Q & A With Dana Stallings, Principal at Spa Velia

Which Spa industry veteran has a stash of candy by her nightstand? Read on and get to know more about the amazing Dana Stallings!

How many years have you been involved in the spa/hospitality industry?

Gulp…20…I started when I was 5.

What was the path that led you into the spa industry?

While attending San Diego State University, as an international business major with an emphasis in marketing, I took a part time job at La Costa Resort and Spa. Being a part of this new (to me) industry of caring, loving  people who dedicated their lives to putting their hands on others to transform and help them was so foreign to me, but at the same time so inspiring and life altering.  I felt right at home.  I knew right then that I wanted to be a part of it.  It completely changed my trajectory!

What is your favorite place in the world?

In or around water – anywhere!

If you could have any profession in the world, other than what you do now, what would you be?

I would want to be a travel personality like Samantha Brown or a Life Coach at a destination retreat like Costa Rica or Bali!  J

What is your motto or concept that you live by?

People may not always remember what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel!

What is your most treasured possession?

It is not so much a material possession, but my childlike joy and passion in how I look at things in life!

What’s your go-to spa treatment?

Always massage of course – preferable deep tissue or Thai

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Opening my own Spa without a bank loan!

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
How sensitive I can be to others pain (I also really love that about me too!)

Care to share any details on family life, i.e. spouse, partner, children, pets?

I have a motley group of animals at home – Kenya, the Shepard Chow, Jack, the Golden Retriever and Sabi the last cat I will ever get (I really do love him though)!

Tell us two things about yourself we don’t know.

Although I eat an incredibly organic and green diet the majority of the time, I always have a very unhealthy stash of candy by my nightstand - Treats full of artificial dyes like red vines, gummy bears, hot tamales and jelly beans.  I also was Ms. Congeniality for Encinitas in High School.