About Us
At The Spa at Mecca, we understand how important it is for you to look and feel your best. That’s why we offer medical spa services to enhance your appearance and target the cosmetic issues that plague you. Our skin and body treatments are designed to produce results that will leave you feeling satisfied, renewed, and refreshed.
Our highly trained staff fully embraces The Spa at Mecca’s mission statement to reveal each patient’s inner beauty. We recognize that each client’s needs and goals differ, and customize the their treatment plan accordingly.
Dena Lacara, D.O. Medical Director
Dr. Lacara is the dynamic founder and driving force behind The Spa at Mecca, one of New Jersey’s original and premier medical spas. Her journey began with a deep-rooted love for science and service, earning her pharmacy degree before returning to medical school to pursue her true calling in family medicine. Her dedication and leadership quickly became evident, culminating in her appointment as Chief Resident during her family medicine residency.
Dr. Lacara built a thriving primary care practice, primarily composed of female patients who trusted her deeply and ultimately inspired her entry into the aesthetic medicine space. Their encouragement, coupled with her passion for helping others feel and function at their absolute best, sparked a new chapter in her career—one that would transform the local aesthetic landscape.
In 2009, Dr. Lacara launched The Spa at Mecca from the ground up, blending clinical excellence with artistry to create a space where beauty and wellness meet. Her relentless pursuit of mastery has led her to train extensively for over a decade. She continues to elevate her craft through advanced courses and ongoing education.
Dr. Lacara has since achieved Top 10 Allergan status in the state of New Jersey, and her expertise has earned her the coveted role of Allergan Medical Institute (AMI) Trainer. In this role, she travels to share her extensive knowledge and techniques with other injectors across the country—an extension of her passion for teaching and mentoring others in the field.
Whether she’s caring for her primary care patients, nurturing her team, or guiding clients on their aesthetic journey, Dr. Lacara is committed to helping people get from where they are to where they are meant to be. This calling is the heart of her work—and the foundation of the successful, 20-year career that continues to evolve, inspire, and transform.
Rosalie Curreri, MD
Dr. Curreri is a Board Certified Diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) whose interest includes aesthetic medicine, especially as relates to the use of BOTOX and intradermal fillers. Dr. Curreri graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine in 1989. Trained as an internist, she was a resident and chief resident at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in NYC. She began her interest in aesthetic medicine when serving as a physician at the NYU student health center. In an effort to pursue her interest, she took additional training in both dermal filling and BOTOX administration. Her practice is now limited to aesthetic medicine, which she practices in both Manhattan and New Jersey.
Deborah Petrowsky, MD
Prior to joining The Spa at Mecca, Dr. Petrowsky has worked extensively in Cosmetic Dermatology as a Medical Director and Cosmetic Physician who has performed a wide variety of advanced cosmetic laser and injectable procedures using the latest proven technologies to enhance skin health and beauty. Dr. Petrowsky has been the recipient of the New Jersey Top Doctor Award in Aesthetic Medicine for the last two years.
Dr. Petrowsky graduated Magna Cum Laude from Seton Hall University where she earned a BS in Biology and was elected Biological Science Valedictorian. She received her medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey where she graduated with high honors. Dr. Petrowsky completed her Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA and then went on to complete a Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship at Alleghany University in Philadelphia, PA. She has been in both private and academic practice since 1998.
Dr. Petrowsky has dedicated herself to the field of Cosmetic and Laser Medicine for over ten years and spends 100% of her time delivering the best minimally invasive cosmetic outcomes everyday in her practice. Dr. Petrowsky’s unique artistic vision and clinical skills allows her to achieve beautiful, natural-looking results for patients. She has trained numerous other physicians in advanced injection and laser techniques throughout New Jersey and is a member of the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine, the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, the American Society of Cosmetic Physicians, the American College of Aesthetic and Cosmetic Physicians and the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine.
Prior to her career in Cosmetic and Laser medicine, Dr. Petrowsky served as a Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialist in Morris and Hunterdon Counties and Director of Pulmonary Hypertension for the Cardiac Transplant Division at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark. She also served as World Wide Medical Director and US/Global Medical Director for Pfizer, Inc. and Vice President of Medical Affairs for Ikaria, Inc.
Dr. Petrowsky believes that feeling great about how you look can have a positive impact in many aspects of your life and strives to bestow her patients with a natural and refreshed look. She believes that less can often be better.
Daniella Howell, NP
Daniella Howell is a nurse practitioner, board-certified in Family Medicine by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. With a solid foundation as a critical care nurse in intensive care for over six years, Daniella has seamlessly transitioned into the world of aesthetics.
Her aesthetic expertise extends from certifications in Botox and dermal fillers to medical-grade chemical peels, Vivace Radio Frequency Microneedling, laser hair removal, and BBL photo facials. Dedicated to empowering her patients, Daniella strives to enhance their confidence and beauty, translating that inner radiance into all aspects of their lives.
What sets Daniella apart is her unique blend of scientific and medical knowledge, coupled with a genuine passion for art and an unwavering commitment to precision. at the intersection of healthcare and aesthetics, Daniella brings a holistic and detail-oriented approach to elevate your well-being and aesthetic journey.
Alexa Colello, Lead Esthetician
Alexa is a 2008 graduate of Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics. She graduated with a degree in advanced facials and skin care treatments. Licensed in the state of New Jersey, Alexa has established herself as a skilled aesthetician, offering her clients services including facials, medical-grade chemical peels, hydrafacials, vivace, and Lila Inch-Loss laser treatments. She is also one of our Ideal Protein Weight-Loss Coaches.
Maria Esposito, Aesthetician
Maria's introduction to this field began many years ago and she continues to love what she does. She strives to give her clients cutting edge treatments accompanied with the best products to support their esthetic needs. At The Spa at Mecca, she feels fortunate to be able to evolve with continuing education and grateful for the quality care we show all of our patients.
Tonia Campbell, LMT
Tonia Campbell, LMT, is a 1999 graduate of the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, completing the New York Program. She is licensed in New Jersey and New York.
Tonia is also nationally certified in massage therapy, and is a former member of the Connecticut Sports Massage Team. Continuing her education, Tonia has studied Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy (barefoot massage), in addition to pre-natal massage.
Donna Taormina, MS, APN, FNP-C
Donna Taormina is a nurse practitioner certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She specializes in treating both men and women with hormone deficiencies and hormonal imbalances, including low testosterone levels, perimenopause, and menopausal symptoms.
She works with patients who are experiencing thyroid imbalances, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and insufficient levels of thyroid hormones to optimize the thyroid in order to improve metabolism, energy levels, and mood.
Additionally, she is certified in Botox, dermal fillers, Kybella, mesotherapy, carbossitherapy, and cosmetic PRP (Platelet-rich plasma).
Donna works closely with her patients to achieve life-changing benefits, healthy aging, and optimal well-being.
