New Speakers Revealed for Wellness Real Estate and Communities Symposium in New York City

Experts at the GWS and GWI event will discuss a wide range of topics in the booming $438 billion wellness real estate market, including a new era of longevity living, democratizing wellness real estate, and how neuroscience and placemaking are intertwining in the built environment

MIAMI, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Wellness Summit ™ (GWS) and the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) have announced additional speakers for their fourth annual Wellness Real Estate & Communities Symposium, which will take place Tuesday, June 17, 2025 in New York City. This is the only conference that brings together leaders in real estate, investment, architecture, design, public policy, technology, medicine and sustainability to explore how a new focus on health and wellness is transforming every aspect of the built environment.

Wellness real estate has been, and is forecast to be, the fastest-growing sector in the $6.3 trillion global wellness economy. The market surged from $225 billion in 2019 to $438 billion in 2023 (18% annually) and the GWI predicts that it will grow 15.8% each year from 2023 to 2028, when it will approach the trillion-dollar mark ($913 billion).

The Symposium will take a deep dive into this rapidly growing sector, exploring topics ranging from the intersection of neuroscience, cognitive psychology and place making, to investments in wellness real estate, to a new era of longevity living. We'll also pull back the curtain on what it really takes to create spaces and communities that are beautiful, livable, and truly sustainable—all with wellness at their heart.

New speakers just announced include:

• Nathan Palin, founder and managing principal of SKOA Capital—the first real estate investment bank exclusively focused on wellness real estate—will sit down with wellness strategist and brand architect Mia Kyricos to talk money, mission, and what's actually working when it comes to investing in wellness-driven real estate.
• Joanna Frank, president & CEO of the Center for Active Design and Fitwel, and Jonathan Emery, CEO of Aldar Development—one of the Middle East's largest real estate developers—will come together for a conversation exploring how wellness is driving development in the UAE, where consumer demand for communities optimized for quality of life is driving hyper-growth in the region.
• Danny Seo, eco-living icon and Simply Green founder, will join forces with Lynette Harrison Brubaker, the powerhouse behind brands like makeup mogul Bobbi Brown and her brand Jones Road, Mickey Drexler's ventures, and Michelin-starred chef Missy Robbins. Their conversation will get to the heart of the future: the intersection of design and sustainability.
• David Martin, CEO of Miami-based Terra, who leads an $8B+ portfolio of transformative South Florida developments focused on smart growth and sustainability, will speak with Kane Sarhan, co-founder & CCO of THE WELL. Their discussion will focus on creating residences with holistic health in mind.
• Nerio Alessandri, president and founder of Technogym, will speak about the company's new "Healthness" concept, which uses wellness data and AI to create hyper-personalized programs.
• Kenneth Ryan, recently appointed chief longevity officer of The Estate—a luxury hospitality and residential concept which is owned by Sam Nazarian's operating firm, SBE, and backed by life coach Tony Robbins, musician Marc Anthony, and investor Richard Attius—will speak about the evolution of wellness as a foundational element in building residences.
• Tye Farrow, senior partner at Farrow Partners Architects and author of Constructing Health: How the Built Environment Enhances Your Mind's Health will talk about how the intentional shaping of our environment can support our physical and neurological wellbeing.
• Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki will reveal the findings of the America at Home study, which looks at consumer sentiment to understand the design changes people are looking for in homes and communities.
• Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses, will talk about branded residences, wellness and hospitality, and his own next chapter.
• Robert Hammond and Kellan Florio of Therme Group will discuss investing in democratized wellness, public and private partnerships, and the importance of government involvement.
• Yuki Kiyono, global head of health and wellness development for Aman Resorts, will discuss the ultra-luxury segment of wellness residences and the impact on the bottom line.
• Emmanuelle Slossberg, creator and chief strategy officer of Connect 10 Strategy, will be in conversation with Sharon Prince, founder and CEO of Grace Farms, a cultural and humanitarian center in Connecticut that is a new kind of boundary-defying public space. The two will discuss the Design for Freedom movement, which aims to raise global awareness about more humane design and construction practices.
• Amaya Genaro, VP of community service for Rancho Mission Viejo, will discuss the well-established California wellness community with GWI's Katherine Johnston and Ophelia Yeung.  This is one of several case studies being released as a companion report to the new Build Well to Live Well: The Future, which will also be presented at the event. 
• Veronica Schreibeis Smith, CEO & founding principal of architecture firm Vera Iconica, will offer a look back at the last ten years in the wellness real estate sector.
• Vlada Tusco and Elan Shuker from BBC Storyworks will reveal the third season of their series produced for the Global Wellness Institute, In Pursuit of Wellness, which focuses on wellness real estate and communities.

Additionally, the GWI's own Beth McGroarty will present a lightning round of the latest trends in wellness real estate; GWS chair Susie Ellis will offer a glimpse of wellness real estate projects around the world; and GWS executive director Nancy Davis will speak with Rachel Hodgdon, president and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) on her multi-generational wellness-focused home.

The GWI will also reveal Build Well to Live Well: The Future, providing all new data and insights, key developments and case studies, for the global real estate market. The report is the research bible for the sector and this represents the first update since 2018. All attendees will receive a copy.

These speakers join previously announced keynotes, including Manvendra Singh Shekhawat, managing director of luxury hotel group Suryagarh Collection, who will speak about Dhun, an extraordinary new project set on a 500-acre bioreserve outside Jaipur, India, which has transformed barren land into a thriving ecosphere; and Horst Schulze, founding member of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, who will discuss the new category of longevity residences and an ambitious new project, Centagio, which merges high-end living with cutting-edge health optimization.

The all-day event will be held at West End Labs (WEL), a cutting-edge life science and innovation hub, housed in a reimagined 1920s Chrysler facility just blocks from Lincoln Center. It is LEED Gold, WiredScore Platinum, and Fitwel certified. In-person attendees are invited to a VIP networking reception on June 16 (6 to 8 p.m.) at the iconic BBC Studios in Manhattan—home to BBC Storyworks, producers of the award-winning In Pursuit of Wellness series for the GWI.

Register here for either in-person or virtual attendance.

Accredited media can apply to attend here.

About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $6.3 trillion global wellness economy. In addition to an annual conference, held at a different location around the globe, GWS also hosts annual in-person events such as the Wellness Real Estate & Communities Symposium and the Beauty & the Brain Symposium, along with virtual gatherings, including Wellness Master Classes and Wellness Sector Spotlights. The organization's Future of Wellness report forecasts the top wellness trends for the year ahead and is oft-quoted in the media. The 19th annual Global Wellness Summit will be held in Dubai, November 18-21, 2025.

About the Global Wellness Institute

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a nonprofit 501(c)(3), is considered the leading global research and educational resource for the global wellness industry and is known for introducing major industry initiatives and regional events that bring together leaders to chart the future. GWI positively impacts global health and wellness by educating public institutions, businesses and individuals on how they can work to prevent disease, reduce stress and enhance overall quality of life. Its mission is to empower wellness worldwide.

SOURCE Global Wellness Summit; Global Wellness Institute