Esther Dyson

Esther Dyson is a Swiss-born American journalist, author, businesswoman, investor, commentator, and philanthropist. She is the Chairman of EDventure Holdings and Publisher of "Release 1.0". Known for her comprehensive focus on health care, open government, digital technology, biotechnology, and outer space, Dyson's career prominently centers on health, continuing to invest in and nurture startups, particularly in the healthcare sector to align with her ongoing efforts at Wellville.

Dyson is the executive founder of Wellville; a ten-year, nonprofit evidence-generating project devoted to implementing and refining models for investing in community health (not health care) that return profits to investors and health to the participants and their communities. Wellville advises the five US-based communities of Clatsop County, OR; Lake County, CA; Muskegon County, MI; North Hartford, CT; and Spartanburg, SC on accelerating their own health initiatives. Dyson is actively involved in policy and fundraising for Wellville, and her role extends across all communities ensuring that each sets their own health priorities around issues such as early childhood experiences, obesity/diabetes, and mental health.

Aside from her full-time role at Wellville, Dyson's investment activities include significant roles in health-focused companies such as 23andMe, where she serves as a director. Her portfolio also includes Clover Health and Omada Health among others. This focus on healthcare investments is deliberately chosen to avoid conflicts with her work at Wellville. Over its 10-year lifespan, Wellville will measure its progress both annually and at its conclusion, using both specific program-based metrics and overall community goals. Its mission is not just to help five small communities get healthy, but also to develop and refine business models for doing so and to inspire other communities and government entities to adopt its methods. Wellville emphasizes practical implementation over innovation, applying approaches known to work at scale in small communities.