I started training and showing dogs when I was five and earned my first agility title with the family sheltie when I was seven. By the time I was 17, I was running at the FCI Agility World Championship (AWC) with my sheltie Guess. Guess and I represented the United States at the AWC in 2004, 2006 and 2007, earning the individual silver medal in 2006 and individual bronze medal in 2007.

In December of 2009, I graduated from the Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in business and opened IncrediPAWS Dog Agility in Ohio a month later. In 2011, my sheltie Blaster and I won a gold medal at the inaugural World Agility Open (WAO), held in England. In 2013, I coached team USA at the WAO. In 2014, I ran while pregnant at both the IFCS World Championship and WAO.

In 2018, my sheltie Swift and I earned the overall silver medal at the FCI Agility World Championship. Meanwhile, my border collie P!nk won the 16″ class at Westminster for 3 straight years. In 2020, P!nk was the first non-20″ dog to be the overall winner at Westminster. In 2022, my sheltie Bee became the first sheltie to win the overall title at Westminster and won the AKC National Agility Championships in 2025, with many awards and accomplishments in-between.

As a competitor, I have won most major agility competitions in the United States, including the AKC National Agility Championship, the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster, USDAA Cynosport’s Grand Prix, Cynosport’s Steeplechase, Cynosport’s Biathlon, and UKI’s U.S. Open Masters Heats. Internationally, I am the only American to earn 3 different overall individual medals at the FCI Agility World Championship. As an instructor, I have been teaching agility for over twenty years. I love it when my students do well in the ring but the most rewarding part of teaching has been the shared moments of insight on the training field—those “light bulb” moments where the handler and dog figure something out. My students have also helped me because teaching them and figuring out what works for different dogs and courses has sharpened my own training and handling skills.

Alvina Chen is the founder and CEO of Feldspar, the UK-based technology company building the world’s first sensor-enabled high-performance running track that’s set to transform live sports entertainment in athletics.

Prior to founding Feldspar in 2022, Chen spent nearly a decade as a professional athlete, competing in international track running events and representing athletic clubs across the UK, USA, and Hong Kong. Her sports career provided her with deep insights into athletes’ needs, the inspiration to build the next-generation running track, and the determination to turn vision into reality.

Chen’s transition from athlete to entrepreneur was sparked by her remarkable recovery from myasthenia gravis (MG), a chronic autoimmune disease causing extreme muscle weakness. Although no longer able to compete professionally, this significant experience fuelled her passion to redefine athletics through building cutting-edge technologies and elevating its profile world-wide.

Chen comes from a family of multi-generational entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, and holds a BSc in Economics from Warwick University. The unique blend of her growth mindset, creative thinking, and professional athlete background positions her as a leading figure at the intersection of sports and technology.

Dr. Maureen Flores is a global expert in climate and sports innovation, shaping how the sports sector responds to technological and environmental challenges. She served as Head of Sustainability for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where she led environmental and legacy initiatives and coordinated the development of the Games Sustainability Indicators.

Later, while advancing innovation at the Brazilian Football Confederation, she was appointed liaison for the Asian market during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she developed online education formats for expatriate ecosystems and used digital platforms to support and connect the community.

In 2021, Dr. Flores was invited by the president of the FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) to document their joint venture with CVC Capital Partners. The result was a white paper distributed internationally to the Olympic family and the co-authored book The Set Point, launched in 2022. Since its release, it has ranked among the top titles in Volleyball and Sports Reference on Amazon Kindle.

Her research explores how innovation and climate are reshaping sports ecosystems—especially ocean-based disciplines such as surfing, sailing, open water swimming, and beach sprint rowing. She is also the author of Sustainability and the International Olympic Committee and the forthcoming Flipping the Script: How Does Climate Change Impact Ocean-Based Sports?, to be released in October.

Dr. Flores holds a PhD from Università degli Studi di Siena (Italy) and a master’s from Bard College. Her international career led her to Israel, where she became an ambassador for Colosseum Sports, a global platform fostering innovation in the sports industry. In her free time, she is an open-water swimmer.

For Dr. Flores, innovation and climate are deeply interconnected. Ocean sports—often overlooked—are like pearls, reflecting the beauty and fragility of our oceans. They must not remain on the margins. Ensuring they have a voice is essential to flipping the script.

DR. ALLISON BARBER CEO With a career that spans from a schoolhouse to the White House and most recently the Fieldhouse as the President and COO of the Indiana Fever, Indiana’s WNBA franchise; Dr. Allison Barber has a successful record of building brands and maximizing impact. From grade schoolteacher in Merrillville, Indiana, to communications strategist in the White House and United States Department of Defense; and as the first chancellor and chief fundraiser for Western Governor’s University (WGU) Indiana, Allison has dedicated herself to creating pathways to help individuals reach their potential.

After spending six years building and inspiring Fever fans in all 92 counties of Indiana and beyond, Barber will continue her work of empowering young girls through sports as a leader with the Marvella Project. Barber understands the power of playing sports, a college athlete who lettered in tennis and softball, she values the positive impact sports can have on both children and adults.

