John Beard, director of the International Longevity Center USA at Columbia University; Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, the Florida-based real estate development firm known for creating the US’s first fully solar-powered new town, Babcock Ranch; and Dennis Steigerwalt, president of the Housing Innovation Alliance, will keynote on how health and wellness will transform future real estate
MIAMI, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Wellness Summit (GWS)’s fifth annual Wellness Real Estate and Communities Symposium will take place Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in New York City. With a 2026 theme of “Real Estate Through a Wellness Lens,” the event will bring together leaders in real estate, investment, architecture, design, public policy, tech, medicine and sustainability for a day of immersion in the newest concepts and investment trends in the explosive $548 billion wellness real estate market.
Global Wellness Summit’s fifth annual Wellness Real Estate and Communities Symposium will take place Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in New York City
Today the conference announced three high-profile keynotes—true pioneers who have changed the global conversation on how homes and communities are imagined and built.
John Beard, Irene Diamond Professor and director of the International Longevity Center USA at Columbia University, and previous director of Ageing and Life Course with the World Health Organization, will discuss how if 70 is the new 60, what should we be doing differently?
Syd Kitson, former NFL player, and chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, a real estate development firm recognized for its commitment to responsible growth and innovative community planning, will discuss new directions for his creation, the 18,000-acre Babcock Ranch, America’s first fully solar-powered, climate-resilient new town.
Dennis Steigerwalt is president of the Housing Innovation Alliance, who leads a national network of builders, manufacturers, investors, and innovators that drive strategic partnerships and foster collaboration to anticipate future challenges, embrace emerging technologies, and redefine what’s possible in housing.
“This year’s symposium will feature the most powerful thinkers and developers in real estate and the built environment that we have ever assembled,” said Nancy Davis, GWS’s executive director and chief creative officer. “This is evidenced by each speaker announced today, who are all, in different ways, reimagining real estate through a wellness lens at true scale—and whose work has impacted millions of people.”
More About the Speakers:
John Beard directs the International Longevity Center USA at Columbia University. He is the former director of Ageing and Life Course with the World Health Organization in Geneva where he led major global initiatives including the “World report on ageing and health,” the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) program, and the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities which now covers over 350 million people. He has worked extensively with the World Economic Forum, including as chair of their Global Agenda Council on Population Ageing and was a commissioner with the recent US National Academy of Medicine Commission on Healthy Longevity. His research frames health from the perspective of functioning rather than disease, and he applies this approach to aging-related issues ranging from biological drivers through to societal implications.
Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, had a notable career in the National Football League as an offensive guard for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. After retiring from the NFL, he transitioned into real estate and founded Kitson & Partners in 1999. He created Babcock Ranch in southwest Florida, the US’s first completely solar powered town, where clean energy is a way of life—and which has earned national distinction, including recognition by Money Magazine as one of the “50 Best Places to Live in the US.” He has held key leadership roles across major civic and business organizations, having served as chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Council of 100, and the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida. He’s been honored with multiple awards—from Time Magazine’s “Dreamer of the Year” to Builder Magazine’s “Legends Award.”
Dennis Steigerwalt is an advocate for the transformation of how homes and communities are imagined, built, and experienced. Before leading the Housing Innovation Alliance, he served as Managing Director of International Operations for IBACOS, where he developed large-scale strategic innovation and market engagement programs across 28 countries. His work included SABIC’s award-winning Home of Innovation program and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s $4 billion Building Technology Stimulus Initiative. He has curated and led programming for the annual Housing Innovation Summit, the Housing Innovation Challenge concept-to-construction university competition, the National Housing Supply Summit in Washington, D.C., and a nationwide Innovation in Action road trip series convening housing leaders to explore new pathways for delivering better homes. He is founder of Connectivity, an investment and advisory platform supporting real estate development and early-stage companies focused on housing, technology, and sustainability. He is vice chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Residential Neighborhood Development Council, advises the NAHB International Builders’ Show Startup Zone, and was recognized by Pro Builder as one of the industry’s “40 Under 40” leaders.
More speakers will be announced in coming weeks. Read last week’s press release on other keynotes and the research and design challenge that will be unveiled at the symposium.
Register here to attend, with discounted rates until March 29.
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 $6.8 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, 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 20th annual Global Wellness Summit will be held in Phuket, Thailand, November 10-13, 2026.
SOURCE Global Wellness Summit
