2025 Speakers

Adam Loiacono has over 15 years of experience in rehabilitation and performance training for professional and youth athletes. His career includes reaching the NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns in 2021 and the MLS Cup with the New England Revolution in 2014. He is board certified as a Sports Clinical Specialist through the American Physical Therapy Association, a distinction earned by only 10 percent of physical therapists in the United States. Adam is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. His work has been featured by media outlets such as Forbes.com, Arizonas CW7 television network, and PhysioNetwork.com.

Alexander Bielefeld is Director Global Policy & Strategy (Men's football) at FIFPRO, Football Players Worldwide. Alexander has been working for a decade on matters affecting the world of work of players and has represented playerâs collective interests at the various levels of international professional football. In his current role he represented professional player unions in international employment negotiations on matters including workload, peak performance, health and safety, financial regulations, human rights, technology and data as well as other strategic labour rights matters. He also coordinates FIFPROâs knowledge centre, Player IQ, that hosts amongst other things the Player Workload Monitoring Platform and most recently integrated the High-Performance Advisory Network. Alexander previously worked as a consultant for Burson-Marsteller and holds degrees in international (sports) politics and management from College of Europe, CDES Limoges and INSEAD amongst others.

Alina Adomaityte is a former professional basketball player turned global leader at the intersection of sport, leadership, and innovation. Currently serving as a FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2027 Ambassador and Vice President of LTU Basketball, she plays an active role in shaping the future of international sport. She is also the founder of AIBA Basketball Academy, a high-performance training and mentorship platform for the next generation of athletes. With a background spanning entrepreneurship, international development, and elite competition, Alina brings a unique lens to building systems that empower others - on and off the court.

Axel Toupane is an NBA champion and venture partner at Intuition, a Paris- and U.S.-based consumer-tech VC fund focused on early-stage companies shaping the future of culture and lifestyle. With a global perspective shaped by years as a professional athlete, Axel now channels his experience into identifying and supporting founders at the intersection of innovation, brand, and intentional living. He is also a co-founder of Deimos, a community of entrepreneur-athletes, and has been recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for his leadership off the court. Axel is passionate about building ecosystems that empower the next generation of creatives, operators, and athletes to think like owners.

Ben has been working at the top end of professional sport for over two decades. Benâs achievements are well documented and include many personal and professional accolades.

Brandon Chubb is a former NFL athlete turned Entrepreneur. Brandon is a Founding Partner at the athlete driven VC firm, Captain Partners and the Founder of A’s premier wellness studio, Do Not Disturb.

Chad Biagini, President, Excel Search & Advisory, a division of Excel Sports Management, leads all global business for the premier leadership consultancy and executive search practice specializing in sports, media, and entertainment. Biagini is a trusted advisor to teams, leagues and organizations for sourcing exceptional leadership talent, building high-performing cultures, and developing management teams. Biagini brings 15+ years of experience representing a wide range of sports investors and clients across French Ligue One, English Premier League, Italyâs Serie A, Germany's Bundesliga, Mexico's Liga MX, and all the majors in the US and Canada - MLB, NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLS, NWSL and UFC. Throughout his career, Biagini has led more than 400 executive appointments, including the CEO of the Chicago Bears, CEO of the World Surf League, COO of the Arizona Cardinals, President of the Detroit Pistons, and President of the Houston Texans. As Host of the Excellent Leadership Podcast, Biagini frequently sits down with sports and entertainment CEOs, Presidents, General Managers, Athletics Directors, Head Coaches, Elite Athletes and Performers to explore their career journeys, experiences, and advice as leaders in the world's most exciting and competitive industry. The podcast is intended to provide key insights on high performance, championship cultures, team management, leadership, and transformation. Biagini holds his Executive Master of Science from the London School of Economics.

I lead partnerships for Meta focused on consumer and media technology, from startups and venture capital to leading companies and global voices.

Christof Babinsky is the Managing Director of ASB GlassFloor, a pioneering company transforming the way we experience space through high-performance glass surfaces and integrated LED technology. With a background in design and entrepreneurship, Christof has led ASB’s evolution from a specialist in squash court construction to a global innovator in multifunctional flooring systems used in sports, architecture, and immersive media. Under his leadership, ASB GlassFloor has developed and deployed the world’s first fully interactive sports floor, merging engineering precision with creative expression to redefine what’s possible in modern environments.

