By Looking Beyond Today
To build a better future you need the mindset of an outsider. To be able to make decisions that in hindsight – years from now – will seem like obvious, common-sense choices. We are driven by the concept of advantageous divergence – going against the herd and having the confidence of our convictions. We are obsessive in our focus on continuous improvement and innovation, with a relentless and single-minded pursuit of the highest standards. The status quo is not an option.
At Welltower, we are fixated on “velocity” – a term that permeates all aspects of our organization. “Velocity” is often used synonymously with “speed,” but a major distinction separates the two: velocity considers direction or vectors whereas many companies simply seek speed – a frenzied pace of activity. At Welltower, it’s not about the early bird just getting the worm, it’s about how quickly the bird reaches its destination and how much “punch” the bird exerts in order to create growing separation from those who trail.
If we look at one of the oldest law of physics, kinetic energy (KE = 1/2mv2), we find that velocity gets squared, while scale (mass) does not or – the law of compounding working in an exponential format. It is kinetic energy that allows an individual or team to “punch holes,” providing the necessary force to project against obstacles, competitors, status quo, mediocrity, and complacency. Needless to say, our organization is bristling with kinetic energy. Our ultimate objective remains the long term compounding of per share growth. But it’s also effort that compounds. And, the efforts of our extraordinary team with the right vectors will continue to create tremendous value (the “alpha”) for our existing shareholders on a per share basis.
A Product Business Within a Real Estate “Wrapper”
The concept of advantageous divergence is perhaps best manifested in our view that real estate is not a levered finance business. Instead, we believe that it is a product business (that is, if you’re in the business of generating long-term compounding growth). While we are extraordinarily proud of the unmatched portfolio we have curated over the course of many years, it isn’t just our ownership of physical real estate or their locational attributes which creates value – it’s what’s taking place within those buildings that also creates true long-term value. As such, we are continuously asking ourselves a simple question: how do we work with our best-in-class operating partners to truly delight residents and their families while also enhancing the employee experience? Our goal is to deliver a killer value proposition for our resident and site level employees alongside our operating partners enhanced by Welltower Business System – without which we simply won’t succeed. At Welltower, we are relentless in our pursuit of higher standards in everything we do – including the operations of our portfolio – through dogged, incremental, continuous improvement over long periods of time. We are, at our core, an operating company within a real estate wrapper.
A Culture of Ownership
We are proud to have curated a leadership team that, in our humble opinion, consists of leading minds who are intellectually curious, open-minded, and voracious learners. We strongly believe in the old fashioned Benjamin Franklin values of mutual respect, humility, frugality, stoicism, and a strong work ethic. We are not easily offended, operate with a sense of healthy paranoia, take nothing for granted and always focus on moving forward. We are also adaptable – changing with the market and industry dynamics, knowing that it is not the strongest that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.
You can call us iconoclasts with a true flair for ingenuity and a win/win attitude. We study industries with the highest standards and are students of their leaders. We built this company by laying one airtight brick at a time with an outsider mindset – it is of paramount importance to us that we get it right, not be right. We are not an institution. The heart and soul of our organization is based on an ethos of entrepreneurship and we exist to help other entrepreneurs succeed. We will never be a corporation in the traditional sense. We are owners. NOT managers.
Learn more about our culture
Charles T. Munger
[1924 – Forever]
Doing a lifetime of things well, never cutting corners.
