Industry figure Ella Kent has been appointed director of spa and wellness at Sea Island – a Forbes Five-Star coastal resort in Georgia, US.

Kent has taken on the role at The Spa at Sea Island following a nine-year tenure with the resort where she has served as the resort's director of rooms since 2019. From 2014 to 2019, she held the role of spa, fitness and tennis director.

In her new position, Kent is responsible for directing all aspects of the luxury destination’s spa, salon, fitness, racquet sports and athletics departments. This also includes leading treatment and programming development and overseeing the resort’s team of therapists, trainers and professionals.

Before joining Sea Island, Kent was the executive director of spa at Wynn and Encore Las Vegas from 2009 to 2013.

Between 2000 and 2009, Kent started her career at The Broadmoor in Colorado – a sister property of Sea Island – where she started out as a certified personal trainer and progressed to spa director.

For many years, Kent has served as a volunteer and mentor in the spa community. This has included eight years on the Board of Directors for the International Spa Association (ISPA), one year as treasurer, two as chair and three as immediate past chair.

Kent continues to serve on the ISPA Nominations Committee and was the 2020 recipient of the prganisation's ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award.

“Ella is extremely well versed in the world of wellbeing, and with her strong industry knowledge and extensive background, we’re confident she will lead the spa, fitness and wellbeing programme at Sea Island into its invigorating next chapter,” said Vijay Singh, MD of Sea Island.

“We’re excited to see The Spa at Sea Island shine with a renewed focus on efficacious treatments, active ageing, recovery and athletics as well as an expanded focus on the wellbeing of our team members as well as our members and guests.”

The Spa at Sea Island covers 65,000sq ft and is designed to "capture the very essence of nature". Facilities include cascading waterfall showers, mineral pool baths, a grass labyrinth and a sun-filled garden atrium.