Laguna Cliffs, California--As the spa director of the 14,000-square-foot Spa at Laguna Cliffs, Maureen Vipperman brings her passion for healthy living to the workplace every day. This former U.S. Marine and mother of four began her road to teaching wellness while working with senior citizens in Northern Michigan as an employee of the state, and what she saw shocked her. Visiting senior assisted facilities around the state, Vipperman was overwhelmed by how many seniors relied on others to assist them in their day-to-day living, and she vowed to find out more about the aging process to ensure that she and others wouldn't suffer the same plight.

Vipperman went to work with the spa director of one of Northern Michigan’s first European resort spas, owned by Boyne U.S. Resorts, to research all the components of healthy living. While she knew that physical fitness and healthy eating were important, Vipperman soon realized that stress was one of the number one causes of rapid and premature aging, which ignited this spa maven's passion for her industry.

Vipperman joined the team of Boyne U.S. Resorts to assist in the development of such resorts as the Inn at Bay Harbor in Michigan, and Mount Grand Resort in Michigan. After the Inn at Bay Harbor became a Renaissance, Vipperman was recruited to join The Spa at Laguna Cliffs in 2004, where she not only helped develop the spa's programs but created its signature line of spa products utilizing orange essence and orange rinds.

In addition to her spa director duties, Vipperman continues to serve as a spa consultant, having worked with Black Sea Spas, as well as a number of day spas in Michigan and the Orange County area.

Perched high on the cliffs above Dana Point Harbor, the AAA Four-Diamond Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa caters to both business and leisure travelers, offering 375 rooms and 55,000 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor function space, including a learning center with amphitheater seating and a state-of-the-art projection system. Overlooking a 2,500-slip yacht harbor, the resort's Regatta Bar and Grill restaurant serves up California coastal cuisine, and additional resort amenities include two ocean-view pools, Commodore's Bar & Deck; 40 acres of lushly landscaped parklands; a 10-mile stretch of white sand beach; a full-service spa; a complimentary health club and lighted tennis court. LAGUNA CLIFFS MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA, 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629, 949.661.5000; www.lagunacliffs.com.