Team

A Glasgow native, Lorraine always wanted to be a hairdresser and after seeing Vidal Sassoon onstage, she officially committed herself to the craft. She went on to complete her training at the Toronto Salon in 1992. Lorraine quickly proved her leadership skills and now leads the Toronto Salon and Academy businesses as Creative Director.

Throughout her career, Lorraine has organized shows, taught seminars for Sassoon and partnered with various brands on fashion shows, festivals and other high-end events. Inspiring hundreds of clients and stylists for more than 15 years, Lorraine’s commitment to education and the industry is evident in each course she teaches.

North American Creative Director, Traci Sakosits started her training at Sassoon in New York in 1992, where her talents were soon recognized and she moved swiftly up the ranks. She transferred to the Beverly Hills Salon as a stylist in 1994 and was promoted to Assistant Creative Director two years later. The call to teach came quickly, and Traci then moved to the Los Angeles Academy in 1997, where she has been based for the last 15 years. While in Los Angeles, she earned the roles of Creative Director and Regional Creative Director, before being appointed the role of North American Creative Director in April 2012 as a result of her passion and dedication to Sassoon.

As North American Creative Director, Traci coaches and inspires all the Sassoon stylists in the Salons and Academies across the country. Her calm temperament, incredible talent and giving personality make her the ideal person for this role. Traci’s position also includes leading shows and seminars around the globe, presenting the latest collections on beauty runways and styling Sassoon editorial shoots. Thousands of fellow hair professionals and students have been empowered by Traci.  "From the very start of my career, I knew I wanted to teach. I love the idea of carrying on the Sassoon ethos,’’ said Traci.

There was never any doubt as to Wesley's destined career path when, at the early age of 15, he set up shop in his basement to cut hair for his neighboring locals! “This is all I ever knew,” he says with great nostalgia.

Wesley was inspired to become a hairdresser when in 2007 he left his hometown in Toronto and set out to the UK where he embarked on an Apprenticeship at the Glasgow Salon. Wesley’s diverse background and insatiable thirst for knowledge was all too evident when he returned to Toronto in 2008 as a Cutting Instructor. He then focused on attaining his current role of Creative Director where he remains today – teaching courses in the Sassoon Academy while tending to clients in the adjoining Sassoon Salon.

Born and raised in Hertfordshire, England, John began working for Sassoon in 1977 under the watchful eyes of Annie Humphreys. Upon completing his training, John transferred to the Manchester Salon, before spending time at the Munich Salon and then back to the UK as a Colour Director for the Leeds Salon. He spent six years in Leeds before relocating to the Toronto Salon, where he has focused the last 23 years on building the Colour Department.

His experience includes producing numerous editorial pieces for various magazines, training the renowned Toronto Colour Team and leading a variety of International shows and seminars. John maintains a busy clientele, while teaching regularly at the Toronto Academy.

North American Color Director, Richie Rivera started his Sassoon career at the Los Angeles Academy in 1992. He then went on to complete his apprenticeship at the Boston Salon in 1993, where he has been based for the last 19 years. During Richie’s time at Sassoon, he has worked as Salon Color Director and East Coast Regional Color Director before earning the prestigious role of North American Color Director in April 2012. In this role, Richie has the ultimate responsibility of educating and developing the next generation of colorists and tinters in all the North America Salons and Academies.

Over his 20 years with Sassoon, Richie has gained a reputation for being a gifted educator, who captivates his audiences while teaching the renowned Sassoon color techniques. Frequently representing Sassoon internationally, from Japan to Brazil and everywhere in between, Richie spends much of his time showcasing Sassoon collections and leading countless shows and seminars. Additionally, his talent behind the chair has led to a fiercely loyal clientele in Boston, where he continues to see clients on a regular basis.