CHIP CONLEY

Chip Conley is a hospitality entrepreneur and innovator reshaping society’s view of aging. After disrupting the industry twice—first as founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second-largest boutique hotel operator in the U.S., and later as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy—Conley co-founded Modern Elder Academy (MEA) in 2018, the world’s first “midlife wisdom school.” Drawing from his experience as a ‘modern elder’ at Airbnb, MEA helps people navigate midlife with renewed purpose. A New York Times bestselling author, his book Learning to Love Midlife, published in 2024, redefines how we think about our 40s, 50s, and 60s. Conley has earned the Pioneer Award (one of hospitality’s highest honors), was named Most Innovative CEO by the San Francisco Business Times, and is a three-time TED Talk speaker. He holds a BA and MBA from Stanford, an honorary doctorate from Saybrook University, and serves on the boards of Encore.org and the Stanford Center for Longevity.