The WOW Factor

“Every industry event I go to, somebody comes up to me and asks if we can please create a women’s interest group,” says Sabeena Hickman, president and CEO of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance.

The answer is finally yes. PHTA, in partnership with POOLCORP, launched the Women of Water initiative in October with a keynote at the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo, followed by a December webinar with over 100 attendees. Both sessions were led by nationally recognized speaker and award-winning author Heather Whelpley, who shared strategies to tap into grounded self-confidence, take purposeful steps in your career and recover from burnout.

Momentum continues to build across the industry, with women from all sectors eager to participate.

“It’s a pivotal time for the pool and hot tub industry,” Hickman says. “As the industry matures and grows and becomes more dynamic, it’s important to expand opportunities for diverse leadership. Although there are many women playing key roles throughout the industry, they are still underrepresented at the leadership level.”

Why WOW?

WOW was developed to amplify voices, support career advancement and ensure the next generation of industry leaders reflects the diversity of our communities and clients. Through education, mentorship and peer-to-peer networking, the initiative is empowering women and encouraging them to stay in the industry, assume leadership roles and build confidence.

PHTA is leading by example with its own board of directors, as well as leadership positions on many of its councils and committees. Donna Williams of POOLCORP served as the 2025 PHTA chair, and Caley Golding of Gib-San Pool & Landscape Creations has served as PHTA secretary for the past three years. “We’re very intentional to ensure that we have women leaders on the board,” Hickman says.

The International Hot Tub Association, an affiliate of PHTA, has a 12-person board of directors, half of whom are women — including IHTA chair Amanda Annis of Ohio Hot Tub & Sauna and SpaRetailer’s editor-in-chief, Megan Kendrick. 

“Women bring a collaborative mindset,” Hickman says. “They have an eye for customer experience and focus on long-term relationship building. In a service-driven industry like ours, these qualities are invaluable.”

Getting involved

All women are welcome to participate in WOW, from hot tub retailers and manufacturers, pool builders and service professionals, to marketing and sales teams. In the first half of 2026, WOW is hosting two virtual sessions led by Whelpley:

Imposter Syndrome — And What to Do About It

(Feb. 25, 2 p.m. ET)

Fraudulent thoughts like, “I’m not ready. I just got lucky. Do I know enough to be here?” are signs of imposter syndrome and can hold you back from excelling in your career. The good news is — you can do something about it. This session will discuss how imposter syndrome impacts you, the structural and cultural reasons you experience it and practical tools to manage it so you can take bold steps in your career.

Discover Your Authentic Voice — And How to Use It to Create Impact

(April 14, 2 p.m. ET)

Most of us have been handed messages that cause us to hold back our voice — and hold us back from the impact we want to create. It’s time to flip those messages upside down. Instead of diving into tactics on how you “should” present yourself, this session will get clear on what is authentic to you so you can share your ideas, challenge the status quo and lead change in your workplace and beyond.

“PHTA and WOW aim to help cultivate a vibrant, supportive community for women throughout the industry,” Hickman says. “WOW has seen great traction already, and we look forward to working with other industry organizations to bring these efforts together and strengthen a unified, thriving network for women industry-wide.”