Staff and Faculty Information

Samana Benedetti

  • School Director and Esthetician Instructor
  • Samana is the sole owner and Principal of Spa Luna Holistic School for Estheticians and Massage Therapists and has been licensed since 1982. She has a license in California and Hawaii in Esthetics and as a Cosmetology Instructor. She has also been trained extensively on advanced equipment in Europe and the U.S.A. She is a distributor and trainer of a variety of esthetician machines. Samana has over 16 years experience teaching the Esthetician programs. Samana states, Spa Luna basically birthed itself and I am just a facilitator, directing and always adapting to the needs of the students, clients and the community as it evolves from program to program.Spa Luna sets a foundation of a healing, holistic approach to cosmetology. Cosmetology was originally taught in Europe in the Universities, as a medical course. Spa Luna is bringing it back to its original intention. Samana created the facial style that sets Spa Luna graduates apart from any other Esthetician school in the world.

Bob Benedetti

  • General Manager
  • Bob has been involved with the school since its inception. He oversees all contracts, policies, management issues, staff and instructors. He administers the website and marketing.

Veetkaya K Kueppershaus

  • Massage Instructor
  • Veetkaya K Kueppershaus is a Maui SchoolLicensed Massage and certified Lymphedema Therapist She is an avid student of the healing arts and has been practicing bodywork for the last 20 years. She has a private practice in Lower Kula specializing in Structural Integration, Myofascial Release, Lymph Drainage Therapy and classical Homoeopathy.

Lani Morris

  • Esthetician Instructor
  • Lani is a Maui Schoolgraduate of Spa Luna with 10 years of professional experience. She has practiced at all the top spas on Maui including the Kapalua Spa and the Four Seasons Resort, Wailea. Her teaching reflects a wide variety of knowledge in spa treatments and trainings, as well as being up on all the trends in the skin care industry. She has a great passion for esthetics and sharing knowledge.

Penny Nichols-Grossman

  • Esthetician Instructor
  • Penny was born in Texas and raised in Southern Ca. She moved to Maui with her husband and two children. Penny graduated from Spa Luna and is an esthetician instructor. She is passionate about skin care and enjoys working with her clients in the day spa.

Jeana Iwalani Naluai

  • Massage Instructor
  • Jeana Iwalani Naluai is a native Hawaiian Lomi practitioner committed to perpetuating her culture through the healing arts. She has been practicing bodywork for 18 years and is an international instructor of Lomi Lomi massage and spiritual teachings. Jeana is a Licnesed Massage and Physical Therapist. She has studied Hawaiian healing and cultural education an a broad spectrum. Various Hawaiian Kahuna Masters have blessed her in brining this ancient wisdom forward.

Jonath Padilla

  • Massage Instructor
  • Jonath graduated from M.I.T. in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and has since been facilitating movement and embodiment professionally. He has completed over 1,500 hours of massage and somatic training and over 20 years of mixed martial arts, movement and yoga training. Jonath is currently teaching hands-on bodywork in Spa Luna’s 750-hour massage program and has a private practice in Maui.

Summer Richardson

  • Esthetician Instructor
  • Summer is an esthetician with a license in Cosmetology from Hawaii and California. She is also a licensed Cosmetology instructor and a licensed massage therapist. She received her Cosmetology training in 1965 from the Warren Cosmetology
    School in Center Line, MI and her massage training in 1978 from Mueller College of Massage in San Diego, CA. She also completed the Spa Luna training for estheticians in 1998. Her specialty is Foot Reflexology as she has been studying and teaching this modality for over 25 years. Along with teaching at Spa Luna, Summer maintains a private practice on Maui.

Jeff Sims

  • Massage Instructor
  • Structural Kinesiology, Pathology, and Neuromuscular Therapy. Jeff is a 2002 graduate. Since then, Jeff worked in five star hotels on Maui and Lanai and when not teaching or surfing has been practicing orthopedic massage for acute and chronic injuries in a multi-disciplinary clinic. Using orthopedic assessment skills, he integrates a variety of manual techniques in his practice including Neuromuscular Therapy, Muscle Energy Technique, Structural Bodywork, Cranio-sacral Therapy, and Lymphatic Drainage Therapy along with techniques for ongoing stretching and flexibility, care and prevention of injuries, and optimal athletic performance. Jeff has worked with world class professional and amateur athletes. He also works with those who want to regain the quality of life compromised by postural distortions and overuse injuries and he wants to share his knowledge and experience and train Spa Luna therapists in developing their skills and career paths as professional massage therapists. In a previous life, Jeff was a mainland software consultant.

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