Engage Estero’s Management Team is delighted to provide our greater Estero citizens with this thought-provoking but realistic insight into what we can do to increase our life expectancy and quality of life. Our speakers for the meeting include Jodi Walborn, Blue Zones Policy Lead on Life Longevity; and Anthony Carangelo, Engage Estero’s Head of Research Co-Chair of the Safety and Transportation Council, who will speak about the “Sense of Place.”
First, Jodi Walborn will discuss that Blue Zones are areas where people live the most extended lives, consistently reaching the age of 100. In contrast, according to the CDC, the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 77 years: Dan Buettner, a National Geographic explorer, identified five such Blue Zones.
“And it’s not just about longer lives; it’s about healthier ones, too,” says Caitlin McAfee, a wellness dietitian at Houston Methodist. “People living in Blue Zones are also much less likely to suffer from chronic illnesses.” But what can we do here in greater Estero that would work to enhance our longevity? Come and find out!
Blue Zones Project Policy and Worksite Lead
Jodi graduated from FGCU with a Bachelor of Health Science and a background in childhood injury prevention, teaching pedestrian and bike safety. Jodi found her purpose in keeping the roads safer for everyone and igniting a passion to help create Complete Streets and educate all road users on how to use and share these roads. Jodi was recruited to the Blue Zones in 2020, where she wears many hats, including Organization, Worksite, School, and Policy Lead, as she works with community leaders to implement healthy choices that help support those who want to live longer and better. She still gets to advocate for safer streets and teaches pedestrian and bicycle safety!
Our second speaker is Antonio Carangelo, Engage Estero’s Chief Research Officer and Safety and Transportation Council Co-Chair.
Tony will talk about the Sense of Place where the community and business can share their ideas of the Future Estero using technology to express their viewpoints.
Chief Research Officer / Transportation Council Co-Chair
Antonio Carangelo Jr. is an Information Technology entrepreneur, innovator, and consultant in the Financial, Educational, Banking, and Insurance industries. Antonio focused on strategic transformational initiatives for business and technology executives, helping organizations move from current business practices to a new future state using advanced information technology solutions. He led cross-discipline, collaborative teams. Antonio is a Boston University graduate with an MS in Systems Software Engineering and a BA in Mathematics from Boston College. Antonio is currently retired and gives his time to community initiatives.