What Would Charlie Do? (WWCD)
As a leadership team, we have been extraordinarily fortunate to have received the unparalleled guidance of a towering figure from the Mount Rushmore of investing, business, and philanthropy. That individual was Charlie Munger. Charlie was constantly generous with his wisdom, instilling in us the virtues required for long-term compounding. And, he gave us his greatest gift of all – his time. The influence that he had on Welltower, its people, and its culture is truly immeasurable. Charlie is no longer with us, and hence we cannot just call on him or sit down with him for sage advice when faced with challenges or strategic dilemmas. He is very much alive in our hearts and minds and his teachings infuse our thinking and approach to everything we do. When at a crossroads facing a particular challenge, we collectively take a moment and ask ourselves, “What Would Charlie Do?” WWCD has become our guiding light when seeking perspective or in a dilemma; a constant reminder of our core principles, helping us navigate complexities with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
It is impossible to list all of his teachings on this page, but the following principles have had a profound impact on our core values:
- The power of multi-disciplinary learning and Latticework of Mental Models
- Behave like owners, not managers
- Deserving a great partner by being one
- Take a simple idea and take it seriously
- Having patience and then acting with conviction – big money is made not in buying or selling but in waiting
- Staying within one’s circle of competence. 90% of things are in the “too hard to figure out” category
- Avoiding stupidity, misery and envy
- Reputation is the currency of business
- First principle based “uncommon” common sense approach to life and business
- The power of compounding
- Importance and adherence to checklist like a pilot
- Invert. Always Invert.
…and many more
Leadership
SWAGAT BANERJEE
Chief Data Officer
SWAGAT BANERJEE
Chief Data Officer
Swagat Banerjee is Chief Data Officer at Welltower, overseeing the Firm’s Business Insights and Data Science based analytics efforts. He is focused on developing solutions using Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning process for capital allocation and operational analytics at Welltower.
Mr. Banerjee has led the rapid growth of Welltower’s industry-leading data analytics platform by working across business units and groups to align data, analytics and strategies. He leads Welltower’s data science, big data and predictive analytics initiatives using applied statistical models. The focus is to understand and develop solutions using historical senior housing, health system, medical office and wellness housing data to identify statistically relevant parameters aligned with the real estate industry.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Banerjee led the Data and Analytics group at PwC, where he acquired significant experience at large organizations from diverse industries. Mr. Banerjee has extensive experience in the Finance, Retail, Insurance, Credit Card, Telecommunications, Real Estate and Hospitality industries.
Mr. Banerjee holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
JOHN BURKART
Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer
JOHN BURKART
Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer
John Burkart is Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Welltower® Inc. In his role, Mr. Burkart has leadership responsibilities across the organization, including platform-wide operations, asset and portfolio management, data analytics, research, and joint venture partnerships. Mr. Burkart has significant operational expertise, applying a data-driven approach to drive platform efficiencies, capital allocation decisions, and technological innovation across the Company.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Burkart spent 25 years at Essex Property Trust (NYSE: ESS), most recently serving as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Mr. Burkart held critical and wide-ranging responsibilities, including the oversight of operations, redevelopment and capital maintenance, research, and information technology. He was also responsible for the development of Essex’s revenue management platform and the implementation of numerous technology and optimization initiatives as well as being keenly involved in the execution of Essex’s capital deployment strategy.
Mr. Burkart holds a BS in Finance from San Jose State University and an MBA in Real Estate from Golden Gate University.
PAM BYRNE
Senior Vice President – Head of Human Capital
PAM BYRNE
Senior Vice President – Head of Human Capital
Pam Byrne is Senior Vice President, Head of Human Capital at Welltower Inc. Her areas of responsibilities include leading the Human Capital Department – talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion, learning and development, human capital operations, total rewards and human capital strategic initiatives – positioning Welltower to attract and retain top talent. Ms. Byrne reports directly to the CEO.
Prior to joining Welltower in 2013, Ms. Byrne served as Vice President, Human Resources/Administration at Corner Dental where she served in the dual capacity of Compliance/Safety Officer and Head of Human Resources. Prior to Corner Dental, she worked for Sterling Healthcare, an Emergency Medicine physician services practice, as a Regional Director focused on operational financial performance.
Ms. Byrne holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and graduated from John Carroll University with a degree in Marketing. She currently serves on NAREIT’s Dividends Through Diversity Inclusion Initiative, is involved in Welltower’s CORE Women’s Initiative, and is an external speaker on HR topics.
