digital world, all while encapsulating ESPA’s true heritage.
Panelist: Menopause & The Microbiome
Kim Marshall
Co-Founder & Host
S'Well The Agency/Global Wellness Conversations Podcast
Kim Marshall is Co-Founder of S’Well The Agency, PR & branding firm specializing in the $5.6 trillion wellness marketplace. An avid traveler, Kim’s experience in the travel and hospitality industries includes working as an Executive Committee member for the launch of two of the most acclaimed resorts in the history of Hawaii, the 1,200 room Hyatt Waikoloa & the 700-room Grand Wailea Resort & Spa. After 10 years of corporate in-house marketing, she founded The Marshall Plan in 1995 and became the first hospitality and lifestyle PR firm to specialize in their growing wellness and spa market.
Panelist: Adventure & Experiential Travel
Roma Maxwell
VP of Sales & Marketing
Rancho La Puerta
Roma Maxwell is VP Marketing and Communications for the life-changing Wellness Resort and Spa, Rancho La Puerta, in Mexico. During her 18+ years, the property has consistently been named as the “World’s Best.” Roma’s passion lies in introducing programs and experiences that make a positive change in the lives of the guests. Recently she played a role in the launch of The Residences at Rancho La Puerta, a wellness residential community. Roma regularly represents The Ranch at industry events. She speaks five languages and enjoys her time running, traveling, and cooking.
Panelist: Trends in Wellness & Sustainable Travel
Rachel McCrory
Regional Director, Spa & Wellness
US, Hilton
Rachael is a pioneering wellness leader with more than 15 years of experience spanning the globe. Her dynamic journey began with Hyatt Hotels managing and developing spas around the world including Hawaii, China, and Japan. Throughout her tenure with the company, Rachael oversaw some of Hyatt’s highest revenue generating spas globally and held expanded roles including Area Spa Director and Regional Wellness Specialist. In 2016, Rachael joined a full-scale global spa and wellness consultancy as the General Manager overseeing the corporate operations and leading projects for various luxury hotel companies and private owners. Rachael joined Hilton in 2018 based out of Grand Wailea on Maui, the largest spa in the portfolio. Rachael successfully managed this 50,000 sq ft operation and has led it’s $60m renovation to Kilolani Spa which opened in Feb 2024. In 2022, Rachael was promoted to Regional Director of Spa & Wellness with Hilton, overseeing spa and wellness openings and operations in the U.S.
Panelist: Trends in Wellness & Sustainable Travel
Amy McDonald
Owner Principal
Under a Tree Health & Wellness Consulting
Amy McDonald, owner of Under a Tree, a 19-year firm, pioneers wellness solutions for multiple verticals in medical, hospitality and real estate. Specializing in turnkey concepts, her team crafts tailored experiences integrating wellness throughout the business to ensure long term relevancy, financial sustainability while maximizing returns for clients worldwide.
Panelist: Wellness Real Estate & Communities
Dr. Casey Means
Author of Good Energy and Co-Founder of Levels Health
Casey Means, MD is a Stanford-trained physician and co-founder of Levels, a health technology company with the mission of reversing the world’s metabolic health crisis. Her book on metabolic health, Good Energy, came out May 14 2024 with Penguin Random House and is already a best-selling book on Amazon. She received her BA with honors and MD from Stanford, was President of her Stanford class, and has served on Stanford faculty. She trained in Head & Neck Surgery before leaving traditional medicine to devote her life to tackling the root cause of why Americans are sick. She has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Women’s Health, and more.
Panelist: Menopause & The Microbiome
Nicole Musco
Director of Product Development
Jane Iredale
Nicole Musco is a seasoned beauty industry expert with 16 years of experience in product development and marketing, having formulated for top brands such as L’Oreal, Avon, and Revlon. Currently, she leads product development for jane iredale: The Skincare Makeup, where she formulates complexion and color cosmetics tailored for spas and aesthetic professionals.
Panelist: Conversation Around Clean Beauty
Tammy Pahel
VP of Spa & Wellness
Carillon Miami Wellness Resort
Tammy Pahel, VP of Spa & Wellness at Carillon Miami, is a distinguished leader in the wellness industry, overseeing operations at numerous spas and resorts. Recognized for innovative strategies, she drives profits through groundbreaking wellness treatments and strategic partnerships. Her extensive experience and visionary leadership position her as a prominent figure in spa and wellness.
