2018 Summit Speakers
MEREDITH KESSLER, Welcome Keynote
Meredith grew up in Columbus, Ohio where she was a 4-sport athlete. She went on to receive a Division I athletic scholarship at Syracuse University for field hockey and track. After graduating in 2000, she used her graduation money to purchase her first triathlon bike and entered an Ironman two weeks later. Since then, Meredith has completed over 60 Ironmans all over the world. She is an 11x full-Ironman and 21x half-Ironman distance champion. Outside of her career as a professional triathlete, Meredith takes pride in being the best wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend and mentor that she can be. Her family and friends are paramount to fueling her energies to compete. Meredith has always enjoyed helping others, which is why she and her husband developed The Life of a Triathlete to help individuals reach their triathlon goals faster than they would on their own.
JULIE MOSS, Saturday Keynote
For more than 35 years, Julie Moss has been synonymous with excellence and performance, both as an Ironman and USA Triathlon Hall of Famer, and as a public speaker with a message of empowerment and never quitting. From her stunning crawl across the finish line at the 1982 Ironman World Championship—the most famous moment in triathlon’s 40-year history, viewed by millions on Wide World of Sports—to her 3rd-place age-group finish at the 2018 Ironman, Julie has delighted and inspired millions throughout the world. Now, with the publication of her long-awaited memoir, Crawl of Fame (Pegasus Books), she inspires all over again.
SENATOR-ELECT KYRSTEN SINEMA, Saturday Women For Tri Luncheon Keynote
Kyrsten was born in Tucson and went through some tough times growing up. Her family struggled to make ends meet and for a while were even homeless. Education was Kyrsten’s ticket to a better life. With scholarships, she went to BYU and then ASU, where she now teaches. Kyrsten’s childhood experience showed her the power of overcoming obstacles and the importance of helping others. After graduating, she worked with students and families in Arizona who face the same challenges she did. Kyrsten’s commitment to service led her to the Arizona Legislature. She feels a duty to serve and give back to the communities that gave her so much. Kyrsten is an avid runner, triathlete, and IRONMAN . She leads a bipartisan spin class and recruits her colleagues in Congress to a regular bipartisan exercise class. She recently broke the record for the fastest female lawmaker at the ACLI Capital Challenge.
DR. STACY T. SIMS, Sunday Luncheon Keynote:
Stacy is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance—specifically, sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions—and is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Waikato. She previously served as an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at Stanford University 2007-2012, where she specialized in sex differences of environmental and nutritional considerations for recovery and performance. While at Stanford, she translated her research into consumer products and a book, ROAR, to explain sex differences in training and nutrition. Stacy’s contributions challenge the existing dogma for women in exercise, nutrition, and health outcomes. Consequently, she has been named a Visionary of the Running (2015) and Outdoor Sport (2017) industries, a Top-40 Woman Changing the Paradigm of Her Field (2017), and a Top-4 Individual Changing the Landscape in Triathlon Nutrition (2017). A regular featured speaker at professional and academic conferences, she resides in Mount Maunganui with her husband and young daughter.
MEREDITH ATWOOD
Meredith, perhaps better known as SwimBikeMom, is a recovering attorney, tri coach, four-time IRONMAN, motivational speaker and author of Triathlon for The Every Woman: You Can Be a Triathlete. Yes. You., which is being re-released in Spring 2019. She is the host of the popular podcast, The Same 24 Hours, a show which interviews interesting people who make the best of the 24 hours in each day. Meredith lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children and writes about all things at MeredithAtwood.com. She has a new book due out Fall 2019.
ERIN BERESINI
Erin is the Editorial Director of Pocket Outdoor Media and the Editor in Chief of Triathlete Magazine. She raced her first triathlon in 2005 and hasn’t taken her spandex off since. She’s a 5x Ironman, an Ultraman Canada finisher, and she’s run a hundo. She remembers that one time she won her age group at Xterra Worlds—by the grace of the tri gods—on a rented MTB, and that other time she raced the first-ever Spartan Ultra Beast for her book, Off Course: Inside the Mad, Muddy World of Obstacle Course Racing. She was once the weirdest person on Stanford University’s Tri Team. She met her husband at Ventura’s Breath of Life tri in 2006, and their 2-year-old and 4-month-old baby girls are their everything.