MATTHEW CARRUS
Senior Vice President, Treasurer - Finance and Capital Markets
MATTHEW CARRUS
Senior Vice President, Treasurer - Finance and Capital Markets
Matthew Carrus is Senior Vice President, Treasurer – Finance and Capital Markets at Welltower Inc. As Treasurer, Mr. Carrus is responsible for overseeing the Company’s capitalization strategy, liquidity, cash management, and hedging activity. Mr. Carrus also oversees the Company’s capital markets activity. In these roles he leads the execution of public capital markets transactions while maintaining ongoing relationships with lenders, investment banks, rating agencies, research analysts and investors.
Mr. Carrus joined Welltower in 2015 and has worked in several capacities, including underwriting, investments and corporate finance and capital markets. Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Carrus held various positions in healthcare services and investment advisory firms.
Mr. Carrus graduated with honors from Pace University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and received an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
NIKHIL CHAUDHRI
Co-President and Chief Investment Officer
NIKHIL CHAUDHRI
Co-President and Chief Investment Officer
Nikhil Chaudhri is Co-President and Chief Investment Officer at Welltower Inc. and is responsible for leading the Company’s investments across acquisitions, debt investments, dispositions, and developments.
Mr. Chaudhri joined Welltower in 2016, and in his time at the firm has been instrumental in executing key transactions, restructurings and formation of strategic joint ventures and programmatic development partnerships.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Chaudhri worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank, where he structured interest rate and currency derivatives for the firm’s US corporate clients.
Mr. Chaudhri holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BSE in Computer Science Engineering from the University of Michigan and is a CFA charterholder.
EDWARD CHEUNG
Executive Vice President – International Investments
EDWARD CHEUNG
Executive Vice President – International Investments
Edward Cheung is Executive Vice President – International Investments at Welltower Inc. and oversees the Company’s international portfolio in addition to select seniors housing and medical office investments across North America. Mr. Cheung joined Welltower in 2019 as Senior Vice President – Investments.
Prior to joining Welltower, Edward Cheung was a Managing Partner at BFIN, a Brookfield Company (NYSE: BAM) with a focus on structured finance and M&A advisory. Mr. Cheung led various capital market initiatives including the privatization of public and private real asset and resources companies, the formation of a global real estate platform that is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, and the strategic recapitalization on several billion-dollar portfolios of real estate properties to long-term strategic capital partners. Mr. Cheung held responsibilities in the United States and Canada and was particularly active in sourcing strategic LP capital from foreign investors into North American domicile real estate opportunities.
Prior to joining BFIN, Mr. Cheung was at GE Real Estate where he underwrote more than $1 billion in real estate transactions. He also spent five years as a management consultant at Deloitte focused on telecommunications, energy and financial services.
Mr. Cheung holds an MBA from INSEAD and graduated from the University of Waterloo with a degree in Systems Design Engineering.
PETER CHMIELEWSKI
Senior Vice President - Head of Global Development
PETER CHMIELEWSKI
Senior Vice President - Head of Global Development
Peter Chmielewski is Senior Vice President, Head of Global Development at Welltower Inc. and leads the Company’s development activities across senior housing, wellness housing, and outpatient medical. Mr. Chmielewski joined the Company in June 2024.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Chmielewski spent 11+ years at Quarterra Multifamily Communities (QMC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lennar Corporation specializing in large-scale multifamily developments. Most recently, Peter served as Division President, leading the Midwest Division on all business operations, strategy, and real estate development efforts.
Prior to his tenure at Quarterra, Peter was an architect with Perkins+Will, leading design teams in various asset classes on large scale projects in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Prior to P+W, Peter worked for Hines Interests on mid-to-high rise multifamily and office developments in Chicago and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Peter studied business at the University of Wisconsin, architecture at the University of Minnesota, and received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with concentrations in Real Estate Development and International Business.
(Chmielewski is pronounced “Shim-A-Less-Key”)
ANDREW COHEN
Senior Vice President - Co-Head of US Investments
ANDREW COHEN
Senior Vice President - Co-Head of US Investments
Andrew Cohen is Senior Vice President, Co-Head of US Investments at Welltower Inc. and leads the Wellness Housing business as well as the structuring and execution of the firm’s US debt and equity investments.
