Previous Speakers

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 player’s 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 FIFPRO’s 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.

Cody Burkhart: A Visionary in Human Performance and Space Technology. Cody Burkhart is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at Anthropy Partners, a firm dedicated to advancing human mental and physical capacity through early-stage technologies. He also serves as the Chief of NASA HumanWorks, where he leads initiatives in human performance and space technology. With a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences, another B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior, Cody's career spans over two decades and includes multiple NASA awards for his contributions. In addition to his roles at NASA and Anthropy Partners, Cody has extensive experience training professional athletes, Olympians, world champions, and special forces operators. He has run multiple gyms and a remote coaching team, further showcasing his dedication to human performance.

David was trained clinically as a physical therapist before completing a PhD in Neuroscience. He worked as a clinician in Australia, before moving to the United States to study computational neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, MIT and NYU. He is currently a Professor of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He works to develop innovative technology solutions for individuals in need of better healthcare accessibility. His work spans the ability spectrum: ranging from helping completely paralyzed people achieve autonomy using novel brain computer interfaces to partnering with organizations such as the US Olympic Team, the Brooklyn Nets and Red Bull to enhance athletic performance. He is the author of Hacking Health: How to make money and save lives in the HealthTech world, which is available from Amazon and Springer-Nature. In 2019, he was named "Global Australian of the Year" for his contributions to healthcare.

Beyond his impressive career on the court, Donovan Mitchell has consistently focused on impactful initiatives to support education and social justice. Through his foundation, SpidaCares, Donovan actively works to create opportunities for young people in underserved communities, emphasizing scholarships and mentorships. His commitment to educational equity and social change has only grown since he entered the NBA, as he continues to address issues like systemic inequality and youth empowerment. Recognized as much for his advocacy as his athletic skills, Donovan uses his platform to inspire positive change, embodying leadership both on and off the court

As one of the NBA's rising stars and a proud Mexican-American, Jaime Jaquez Jr. is driven by his heritage and community. Recognizing his unique role as a Mexican-American in the league, he’s dedicated to representing and inspiring Latino fans worldwide. His off-court efforts often focus on uplifting young athletes from diverse backgrounds, encouraging them to pursue their dreams. Jaime has also spoken about his pride in being part of the small but growing community of Latino players, seeing it as a way to create connections across cultures and break barriers for future athletes​

Jaylen Brown is an NBA All-Star, NBPA Vice President, and standout athlete for the Boston Celtics, known for his deep commitment both on and off the court. Raised in Marietta, Georgia, Brown’s early love for basketball was balanced by a strong emphasis on education, which his mother encouraged from a young age. At the University of California, Berkeley, Brown’s intellectual curiosity led him to take on rigorous academic challenges, including a graduate-level course on sports and cultural studies as a freshman. This foundation of academic and social engagement continues to shape his career today.

Drafted third overall by the Celtics in 2016, Brown quickly became a key contributor, leading his team to multiple deep playoff runs, including the NBA Finals. Alongside his teammate Jayson Tatum, Brown has developed a championship-level partnership that fuels the Celtics' success, with each player bringing a complementary blend of skill, leadership, and competitive spirit. Beyond basketball, Brown has used his platform as NBPA Vice President to advocate for social justice and player rights, making headlines for his outspoken stance on issues affecting players and communities alike.

Brown’s work extends beyond the NBA as a mentor and advocate for young people, particularly through his 7uice Foundation’s “Bridge Program” at MIT, where he empowers high school students of color to explore fields like AI, robotics, and leadership. Recently, he launched the XChange, a major social initiative dedicated to closing the racial wealth gap, beginning in the Boston community.

Driven by his values of education, equity, and social responsibility, Brown embodies the mission of the NBPA, inspiring both fans and fellow players to think critically and engage meaningfully with the world around them.

Jonas Baer-Hoffmann is the SVP Global Business Affairs and Head of "OneTeam International" with OneTeam Partners. In his role, he is overseeing the international expansion of OneTeams existing business with US Player Associations, while focusing on scaling diverse Player Association partnerships and bespoke commercial strategies for the international women's and men's sport industry across continents and sports.

An 18-year veteran of the player association movement, he was previously the General Secretary of FIFPRO, the global player association umbrella organization in football/soccer covering approximately 70 countries. He was also a Vice President for the World Players Association and part of the founding team of a player association in German basketball in the mid-2000s.

