Younes Atallah, director of operations at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, has announced the appointment of Grant Lessard as director of the Well & Being spa at the resort.

Lessard, a graduate of Western College of Remedial Massage Therapies in Canada, will oversee the strategy and operations the wellness efforts at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

He was most recently director of spa, fitness and retail at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve’s Spa Botanico in Puerto Rico, and has held several spa director positions within Ritz-Carlton.

The 44,000sq ft (13,411sq m) Well & Being Spa bills itself as an “innovative fusion of spa and wellness” with a “deeply personalised palette of experiences”. This encompasses more than 70 treatments, including wellness offerings such as acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and an integrative wellness programme.

Lessard has more than 3,000 hours of clinical massage training and has practised since 1989 in a variety of environments, including holistic health care centres, medical facilities, combined and private practices. His professional studies include craniosacral, myofascial release, lymphatic drainage, muscle energy technique, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, exercise rehabilitation, as well as a wide variety of other spa modalities.

“Grant has a keen interest in creating holistic spa environments that focus on individual and collaborative learning and development,” said Atallah. “He inspires an environment of teamwork, innovation and empowerment.

Lessard has also been an educator at The Wellington Institute of Remedial Massage Therapy, The Minneapolis School of Massage and Bodywork, and Cortiva Institute of Massage in Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as a guest instructor at Frederique Academy / Elemis Spa in Hong Kong.

“Grant's leadership style is supportive, cooperative, interactive and dynamic,” said Atallah. “Grant is looking forward to sharing his passions with the strong team at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Well & Being Spa.”