Member Directory

With more than 15 years of experience across luxury hospitality, wellness, and destination marketing, Kate has helped build leading brands including Kamalaya, The BARAI, REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts, and Marriott Hotels ANZP. Her expertise spans brand strategy, digital marketing, PR, partnerships, and storytelling.

Passionate about elevating the wellness industry, Kate leads ASWELL's media and marketing initiatives, helping grow awareness, engagement, and industry connection across Australasia.

Director of Melrose International, Madonna Melrose, has experienced first-hand most facets of the Beauty and Wellness industries throughout her 40-year career.

Beginning her career as a Makeup and Hair Artist, Madonna was soon drawn into the business of beauty and honed her business acumen and skills by branching out into beauty product importation, exportation, distribution, wholesaling and retailing of some of the finest and most boutique products from around the world. Some of you may very well remember Diego Dalla Palma, the Italian makeup range Madonna introduced into the Australian and New Zealand spa markets. She has also owned three successful retail makeup stores across Melbourne and at one stage developed her own skincare and makeup range.

Madonna is as a freelance writer for both trade and consumer publications and has had her work published in several industry magazines including Professional Beauty, Spa+Clinic & Spa and Wellness Magazine. She also held the position of eNews and Online Editor for Spa Australasia and was the Beauty Editor for Living Now Magazine.

It is this in-depth lived expertise of the Wellness and Beauty business wholistically, that now sees Madonna bringing a sharpened edge to her newfound position within the industry.
Madonna and her team at Melrose International access government grants for Australian business’ and NFP’s to grow and thrive by utilising government funding for their future growth in Australia and overseas expansion.
Specialising in the Research and Development Tax Incentive and the Export Marketing and Development Grant, there are also thousands of additional grants across a variety of business industry and activity that every Australian business should be aware of.

Madonna’s tremendously diverse capabilities will serve you best as she knows what to look for in all areas of your wellness and beauty business to maximise your potential when seeking grant opportunities and lodging grant applications.

“I’ve Sat in your Chair.”
The Spa Side is written for the people shaping the future of spa, wellness and hospitality—owners, operators, executives, investors, consultants, designers, educators, suppliers and the next generation of industry leaders. It exists for professionals who want more than trends and marketing headlines; they want honest conversations, practical insights and strategic thinking grounded in real-world experience. By exploring leadership, profitability, innovation, design, workforce challenges, guest experience and the future of wellness, The Spa Side aims to challenge conventional thinking, inspire meaningful change and help elevate the standards of the global spa and wellness industry.

Sam has spent 27 years in wellness as a therapist, operator, executive and consultant. She has delivered more than 100 projects across 15 countries, including 11 years at Chiva-Som. A serial peak-body builder, she founded the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC) and helped set up national spa associations in Thailand, Singapore and China. She now leads ASWELL, uniting Australasia’s wellness industry.

Sudharma is a governance and regulatory affairs professional with over 20 years of international experience across social infrastructure, wellness and hospitality, consulting, and the public sector. He advises boards and executive teams on corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and enterprise, financial and strategic risk.

Sudharma is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia (FGIA) and holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine, an Executive MBA from Switzerland, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance.