Education Team
JANUARY | Aesthetics Educator
January has been a licensed aesthetician since 2002. She is a graduate of the Aveda institute in Minneapolis. She began her career at Simonson's Salon and Spa in Anoka immediately after graduating. January excels in skincare, waxing and cosmetics, which lead her to be promoted to the Aesthetics Educator in December 2006.
January has been around theatre and music and enjoys the "creative side of life". She loves working with people and sharing her knowledge with others. January's role as the Aesthetics Educator allows her to train and empower aestheticians by helping them learn, understand and apply the fundamental knowledge of facials, skin care ingredients, products, treatments, cosmetics and waxing services. Mastery of these skills prepares aestheticians to deliver great results for the guests they serve and take pleasure in a thriving career at Simonson's.
JESSICA | Haircutting Educator
Jessica has been a licensed cosmetologist for more than five years. A Regency Beauty graduate, she began her career specializing in advanced haircutting and styling with Rocco Altobelli, and continued her advanced haircutting education through Vidal Sassoon. Employed by Simonson's Salon and Spa for the past few years, she now services guests in all aspects of hair artistry. The knowledge she has obtained with her specialized training prepared her for her promotion to the Haircutting Educator in December 2006.
Her principal role as the Haircutting Educator will allow her to mentor stylists and develop their skills in precision haircutting. She is also extremely proficient in training for balance, proper shape, and style that works on specific facial features and different hair textures. Prior accolades as primary stylist for models in hair and fashion shows, and performing 'total makeovers' on clients establishes her with a versatile background and experience that is valuable asset to Simonson's Salon and Spa 'New Talent' development.
ASHLEY | Haircutting Educator
Ashley graduated from Josef’s School of Hair Design in Fargo, ND in 1998. She began her career specializing in advanced haircutting and styling with Rocco Altobelli. She continued her education following Vidal Sassoon haircutting methods. Ashley put her skills to the test and placed in the top ten and 15 in an internationally judged hair show. After nearly 13 years with Rocco Altobelli, Ashley was looking to seek more challenge and fulfillment in her career.
Ashley joined Simonson’s Salon & Spa in August 2010, expanding into full service styling. Ashley seized the opportunity to grow in her career and share her knowledge by joining the Education Team in December 2010. Ashley’s goal is to help, mentor and educate stylists in expanding their knowledge and growth in the industry. Ashley believes that we can always grow and learn on every head of hair, no matter how much experience you may have.
CASSANDRA | Color Educator
After graduating from the Scot Lewis School of Cosmetology in August 2001, Cassandra began her career as a stylist at City Looks Salon in Minnetonka. During her five years as a stylist at City Looks, Cassandra was also an educator for Trucco Cosmetics, traveling to various salons in the metro to do in-salon education.
Cassandra began her career as Simonson's Salon & Spa in August 2006 and immediately recognized she had become part of a company that strives to be the best in the industry. Simonson's impressive education department corresponds perfectly with Cassandra's ambition to continually strive to learn and develop her skills and knowledge as a stylist.
What Cassandra loves most about being a color educator is helping her peers hone their skills and utilize their knowledge of color to create beautiful works of art every day. She believes that if we do not constantly refresh our skills and learn new things, we cannot move forward. If we don't keep ourselves open to new things, we cannot grow and become better at what we do.
Knowing that it's not common to hear people say they REALLY do love their job, Cassandra feels blessed to be able to say she truly does! She loves working with other creative individuals who truly have a passion for what they do.
Cassandra loves coloring any and all types of hair, but she also specializes in updos and formal hairdressing. She is certified in Cinderella Hair Extensions and Keratin Complex Smoothing System and has attended many hair shows and outside hair cutting and coloring classes.
"We all encounter color situations from time to time that require a formulaic approach" Cassandra says. "My job is to make that process effortless. When I can help someone have an "ah-hah" moment, that is the best reward."
TRACEY | Nails Educator
Tracey entered the Beauty industry in 1998 as a Nail Technician for Rocco Altobelli salons in the Twin Cities. In 2002, she decided to join the Simonson's Salon & Spa team in Plymouth. She brought a wealth of knowledge, industry experience, and excellent customer service. Naturally that background was suitable for the opportunity to take over the Nail Department education in January 2009. As our newest leader, her goal is not only to train and mentor our new industry professionals, but to always be on the cutting edge of service trends and product technology which ultimately brings outstanding products and services to our guests.
LAURA | Advanced Haircutting Educator
Laura has been a licensed cosmetologist for more than 20 years. She has spent her career in pursuit of the highest quality education and professionalism that the industry can provide. Her pursuits led her from St. Cloud, MN where she was a stylist for 9 years, to Portland, Oregon where she immersed herself in a higher level of thinking and performance than she had previously experienced.
While living on the West Coast, her love of education took her from Seattle to San Francisco to L.A. and New York City. While on staff at Hickox Salon and Spa in Portland, one of the foremost salons in the Pacific Northwest, Laura's talent and passion quickly helped her earn a teaching staff position. In her position, she was integral in the development of the apprentices, while infusing the culture, professionalism and technical skill that would help them achieve a higher level of performance as a professional stylist. In April 2005, Laura's desire to be back around her family and raise her children in Minnesota brought her to her present position with Simonson's Salon & Spa in Anoka. She possesses the passion, talent and ability to teach creative haircutting to the Simonson's team.
As the Advanced Haircutting Educator, Laura's goal for Simonson's is to empower the stylists to think and perform more creatively, to bring changes to their clients more readily, to utilize advanced education to ultimately execute great hairstyling techniques for men and women.
RITA | Massage Therapy Educator
Prior to a career in Massage Therapy, Rita earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Rita later attended the School of Massage Therapy at Northwestern Health Sciences University where she also worked on the school newspaper - graduating in December 2003. Rita joined the Simonson’s Salon & Spa team in 2004, transferred to the Plymouth location in 2006 and was promoted to the position of Massage Therapy Educator in 2011. Rita likes to credit her former colleagues at Lifetime Fitness for helping to build her massage knowledge basics.
Her dedication to people and the profession is evidenced by her appreciative clientele. “The single biggest challenge about massage is bringing awareness to people of how beneficial it can be to their overall health,” Rita says. Moreover, rising to this challenge is one Rita’s favorite aspects of being a massage therapist. “The results aren’t always immediately visible, like those of a haircut or color, but positive changes are made with each massage a person receives.”
As an educator, Rita’s goal is to keep the massage team fresh and ever-curious, to encourage them to think ‘outside of the box’ and to offer guests the ultimate massage experience. She’s always keen on finding a better way and is anxious to share her knowledge, both old and new, with her colleagues.