Mr. Cohen joined Welltower in 2018, and in his role as Vice President, Investments, he led the evaluation and closing of acquisitions, programmatic development partnerships, strategic joint ventures, debt investments, and dispositions.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Cohen was an investor at V3 Capital, LP, a long/short hedge fund focused on value and event-driven investing in real estate securities. Prior to his tenure at V3 Capital, Mr. Cohen served as an investment banking analyst in the New York office at Stifel.
Mr. Cohen holds a B.S., magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
JOSH FIEWEGER
Chief Accounting Officer
JOSH FIEWEGER
Chief Accounting Officer
Mr. Fieweger serves as Chief Accounting Officer. In this role, Mr. Fieweger leads all aspects of Welltower’s accounting function including external financial reporting, acquisitions, and dispositions. He has served in various roles at the Company since 2011.
Prior to joining the Company in 2011, Mr. Fieweger was a Senior Manager in the audit and assurance practice at Ernst & Young. Mr. Fieweger earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 2002 with a dual major in accounting and finance. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
MICHAEL GARST
Senior Vice President – Tax
MICHAEL GARST
Senior Vice President – Tax
Michael Garst serves as Senior Vice President, Tax at Welltower Inc. and leads the Company’s global tax function.
Mr. Garst joined the Company in 2011 and most recently served as Vice President, Tax. His areas of responsibility include the tax planning and structuring of Welltower’s mergers, acquisitions, disposition activity, tax disputes, tax legislative and tax lobbying efforts, along with overseeing the Company’s international taxes, income tax compliance, indirect taxes, and tax accounting and reporting activities.
Mr. Garst serves on the Board of Directors of Clothe-A-Child of Ohio, Inc., is a member of the Nareit Federal Tax Subcommittee, Tax Executives Institute, Inc., and is a part-time instructor at the University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation. Mr. Garst has graduate degrees from Wayne State University Law School, the University of Cincinnati, and Michigan State University.
MARK HERNANDEZ
Chief Technology Officer
MARK HERNANDEZ
Chief Technology Officer
Bio coming soon.
PATRICK KEPPENNE
Senior Vice President – Investments
PATRICK KEPPENNE
Senior Vice President – Investments
Patrick Keppenne was named to the Leadership Team as Senior Vice President – Investments in January of 2025. Mr. Keppenne joined Welltower as an associate in 2018 and most recently served as Vice President – Investments. Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Keppenne served as an associate in the Real Estate and Finance division at DLA Piper LLP. Mr. Keppenne earned his JD from Maastricht University (Netherlands) and MBA from Columbia Business School.
SHARON MAKOWSKY
Senior Vice President - Deputy General Counsel
SHARON MAKOWSKY
Senior Vice President - Deputy General Counsel
Sharon Makowsky is Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel at Welltower Inc. In this role, she oversees U.S. seniors housing and wellness housing transactions from a legal perspective and supports the Company in its strategic initiatives.
Ms. Makowsky joined Welltower in October 2018 from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in New York, where she was an associate in the firm’s Real Estate Department, advising clients on a wide range of real estate matters. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Ms. Makowsky was an associate in the Real Estate Department of Paul Hastings LLP in New York, and prior to law school, Ms. Makowsky was an analyst at Goldman Sachs & Co. in Human Capital Management.
Ms. Makowsky earned her J.D. cum laude from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. She holds a B.A. in Economics and Sociology from Brandeis University, graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
TIM MCHUGH
Co-President and Chief Financial Officer
TIM MCHUGH
Co-President and Chief Financial Officer
Tim McHugh is Co-President and Chief Financial Officer at Welltower Inc. In this role, Mr. McHugh oversees Capital Markets and Corporate Finance functions and is responsible for the Company’s combined Financial Planning and Analysis and Portfolio Management functions.
