2024 IWBI Awards Recognize Outstanding Individual Achievements in Advancing Health and Well-being

Associated Press

13-03-2025

NEW YORK, March 13, 2025 /3BL/ - The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the global authority for advancing healthy buildings, organizations and communities, today announced the winners of the 2024 IWBI Community Awards. This year, we celebrate dozens of outstanding leaders from IWBI's WELL Faculty and WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) community who are being recognized for their impassioned leadership and advocacy.
WELL Faculty and WELL APs —a community of nearly 28,000 people in 133 countries who have obtained or are working toward the professional credential denoting expertise in WELL—have worked hand-in-hand with organizations pursuing IWBI's achievements under the WELL Standard, including pursuit of WELL Certification, WELL ratings and applying WELL at scale, now collectively spanning nearly 6 billion square feet across 136 countries. The 2024 award winners are providing organizations with people-first solutions to meet the rising demand for health.
Among this year's esteemed recipients, IWBI honors four innovators breaking new ground in emerging markets, six Changemakers driving market transformation and two revolutionary Educators of the Year. This year's winning roster also includes Rising Stars making waves, fearless Trailblazers pushing boundaries and visionary leaders advancing the Next Frontier of Design. A long-time healthy building leader who has made innumerable contributions to the movement will receive IWBI's inaugural Legacy Award. These honorees are not just making an impact—they are transforming their fields and shaping the future.
'This year's Community Award winners are truly remarkable. Each of these leaders has made profound contributions to the healthy building movement and advancing our shared vision for people-first places and flourishing organizations. Hailing from 15 countries, our honorees have contributed massively to the explosive demand for WELL spaces worldwide,' said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. 'We are honored to work alongside these amazing individuals and so very grateful for their dedication and impassioned efforts.'
The IWBI Individual Award winners are as follows:
Tracy Backus recently retired from Teknion after spending over 25 years championing sustainability, workplace well-being and the connection between the built environment and human health. A WELL AP, WELL Faculty and former Director of Sustainable Programs, she has been a driving force in WELL and LEED strategies, educating industry leaders and shaping a more sustainable future. Her passion for strategic thinking, environmental advocacy and healthy design has left a lasting impact, making her a deserving recipient of the first ever WELL Legacy Award.
One of the most prestigious honors each year, the 2024 WELL AP of the Year, is awarded to Annalise Dum, the North America Sustainable Building Practices Lead at JLL. A leader in sustainable real estate, Dum is responsible for driving JLL's North American ESG sales efforts and has long championed the WELL movement, overseeing more than 100 projects and 16 million square feet of certified space. As a Senior Sustainability Project Manager, she leads building certification initiatives and provides strategic guidance to help clients align their commercial real estate portfolios with their broader business objectives.
What some of our award recipients are saying:
'Being recognized as Educator of the Year (Faculty) by IWBI fills me with heartfelt pride and gratitude. This honor not only acknowledges our passion for creating people-first spaces at the University of Florida and beyond, but it also celebrates our commitment to nurturing and empowering future generations,' said Bahar Armaghani, Director and Instructional Associate Professor, University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning. 'Our work—especially through the innovative WELL HBCU Pilot Practicum in partnership with IWBI—reflects a deep dedication to education. Together, we're paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable and vibrant future filled with possibility.'
'Winning the Educator of the Year award is a reflection of the value placed on applied research and authentic learning environments,' said Christhina Candido, Professor and Director of Sustainable and Healthy Environments Lab, University of Melbourne. 'To me, it underscores the importance of these elements, which have always been central to IWBI's approach in collaborating with academia.'
Each of these award-winning individuals will be recognized during WELL 2025, a series of more than 20 global events hosted in cities around the world.
For more information about WELL, please visit www.wellcertified.com.
About the International WELL Building InstituteThe International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.
International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.