The Future Leaders Awards program is proudly presented in partnership with PointClickCare. This program aims to highlight emerging industry professionals who are influencing the future of behavioral health, senior housing, skilled nursing, home health, and hospice care. To view this year’s Future Leaders, please visit https://futureleaders.agingmedia.com/.
Chris Teigen, Vice President of Architecture and Senior Living at Ryan Companies, has been recognized as a 2024 Future Leader by Senior Housing News.
To be named a Future Leader, individuals are nominated by their peers. The nominee must be a high-performing professional under the age of 40, dedicated to turning visions into reality, and an advocate for seniors and the professionals who care for them.
In an interview with Senior Housing News, Teigen discusses how his background prepared him for success in senior housing, his focus on affordability in the industry’s future, and the role of technology in shaping senior living.
Q: What initially drew you to the senior living industry?
A: My experience in housing, hospitality, and healthcare design set a strong foundation for working in senior living. Recognizing the need for quality environments and care for seniors inspired me to contribute to meeting that need.
Q: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned since entering this industry?
A: Early on, I learned from an operator about the positive impact thoughtful design can have on seniors’ quality of life. This reinforced the value of creating engaging environments.
Q: Looking towards the future of senior housing, what is one thing you would change?
A: Increasing affordability and accessibility to quality senior housing is a priority for me.
Q: What changes do you foresee in the senior housing industry by 2025?
A: Anticipate more technology integration, diverse product offerings like active adult communities, and shifts in industry stakeholders. Meeting housing demand and expanding supply will be key goals.
Q: How would you describe the future of senior housing in one word?
A: Different.
Q: What essential quality must all Future Leaders possess?
A: Curiosity. Future leaders in senior housing must be curious, innovative, and dedicated to finding solutions for the challenges ahead.
