International Women’s Day: The Passion Behind the Leadership

When they’re not in the office or setting off on the next travel adventure, you’re most likely to find one of them spearfishing or sailing the Bahamas in a regatta, while the other is likely to be channeling creative energies at the easel or behind the camera lens. Although the personal passions of Senior Vice President of Marketing Isabel Galvan and Vice President of Creative & Branding Jennifer Lihos couldn’t be more different, they share many of the same professional ambitions and sensibilities – their drive to cultivate successful teams, their lively entrepreneurial spirit and a keen ability to empower those around them. Galvan and Lihos have played pivotal roles in shaping and evolving the Oceania Cruises experience and brand for many years, including the creation and recent launch of the new Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center. In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, we’re sharing the stories behind these two talented female leaders and recognizing their recent achievements.

The Adventure Begins: Inspired Paths

Though Galvan and Lihos took very different paths to arrive where they are today, both of their journeys took root with an early drive and passion.

“It was during my senior year in high school actually that I found my calling – I discovered how inspired I felt when I was creating art,” Lihos said. “From that moment on, I was determined to pursue a career related to art and that was what I set out to do – heading to art school right after I graduated – much to my father’s disappointment,” Lihos said with a laugh.

As an accomplished artist across multiple mediums that now helms Oceania Cruises’ creative and branding, Lihos has achieved that and so much more. Several of her acclaimed pieces hang among the museum-quality pieces on our ships and she is admired across the company for her sharp design sensibility and ability to continually set Oceania Cruises apart from the rest with striking and impactful approaches to all things creative.

Meanwhile, Galvan has always had a serious passion for adventure sports related to water and snow – and naturally, a love of travel. Many years ago, while working at an event services agency in London, she took advantage of the proximity to log plenty of skiing hours in enviable locations and travel throughout Europe.

“It led me to the next step, at Lindblad Expeditions, where I saw that I could develop my professional strengths at a place that reflected some of my personal interests,” Galvan said. “I also always knew I was suited to a career that balances the numbers and data with some creativity. It keeps things interesting – I discovered early on that bringing these together is where I’m at my strongest.”

After gaining experience at Lindblad and luxury cruise lines, she joined Oceania Cruises in 2014 and currently leads the entire marketing team. Not only was it an ideal professional evolution, now she is never more than 15 miles from the sea since the Oceania Cruises headquarters is located in Miami.

“I get some of my best ideas when I’m out on the open water,” she said. “That’s my happy place…for me, nothing else is as inspiring as time spent at sea.”

Female Leaders Evolve the Spa Concept: Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center

When the time came to develop a groundbreaking new spa concept that reached far beyond the traditional spa experience, Galvan and Lihos were perfectly suited to challenge.

“Aquamar was a unique opportunity to create an entirely new spa and wellness experience for our guests. In the beginning, we thought a lot about what our guests would want from a spa experience and we asked ourselves the same question,” Galvan said. “We came to the conclusion that it wasn’t so much about indulgence anymore, the experience needed to be holistic and involve a deeper, more multi-faceted approach to wellness.”

With that in mind, they set to work with their colleagues and teams to develop a new spa and wellness center and suite of programs designed to nourish the whole body, mind and soul. Everything from healthy Aquamar Vitality Cuisine and tailored fitness classes to wellness encounters ashore and specialized well-being enrichment were created with this new concept in mind. Likewise, everything from rough cuts of the launch video to fabric swatches for new spa uniforms and the shipboard spa menus made their way through Galvan’s and Lihos’ hands. Every last detail was attended to, but it was the early brainstorm and concepting sessions that really set the foundation for everything else.

“Water was one of the primary symbols and visuals we were focused on from the start, beginning with the name. If you think about the symbolism of water around the world – life, purification, renewal, healing – it has so many meanings and layers.” Lihos said. “And then when you think about what you can do with it in terms of design and palette, the visuals you can use to add meaning and unity into every element of the new spa experience, it was perfect. I knew that if we got that right, everything else would fall into place.”

Cruising Ahead: The Next Chapter

The Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center is the perfect example of the type of innovative achievements Galvan and Lihos have become known for. It’s a testament to their talent and experience and also a prelude to the great things that have yet to come.

“I’m continually inspired by the amazing female leaders we have working throughout the organization, both shoreside and on board,” Galvan said. “I feel so fortunate to not just be doing what I love, but to be working alongside the best talent in the industry. I’m so excited about what the next chapters will bring.”

Lihos reflected on her ever-evolving journey with the company with an optimistic eye on the future. “I’ve been with Oceania Cruises for nearly 15 years now and I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t love it,” she said. “It’s pretty wild to think about how much we’ve grown and changed since those first few years. When you have a sincere passion for what you do, the possibilities for what you can achieve dramatically open up. The adventure continues!”