Mihai Patru Named Executive Director of Blue Zones Project Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Oct. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Zones Project Palm Springs proudly welcomes Mihai Patru as its Executive Director. Patru leads the charge in bringing the Project to life – reshaping the places and spaces residents live, work, learn, and play to support healthier, more vibrant lives.

Patru, a Palm Springs resident, brings deep experience in inclusive economic development, community building, and cross-sector collaboration to the Project. Prior to joining Blue Zones Project Palm Springs, Mihai Patru co-founded and led Caravanserai – Alliance for Entrepreneurs, a regional initiative that empowered thousands of California entrepreneurs to access capital and build resilient, community-rooted businesses.

His commitment to inclusive economic development has been recognized through appointments as Entrepreneur in Residence and Senior Fellow at the University of California, Riverside, and as Senior Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. In 2022, Patru was appointed by the Governor of California to serve on the state's Entrepreneurship and Economic Mobility Task Force, further advancing his work to expand opportunity across diverse communities. His leadership spans global diplomacy, statewide policy, and hyperlocal economic development—bringing a rare blend of perspective to community transformation in Palm Springs.

Patru said, "Stepping into this role with Blue Zones Project Palm Springs is both a personal and collective opportunity. This city has such a rich legacy of innovation and resilience, and I'm excited to work alongside local champions to create environments that make well-being not just aspirational, but automatic. I am looking forward to building a healthier, more connected Palm Springs – one that reflects the best of who we are and what we can become."

Marty Massiello, President and CEO of Eisenhower Health, said: "Eisenhower Health is proud to be a partner and sponsor of Blue Zones Project Palm Springs because its mission aligns seamlessly with our vision of improving overall community health—not just treating illness. We are enthusiastic about the leadership that Mihai Patru will bring to this initiative. His experience in cross-sector collaboration and his commitment to creating systemic change will be invaluable in accelerating our work to make Palm Springs a place where the healthy choice is the easy choice, ultimately helping our residents live better, longer lives."

"Mihai brings a rare blend of global insight and local commitment that embodies the Blue Zones ethos," said Shelly Trumbo, COO of Blue Zones. "As the Project in Palm Springs continues to deepen its impact, Mihai's leadership will help elevate its role as a regional catalyst."

Blue Zones Project in Palm Springs is a multi-year collaborative effort that involves the entire community working together toward one common goal – to support and build a culture of health and well-being. Sign up to get involved and be notified of upcoming events: Blue Zones Project Palm Springs.

About Blue Zones in Riverside County
Blue Zones Project^® is brought to Riverside County by Blue Zones and leading organizations Riverside University Health System - Public Health, Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, and Eisenhower Health. In collaboration with the County of Riverside and the Cities of Riverside, Banning, Palm Springs, and Coachella, this innovative partnership brings together private and public organizations under a shared vision to support, build, and measurably improve community well-being across the County. Blue Zones Projects have launched in Riverside, Banning, Coachella, and Palm Springs, while Mead Valley begins a policy-focused Blue Zones Activate. Over five years, local leadership and the local Blue Zones Project teams will implement the Blue Zones Life Radius^® model to make healthy choices easier throughout the region through permanent and semi-permanent changes to the built environment, food environment, public policies, and social networks.

About Blue Zones Project
Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city's environment, policy, and social networks. Blue Zones Project is based on research by founder Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner's findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Blue Zones launched the first pilot community in 2009 in Albert Lea, MN with groundbreaking results. The model has since been applied to more than 75 communities in the United States. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit bluezones.com.

CONTACT:
Mihai Patru
mihai@bluezones.com
240.838.6570

Naomi imatome-Yun
naomi@bluezones.com

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SOURCE Blue Zones