The Aspa Board is comprised of eight Directors, nominated and elected by their peers. They generously volunteer their time and freely share their knowledge as they oversee the management of the Australasian Spa Association Limited
Executive Committee President – Rebecca Arcuri
Vice President – Charles Davidson
Treasurer – Paul Farrow
Board Members & Portfolios
Tourism - Charles Davidson
Membership Services - Paul Massa
Education – Kelly Penney Governance and Affiliations - Donna Meredith
A new face on the ASpa board Rebecca Arcuri has worked in both Sales and Marketing and Operational Management in the hospitality and Leisure industry for over 10 years. Designing and developing leisure products and services in 5 star environments like Sanctuary Cover Resort in Queensland and the RACV Club in Victoria ensures Rebecca has a strong foundation in developing growth strategies and a practical approach to operational management.
Rebecca is the Lifestyle and Wellbeing Manager of RACV City Club and works across the Club's lifestyle areas of Fitness Centre, Day Spa and Library.
Working on the design, development and opening of 3 leisure facilities and planning several others Rebecca's understanding of spa operators and their guests needs is broad. With the professional development and education portfolio Rebecca is looking forward to establishing some useful tools to assist Aspa members in the growth and advancement of spa and its people.
Charles Davidson is Founder, Director and Co-owner of the Peninsula Hot Springs, Australia’s first commercial, natural hot mineral spring bathing facility locate 90 minutes drive south of Melbourne. He is also a Board Member and Vice President of Mornington Peninsula Tourism, Founding President of the Mornington Peninsula Spa Association, and a Board Member of the Australian Spa Association responsible for the administration of the ‘International Relationships’ and ‘Tourism’ portfolios.
Charles received his bachelor of Commerce from Melbourne University in 1987, an Associate Diploma of International Trade from RMIT in 1990 and has studied German at the Goethe Institute in Germany, Spanish at the Salamanca University in Spain and Japanese at the Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuen in Japan. He spent 11 years in corporate life in international trade of food products including a total of five years at Mitsubishi Corporation and the Australian Embassy in Tokyo. He is currently engaged in ongoing studies through the Master of Wellness course offered online by RMIT University.
In 1992 Charles was awarded a one year Australian Federal Government Asia Pacific Fellowship. While on the Fellowship in Japan he was taken to the Hot Springs town of Kusatsu. Laying back in an open-air hot mineral spring pool, while winter snow covered the ground, he had a dream to spend his life helping people connect with each other and the environment through bathing. Since that time he has been on a global learning journey exploring bathing related health and wellbeing experiences that has so far taken him to 17 countries. Charles lives on the Mornington Peninsula with his wife, Yuki and four children, Kai, Daniel, Chika and Chiara.
Paul Farrow, Aspa’s only New Zealand board representative, has recently joined the Volunteer Board of Directors. He has been involved in the Spa, Massage and Skin Care industry for the past 20 years. He is currently the Director of Natures Touch Spa at Mecure Grand Puka Park Resort, Pauanui and Inbalance Spa at Novotel, Rotorua.
With experience as a New Zealand representative athlete Paul’s career began with formal training in massage before progressing to skin care college then establishing two day Spa’s in downtown Auckland. He continues to work with athletes and sports teams today still assisting the US based ATP with the Heineken Tennis Open in Auckland in January each year.
Paul brings his experience to the Aspa Board in Spa start up and management while balancing this with the need to continually develop and train staff. He has a passion for the industry and would like to offer as much support to the New Zealand Spa industry as possible.
+64 21754622 (New Zealand)
Director International Relations & Sponsorship Kris Abbey
Kris is a health and wellness advocate, having worked within the health and wellness industry for the past 25 years. Combine this with travel and spa and she is in heaven (or the Maldives or Bangkok or wherever a good spa beckons). She is part-owner of Red Thread Communications Pty Ltd, a boutique communication agency specialising in quality health, beauty and wellness content across all mediums (Print, online, mobile etc). Along with Better Health, she owns and publishes Spa Life magazine, Australasia's only consumer magazine that focuses on the booming Spa and wellness industry.
She has also authored several books including, Going Organic: Your Guide to a Healthier Life (New Holland) and published Beat Menopause Naturally by Maryon Stewart, which is sold in the UK, US, South Afica and Australia. She edited and ‘Australianised’ the New York bestselling title, Take the Pressure Off Your Heart: 8 Weeks to Lower Blood Pressure Without Prescription Drugs by Robert Kowalski (New Holland) and, most recently, edited and designed a book by a collaboration of Australia's leading health experts, Fast Living, Slow Ageing (Media Moguls).
Always keen to try all on offer, she doesn’t let a coffee colonic get in the way of the complete spa experience. Kris lives on Sydney’s northern beaches with her husband, three kids and dog… and ready to retreat to a spa at a moments notice!
Kris Abbey’s Specialties:
Health media including writing, editing, design and publishing - print and online.
Since co-founding Keystone in 1997 Donna and her team have designed and managed strategic brand, marketing, and cultural change projects for more than 100 organisations both within Australia and overseas, and also provided specialist consultancy services to airlines and tourism organisations nationally and internationally on aviation, digital and distribution issues.
Prior to Keystone she was with Qantas where her last role was as Group Brands Manager/Manager International Product. Her responsibilities included complete re-imaging of the merged airline (new aircraft interiors, lounges, airports and print material) and ongoing responsibility for all aspects of the Qantas brand and the design and delivery of the international product (on the ground and in the air).
Kris 