KATHRYN BERTINE
Kathryn is an author, activist, filmmaker and former professional athlete in cycling and triathlon. Her documentary film, Half The Road, debuted in 2014 and paved the way for change in women's pro cycling. As an advocate for equality in women’s sports, Kathryn started the movement Le Tour Entier in 2013 with fellow cyclists Emma Pooley, Marianne Vos, and Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington in an effort to bring parity to women’s professional road cycling, starting with the Tour de France. Teamwork made it happen, and on July 27, 2014 the pro women of road cycling raced La Course by Tour de France. Kathryn now serves as CEO of Homestretch Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in Tucson that assists female pro cyclists who struggling with the gender pay gap.
DIANA BERTSCH
As one of the most senior executives at IRONMAN, Diana is responsible for their most prestigious and important events. As the leader of the IRONMAN World Championship since 2003, “Kona” has become the most iconic and sought-after endurance event in the world. In 2013, Diana was promoted to Vice President of World Championship Events, adding the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which has grown into a two-day event with over 5,000 qualifying athletes, to her responsibilities. In 2017, Diana assumed the oversight of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) relationship and is currently working to elevate the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon into the AWMM. Diana oversees IRONMAN’s Hawai`i office with six full-time staff and a “World Championship team” of 22 operational staff from IRONMAN’s 26 offices around the world. Diana is a runner, triathlete, and a 1995 finisher of the IRONMAN World Championship. Diana’s son William is a student at Pepperdine University.
HILLARY BISCAY
Hillary is the head coach of TeamHPB Coaching, a group of women—beginner to elite endurance athletes—who train through individualized online programming and intensive in-person training camps. She is also Co-Founder of Smashfest Queen, a women’s endurance apparel brand. Hillary raced as a professional Ironman triathlete for a decade. Her career highlights were Ultraman World Champion and Ironman Wisconsin Champion titles, in addition to 66 iron-distance finishes. Hillary is now entirely focused on her Smashfest Queen and TeamHPB athletes and her growing family, which includes two babies and three rescue dogs.
JORDAN BLANCO
Jordan is the Founder of Avid Endurance, a sports management and marketing company that develops and activates relationships between endurance athletes, brands, and consumers. Her client roster includes Olympians, Ironman Champions, and endurance coaching companies and events. She is also a regular contributor to leading endurance-focused print and online media outlets. Prior to founding Avid Endurance, Jordan spent 15 years working in finance and management for JPMorgan, BlackRock, and several Bay Area start-ups. Jordan is an accomplished amateur triathlete, having raced more than 100 triathlons, including 15 Ironmans. She is a 7x qualifier for the Ironman World Championships. Jordan holds a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages from Bristol University, England, and an MBA from Stanford University.
STACI BRODE
Staci is the President of PlayTri, which owns triathlon retail stores, a coaching business, a race production company, and a performance center. PlayTri is proud to encourage diversity and female leadership. At PlayTri, women lead the business, as president, head coach, store manager, and head of event production. Staci has two beautiful boys –Ali (11) and Aiman (6)—and a wonderful husband and partner, Ahmed Zaher.
VICTORIA BRUMFIELD
Victoria is Chief of Staff at USA Triathlon, where she manages and streamlines the organization’s operational plan and directly oversees human resources, finance, and information technology. She also provides oversight and guidance on large-scale organizational projects and serves as an advisor to the CEO. Previously, Victoria served in leadership positions at Virgin Sport, Korff Enterprises, and Life Time Athletic Events and has built endurance events from inception to iconic brands. Victoria earned her MBA from New York University, and her BA from Brigham Young University. She is a Category 2 bike racer, marathoner, master knitter, and indoor cycling instructor.
KELLY BURNS GALLAGHER
Kelly is a labor an employment attorney, Sonic Endurance race director and coach, and accomplished triathlete. She received the Ron Smith Award at the 2018 Triathlon Business International conference, which recognizes an individual who is a role model in the sport, positively promotes and influences the sport, and inspires the future path for triathlon. Kelly is always trying to break down barriers to get more people swimming, biking, and running, whether that's helping race directors follow best practices, coaching athletes to their first sprint triathlon, or helping someone else get the gear they need to get into the sport.
