Center for Active Design Appoints ESG, Sustainability Leaders Jessica Long & Rachel MacCleery to Board of Directors

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Center for Active Design Appoints ESG, Sustainability Leaders Jessica Long & Rachel MacCleery to Board of Directors

Industry veterans bring valuable experience in public health, ESG, and sustainability to
the healthy building movement

NEW YORK, NY; Oct 15, 2024 — The Center for Active Design (CfAD) is proud to announce the appointment of two distinguished leaders, Jessica Long and Rachel MacCleery, to its Board of Directors. Long, Senior Vice President of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability at Nareit, and MacCleery, Co-Executive Director at the Urban Land Institute's Randall Lewis Center for Sustainability in Real Estate, bring a wealth of expertise in ESG, sustainability, and public health. Their appointments reflect CfAD’s continued commitment to advancing innovation in the healthy building movement from a people-perspective, while expanding the impact of the Fitwel Certification and data insights across the real estate industry.

“We are thrilled to welcome two esteemed leaders, Jessica Long and Rachel MacCleery, to our Board,” said Joanna Frank, President and CEO of the Center for Active Design. “Long and MacCleery are both longtime partners of CfAD and Fitwel, and they both offer exceptional depth of experience that further strengthens our leadership team as we continue to drive Fitwel’s growth and impact across the real estate industry. Their expertise will be invaluable in ensuring that CfAD remains at the forefront of integrating health and wellbeing into the built environment, particularly through incorporating health-driven strategies that deliver innovative, evidence-based solutions for healthier, more resilient communities.”

Jessica Long
Senior Vice President of Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability, Nareit

Jessica Long
Senior Vice President of Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability, Nareit

Rachel MacCleery
Co-Executive Director, ULI Randall Lewis Center for Sustainability in Real Estate, Urban Land Institute

Jessica Long, Senior Vice President of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability at Nareit, has a deep background in environmental stewardship and sustainability at the global level. In her current role at Nareit, Long leads thought leadership and advocacy initiatives that align with sustainability strategies across the real estate sector, including spearheading Nareit’s Real Estate Sustainability Council and guiding member REITs in their engagement with investors, policymakers, and other interest groups. Previously, Long led the implementation of Nuveen Real Estate’s “tomorrow’s world” sustainability platform, focusing on climate risk and carbon goals across its U.S. real estate portfolio. Prior to that, Long played a key role in developing the sustainability program and long-term goals for JBG SMITH.

"I am honored to join CfAD’s Board as we continue to elevate the importance of health and well-being in the built environment,” said Long. “Prioritizing people and incorporating health and well-being metrics into real estate decision making has not only proven to provide a competitive edge, it also helps mitigate risk and holistically deliver on business objectives. CfAD and Fitwel have been instrumental in shaping how the real estate industry can adopt and validate a people-first perspective, and I look forward to contributing to the next phase of innovation by supporting real estate companies as they adopt health-centric design decisions that benefit both the people, the environment, and the bottom line.” 

Rachel MacCleery
Co-Executive Director, ULI Randall Lewis Center for Sustainability in Real Estate, Urban Land Institute

Rachel MacCleery currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute’s Randall Lewis Center for Sustainability in Real Estate. She brings significant expertise from her leadership role, where she has provided direction on programs focused on sustainability, resilience, health and social equity. MacCleery is a leading expert in the intersection of real estate, land use, and public health, with an impressive track record of driving industry change by inspiring ULI members to take action to build healthier, more resilient communities. Her extensive background includes leading ULI’s Building Healthy Places program and contributing to global infrastructure and transportation policy during her time at AECOM.

Rachel MacCleery comments, “The Center for Active Design is at the vanguard of efforts to transform the built environment to improve public health outcomes. As the healthy building movement grows, we need intentional evidence-based solutions. Together, we can make meaningful progress in prioritizing occupant health, fostering active and equitable communities, and driving value and sustainability in real estate.”

“With a people-first approach grounded in rigorous public health research, the addition of Jessica Long and Rachel MacCleery to our Board reinforces our commitment to delivering data-driven, evidence-based solutions,” said Sara Karerat, Managing Director of CfAD. “Their expertise will not only create healthier environments but also provide measurable value to real estate stakeholders.”

The two new members join an existing Board that includes prominent members across real estate, public health, sustainability, urban planning, and more.

Fitwel, originally created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), is operated by CfAD. The CDC serves as Fitwel’s research and evaluation partner. Used by top real estate companies worldwide, Fitwel ensures assets are designed and operated to positively impact the health, productivity, and satisfaction of residents, employees, and tenants. The Fitwel Standard translates the global public health evidence base into practical, implementable design and operational strategies to be used at the building level, community level, and at scale.

About The Center for Active Design and Fitwel
The Center for Active Design (CfAD) is the leading non-profit organization using design to foster healthy and engaged communities. CfAD, which operates the Fitwel healthy building certification system, applies its multi-disciplinary expertise to empower decision-makers, providing publications, original research, certification, and education, all aimed at creating a healthier built environment. Fitwel is the world's leading certification system committed to building health for all®. Based on a research library of over 7,000 academic studies and articles, Fitwel is implementing a vision for a healthier future through a Standard that empowers a wide range of professionals, including building owners, designers, and facility managers, to enhance occupant health and productivity through targeted improvements. Fitwel is a joint initiative of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the General Services Administration. CfAD's new business unit, Adai (pronounced "a-DAY"), is charged with expanding Fitwel to the global market, administering the program while providing best-in-class customer service and technical support. To learn more about Fitwel, visit www.fitwel.org

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