Mr. McHugh joined Welltower in 2016 as Vice President, Finance and Investments. He has held the positions of Treasurer, Senior Vice President – Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President – Chief Financial before assuming his current role.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. McHugh worked at RREEF Management, L.L.C, the global alternative investment management business of Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division. As a Senior Analyst focused on Healthcare, Office and Specialty Sectors, he was responsible for developing sector level underwriting methodologies, valuing individual securities and producing investment recommendations. Prior to his tenure at RREEF, he served as an Equity Research Analyst at Northern Trust covering companies in the in the financial services, semiconductor, and utility sectors.
Mr. McHugh holds a B.S. in Finance and a minor in Technology & Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
MATT MCQUEEN
Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
MATT MCQUEEN
Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
Matt McQueen is Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Welltower Inc. In this role, he serves as the chief legal adviser for Welltower and oversees Enterprise Risk Management, Human Capital, Compliance and Internal Audit. He plays an instrumental role supporting all the Company’s transactions, debt and equity offerings, Board of Directors and governance matters. Mr. McQueen also sits on the Company’s management investment committee.
Mr. McQueen joined Welltower in April 2015 from Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, where he served as a partner in their Corporate & Securities group. In his 11 years at Sidley, he led a substantial practice in mergers and acquisitions, working on domestic and global transactions for public and private companies, as well as public and private securities offerings, joint ventures and corporate governance matters.
Mr. McQueen earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan as magna cum laude and was a note editor on the Michigan Journal of International Law. Matt holds a B.A. in English and History from Indiana University graduating as a member of Phi Beta Kappa and with departmental honors and earning a Wells Scholarship.
SHANKH MITRA
Chief Executive Officer
SHANKH MITRA
Chief Executive Officer
Shankh Mitra has been Welltower’s Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors since October 2020 and Chief Investment Officer from August 2018 to January 2023. Previously, he served in the roles of Welltower’s Vice Chair – Chief Operating Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Senior Vice President – Head of Investments and Senior Vice President – Finance & Investments. Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Mitra served as Portfolio Manager, Real Estate Securities at Millennium Management LLC. He also served as a Senior Analyst at Citadel Investment Group and Fidelity Investments. Mr. Mitra began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Shankh is deeply passionate about capital allocation, the mentoring of early career professionals, and data science in the area of machine learning and deep learning. He takes great pride in the professional development and advancement of his team. Mr. Mitra serves on the Board of Trustees of Public Storage (NYSE: PSA), is a member of the Nareit Advisory Board of Governors and is a trustee of UT Southwestern Medical Center as a member of the President’s Advisory Board.
Mr. Mitra holds an MBA in Applied Value Investing from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Jadavpur University.
JOHN OLYMPITIS
Executive Vice President – Head of Corporate Development
JOHN OLYMPITIS
Executive Vice President – Head of Corporate Development
John Olympitis is Executive Vice President – Head of Corporate Development and has responsibility for originating transactions and managing growth relationships across all asset classes, as well as leading the Business Development and Strategy teams. Previously, Mr. Olympitis served as a Senior Vice President and Vice President in both the Business Development and Investment groups and has been actively involved in acquisition and development, having served at the forefront of several Welltower joint ventures with world class institutions.
Mr. Olympitis started his career in real estate finance in Capital Markets and Investor Relations roles at The Rouse Company in Columbia, Maryland, and subsequently spent more than 10 years on Wall Street at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and private investment vehicles in advisory and portfolio management roles before joining Welltower in early 2015. He completed 8 years of study in England and graduated with honors from University College London (UK), and sits on the board of directors of the University’s US non–profit.
RUSS SIMON
Senior Vice President – Co-Head of US Investments
RUSS SIMON
Senior Vice President – Co-Head of US Investments
Russ Simon is Senior Vice President, Co-Head of US Investments at Welltower Inc. with responsibility for the structuring and execution of the firm’s US debt and equity investments.
Mr. Simon has served in various investment and underwriting roles since joining Welltower in 2011. He has led the evaluation and closing of over $10 billion in transactions including acquisitions, public company M&A, new developments, joint ventures, debt investments, and dispositions across seniors housing, outpatient medical, and post-acute care. Mr. Simon previously served as Vice President, Investments where in addition to new investment responsibilities he led several key operating partnerships.