Crystal is a healthcare operations professional with a strong foundation in sports medicine, and clinical support; most recently working with the Sacramento Kings as a Assistant Athletic Trainer and Health & Performance Administrator. I’ve spent over a decade coordinating complex medical operations, managing cross-functional teams, and keeping high-performance environments running smoothly behind the scenes.

Efrem Kamen is the founder of Phi Fitness (ARQ), a powerful longevity platform focused on the intersection of multi-omics, inflammation, behavioral science and artificial intelligence. Following a twenty three year career investing in medical technology and biotechnology, Efrem pivoted into fitness and longevity. Efrem is a personal trainer, a nationally ranked bodybuilder and advisor to professional sports teams on fitness/longevity protocols. He is a minority investor in Sheffield United F.C. and is on the board of advisors to NeuFit. Prior to founding Phi, Efrem Kamen was the Managing Member at Pura Vida Investments, a life sciences investment firm he co-founded in 2012. The firm had significant investments across the healthcare universe, including Medical Technology, Life Science Tools and Biotechnology. Pura Vida's flagship fund has had award-winning performance since its inception, including winning 2021 Best Long Term 5-Year Performance, 2019 Best Long/Short Manager, 2019 Best Specialist Equity Manager and 2018 Best US Emerging Fund Manager for Global Equities, all awarded by HFM Global (Absolute Return) and Pension Bridge. Efrem is an Associate Professor (adjunct) at Columbia Business School, where he created and teaches a course on investing in medical technology and is an Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia Engineering School. Efrem is a board member of the Global Vitiligo Foundation. Efrem is an advisor to the What If Foundation. Efrem is a member of the Presidents Circle at the Bowery Mission and is partnered with The Skatepark Project, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Efrem is also a Director of the National Cannabis Roundtable, an industry trade association focused on federal cannabis reform. Efrem is a Venture Partner at Press-On ventures. Prior to founding Pura Vida, Efrem was a healthcare Portfolio Manager and Analyst at several large investment firms including Citadel. Efrem began his career in Investment Banking at JP Morgan. Efrem received a B.A. with Honors from Columbia College in New York, majoring in Economics and Linguistics.

Jason Goodman is a seasoned entrepreneur, operator, and investor at the forefront of health innovation, longevity science, and performance optimization. A Cambridge graduate, he has built and sold four companies over the past 20 years. Formerly a Venture Partner at Europe’s leading early-stage fund, LocalGlobe, he now serves as Chief Commercial Officer at Ezra AI and Function Health. For over a decade, Jason has been advancing personalized health technologies that empower individuals, including elite athletes, to take control of their data, performance, and longevity. He currently works closely with Olympic boxing medalist Lewis Richardson as he transitions into his professional career, applying performance strategies to support value creation. Jason’s track record includes scaling Eastnine Coaching (acquired by Pure Gyms), investing early in AI-driven diagnostic platforms like Ada Health, and backing consumer wellness ventures such as Ezra AI (acquired by Function Health), where he was both a founding seed investor and leadership executive. With deep expertise at the intersection of business strategy and health optimization, Jason helps athletes turn cutting-edge insights into long-term performance and wealth, both on and off the court.

Jose Calderon is a highly accomplished 14-year NBA player, renowned for his exceptional skills and leadership. He has earned three Olympic medals, a Gold Medal in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, and triumphs in Eurobasket. As a UNICEF Ambassador, he actively supports initiatives for children's welfare. Calderon holds key roles as a Special Advisor to the Front Office at the Cleveland Cavaliers and a Global Advisor at Sngular. Additionally, he has ventured into entrepreneurship, co-founding Owqlo, and embraced the media world as a talk show host for UNIQ.

