Our Team

We are a multi-disciplinary team of explorers, strategists, scientists, and population health innovators who are committed to helping people and entire communities live longer and better.

Innovation Team

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Ben R. Leedle, Jr.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Dan Buettner

FOUNDER

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Dexter Shurney, MD, MBA, MPH

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER

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April Lunde

VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL COUNSEL

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Amelia Clabots

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

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Lynn Richards

CHIEF POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION OFFICER

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Shelly Trumbo

CHIEF TRANSFORMATIONS OFFICER

Business Development & Brands

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Dan Buettner, Jr.

VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

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Sid Stolz

CHIEF DESIGN AND EXPERIENCE OFFICER

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Dr. Timothy Gillespie

THRIVE SPEAKERS BUREAU

Editorial & Communications

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Naomi Imatome-Yun

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Erin Johnson

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

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Aislinn Kotifani

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

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Lynnia Shanley

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Tim Cebula

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Johnaé De Felicis

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Jolia Allen

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Lisa Monroe

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Financial

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Souraya Farhat

CONTROLLER

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Steve Samples

FINANCE EXPERT

Community Well-Being

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Nick Buettner

VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

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Lisle Wescott

DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTS

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Debbie Watkins

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

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Katrina Worlund

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

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Seth Levin

PROJECT MANAGER

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Allison Troyer-Wiswell

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

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Nicole Hamm

BLUE ZONES PROJECT JACKSONVILLE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Built Environment

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Dan Burden

DIRECTOR OF INSPIRATION AND INNOVATION

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Mark Fenton

NATIONAL BUILT ENVIRONMENT EXPERT

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Fabian De La Espriella, AICP

BUILT ENVIRONMENT EXPERT / PROJECT MANAGER

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Sarah Bowman

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Food Systems & Strategy

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Maggi Adamek, PhD

NATIONAL FOOD POLICY EXPERT

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Nadja Berneche

FOOD POLICY EXPERT

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Colin Cureton

FOOD SYSTEMS EXPERT

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Miles Gordon

FOOD SYSTEMS EXPERT

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Mike Schall

BLUE ZONES FOOD STRATEGY EXPERT

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Jessica Pastore

BLUE ZONES FOOD STRATEGY EXPERT

Well-Being Data & Analysis

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Joe Daly

GALLUP SENIOR PARTNER

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Jan Emmanuel De Neve, PhD

WORLD HAPPINESS EXPERT

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Dan Witters

RESEARCH DIRECTOR OF THE GALLUP WELL-BEING INDEX

Financial Well-Being

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Mariel Beasley

FINANCIAL WELL-BEING EXPERT

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Kristen Berman

FINANCIAL WELL-BEING EXPERT

Workforce Development

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David Babcock

HEALTHCARE INNOVATOR

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Maritza Rivera-Babcock

HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVE & TRANSFORMATION LEADER

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Jason M. Joseph

BUSINESS & NONPROFIT CONSULTANT

Health Equity

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Lauran Hardin

EXPERT IN HEALTH & SOCIAL NEEDS

People & Places

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Adrienne Gil

COMMUNITY HEALTH EXPERT

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Tricia Gehrlein

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT EXPERT

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Rain Henderson

NATIONAL CHANGEMAKER

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Tre' McCalister

WORKSITE EXPERT

Tobacco & Alcohol

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Richard Killingsworth, PhD

TOBACCO POLICY EXPERT

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Toben Nelson, ScD

ALCOHOL POLICY EXPERT

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