HALEY CHURA, Summit Master of Ceremonies
Haley is a professional triathlete and former University of Georgia NCAA Division I swimmer. In her first two seasons, Haley recorded wins at Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, Ironman Fortaleza, and the Challenge Florianopolis Half, and was the first woman out of the water at the 2013 Ironman World Championships. In late 2015, Haley was hit by a car while on a training ride. She spent months recovering from injuries and returned to racing in 2017. She then had one of her strongest race seasons yet with wins at Ironman 70.3 Buenos Aires and Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene and 9th and 18th place finishes at the Ironman 70.3 and Ironman World Championships, respectively. In 2018, Haley defended her title with a win at Ironman 70.3 Coeur d’Alene and most recently took the win at the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Waco. Haley lives and trains in Bozeman, Montana, and is an Ironwomen Podcast co-host.
MARILYN CHYCHOTA
Marilyn is a professional coach—she has been coaching endurance sport since 2005. She started Marilyn Chychota Coaching in 2018 and believes in coaching each athlete specifically to their needs, their personal development, and to their specific goals. Marilyn grew up in Alberta, Canada, began show jumping at age 9, and was one of the youngest top show jumper coaches by age 21. Marilyn then started competing as an age group triathlete and started competing as a professional triathlete in 2003. In 2004, she won Ironman Malaysia. Marilyn also competed as a professional cyclist for a decade, winning multiple stage races and state championships. She has lived, raced, and trained throughout the world and now resides in Arizona. Marilyn is a writer and contributor to Triathlete Magazine, WISP Sports, Active.com, Witsup Radio, and LiveFeisty.
SALLY EDWARDS
Sally is always leading the way. In 1976 when she was 28 years old, she co-founded one of the first athletic footwear retail stores in the nation, Fleet Feet Sports. She wrote the first books on heart rate training, triathlons, and school Physical Education using wearables. Sally raced professionally as an ultra-marathoner and triathlete for 30 years. She was recently inducted into the Triathlon Hall of Fame. As an applied exercise scientist, Sally is committed to her mission to get America fit. She is driving that mission with her entrepreneurial spirit using Heart Zones, Inc.—the fitness technology, education, and training company developing programs and technologies to do just that - get people to live an active and healthy lifestyle.
VICKI FORD
Vicki is an adventurer, explorer, student, dog lover, athlete, and yoga instructor. She recently earned her 200-hour Dharma Yoga Teacher certificate and completed certification in Aqua Kyria Yoga. Vicki is passionate about bringing accessible yoga to all her students on land or in the water. Her teaching style is friendly, safe, and nurturing, and she hopes to have her student always leave her classes joyful by celebrating their body, heart, and mind. Vicki is also well-aware of the physical body as she continues her lifetime love of adventure and multi-sport with multiple Ironman, Xterra, mountain summits, and a little bike race she did with 3 teammates called the Race Across America. 7 days, 6 hours, 5 minutes…she knows you are all athletes and want to know!
JAMILA GALE-AGANS
Jamila is an Ironman finisher, multiple 70.3 finisher, USAT Level 1 certified triathlon coach, USMS certified Level 1-3 coach, and Adult Learn to Swim Instructor. She is owner and head coach of Sherpa Fitness & Endurance—a multisport coaching company designed to promote and encourage women and women of color to participate in the sport of triathlon. Jamila is also a member of the USAT Women’s Committee. In addition to her passion for multisport, Jamila is a National Physique Committee Bikini/Figure competitor and Certified Personal Trainer. She currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska and is an active duty Army logistics officer.
GABRIELA GALLEGOS
Gabriela is President and Race Director for Race El Paso. She produced El Paso’s first USA Triathlon-sanctioned event in 2010 with a sell-out field that included 80% first-time triathletes. Since then, Race El Paso has grown to offer multiple events, including the all-female Mighty Mujer Triathlon. Mighty Mujer Triathlon has introduced thousands of women to triathlon. In 2018, Mighty Mujer Triathlon expanded to Tucson, Arizona, and Mighty Mujer Triathlon Miami will debut in 2019.The event aims to increase access to the sport, offering educational and social opportunities, and creating inclusive community to encourage active living through triathlon. In 2018, Mighty Mujer Triathlon was broadcast live on El Paso’s NBC affiliate station. An attorney by background, Gabriela also consults for the Institute for Healthy Living on initiatives related to healthy eating and active living.