Kristen Carlson is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, specializing in marketing, sales, and operations. She is currently the Senior Director of Strategy and Operations for Wearables at Meta, leading key initiatives that drive the organization's rapid growth. Kristen has been a pivotal part of Meta for 17 years. Joining in 2008, she launched the Mid-Market Sales team and the Global Agency team. In 2012, shortly after Instagram was acquired by Meta, she was part of a small team that led the integration of Instagram and Facebook platforms and spearheaded the launch of monetization efforts. Prior to joining Wearables, Kristen led the Global Creative Council, a team set up to meaningfully engage executives of the largest global businesses and agencies in the world in an ongoing conversation about the future of marketing. Before Meta, Kristen worked at Google. Kristen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Law and Society from the University of California, San Diego. Outside of her professional life, Kristen is dedicated to raising two boys with her husband, Brady.

Lorena Martin is the Director of the USC Trojans Sports Research Lab and a Global Advisor for OWQLO, bringing her innovative 'both sides of the bell curve' approach to research. As an Assistant Professor of Clinical Data Sciences and Operations at the University of Southern California, she spearheads ongoing projects with the NBA, USC Football, and various sports agencies. Her work is dedicated to enhancing sports performance and injury prevention for professional athletes, with a focus on injury prevention, biomechanical asymmetries, sports performance optimization, recovery, and career longevity. Additionally, her research extends to reducing health disparities in underprivileged communities through promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors.

A former elite tennis player, Dr. Martin brings a unique athletic perspective to her academic pursuits. Her extensive experience in professional sports includes serving as the Director of Sports Performance Analytics for the Los Angeles Lakers and as the Director of High Performance for a Major League Baseball team. She is also an accomplished author, with contributions to books like "Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation 2nd edition" and ""mproving Exercise Adherence," and is the sole author of "Sports Performance Measurement and Analytics." Dr. Martin holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University, a doctorate in Exercise Physiology from the University of Miami, and completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship in analytics, GIS spatial analysis, biostatistics, and epidemiology at the University of California, San Diego. She is also an official NBA Sports Data Science Consultant, leveraging her passion for research and data science to drive advancements in both public health and elite sports.

Malik Jackson is a 10-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl 50 Champion, known for his leadership on and off the field. A former defensive standout for teams like the Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Malik carved out a career marked by grit, consistency, and impact, racking up over 250 tackles and 35 sacks. Beyond the game, Malik is the founder of The Care League, a concierge wellness and transition platform built by and for retired professional athletes. Drawing from his personal journey through the highs of professional football and the challenges of retirement, Malik launched The Care League to offer former players the same level of elite support they experienced on the field, now tailored for life after the game. From health and wellness coordination to benefits navigation and building community, The Care League reimagines what it means to thrive in the next chapter.

Dr Matt Green is Head of Elite Performance at the Premier League, with a focus on the areas of Player Health, Performance Support, Pathway Management and Football Development Systems. Matt has worked at the Premier League for over 7 years, before which he was First Team Fitness Coach and led the Sport Science team at West Bromwich Albion FC. Matt has a Professional Doctorate in Applied Sport and Exercise Science and is High Performance Sport Accredited at the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.

Megan Holston-Alexander is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz where she leads the Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF), Silicon Valleyâs first venture capital fund consisting exclusively of Black cultural leaders and organizations committed to Black wealth generation. Megan oversees CLFâs dual missions of connecting the worldâs greatest cultural leaders including athletes, entertainers, musicians and C-level executives, to the best new technology companies and engaging and elevating African Americans in the technology industry.Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Megan graduated with a BA from Clark Atlanta University and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she relaunched the Black Business Conference after a 10+ year hiatus. Megan also co-founded When Founder Met Funder, a conference focused on connecting Black female entrepreneurs with peers and investors for networking and fundraising support.She currently serves on the board of THINK450, the partnership and innovation engine of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the boards of three nonprofits, All Stars Helping Kids, HBCUvc, and The Hidden Genius Project, along with the advisory board of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Megan previously served on the advisory committee of the 50 Fund, the philanthropic arm of Super Bowl 50. Megan enjoys spending her down time with her two boys, Holston and Jack, and truly believes you canât beat a good spa day.