Panelist: Combining Technology & Ancient Healing Practices
Ashish Pandya
Author, Speaker, Educator & Founder
Copperwell
Author, Ayurveda wellness expert, Entrepreneur and Educator are few passions that Ashish embodies. Having taught to over 50,000 spa employees across the globe, he is deeply committed to bringing Health and Happiness to spa teams through his signature Healing the Healers program. Ashish founded Copperwell along with his wife to enhance morning self care rituals through Hydration and Meditation.
Panelist: The Science of Balance & Self-Care
Manon Pilon
Director of Research & Development, Author
Derme & Co
Manon Pilon is a highly acclaimed author, speaker, and international educator with over 38 years of experience in the medical spa industry. She is a recognized expert, medical spa owner and operator, and has held prestigious roles in R&D and education for leading skincare brands.
Panelist: Conversation Around Clean Beauty and Menopause & The Microbiome
Alysia Reiner
Actress, Activist, and Meditation Junkie
Alysia Reiner is an award winning actress best known for 7 seasons of OITNB & Emmy award winning Ms Marvel. She is als an activist on board of EARTH DAY INITIATIVE, Ambassador for fossil fuel treaty, project dandelion & plastic pollution coalition. She is a meditator, momma & believer in spas & pleasure & joy.
Panelist: The Science of Balance & Self-Care
Annabelle Romero
Business Development Manager
Sunswept Resorts
Annabelle Romero has been in the travel industry for over 10 years with experience in strategic business development for luxury resorts and spas throughout the Caribbean. With a passion for wellness and travel, Annabelle is dedicated to fostering well-being and growth within the travel community.
Panelist: Trends in Wellness & Sustainable Travel
James. Shillinglaw
Editor in Chief & Co-Founder
Insider Travel Report
James Shillinglaw, CTC, a veteran travel journalist, is editor in chief and co-founder of Insider Travel Report, a daily newsletter and website with news and information for travel advisors and other travel industry professionals going out to more than 126,000 subscribers. He edits and produces content for the newsletter and has produced more than 2,000 video interviews of top travel executives and travel advisors.
Panelist: Adventure & Experiential Travel
Kimberly Snyder
Author, Holistic Wellness Expert & Founder
Solluna
Kimberly Snyder is a multiple-time New York Times bestselling author, holistic wellness expert, speaker, meditation teacher, and entrepreneur. She has authored six books, including Radical Beauty, which she co-authored with Deepak Chopra, and the best-selling Beauty Detox Book series. Additionally, she is the founder of Solluna®, a holistic lifestyle brand in tune with the power of nature, empowering individuals to thrive through its Four Cornerstone Philosophy: Food, Body, Emotional Well-being, and Spiritual Growth.
Panelist: Menopause & The Microbiome
Flora Stubbs
Executive Editor
Travel + Leisure
Flora Stubbs has been a journalist for over 20 years, and a travel editor for over a decade. She started out working on newspapers in London, then spent five years living in Asia: two in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where she worked as a newspaper reporter, and three in Mumbai, where she worked on the launch of Conde Nast Traveller India. She grew up in Devon, England, but now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two children.
Panelist: Adventure & Experiential Travel
Anisha Vinjamuri
Founder & CEO
UMM Skincare
Anisha Vinjamuri is a 3X entrepreneur who transitioned from Tech to wellness with her latest venture, UMMSKINCARE. She is an award-winning leader, a mentor for women at the University of WA's Foster School of Business, and a DEI advocate. Outside of work, she enjoys training her work like German shepherds, practicing Olympic lifting & yoga, writing poetry & exploring wines from all over the world.
Panelist: The Science of Balance & Self-Care
Nora Zelevansky
Lifestyle Writer & Author
ELLE, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal
Nora Zelevansky is a lifestyle writer—with a special affection for beauty and travel—whose work has appeared in The New York Times, ELLE, Town & Country, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Condé Nast Traveler, AFAR, The Daily Beast, Organic Spa and Vanity Fair, among others. She is the author of novels Competitive Grieving, Will You Won’t You Want Me?,Semi-Charmed Life and upcoming contemporary romance, Pick-Up (Gallery Books; 12/24), and co-author of nonfiction book, Roll Red Roll: Rape, Power, and Football in the American Heartland. Nora is also a ghostwriter, editor and writing coach. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two kids and enormous cat, Waldo.
Panelist: Conversation Around Clean Beauty