ANGELLA GORAN
Angella is a well-rounded, talented woman who devotes her time to business, sport, and community. She is the Founder of SockTrov Inc. and Champion a Campaign, a program focused on championing youth and community programs. Angella also is the Founder of ATHLETICA Advantage Rewards™/ATHLETICA™ Protect, a unique company specializing in an innovative and disruptive insure-tech niche market for sports and lifestyle. She rounds out her business side with consultation in marketing and communications for health, wellness, and fitness. With over 15 years spent between amateur to elite levels of athletics in rowing (Women’s National Rowing Team, 2004 Olympics), triathlon, and (currently) cycling, there is a formula to her madness in sport, which is Passion. The passion Angella has for elite sport is now focused on creating the passion for others to reach for their own goals and achieve a balance in health and wellness.
DR. SARA GROSS, Summit Co-organizer
Sara is an Ironman triathlon champion, an academic, a writer, podcast host, storyteller and mom. After twelve years as a professional triathlete and three major international wins, Sara set her sights on making triathlon a better, safer, and more fun place for women. Sara’s PhD is in women’s history and in 2017 she founded Live Feisty Media. Live Feisty produces written content, podcasts, and videos with the goal of telling untold stories and offering new perspective on old stories. Sara hails from Victoria, Canada and while on the surface, her daughter Rosalee may appear bossy, she is in fact, a leader in training.
SARAH HARTMANN
A marathoner and triathlete, Sarah is a certified USAT race director with 25 years of professional nonprofit, sports, marketing, technology, sales, performance and operations experience and is currently the IRONMAN Foundation Acting Executive Director. She was recently elected to the Board of Directors of Triathlon Business International. She is also the co-founder and former President of Race2Rebuild, a nonprofit endurance racing program to rebuild communities after natural disasters. Before she fell in love with endurance sports, Sarah received her MFA in Theatre from the University of Delaware, acted on stages and in front of cameras from NY to LA, and taught acting and speech at the NY Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, Roosevelt University in Chicago, and University of Colorado-Boulder.
KEBBY HOLDEN
Kebby is the Founder and behind-the-scenes Designer of Coeur Sports. Previously a consultant in Atlanta, she started Coeur because she could never find performance clothing that fit, let alone inspired her. Kebby works hard to bring the element of style to all Coeur gear while also ensuring high-quality and technical performance. Coeur has an all-female team that lives an active lifestyle and loves helping other women pursue health and fitness. Kebby is a multiple Ironman Kona finisher, a dedicated wife, and wine & coffee devotee.
ANNE HED
Anne, CEO of HED Cycling, has history as a business owner that grew from a career as a professional triathlete in the 1980s. She met her late husband Steve through the sport and raced worldwide on his aerodynamic disc wheel. Funded in part by Anne’s race winnings, HED Cycling was soon born and production was set up in Steve’s garage. HED Cycling has been awarded several significant patents. Anne was awarded the 2014 Established Business Owner of the Year for Minnesota. She was also a top-ten finalist of 1,400 companies in the 2016 FedEx Small Business Grant awards. 2016 also saw the debut of the Cervelo P5X triathlon bike, which was manufactured by HED in Minnesota. Anne has been selected as one of Forbes 2017 Small Business Giants and listed by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a 2018 Business of Manufacturing honoree.
SIKA HENRY
Sika is a competitive triathlete, two-time marathon winner, and a former collegiate high jumper. Sika graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Economics. She lives in Newport News, VA, where she is an Analyst for Ferguson Enterprises. Sika has been featured in USA Triathlon Magazine and has done freelance writing for Triathlon Business International, Slowtwitch.com, and LiveFeisty.com. Her ultimate goal is to become the first African-American woman pro in triathlon. Sika is passionate about increasing diversity within the sport and enjoys sharing her race experiences on her blog (why-i-run.blogspot.com) and Instagram page.
TENILLE HOOGLAND
Tenille is the owner of Tri Whole Health Coaching, Inc. She is devoted to using next-gen technologies and translating evidence-based science into performance-altering, individualized programs for athletes. Professionally, she has led Age-Group Team Canada to ITU World Championship events, organized triathlons, and was a senior planner for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Federal Secretariat. Tenille is a 70.3 IRONMAN and ITU Pan-American Cup Champion. Tenille is happiest when hiking local mountains with her husband and son.