Barber holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Tennessee Temple University; a M.S. in Elementary Education from Indiana University; and a Ph.D. In Leadership from Tennessee Temple University. She is the recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service awarded by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and was recognized as a Woman of Influence by the Indianapolis Business Journal.

In March 2019, she was presented with Indiana’s highest honor, the Sagamore of the Wabash, presented by Governor Eric Holcomb. Barber was honored as the Indiana Chamber Executive of the Year in 2024.

Barber is the board chair for the Sagamore Institute, the board chair for the Marvella Foundation and serves on the boards of the American Red Cross, Indiana Destination Development Corporation, and the Indiana Chamber. She volunteers for the Elizabeth Dole Hidden Heroes Foundation, Wheeler Mission and WNBA All-Star 2025.

Warren Keller serves as the Athletic Director at Gallaudet University, the world’s only university for Deaf and hard of hearing students. A proud 2010 alumnus, Keller was a two-sport athlete for the Bison, competing in both baseball and soccer. His deep connection to Gallaudet and passion for Deaf athletics continue to shape his vision and leadership.

Appointed in 2022, Keller brings over 15 years of experience in Deaf education and athletic administration. Prior to his return to Gallaudet, he served as the Athletic Director at the California School for the Deaf, Fremont (CSD), where he also led the nationally recognized football team as head coach. Under his leadership, CSD Fremont garnered widespread media attention for athletic success and community impact. Keller also served as Superintendent of Sequoia Deaf School in Arizona, where he had begun his career as a Physical Education teacher and launched the school’s sports programs.

At Gallaudet, Keller is a forward-thinking leader who champions inclusion, innovation, and growth. He has overseen the expansion of athletic offerings, adding new varsity and club sports to meet student interests and increase campus engagement. Among his notable initiatives is the support of 5G helmet technology in football, which enhances on-field communication for Deaf athletes—an advancement that earned national media attention and positioned Gallaudet as a leader in adaptive sports innovation. He also continues to promote the use of DeafSpace principles in athletic facilities and equipment.

Keller is dedicated to building a culture of excellence, equity, and opportunity in Bison athletics. His work inspires future generations of Deaf student-athletes while reinforcing Gallaudet’s reputation as a national leader in inclusive collegiate athletics.

Soh Rui Yong (Rui) is a Human Performance Coach, elite marathoner, and Guinness World Record Holder (Fastest Marathon in a Suit – 2:39:57) on a mission to spread the love and joy of running worldwide. With a passion for pushing limits, he has mentored over 100 athletes to new personal bests across distances from 1500m to the marathon.

A decorated competitor, Rui is a 2 x SEA Games Marathon Gold Medalist, 5 x Singapore National Marathon Champion, and holds 5 Singapore National Records (5000m, 5km road, 10,000m, Half Marathon, and Marathon). His relentless pursuit of excellence extends beyond athletics—he is a UCL Law School graduate and an MBA candidate at London Business School, blending high-performance mindset with academic excellence and strategic leadership.

Whether coaching beginners or seasoned runners, Rui combines a high performance mindset, experience, and infectious enthusiasm to help others unlock their potential. When not training or studying, he shares insights on endurance, resilience, and the transformative power of running—proving that with the right mindset, anything is possible.

Follow his journey as he races toward new goals, inspires others, and redefines the boundaries of human performance.

Xavier A. Gutierrez is Chairman and CEO of ImpactX Sports Group, LLC, an investor, operator, and strategic advisor focused on the global sports industry. Founded in 2024, ImpactX partners with private equity funds and investment firms to acquire and operate world class sports assets, and to create joint ventures with professional sports teams, leagues, and university athletic departments across North America.

Gutierrez was formerly the President & CEO, and Alternate Governor of the Arizona Coyotes NHL franchise. In addition to being the first Latino CEO in the history of the NHL, Gutierrez is one of the only former real estate executives and private equity investors that has served as a CEO of a major professional sports franchise.

With over 30 years of experience in investment management, corporate strategy, finance and sports management, Gutierrez previously held roles at Clearlake Capital, Meruelo Group, and Phoenix Realty Group.

Gutierrez serves on multiple corporate boards, including Janus International Corp and Trinitas Capital Management. He co-founded SUMA Wealth in 2020, a fintech company focused on closing the Latino wealth gap and in 2024 launched LiS: Latinos in Sports, a multi-strategy platform focused on the impact of Latinos to the global sports industry via convenings, content, and careers.

Gutierrez is active in nonprofit, academic, and philanthropic organizations, including the Aspen Institute, Pro Sports Assembly, and Hispanic Scholarship Fund. He proudly serves on the Stanford Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Stanford Law School Board of Visitors, and the Board of Regents of his high school alma mater, Bellarmine College Preparatory.

He has been profiled in outlets including Bloomberg, ESPN, CNBC, Fast Company, Forbes, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times.

He received his Bachelor of Arts (AB) cum laude in Government from Harvard University, and his Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) from Stanford Law School.

I’m an accomplished amateur-turned-professional boxer. I was born in Cameroon and now based in Bolton, UK, I began boxing in 2017 and quickly rose through the ranks, gaining recognition for skill and determination. My proudest moment came at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where I made history as the first refugee to win an Olympic medal—securing bronze in the 75kg category.