He was focused his professional career on representing the collective interests of athletes across all major team sports and continents, negotiating agreements on each level from FIFA World Cup player compensation and conditions to local employment agreements in various countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, or Latin America. An expert across the global sport regulatory and business landscape he is now building group licensing and other collective business opportunities for athletes and their player associations.

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.

Julia Klim is a Vice President and Head of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation at Equinox Group, the leading luxury high performance brand, reporting directly to the Chairman.

Since joining Equinox in early 2019, Julia has been pushing the boundaries of what we know today as wellness. In an effort to create hyper-personalized experiences, she helped launch Equinox’s digital venture and created a data connected ecosystem, driving more meaningful engagement and affinity for the brand across Equinox’s 2 million community reach.

Today, Julia is building Equinox’s strategic partnerships arm, defining new pathways to growth via technology, creating new frontiers within health-span and lifespan and reimagining wellness’s role in fashion and culture.

Prior to Equinox, Julia worked at PJT Partners in NYC, an investment bank, and PIMCO, an asset management house in CA. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a First Class Honours in Bachelor of Science in Computer Sciences and Management from University College London. Julia is born and raised in Poland.

Kavita Patel, MD, MS is a physician based in Washington DC who advises healthcare companies as a Venture Partner at New Enterprise Associates. With extensive experience in public policy, Dr. Patel previously served as Director of Policy for the White House under President Obama and as Deputy Staff Director to the late Senator Edward Kennedy. During her tenure in these roles, she played a pivotal role in pandemic preparedness and healthcare reform efforts. Dr. Patel's research on healthcare quality and community-based interventions for mental illness has received national recognition, and she has authored numerous papers and book chapters on healthcare reform and health policy. She is also an NBC/CNBC contributor.

A uniquely and highly qualified professional, Keith holds a PhD in applied sports science, a master’s degree in sports performance, and a bachelor's degree in exercise science & sports medicine. For over the past two decades, Keith has worked in the trenches of elite sports at the team level, advising and consulting for teams across the globe in all areas of performance and science, and working hands on with some of the best athletes in the world across all sports, while also having worked at the highest levels outside of sports in corporate world. This multi-dimensional background places Keith firmly at the intersection of performance optimization, technology, and the emerging area of human performance innovation. Keith is able to bring his understanding of the day-to-day functioning of elite sport organizations and athletes and his insight into the world beyond sport to make meaningful and impactful connections.

A native of Andover, MA, Keith now resides outside of Portland, OR with his wife Jaime, two boys Marcus and Christian as well as their horse, Nakai and goose, Walter (among their other animals).

Kirk helps organisations all over the world to use creativity to solve problems. Whether it's facilitating teams and leaders to new ideas and solutions around critical challenges like how Google search can use AI to create unique powerful user features in search, or by training high performers with the tools, techniques and behaviours to help place creativity at the top table of our skillset. Whatever the challenge, for the past 12 years Kirk has been Alphabet's (Google parent company) go-to creative problem solving expert. He is the creator of Magic Academy, one of the company's most demanded development programs in it's history.

Kirk is also an advisor, trainer and speaker to some of the world's most forward thinking organisations like Adidas, Intuit and Mastercard, and also supports elite sports teams and athletes to 'outthink the opposition'. He leads a module within the English FA's Pro Licence on Creative problem solving within leadership, and is part of coach development programs in global rugby, cricket, and soccer.

Megan Holston-Alexander is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz where she leads the Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF), Silicon Valley’s first venture capital fund consisting exclusively of Black cultural leaders and organizations committed to Black wealth generation. Megan oversees CLF’s dual missions of connecting the world’s 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 can’t beat a good spa day.

Ndamukong Suh is an engineer, professional football player, entrepreneur, and investor. Suh is an all-pro defensive lineman and has played in 13 NFL seasons, earning a championship ring in Super Bowl LV. He was the second overall pick in the NFL in 2010 drafted by the Detroit Lions before later joining the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams prior to playing for the Buccaneers.

Suh is the Managing Partner of House of Spears Management, LLC, an investment portfolio including Ember Technologies, BTN, Seven Peaks Ventures, General Atlantic and Andreessen Horowitz’s Cultural Leadership Fund.

In the hospitality industry, Suh is the founder of Generals Restaurant Group, which owns restaurants in five U.S. cities. He is an investor in Pizzanna; has partnered with several high-profile groups and individuals in the ownership of four Blue Sushi locations, BAE’s Fried Chicken and Super Deluxe; and co-owns a Hyatt Hotel and Hilton DoubleTree Hotel. Also well known for his real estate investments, Suh is a Partner in both HMS Development, a company focused on mixed-use development projects, and Athletes in Real Estate (AiRE).

