Wellness Communities
initiative Members
Members of this initiative have joined together with the goal of identifying common principles and needs that will help to foster effective development and operations of wellness living communities in the years ahead.
Alfredo Carvajal
President, Delos International and Signature Programs, Delos, United States
As President of Delos International and Signature Programs, Alfredo is responsible for Delos’ signature overlay programs, bringing wellness solutions to the hospitality and residential sectors, as well as expanding Delos’ businesses globally. Alfredo has more than 22 years of experience in domestic and international hospitality and wellness/spa operations, brand development and strategic planning at some of the world’s most recognized hospitality, lifestyle and wellness brands.
Gloria Caulfield
Executive Director, Lake Nona Institute and VP, Strategic Alliances, Tavistock Development Company
Gloria Caulfield leads health and wellness strategy and planning for the Lake Nona Institute. Passionate about identifying partners determined to collaborate and innovate pivotal health care solutions, she is responsible for managing and identifying intersections with stakeholders in the Lake Nona community. Caulfield is a leader in advancing research, technology and new solutions for healthy lifestyles and quality of life.
Samantha Foster
Development Director, Destination Spa Management, Ltd, Thailand
With over 15 years experience in working with health resorts, wellness communities has been the natural next step for Sam and her company, Destination Spa Management Ltd. DSM has been actively pioneering the concept in Asia, in particular, conceptualising and developing wellness communities that combine residential, commercial, clubhouse and wellness resort facilities into integrated concepts. Sam is also an activist, having helped establish six national spa associations. She is currently President of the newly forming International Health & Wellness Alliance (IHWA), whose mission is “to empower humanity to embrace health and wellness”.
Andrew Gibson
Vice President Well Being Luxury Brands, AccorHotels, United Arab Emirates
As vice president of Well-Being at AccorHotels luxury brands, Andrew Gibson is responsible for the development and execution of the company’s wellness strategy globally for 6 luxury brands. He is responsible for developing a strategy that embraces wellness throughout each hotel starting from concepts and design to implementation of standards. He has over 25 years of international hospitality experience in the fields of spa, wellness and leisure.
Ben Gill
One Planet Communities Manager, Bioregional, South Africa
Ben oversees Bioregional’s One Planet Communities programme, ensuring the programme’s high level targets are in line with the latest climate science and supporting the programme’s members in implementing their strategies to meet these ambitious targets. Ben undertakes regular performance reviews of the projects to gather data on the health and well-being benefits of sustainable communities, and to share this practical implementation experience with the other members. Significant projects include Villages Natures’ 180ha resort adjacent to Paris, Singita’s flagship resort in Tanzania and Zibi, Canada’s largest redevelopment project in Ottawa. Ben has 15 years’ experience in the environmental sector latterly focusing on creating healthy and sustainable communities.
Alison Howland
Vice President Wellness Programs & Resources, Amrit Resort & Residences, United States
As Vice President of Wellness Programs and Resourcing, Alison is responsible for the creation and development of both spa and wellness programming for Amrit, opening in 4th Quarter, 2019. She brings together innovative leaders to pioneer new and non-invasive modalities for balanced living guided by the science of the Eight Limbs of Patanjali Yoga and the modern technology and luxury of the West for residents and guests of Amrit’s wellness community. Her 30+ years in environmental and natural spa, wellness and business development with projects in 14 countries have given her the ideal experience to lead the development of Amrit’s wellness lifestyle community.
Kendra Kobler
Senior Associate, Delos Signature, United States
Kendra Kobler possesses a range of experience in the hospitality and spa industries and has managed innovative health and wellness projects aimed at enhancing top-quality customer experiences at hotels, resorts, and spas. Before Delos, Kendra held a key position on the Brand and Communications team at Spafinder Wellness, Inc., serving as Project Manager of the Global Spa and Wellness Trends Forecast. She presented those findings on a panel at the New York Times Travel Show. Kendra is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. She was recognized for her leadership in spa education as a recipient of the International Spa Association’s Mary Tabacchi Scholarship. Kendra has also worked at Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa and WTS International and with the Washington Spa Alliance. She currently serves on the board of the New York Spa Alliance.
Sheila McCann
General Manager, Chiva-Som International Health Resort, United Kingdom
Sheila McCann is general manager of Chiva-Som and has global experience leading destination wellness retreats and brand development in hotel and day spas in North America, the UK, Europe and Asia. Sheila began her career as a spa therapist and is passionate about wellness, professional integrity and quality standards. She holds an MBA in leisure and tourism from Oxford Brookes and serves on the IHWA ethics committee.
Joy Menzies
Managing Director, DSM Wellness Management, China
Joy is a Marketing and Wellness Operations Professional with 20 years in the Wellness Industry. She was Managing Director of Chiva-Som International Health Resort, Thailand during its meteoric rise between 2001 and 2008. She founded DSM Wellness Management with two fellow directors in 2011 and the company now manages two wellness properties in India and Bali, a wellness centre in Bangkok and a healthy food and wellness business in London. Her recent relocation to head their China based company DSMC is in response to increased interest in wellness real estate across China with the opportunity to support investors and developers create meaningful properties and services that impact the wellbeing of their users.
Steve Nygren
President and Founder, Serenbe, United States
Steve Nygren is the President and Founder of Serenbe, a wellness community created as a model to demonstrate that preserving 70% of green space interlaced with agriculture, housing and retail is not only economically viable but the future of community wellbeing. Steve currently serves on multiple national boards dealing with children, agriculture and environmental issues including The Ray C. Anderson Foundation, Children & Nature Network, Chattahoochee Now, The Biophilic Institute and Wholesome Wave.
Robert Ranzi
Program Manager, Cluster Wellness Tyrol, Austria
Since 2007, Robert Ranzi has been managing projects of Cluster Wellness Tyrol, a network with 130 enterprises, institutions and universities covering the health, wellness and tourism industry. The cluster organizes events, conventions and impulse workshops in order to introduce innovations. Robert is a clinical psychologist with experience and results in adult education, trainings and project development.
Brooke Warrick
President, American LIVES, Inc., United States
Brooke Warrick, founder of American LIVES, Inc., has been a leader in values and lifestyle research for over three decades since his early days at SRI. Specializing in residential and resort real estate, including the design of health and wellness oriented communities; he has worked with Canyon Ranch, Miraval, as well as projects throughout North America, including Central America and the Caribbean. Brooke focuses on sustainable design as a LEED trained professional. He is currently designing a program to optimize the health and wellbeing of Baby Boomers. His background in Psychology, Sociology and Economics, three decades of survey research combine to create his unique perspective.