Mr. Simon earned an MBA with honors from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He holds a BBA degree with a minor in mathematics, also from the Ross School of Business.
KRISHNA SOMA
Senior Vice President – Corporate Finance
KRISHNA SOMA
Senior Vice President – Corporate Finance
Krishna Soma is Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance at Welltower Inc. and oversees the Company’s capital markets activity. In this role, he leads the execution of public capital markets transactions while maintaining ongoing relationships with investment banks, research analysts and investors. Mr. Soma joined the Company in 2019.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Soma spent 18 years as a buyside analyst at leading investment management firms. He most recently served as a senior analyst at Invesco Real Estate, a global investment manager with investments across direct property and publicly traded securities. His primary responsibilities included fundamental and quantitative research on real estate securities across the US and Latin America. Prior to his tenure at Invesco, Mr. Soma served as a REIT analyst at Duff & Phelps Investment Management. Prior to Duff & Phelps, he served as an analyst at Northern Trust Global Investments with coverage of REITs, Homebuilders and Engineering & Construction companies.
Mr. Soma holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and is a CFA Charterholder.
ZAC STEIN
Senior Vice President - Head of Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis
ZAC STEIN
Senior Vice President - Head of Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis
Zac Stein serves as Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis at Welltower Inc. In his role, Mr. Stein is responsible for leading the internal budgeting, reporting, and data standardization functions for the Company. He has held several roles within the Financial Planning & Analysis and Portfolio Management functions since joining Welltower in 2015.
Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Stein worked at Omnicare Inc. in the payer relations function. He earned an MBA from Williams College of Business at Xavier University and holds a BBA degree from the University of Toledo.
DANIEL TURLEY
Senior Vice President – Head of Outpatient Medical
DANIEL TURLEY
Senior Vice President – Head of Outpatient Medical
Daniel Turley serves as Senior Vice President, Head of Outpatient Medical and oversees the Company’s Outpatient Medical operating platform.
Mr. Turley joined Welltower in 2022 and previously served as Managing Director of Business Development with a focus on Outpatient Medical.
Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Turley worked at JLL as Senior Managing Director in the Healthcare Capital Markets division.
Mr. Turley holds a Masters, cum laude, in Urban Planning from New York University and a B.S., summa cum laude, in Urban Geography from Arizona State University.
KENNETH J. BACON
Chair and Independent Director
KENNETH J. BACON
Chair and Independent Director
Mr. Bacon has served as Welltower’s Chair of the Board since October 2020. Mr. Bacon is a co-founder of RailField Realty Partners (a financial advisory and asset management firm) and has served as RailField’s managing partner since 2012. Prior to launching RailField, Mr. Bacon spent 19 years at Fannie Mae, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of the multifamily mortgage business from July 2005 to March 2012.
Among other qualifications, Mr. Bacon’s extensive experience in financial services, real estate investment, government affairs and housing make him a valuable asset to the Board.
Age: 70
Director Since: 2016
Welltower™ Committees: Executive (Chair)
Other Directorships:
- Ally Financial Inc. (Risk Committee Chair)
- Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.
- Comcast Corporation (Governance and Directors Nominating Committee Chair)
Education:
- BA – Anthropology, Stanford University
- MSc – International Relations, London School of Economics
- MBA – Finance & Strategy, Harvard Business School
KAREN B. DESALVO
Independent Director
KAREN B. DESALVO
Independent Director
Dr. DeSalvo is a physician executive who has served as the Chief Health Officer of Google since December 2019. She is on the Council of the National Academy of Medicine. From 2018-2019, she served as professor of medicine and population health at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School and co-lead of the National Alliance to Impact the Social Determinants of Health with former HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt. From 2014 to 2017, she served as Acting Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. From 2011 to 2014, she was Health Commissioner for the City of New Orleans. Prior to that she was Vice Dean for Community Affairs and Health Policy at the Tulane University School of Medicine, where she practiced medicine and led the medical school’s community health programs. She was formerly on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Board of Directors of Humana.
