About Pacific Spa Alliance
Our Story
From Wildfires to Wellness: The Rise of the Pacific Spa Alliance.
In 2019, a group of spa directors in Sonoma County came together to discuss recovery efforts after devastating wildfires hit the region. Little did they know that their conversations would soon need to address an even greater challenge: the COVID-19 pandemic.
As tourism declined, collaboration became essential. This led to the formation of the Northern California Spa Professionals Alliance, or NorCal SPA. Starting with 30 dedicated spa and resource professionals, including co-founder Karen Ray and member Kimberly DiVico, the Alliance focused on sharing resources and building connections. One of their key achievements was creating a comprehensive blueprint to help spas navigate the pandemic's challenges.
Fast forward four years, the alliance has grown to 80 members, inspiring us to form the Pacific Spa Alliance (PSA), which now includes California, Oregon, Washington, and Mexico.
The journey from NorCal SPA to Pacific Spa Alliance showcases the power of community and collaboration in overcoming adversity. It’s a reminder that even in tough times, we can achieve remarkable things together.
Pacific Spa Alliance supports spa and wellness professionals by:
Building Community
We foster collaboration among passionate professionals, encouraging the sharing of insights and experiences.
Facilitating Networking
Our Annual Tradeshow and Networking Event connects members with brand partners, creating new business opportunities and meaningful relationships.
Offering Education
We provide expert-led workshops on wellness trends and best practices, helping our members stay ahead.
The Pacific Spa Alliance Team
Karen Ray
Karen is a co-founder of NorCal SPA Alliance, the volunteer organization that preceded Pacific Spa Alliance. During her four years of dedicated leadership, she built a network of spa professionals encouraging collaboration, resource sharing, and innovative solutions to strengthen the spa community.
With over 25 years of international spa and business expertise, Karen has made significant contributions to luxury resorts and day spas across the USA, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Career highlights include directing award-winning spas at Auberge Resorts in Napa Valley, reopening Spa Botanico at Ritz Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico, and launching spas at the Equinox Hotel in Manhattan and Kohanaiki in Hawaii.
Her consultancy, Karen Ray Consulting, specializes in pre-opening services, facility planning, staff training and audits, operational and financial support, spa menu development, and retail buying. Known for delivering revenue-driven results and operational efficiency, Karen has earned an exceptional reputation in the industry.
Karen is passionate about building community and cultivating relationships to encourage a sense of belonging. She is dedicated to personal wellness, professional development, and lifelong learning.
Kimberly DiVico
Kimberly DiVico is a Spa and Wellness Consultant with 18 years of experience in luxury hospitality and spa leadership. Before entering the wellness industry, she spent a decade working in marketing, sales and advertising with San Francisco Bay Area technology firms. Seeking a more meaningful connection to her work, Kimberly transitioned to the healing arts, becoming a certified massage therapist and energy worker before moving into spa operations and leadership.
Throughout her career, Kimberly has led Forbes Four- and Five-Star spas within luxury resorts and boutique hotels, including Auberge du Soleil and MoonAcre Spa. Today, through Kimberly DiVico Consulting, she partners with spas, wellness businesses and hospitality organizations on operations, pre-opening strategy, leadership development, team structure and the systems that support both exceptional guest experiences and strong business performance.
She is passionate about bringing spa and wellness professionals together to share resources, build meaningful relationships and strengthen the industry across the Pacific region.
Based in Napa Valley, Kimberly embraces wellness as a lifestyle rooted in self-care, movement and holistic well-being, while still appreciating life’s simple pleasures, including great food, good wine and time with family and friends.