GWS announces 2017 theme and chairs
Image: Left to right, Maggie Hsu, Gerry Bodeker and Clare Martorana on stage with GWS chairman and CEO Susie Ellis, Denise Bober, vice president of human resources at The Breakers, and Amy Retay, director of spa operations at The Breakers
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) has announced the theme and co-chairs for this year’s event.
The 2017 summit, taking place at The Breakers Palm Beach resort in Florida on October 9-11, will be held under the theme of Living a Well Life.
Areas of focus will include wellness science and technology; mental wellness; workplace wellness; and wellness communities, healthy buildings and wellness architecture.
Specifics covered will range from sleep science, fitness trackers and the neuroscience of beauty, to the latest research on people’s preferred working patterns and the creation of buildings and communities centred around living a well life.
The event is also set to analyse the future of the wellness market, looking at industry sectors including spa, beauty, travel, fitness, nutrition, medicine and the environment.
The 2017 summit will have three co-chairs: Dr Gerry Bodeker, Maggie Hsu and Clare Martorana. Bodeker researches and advises on wellness and integrative medicine, and is adjunct professor of epidemiology at Columbia University.
He also works with governments, UN bodies and private sector companies around the world on the development of wellness strategies.
Bodeker said: “As Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Mental Wellness Initiative, I’m excited about shaping an agenda that will recognise the surge of interest worldwide in mental wellness, and that will expand the understanding of the broad spectrum of paths to mental wellbeing and higher human potential.”
Maggie Hsu is an advisor for online retailer Zappos and a member of the Global Shapers Community, a worldwide hub of high-achieving young professionals, and an initiative of the World Economic Forum.
Clare Martorana is a digital media executive whose experience includes roles as president of consumer business at healthcare marketing platform Everyday Health, and general manager of health information provider WebMD.
Martorana is currently a member of the United States Digital Service, a startup White House initiative set up in 2014.