Among other qualifications, Dr. DeSalvo’s experience in medical and public health leadership, health care technology, health care delivery and health care policy make her an important addition to the Board.
Age: 59
Director Since: 2018
Welltower™ Committees: Investment, Nominating/Corporate Governance
Other Directorships:
Education:
- BA – Biology and Political Science, Suffolk University
- MD – Tulane University School of Medicine
- MPH – Tulane University School of Public Health
- MSc – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
ANDREW GUNDLACH
Independent Director
ANDREW GUNDLACH
Independent Director
Mr. Gundlach is the President and Co-CEO of Bleichroeder LP, a registered investment advisor serving ultra-high-net-worth families. He has extensive experience in both public and private markets, with a particular expertise in corporate strategy and capital markets.
Mr. Gundlach has been a key figure at First Eagle Investment Management, where he has served on the board since 2004. Bleichroeder was spun out from First Eagle after funds controlled by Blackstone and Corsair bought majority control in 2015, a transaction initiated by Mr. Gundlach. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gundlach held roles in the corporate finance and M&A departments at Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan.
Mr. Gundlach earned a BS in International Relations and Affairs and an MS from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Mr. Gundlach is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, where he serves on the Investment Committee. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing at Columbia Business School from 2004 to the present, where he teaches courses on investing. He currently serves as a Member of the Columbia Business School Board as well as a trustee of the Guggenheim Museum.
Age: 54
Director Since: 2024
Welltower™ Committees: Audit and Investment Committees
Other Directorships:
- First Eagle Investment Management
Education:
- BS and MS – International Relations and Affairs, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
- MBA – Columbia Business School
DENNIS G. LOPEZ
Independent Director
DENNIS G. LOPEZ
Independent Director
Mr. Lopez has served as the Chief Executive Officer of QuadReal Property Group Ltd. (a global real estate investment, operating and development company) since June 2017. He was Chief Investment Officer of AXA Real Estate Investment Managers (a global real estate investment manager) from 2009 to 2017, and Chief Executive Officer of SUN Real Estate Group (a private equity firm with real estate activities in India and Russia) from 2007 to 2009. Mr. Lopez has had a career of over 30 years in investment banking and real estate investment management, including serving as Global Head of Real Estate at Cambridge Place Investment Management (a London-based hedge fund) for two years and a Managing Director/Head of European Real Estate at JP Morgan in London for seven years.
Among other qualifications, Mr. Lopez’s extensive experience in financial investment and services, real estate investment, and international business and investment make him a valuable asset to the Board.
Age: 70
Director Since: 2021
Welltower™ Committees: Audit and Investment Committees
Other Directorships:
Education:
- BA – California State University
- MBA – University of California, Los Angeles
SHANKH MITRA
Director
SHANKH MITRA
Director
Shankh Mitra has been Welltower’s Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors since October 2020 and Chief Investment Officer from August 2018 to January 2023. Previously, he served in the roles of Welltower’s Vice Chair – Chief Operating Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Senior Vice President – Head of Investments and Senior Vice President – Finance & Investments. Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Mitra served as Portfolio Manager, Real Estate Securities at Millennium Management LLC. He also served as a Senior Analyst at Citadel Investment Group and Fidelity Investments. Mr. Mitra began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Shankh is deeply passionate about capital allocation, the mentoring of early career professionals, and data science in the area of machine learning and deep learning. He takes great pride in the professional development and advancement of his team. Mr. Mitra serves on the Board of Trustees of Public Storage (NYSE: PSA), is a member of the Nareit Advisory Board of Governors and is a trustee of UT Southwestern Medical Center as a member of the President’s Advisory Board.
Mr. Mitra holds an MBA in Applied Value Investing from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Jadavpur University.
