Blue Zones Project Scottsdale Executive Director Announced

“I am honored to have been chosen to lead this work ahead as every facet of the community has the opportunity to embark on their own well-being journey with Blue Zones Project Scottsdale. This community led initiative is the catalyst to help make the healthy choice the easy choice. It is an exciting time for Scottsdale as we continue to elevate our community as a special place to live, work, play, and thrive,” said Kearney.

Kearney brings over 16 years of leadership experience in tourism and community development to the position and most recently worked as the Director of Partner Development for Experience Scottsdale. During her tenure there, Kearney held multiple leadership positions and specialized in worldwide leisure sales, partner development strategy, membership and community engagement, and program development.

Kearney has also led a wide array of local Scottsdale organizations, including as the Board President of Scottsdale Leadership, Board President of Community Celebrating Diversity, a Board Member for Scottsdale Sister Cities, and the Vice President of Community Outreach at GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix/Scottsdale. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor’s degree in communication from Arizona State University.

Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being initiative designed to help people live better, longer lives with lower rates of chronic disease by transforming the environments where they live, work, learn, and play. The initiative was launched in Scottsdale in March of 2023 through an innovative partnership between Blue Zones, HonorHealth, Cigna Healthcare, and Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona.

Based on the longevity research and principles developed by National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author, Dan Buettner, Blue Zones Project makes healthy choices easier through permanent changes to the built environment, food environment, public policy, and social networks.

Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Blue Zones launched the first pilot community in 2009 in Albert Lea, MN with groundbreaking results. Directly and also in partnership with Sharecare, the model has since been applied to more than 75 communities in the United States. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs.