Jess D

Wellness Tourism & Strategy Design Consultant

Aug 2026 - Present • 2 mos

Advise boutique accommodation, wellness and tourism businesses on integrating evidence-based wellness into their guest experience, operations and offering, identifying opportunities to strengthen differentiation, value and the overall guest experience. Conduct research, needs analysis and opportunity assessments to identify gaps across wellness experiences, guest journeys, programming and operations, translating findings into practical, commercially relevant recommendations. Develop tailored wellness and experience strategies that connect guest needs, business objectives and operational realities, creating clear pathways from strategic concept through to practical implementation. Design wellness experiences, programmes and service concepts that integrate evidence-based wellbeing with hospitality, ensuring recommendations are both compelling for guests and realistic for the business to deliver. Develop operational frameworks, tools and implementation resources that help businesses embed new wellness initiatives consistently across teams, services and the guest journey. Monitor emerging wellness tourism, hospitality and consumer trends, translating industry research and evidence into strategic insights and opportunities for businesses seeking to strengthen their wellness positioning.

Team Leader

Mar 2026 - Present • 7 mos

Leveraged AI to optimise service delivery, reducing response times while improving customer experience and organisational efficiency. Applied storytelling, customer insights and behavioural psychology to strengthen product communication and evidence-informed customer engagement. Facilitated team planning to align priorities, strengthen team coherence and improve operational processes. Analysed performance data to identify gaps and inform recommendations supporting organisational growth and operational efficiency. Coached staff in service delivery and practice, strengthening individual capability, confidence and day-to-day performance.

Senior Community Planning Advisor

Dec 2023 - May 2025 • 1 yr 5 mos

Designed the foundations of a large-scale emergency readiness framework, conducting needs and gap analysis, mapping end-to-end workflows and identifying operational risks and interdependencies to create a scalable framework for effective planning and delivery. Advised 19 elected members across three regions, translating complex needs, priorities and risks into tailored recommendations and decision support that strengthened strategic planning and local leadership. Designed and facilitated collaborative planning workshops for 30+ participants per session, bringing together cross-sector partners to identify needs, develop solutions and co-design practical plans that could be implemented effectively. Co-developed a standardised planning toolkit, translating strategic requirements into practical tools, processes and resources that enabled organisations to independently develop, implement and maintain their own strategies. Coordinated operational delivery of a large-scale community event for 200+ attendees, managing logistics, scheduling and partner requirements to deliver a cohesive, well-organised participant experience. Led response planning across 10+ events and coordinated multi-agency briefings with 30+ partner organisations, aligning people, processes and communications to support seamless delivery, effective partnerships and timely decision-making in complex environments.