Age: 44
Director Since: 2020
Welltower™ Committees: Executive
Other Directorships:
- Public Storage
Education:
- BA – Engineering from Jadavpur University
- MBA – Columbia Business School
ADE J. PATTON
Independent Director
ADE J. PATTON
Independent Director
Mr. Patton is the Chief Financial Officer of Oak View Group, LLC since July 2023. Mr. Patton served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of HBO/HBO Max/Global DTC at WarnerMedia, LLC (WBD) from August 2020 to June 2023, and previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Turner Sports and Head of Planning and Development at WM News & Sports from April 2019 to August 2020. Before assuming that role, Mr. Patton served as Senior Vice President – Corporate Finance, M&A and GTO of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. from February 2017 to April 2019, Senior Portfolio Manager at Millennium Management, LLC from January 2015 to February 2017, Senior Research Analyst at Citadel LLC from June 2009 to March 2014, and Research Analyst at Magnetar Capital LLC from June 2007 to June 2009.
Among other qualifications, Mr. Patton’s extensive experience in financial and investment management and operations make him a valuable asset to the Board.
Age: 46
Director Since: 2021
Welltower™ Committees: Nominating/Corporate Governance (Chair), Audit, Compensation and Executive Committees
Other Directorships:
Education:
- BA – University of Virginia, 2001
- MBA – Harvard Business School, 2007
- JD – Harvard Law School, 2007
SERGIO D. RIVERA
Independent Director
SERGIO D. RIVERA
Independent Director
Mr. Rivera served as Chief Executive Officer of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (a leading theme park and entertainment company) from November 2019 to April 2020. He served as President of the Ocean Reef Club (a leading private residential club) from February 2019 to May 2019. Mr. Rivera also served as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Vacation Ownership segment of ILG, Inc. (a hospitality and leisure services company) from 2016 to September 2018. From 1998 to 2016, Mr. Rivera served in a variety of capacities with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., including President of The Americas from 2012 to 2016, and Chief Executive Officer and President of Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., formerly a wholly-owned subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., from 2007 to 2016.
Among other qualifications, Mr. Rivera’s extensive experience in real estate development and investment strategy, corporate finance and accounting, and operating matters relevant to management of complex global businesses with one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world provides valuable insight to the Board.
Age: 62
Director Since: 2014
Welltower™ Committees: Investment (Chair), Compensation and Executive Committees
Other Directorships:
- ILG, Inc.; The Nature Conservancy Florida Chapter Trustee; American Resort Development Association;
- University of Central Florida, Rosen College of Hospitality Management Advisory Board;
- Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Dean’s Advisory Council
Education:
- BBA – Finance, Florida International University
- MBA – International Business, Florida International University
JOHNESE M. SPISSO
Independent Director
JOHNESE M. SPISSO
Independent Director
Ms. Spisso has served as the President of UCLA Health (an academic medical center), Chief Executive Officer of the UCLA Hospital System and Associate Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences since 2016. Before assuming her positions at UCLA, she worked for 22 years at the University of Washington School of Medicine, including serving as Chief Health System Officer and Vice President, Medical Affairs for nine years.
Among other qualifications, Ms. Spisso brings to the Board over 30 years of experience in large academic health system management and has demonstrated tremendous strategic and operational leadership during that time.
Age: 64
Director Since: 2018
Welltower™ Committees: Compensation (Chair), Executive, Nominating/Corporate Governance Committees
Other Directorships:
- Douglas Emmett Inc.
Education:
- BS – Health Sciences, Chapman University
- MPA – University of San Francisco
KATHRYN M. SULLIVAN
Independent Director
KATHRYN M. SULLIVAN
Independent Director
Ms. Sullivan served as Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, Local Markets (a diversified health care company), which is an operating division of UnitedHealth Group, from March 2015 to 2018. From 2008 to 2015, she served as Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare, Central Region.
Among other qualifications, Ms. Sullivan’s experience in the health care industry, especially with respect to health plan payors, is extremely valuable to the Board.
Age: 69
Director Since: 2019
Welltower™ Committees: Audit Committee (Chair), Compensation and Executive Committees
Other Directorships:
- Hanger, Inc.
Education:
- BA – Accounting, Northeast Louisiana University
- MBA – Louisiana State University