Press releases

ICAA and NuStep announce 2025 “Best in Wellness” award winners, honoring North America’s wellness leaders in senior living

[Anaheim, CA] – [October 13, 2025] – Announced live at the ICAA Conference and Expo 2025 in Anaheim, the International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA), in partnership with NuStep, LLC, revealed the winners of the 2025 ICAA NuStep Best in Wellness Awards. Now in its seventh year, the awards recognize senior living communities and leaders who embrace wellness not just as an amenity, but as a core value that shapes culture, sparks innovation, and enhances quality of life. Through the Beacon Awards (Top 25 communities), the Pinnacle Awards (Top 5 communities), and recognition of the Top 5 Wellness Executives and Wellness Directors, the program celebrates the organizations and individuals redefining what it means to age well.

“The ICAA NuStep Best in Wellness Awards are more than a recognition program—they represent a benchmark for excellence in our field,” said Colin Milner, CEO, International Council on Active Aging. “By spotlighting organizations and leaders who embed wellness into every level of their culture, these awards demonstrate how wellness elevates the entire industry, setting standards that others can aspire to and build upon.” “We are proud to recognize this year’s winners for their outstanding leadership and commitment to building communities where wellness is a way of life,” said NuStep CEO, Eric Sklar. “Through their efforts, they are empowering residents to live with vitality and purpose—while inspiring meaningful change across the industry.”

This year's Pinnacle Award Winners are:

Top 5 Senior Living Communities

1. The Mather (Tysons, Virginia)
2. Berwick Parksville (Parksville, British Columbia, Canada)
3. Peconic Landing (Greenport, New York)
4. Asbury Methodist Village (Gaithersburg, Maryland)
5. Moorings Park Communities (Naples, Florida)

Top 5 Wellness Executives

1. Mary Leary, President/CEO, Mather (Evanston, Illinois)
2. Robert J. Syron – President/CEO, Peconic Landing (Greenport, NY)
3. Dan Lavender – President/CEO, Moorings Park Communities (Naples, FL)
4. Lynne Katzmann, CEO, Juniper Communities (Bloomfield, New Jersey)
5. Michael Klein, President/CEO, Kavod Senior Life (Denver, Colorado)

Top 5 Wellness Directors

1. Annie Shaffer, Director of Wellness – Sunnyside Retirement Community (Harrisonburg, Virginia)
2. Jessica Bourque, Director of Health & Wellness – The Sharon at SouthPark (Charlotte, North Carolina)
3. David Shoffler, Senior Director of Wellness – Asbury RiverWoods (Lewisburg, Pennsylvania)
4. Carole Clausen, Director of Wellness – Fellowship Village (Basking Ridge, New Jersey)
5. Co-winners: Lisa Dickenson, Director of Wellness – Carlsbad By The Sea (Carlsbad, California) and Belinda Degboe, Director of Well-being, Asbury Methodist Village (Gaithersburg, Maryland)

 

2025 Beacon Award Winners (Top 25 Senior Living Communities)

1. The Mather (Tysons, Virginia)
2. Berwick Parksville (Parksville, British Columbia, Canada)
3. Peconic Landing (Greenport, New York)
4. Asbury Methodist Village (Gaithersburg, Maryland)
5. Moorings Park Communities (Naples, Florida)
6. Moorings Park Grande Lake (Naples, Florida)
7. Moorings Park Grey Oaks (Naples, Florida)
8. Fellowship Village (Basking Ridge, New Jersey)
9. Galloway Ridge (Pittsboro, North Carolina)
10. Juniper Village at Lebanon (Lebanon, Pennsylvania)
11. Juniper Village at Bucks County (Bensalem, Pennsylvania)
12. Lakeview Village (Lenexa, Kansas)
13. Lutheran SeniorLife Passavant Community (Zelienople, Pennsylvania)
14. The Reserve at Thousand Oaks, MBK Senior Living (Thousand Oaks, California)
15. Mt. San Antonio Gardens (Pomona, California)
16. Shell Point Retirement Community (Fort Myers, Florida)
17. Shenandoah Valley Westminster Canterbury (Winchester, Virginia)
18. Sunnyside Retirement Community (Harrisonburg, Virginia)
19. The Barclay at SouthPark (Charlotte, North Carolina)
20. The Highlands at Wyomissing (Wyomissing, Pennsylvania)
21. Warm Hearth Village (Blacksburg, Virginia)
22. John Knox Village of Florida (Pompano Beach, Florida)
23. GenCare Lifestyle at Point Ruston (Tacoma, Washington)
24. On Top of the World Communities (Ocala, Florida)
25. Maravilla Scottsdale (Scottsdale, Arizona)

About NuStep, LLC
Since introducing the seated recumbent stepper in the 1990s, NuStep has continued to develop innovative and inclusive fitness products. Notable additions include the UE8 upper body ergometer in 2021 and the RB8 recumbent bike in 2022. Since 1997, NuStep products have been the brand of choice in physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, senior communities, fitness centers, and home settings worldwide. A long-time champion of older adult wellness, NuStep sponsored the Pinnacle Awards from 1998 to 2018 to honor excellence in senior living wellness programs. Learn more at www.nustep.com.

About the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA)
ICAA is a professional association that leads, connects, and defines the active-aging industry. Focused on promoting wellness for adults aged 50 and over, ICAA supports professionals committed to creating environments, programs, and services that enable older adults to live life to the fullest. Learn more at www.icaa.cc

Media Contact

Colin Milner, CEO, ICAA
Toll-free: 1-866-335-9777 (North America)
Telephone: 604-734-4466; cell: 604-763-4595
Email: colinmilner@icaa.cc

Jane Benskey, Marketing Communications Specialist, NuStep, LLC
Toll-free: 1- 800.322.2209 (North America)
Phone: 734-418-1867
Email: jbenskey@nustep.com