Muhsin Muhammad is a Managing Director and Founding Partner of Axum. His responsibilities include deal sourcing, investment selection and portfolio management. Prior to co-founding the firm, Mr. Muhammad had a 14-year career in the National Football League with the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears. His contributions include serving as team captain for both teams, where he led each team to Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XLI, respectively. Mr. Muhammad still holds the NFL's record for the longest touchdown reception in Super Bowl history and is one of only three players to have scored touchdowns for two different teams in the Super Bowl. He also served on the Executive Business Committee of the NFL. 

Rachel Vickery is a Strategic High-Performance Architect trusted by those who operate where failure carries consequence. A former international gymnast and sport physiotherapist, she now works behind the scenes with elite performers in pro sport, elite military, and high-stakes business, building the internal systems that allow execution to hold under pressure. Her work focuses on engineering arousal regulation, physiological command, and decision-making that holds from the front office to the arena floor, where pressure is constant and execution is non-negotiable. Her clients include critical NBA personnel, professional franchises, special operations units, and venture-backed founders navigating environments where performance has to hold, on the court and beyond.

Dr. Robby Sikka is an innovator in technology, healthcare, sports, and analytics. He is a board-certified anesthesiologist who has been in private practice for nearly a decade and has worked in sports medicine research for over 20 years. He is the founder and CEO of SMART, an AI-enabled, data-driven software company that personalizes care for patients and optimizes quality, access, and cost of care. Robby’s work on prediction of injuries and risk assessment, return to play and performance guidance, and optimization of rehabilitation strategies has been used by thousands of athletes ranging from youth populations to the pros. He previously served as the Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Wellness and Technology for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also served as a consultant to the Minnesota Vikings for 5 seasons and the Washington Wizards for 6 seasons. He served on the NBA Sports Science Committee and presently serves as a team physician to the New York Yankees, Denver Broncos, consults with several NBA teams, and oversees a large public health task force comprised of all pro sports leagues, Apple, Amazon, United Health Group, the White House, WHO, and numerous other organizations. His work with teams has ranged from strategic decision making, roster acquisitions and trade decisions, hiring of coaches and executives, assistance with rehabilitation and return to play strategies, injury prevention methods, and player development. He has helped teams optimize analytics strategies, worked to integrate technology, including virtual reality and player tracking, and has worked as a consultant to the NFL league office on performance analytics, and the NBPA on player health. Outside of sports, Dr. Sikka served as the Senior Principal Consultant at Tonal, developing its healthcare product line, and served as a consultant to Oura Ring, Pacaso, and numerous other technology unicorns. From 2014-2019, Dr. Sikka was regional medical director for Anesthesia Management Solutions, serving the Midwest / Southwest U.S. region. He previously served as the associate director of data analytics for Mayo Clinic Sports and lead clinical research scientist for Tria Orthopaedic Center. Dr. Sikka has published more than 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts, many on return to play after injury, and his research has been presented at dozens of national and international sports analytics and sports medicine meetings, and his work has been featured on CNN, ESPN, CNBC, Forbes, and Sports Illustrated, among others. Dr. Sikka attended the University of Pennsylvania for his undergraduate studies and USC (University of Southern California) Keck School of Medicine for medical school. After graduating with honors at both schools, Dr. Sikka completed an anesthesiology residency at the University of Minnesota with a special interest in sports, physiology, and technology. He was named a Rising Star in Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine in 2016, 2017 and 2018 in anesthesiology, and was named to the 40 Under 40 list by Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journal in 2017. A native of Minnesota, Sikka resides in Orono, MN with his wife, Simran, and their daughters, Gia, and Liv.

Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant specialising in high-performance leadership and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Spencer Jones is more than an athlete - he's a forward-thinking voice in the conversation around player health, career sustainability, and performance innovation. A Stanford graduate with a deep interest in technology, wellness, and business strategy, Spencer brings a modern perspective to what it means to build a career both on and off the court.

As a speaker at the NBPA Performance Summit, Spencer will share how he approaches health as a long-term investment, how athletes can use data to make better personal decisions, and why building a future beyond basketball starts with the habits you create today. Whether through optimizing recovery, managing stress, or navigating the world of athlete entrepreneurship, Spencer represents the mindset of the next generation of high-performance leaders.

An internationally recognized media executive at the intersection of tech, sport, and culture. He currently serves as an Operating Partner at Arctos Partners, a leading sports private investment firm.