Women In Wellness: Hilton’s Jessica Shea On Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Wanda Malhotra

Your career is a progression that ebbs, flows and evolves over time. There is not one track to the top, but rather sideroads and scenic paths that will get you where you want to be.

Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Shea.

Jessica Shea, Hilton’s vice president of wellness, retail and leisure operations is a globally recognized thought leader in the wellness and hospitality industry with over 20 years of experience developing and leading hotels and spas. Shea leads the spa and wellness, retail, recreation and membership strategy, operations and development for the Americas. Previously, she served as Hilton’s director of global brand spa, supporting the development of Hilton’s wellness strategy across its portfolio of brands globally.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

My stepfather was a hairdresser, so while I was growing up I spent a lot of time in a salon answering phones, scheduling appointments, sweeping hair. What struck me there at an early age was the transformative power that self-care can have. I would see people, mostly women, come into the salon seemingly worn down by their busy day, their busy lives. After spending time in the salon chair, chatting with their stylist, feeling cared for and just having some “me” time — they left visibly lighter, happier and smiling. My hope has since been that these experiences help us to be at our best, so that we can go back out into the world spreading more light and kindness to others.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

I spent several years in Thailand as a Spa Director and Rooms Director in some prominent hotels. It was always busy, never without excitement and new challenges. Specifically, the city of Bangkok is one that many visitors think of as chaotic, polluted and complicated. My experience living there was exactly the opposite — calm, peaceful, nurturing — due entirely to the culture and the people. Being a 97% Buddhist country, Thai people embody wellness through their belief system and priorities of family, spirituality, community and great food; and it is infectious. It was a great lesson to me that wellness isn’t always about what you do, but about who you are- and how to remain warm, calm and kind amidst the unpredictable circumstances that life throws at us.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

As a young manager, I had an incredible drive to prove myself and show that I was able to excel in business beyond my years of experience. I was hyper-focused on financial performance and guest experience, at times to the detriment of my team’s needs. I would put owner and customers first, without yet understanding that meeting the needs of my team and being an inclusive leader is actually what drives a successful business. Over the years I have worked hard on becoming the right kind of leader, who supports my team to shine: delivering exceptional experiences for our guests and ultimately high returns for our owners.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

Findings from our recent survey with Ipsos for the 2024 Hilton Trends Report revealed the increasing importance of personal well-being for travelers. In fact, the main reason people are traveling in 2024 is to successfully carve out time to relax and recharge.

Due to these findings, I am working with our properties to ensure we are playing a significant role in this universal initiative to help travelers prioritize themselves while on vacation.

We believe that wellness extends far beyond facials and massages. Hundreds of Hilton Hotels are offering an exciting variety of dedicated wellness programs such as cultural immersion workshops, the latest in nutritious dining options, technologically advanced fitness facilities, healing rituals and more. These not only enhance the overall guest experience, but also promote a healthier lifestyle for all individuals who interact with the Hilton brand.

For example, the new Conrad Orlando offers the latest in advanced sound healing technology that activates the healing responses of the central nervous system, balances neurotransmitters and promotes a deep state of relaxation. In Hawaii, the just-opened Kilolani Spa at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort worked alongside its cultural director and local Maui native to infuse traditional Hawaiian elements such as harmonic sound therapy focused on historic Hawaiian chanting. The wellness center is also home to Maui’s first-ever biostation for science-driven treatments of age-related diseases.

Overall, Hilton aims to be an impactful leader in the larger conversation surrounding well-being in the travel industry and beyond.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. Focusing on getting affective rest and restorative sleep every night also means prioritizing this while traveling, not just when you’re at home. Look for hotels that truly show they’re aligned with this priority by sourcing the best sleep-aiding products, leading mattress technologies and thoughtful in-room amenities that promote relaxation. At Hilton, our report findings showed the importance of sleep tourism and has since led us to exceed in this space through our new partnership with sleep science expert Dr. Rebecca Robbins. Helping our guests get the very best sleep possible, this partnership includes the launch of new Sleep Retreats at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, with the exciting potential to expand to additional markets in the coming months. Guests are able to engage in a series of Dr. Robbins-led activities, discussions, strategies and meditations that delve deep into the science of achieving restorative sleep. Examples of other immersive sleep programs include Power Down amenities within our newest lifestyle brand, Tempo by Hilton, and wellness rooms at Signia by Hilton Atlanta outfitted with air purifiers, aromatherapy infusions, a SleepHub and more.
2. Look for wellness beyond the spa, especially outdoors and surrounded by nature. Utilize community activities such as sunset yoga classes, cooking workshops, rooftop happy hours, dance classes and group hikes. These kinds of activities focus on mind, body and soul care while providing the mental health boost that comes from social connection. At Hilton Barbados Resort for example, the yoga class is held at the historic Charles Fort. This one-of-a-kind oceanfront setting is located onsite and is part of the island’s sole UNESCO World Heritage Site — Bridgetown and its Garrison.
3. Even on your busiest days, try to find mini wellness moments. To incorporate this into your schedule consistently, these should only take up a short amount of time. Think: 5-minute sound healing videos, guided mindfulness exercises in-between meetings, sitting back for 10 minutes while compression boots work their magic, or sipping on a wellness beverage of elixirs and adaptogens. These small doses of wellness are a realistic way of prioritizing self-care each day within our fast-paced lives.
4. Consciously choose a gratitude or similar practice, with self-awareness and self- acceptance that serves to nurture ourselves and others. Gratitude practices can have different meanings for different people, and I recently learned a little trick that works for me — when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do (before grabbing my phone) is: #1. Think of the things I want to let go of from the previous day, which are replaced by #2. things I want to focus on today, followed by # 3. Thinking of all the things that I “get to do” vs. “have to do” in the day ahead. It’s a mental shift from thinking of your day as full of obligations to thinking that it is full of opportunity, which creates a natural sense of gratitude.
5. Due to the surge of wellness wearables, we now have access to physiological data and bio-hacking technologies. These re-direct our lifestyle choices and effectively change how we eat, breathe, move and sleep today in order to feel, live and perform “better” tomorrow. This information is such a gift — an opportunity to advocate longevity for your future self. However, the options can be overwhelming and the expectations extraordinary. I think it’s really important to evaluate our current state of well-being with compassion. It’s a fine balance of living a not-too-hard-on-yourself life today, while creating a roadmap for a healthy tomorrow.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

From a global perspective, wellness starts with the basics of good health and the many great organizations supporting access to clean water for communities around the world is paramount.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Your career is a progression that ebbs, flows and evolves over time. There is not one track to the top, but rather sideroads and scenic paths that will get you where you want to be.
2. You don’t have to have all the answers. Listen to all the voices in the room.
3. Success has many different definitions. It must be personally and clearly defined through a variety of holistic choices in order to be achieved.
4. Trust your instincts, but voice them strategically.
5. Lean on the talents of the people around you. Collaborate, communicate and bring others along for the ride.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Over the last few years, it’s been incredible to see the heightened focus and shift in honest conversations around supporting mental health. Mental health drives overall well-being and for so long has been overlooked, hidden and even looked upon as shameful. Talking about mental health openly, normalizing therapy and the myriad of available support tools that have come about in the past few years (digital and otherwise) is a very encouraging step forward.

What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

Readers can stay up to date with the amazing work we are doing at Hilton by following along on our LinkedIn page as well as on Instagram at @Hilton.

Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.

About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.