Nobi Appoints Senior Living Powerhouses to Drive U.S. Growth and Transformational Adoption

Shelley Esden named Chief Operating Officer, Kim Lody appointed Chair of the Board of Directors

June 26, 2025

HOUSTON – June 25, 2025 – Nobi, the AgeTech company best known for its AI-powered smart light for fall detection, prevention and smart care today announced two major leadership appointments: Shelley Esden as Chief Operating Officer and Kim Lody as Chair of the Board of Directors. The two highly respected senior living executives join Nobi with a powerhouse blend of operational mastery and strategic vision, accelerating the company’s mission to improve safety and dignity for older adults.

“These are not symbolic appointments, they are foundational,” says Roeland Pelgrims, CEO and co-founder of Nobi. “Kim and Shelley bring unmatched credibility, strategic insight and deep operational understanding. They help solidify Nobi’s transformation from a European startup into a U.S.-anchored AgeTech company built to last.”

Operational Know-How Meets Strategic Scale

With more than 25 years of experience leading senior housing organizations, Esden is known for building strong culture, enabling frontline teams, and embedding technology that sticks. As COO, she will oversee daily operations and lead implementation across communities.

“I joined Nobi because it’s a company that understands that technology alone is not transformational, adoption is,” – said Esden. “Real success comes from intuitive, sustainable tools that fit seamlessly into daily care. I’m here to ensure that what we build works for caregivers and other team members and creates meaningful outcomes for residents.”

She has held executive roles in national and regional operators and brings an operator-first mindset grounded in experience with new developments, turnarounds, and culture-driven transformation.

Lody, meanwhile, adds more than three decades of board and executive leadership across healthcare services, medtech, and senior housing real estate. As Chair, she will guide the company's board governance and long-term U.S. strategy.

“Nobi is delivering something that’s both simple and powerful: intelligent technology that enables safer care, confident families, and more empowered staff,” said Lody. “It integrates naturally into a community’s lifestyle and operations. That’s a rare and valuable combination - and a reason I’m excited to scale this vision.”

Nobi: Built to Grow - and Last

The appointments come at a pivotal time for Nobi. In early 2025, the company closed an oversubscribed $37 million Series B round and has strategic partnerships with several large Senior Living providers in the US.

Founded in Belgium in 2018, Nobi is best known for its award-winning AI-powered smart light - but that’s just the beginning. Today, Nobi is evolving into a connected care platform: a single, invisible system that helps residents feel safer, caregivers act faster, and managers steer smarter. It brings together fall detection, nurse calls, staff presence, and care insights in one intuitive eco-system.

Or as the company puts it: “We want to build the best invisible technology, so that what truly matters can take the stage: connection, presence, and real care.”

That philosophy is what drew Shelley Esden and Kim Lody to the company.

Sustainable technology adoption in senior care requires more than just innovation – it requires the right people, scalable processes and thoughtful implementation”, says Esden. “At Nobi, we go beyond delivering a product. We provide training, support and operational alignments necessary to become a true partner to senior living communities. This approach not only empowers care teams and enhances resident outcomes, but also drives measurable efficiencies and long-term value for operators and stakeholders alike.”

“We’re stepping into this with purpose,” added Lody. “With decades of experience building scalable, mission-driven organizations, we’re ready to help write Nobi’s next chapter.”