In an industry built on trust, where guests invite us into their personal space to experience the transformative power of touch, it's our providers — the stylists, barbers, estheticians, nail artists and nurses — who are at the heart of it all.
Meet the nine professionals honoured with a 2026 Golden Hands Award at the Seattle Aquarium on September 21.
Trenton has been behind the chair for 13 years, and he has built his whole approach around genuine relationships, honest guidance and hair that works for each individual guest. Getting to know his guests is part of the craft: it lets him make thoughtful recommendations based not just on their hair, but on their lifestyle, head shape and personality.
What his guests value most, he believes, is his honesty — he is always upfront about what is possible, what may not be realistic for the current condition of their hair, and what will give the best result while protecting its health and integrity. And he never stops learning, bringing new techniques and ideas straight back to the chair.
Originally from the Philippines and a proud mother of two boys, Elma has been a hairstylist for almost 14 years — and still loves it. What drew her to the beauty industry is simple: she loves helping people feel good, feel beautiful and build their confidence. Seeing a guest happy with what she has created is, in her words, the biggest fulfilment. It's her artwork.
"I don't feel like it's a job. I feel like it's a hobby that I enjoy."
Victoria's story began at 17, behind the reception desk at a Regis salon in her local mall — reading the backs of product bottles, pulling colour cards, cutting foils and reminding the stylists to eat. As soon as she had saved enough, she put herself through cosmetology school, graduated top of her class and hit the ground running.
Now 38, she pours her heart into every cut and colour, and counts it a deep honour to have been part of so many of her clients' major life moments. This industry has allowed her to raise her son and buy a home — and she is still learning.
"If you stop learning, you'll stop growing — and I'm not done growing up yet."
Jung's career started in his junior year at Franklin High School in Portland, Oregon, when his friends talked him into signing up for the beauty school program. His parents had a traditional college in mind; he went for it anyway. The course ran alongside high school, so when he graduated in 1980 he already had his licence in hand.
Forty-five years on, Jung still finds the work just as rewarding. He has fun every single day with his coworkers and his clients, and has made countless friends along the way.
Carla's journey began in Brazil, where at 21 she started as a hairstylist, captivated by how much a simple act of care can transform someone's confidence. After stepping away to help with her family's business, she moved to the United States in 2016, went back to school and became a licensed esthetician in Massachusetts — where she found her true calling in waxing.
A chance meeting with Claudia at a beauty business conference in Boston brought her to South Carolina, and she has been part of the team for more than three years: over a decade in beauty and wellness altogether. For Carla, waxing is an intimate service built on trust. Every client brings a story, and listening while she cares for them is what gives her day meaning.
Kara has been in the medical field for over 20 years and has practised aesthetic medicine since 2018. What interests her most about aesthetics and wellness is the combination it demands — clinical expertise, artistry and patient relationships — all in service of helping people feel confident in themselves.
Helping patients move through the ageing process while still feeling like themselves, and liking what they see in the mirror, is for Kara the most rewarding part of the work.
Kelly has been a Registered Nurse for 14 years and leads Modwella's team across Northern Nevada. She was drawn to mobile health and wellness because it brings healthcare back to the personal connection of a true home visit — individualised care, delivered with the flexibility to be a mom first and a nurse second.
A Nevada native married to a fellow Nevadan, Kelly has a six-year-old daughter, a four-year-old son and a nine-year-old Frenchie named Bochy.
Anna — Huong Le to her family — has been doing nails for about 13 years at Nail Garden. Ask her what she loves about the work and she won't talk about the nails themselves. She'll talk about beauty, about empowering women to love themselves, and about making everyone who sits in her chair feel good.
"I love to empower women to love themselves."
Angela has spent more than 25 years in medicine. She earned her BSN from Clarkson College in Omaha in 1998 and spent a decade as an ICU nurse — in Washington DC, Florida and then Denver, where she completed her Family Nurse Practitioner degree at Regis University. After a year in family practice she returned to Omaha to join the University of Nebraska's solid organ transplant team.
In 2009 she ventured into aesthetic medicine and never looked back. With many advanced and master injector trainings behind her, Angela says the most rewarding part of her career is the impact on her clients, and the relationships she has built with them.
It has truly been an honour to celebrate these incredible individuals, who continue to elevate our industry through their dedication and talent. Their hands help people show up as their best selves — one appointment at a time.
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