Through the Suh Family Foundation, Suh has supported the Nebraska Athletics Strength and Conditioning Program, most notably establishing The Ndamukong Suh Scholarship benefitting the UNL College of Engineering. The Foundation works hand-in-hand with communities to supply resources across three pillars that were pivotal to the Ndamukong’s own success: education, health and wellness, and empowerment.

Suh attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he became one of the most decorated Husker players in college football history and earned a degree in construction management from the UNL College of Engineering. He lives in Tampa, FL with his wife, Katya, and twin boys.

Dr. Saluan is an orthopaedic surgeon with expertise in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. He holds leadership roles at Cleveland Clinic in both the Center for Sports Medicine and the Center for Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, directing advancements in youth sports injury care. He has held multiple positions in specialty organizations throughout his career including the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, amongst others. He is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, is well published in the field of sports medicine, and serves as the head team physician at the collegiate and high school levels.

Shaun Livingston is a former professional athlete known for his resilience, leadership, and versatility on the court. Over his 14-year NBA career, Shaun earned a reputation as a dependable guard, contributing significantly to three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors (2015, 2017, 2018).Since retiring from the NBA in 2019, Shaun has served as a director of player affairs and engagement for the Golden State Warriors, where he worked to support and develop the team’s players both on and off the court.Shaun is an active investor and advisor in several startups and business ventures, with a keen interest in technology, sports, and wellness industries. He is passionate about giving back to the community and is involved in various philanthropic initiatives aimed at empowering youth and providing opportunities for underprivileged communities. Shaun currently serves as Player Engagement Director for the National Basketball Players Association.

Ted Rath is the Vice President of Player Performance for the Philadelphia Eagles. He has nearly two decades of experience in the NFL. He assists with talent acquisition through the NFL draft and free agency and monitors team schedules to optimize performance. Rath was on the Head Coach Hiring Committee that led the team to bring in Coach Nick Sirianni.

Following the 2022 season and a Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles, Rath was voted NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. The Eagles achieved the most wins (14) in franchise history.

Rath was elected as the inaugural President to represent the Professional Football Performance Coaches Association (PFPCA) in early 2023. This society was established to represent all strength and performance professionals working in Professional Football, including Strength and Conditioning Coaches, Sports Science Professionals, and others in related fields.

In his first season leading his own Strength and Conditioning Program, Rath was named the NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year for the first time. Rath was an integral part in the Rams Sports Science program, which helped L.A. finish the 2017 season as the healthiest NFL team based on adjusted games lost, according to Football Outsiders, an innovative statistics website.

In 2018 the Rams earned a trip to Super Bowl XIII. The health and performance of the team over the two-year span helped them earn the best record in the NFL from 2017-2018. Prior to joining the Rams, Rath was named Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Miami Dolphins for the 2016 season, a year in which they clinched their first playoff berth since the 2008 season. Before his stint with the Dolphins, he spent seven seasons (2009-15) with the Detroit Lions as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. The team earned multiple playoff appearances during this span.

Prior to Detroit, Rath was an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at The University of Toledo, where he directed the strength and conditioning programs for all fifteen of the school’s Olympic sports.

Rath has helped publish numerous research articles. He has written for several industry publications and speaks regularly at conferences and corporate events both domestically and abroad. He sits on the NFL’s Lower Extremity Soft Tissue Injury Task Force. Rath is married to his high school sweetheart Robin and the couple have three children Brooklyn, Brady, and Emmy.

Tom Ryan currently serves as Vice President, Basketball Strategy & Analytics for the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he oversees basketball technology and innovation for the league, helping to advance and grow the game through cutting-edge initiatives, products, and partnerships. After witnessing the impact that basketball had on his life, he decided to use his background in business and technology to continue improving the game for athletes worldwide.

Dr. Gupta is a practicing pulmonologist who currently serves as Chief Medical Officer of Pharmacy and New Health Initiatives at Amazon. Prior to his role at Amazon, he supported the clinical team at Apple Health and has recently served as a senior medical advisor to Thermo Fisher Scientific, Mesa Biotech, and the National Football League. Outside of his health tech and clinical responsibilities, he is an affiliate professor at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Evans School and Commissioned Officer (O-4, Major) in the United States Air Force Medical Reserve Corps. Finally, Dr. Gupta serves as a medical analyst for NBC News, has active board certifications in Internal Medicine, Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine and completed his clinical training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.