That milestone didn’t just mark a sporting achievement for me; it also represented resilience, representation, and the power of perseverance. Outside the ring, I use my voice to advocate for refugees, the LGBTQIA+ community, and the Black community. I’m proud of who I am and committed to using my platform to inspire and uplift others.

I regularly visit schools in my hometown to motivate young people and have been honored with awards such as Sporting Equals Sportswoman of the Year, Metro Pride Sports Hero of the Year, and the British Diversity Award for Athlete Powering Positive Change in 2024.

My journey has always been about breaking barriers, both in sport and in society. Now, as I step into the professional boxing world, I remain focused on pushing boundaries and spreading a message of inclusion, perseverance, and hope to fellow refugees and underrepresented communities.

I look forward to working with you.

Tom Farrey is founder of Project Play, the award-winning initiative of the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program which builds healthy communities through sports. He works with many of the leading organizations in sports to get and keep more children playing. He authored the seminal book on youth sports in the U.S., "Game On: The All-American to Make Champions of Our Children," and won many of the highest honors in journalism at ESPN.

Raised in South Florida, Tom joined The Seattle Times after college where he covered the NBA and NFL and became the first paper's first sports investigative reporter. In the 1990s, he joined the internet startup that would help create what became ESPN.com. He then helped build the reputation of ESPN's long-form journalism show Outside the Lines, winning Emmys and an Alfred I. duPont/Columbia University Award -- ESPN's first.

In 2011, Tom joined the Aspen Institute to launch the Sports & Society Program, the mission of which is to convene leaders, facilitate dialogue and help sport serve the public interest. Project Play focuses on the base of our ecosystem and is a response to Game On, which then-New York Times columnist Robert Lipsyte called the “Silent Spring of sports: the book that launches a movement to protect a natural resource. In this case, our children.”

That movement became Project Play, now a community of 20,000+ leaders and the backbone for 63X30, an industry-led call to action to help the U.S. achieve the public health goal of 63% youth playing sports by 2030. Foundations, corporations, and governments working with Project Play have unlocked $115M+ in grants, and 500+ organizations and cities have endorsed its Children's Bill of Rights in Sports, a set of human rights principles.

Linda Rheinstein: Redefining Sports for Space, a Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductee and five-time Emmy Award-winning producer, has redefined the way we experience sports and media—again and again. Raised in a globe-trotting household, Linda learned storytelling firsthand from her father, an NBC News executive and entrepreneur who covered wars, politics, entertainment, sports and space missions. From an early age, she was immersed in how the world was shaped—and reshaped—by the media.

At just 16, Linda became a go-to Graphics operator for major live broadcasts, launching her career in live graphics when few women—or young people—were seen in tech roles.

By 17, she co-founded her first company, Autographics, providing Graphics systems and skilled operators for live broadcasts worldwide. She later partnered with The Post Group to launch the Digital Center, producing groundbreaking graphics and special effects for major projects—including Ghost, Olympics, Academy Awards, Superbowl’s, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Max Headroom to name a few As the internet began reshaping content delivery, Linda launched On Air On Line, pioneering digital user interfaces for airplane seats, editing apps, DVDs, and even helping create Fox Sports’ now-standard constant clock and score.

Today, Linda’s most ambitious project is Space Games Federation®, where she is helping invent the future of sports—off Earth.

Drawing on her lifelong connection to NASA and the Astronauts (her father directed every mission from Mercury to Apollo), she’s launching the first competitive sports leagues for Sports in Space® played by Astroletes in “Equal Space,” where the absence of gravities levels the playing fields across gender, age, ability or disability. Astroletes®—a new class of athlete—will train, test, and compete in games that can only exist in space.

Linda Rheinstein is once again doing what she does best: breaking boundaries, changing the rules, and creating what comes next. The Future of Sports: Look Up.

Troy Vincent, Sr., is Executive Vice president of Football Operations at the National Football League (NFL). As a leader, Vincent draws from his unique experiences as an NFL player for 15 years, and 15 years as a league executive. Vincent also served as player representative, executive committee member, and two-term president of the NFL Players Association. He employs the highest standards to enhance and preserve football and its value to society. Vincent works closely with clubs, players, and Legends on social justice initiatives in communities across the nation. As co-chair of the Vision28 group spearheading efforts to establish flag football as an Olympic sport, he is instrumental in global growth of American football.

Personally, Vincent is an advocate against domestic violence and sexual assault. Being directly affected by domestic violence, both Vincent and his wife, Tommi, share a passion and commitment to promoting the message of “Leadership Over Violence”. They serve their community through developing and advancing policies and initiatives aimed at ending domestic violence and sexual assault. The Vincent’s founded the Vincent Commission in collaboration with Niagara University to recommend best practices for prevention, educational approaches, and policy changes regarding domestic and gender-based violence. Vincent serves on the board of directors for the Love Thy Neighbor Foundation, the YMCA of the USA, the Roundabout Theatre Company, the Ross Initiative for Sports Equality (RISE), the American Football Coaches Association, and the Brian Dawkins Impact Foundation.