DR. JANE HUNT
Jane is a cultural historian who lectures in Australian Studies at Bond University on the Gold Coast, Australia. Author of Multisport Dreaming: The Foundations of Triathlon in Australia (2014), Jane has written numerous articles for industry magazines and academic journals. Jane’s research prior to Multisport Dreaming related to female cultural activism in the 20th century. She is interested in the many obscure and hidden ways in which women seek to create change and has recently commenced a project that brings her dual interest in sport and women as agents of change—A Critical History of Women in Triathlon.
DR. LISA INGARFIELD, Summit Co-organizer
Lisa is a research, evaluation, and policy consultant, and freelance writer. She received her PhD in Intercultural Communication from the University of Denver in 2014. Her research focuses on how inclusion and exclusion manifests in communication practices, and she has specific expertise in the areas of women's equity, violence against women, and criminal justice. Her skills and experience apply to any organization looking to improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, practice, and policy. She is originally from London, U.K. and currently resides in Colorado. Lisa is a certified RRCA and USAT coach, owns Tri to Defi Coaching, and races triathlon regularly.
RACHEL JOYCE
Rachel took up triathlon in 2005, and what started as a hobby turned into a passion. In 2008, Rachel made the bold decision to resign from her job as an attorney to give making it as a professional triathlete her best shot. Since then, she’s climbed to the top of her sport. Known as Joycey on the race course, she has captured a World Title, 6 iron-distance titles, and stood on the podium 3 times at the Ironman World Championships. In 2017, Rachel returned to racing having taken 2016 off to have her son, went on to win 2 Ironman races less than a year after giving birth, and in doing so, qualified for the World Championships. Outside of training and racing, Rachel is a passionate advocate for equality and increasing female participation in sport. She is a founding member of TriEqual and sits on the Women For Tri Board of Advisors.
KAY MARTIN
Kay is Founder and CEO of BOCO Gear—the industry leader in the manufacture of custom headwear and accessories for teams, events, retailers and brands worldwide, including the 360° Visor® and the Technical Trucker® hat. After 25 years in the outdoor industry working in executive roles for high-end performance brands like Pearl Izumi, Balega, Headsweats, and Moving Comfort, Kay saw a huge opportunity to innovate the custom headwear styles and products for endurance athletes. BOCO Gear was inspired by the trends she saw in surf, skate, and outdoor categories. Kay found designers eager to join her and carefully selected factories aligned with her mission to work exclusively with BOCO Gear. This helped differentiate them with low minimums and speed to market with innovative customized designs. Kay continues to drive innovation and development that keeps BOCO Gear at least 1-2 years ahead of everyone else in the market.
RACHEL McBRIDE
Rachel has been racing full-time as a professional triathlete since 2011. She is a two-time 70.3 Champion and has numerous podium and course record results across several distances in the sport. Known as the “Purple Tiger,” she is one of the strongest cyclists on the world circuit. Rachel leads from the front of the race always. She is consistently first-off-the-bike having logged eight Ironman 70.3 fastest bike splits and is currently a two-time Ironman bike course record holder. She is a three-time course record holder, including Canadian National Championships. Rachel is a board-certified Genetic Counselor with two graduate degrees in genetics. She is an accomplished cellist and works in sexual health education, counseling, and advocacy in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, where she lives and trains.
KELLY O’MARA
Kelly's work has appeared in Triathlete Magazine, espnW, Outside, and Competitor. She also regularly consults and creates content for fitness and health companies, works as a fill-in producer at the local NPR station in San Francisco, and competes as a professional triathlete. And she writes the wildly popular If We Were Riding newsletter, which you should subscribe to, and co-hosts the podcast of the same name.
DR. SHAUNNA PAYNE GOLD
Shaunna is the Founder of SHEro Athletics, an active online community for athletes who have one goal – to WOW themselves. After maintaining a weight loss of 80 pounds and learning how to swim while pregnant at age 35, she became an Ironman 70.3 triathlete, swim coach, and instructor. Shaunna has spent almost 20 years of her career in higher education administration. She is a full-time administrator at the University of Maryland, a professorial lecturer at The George Washington University, an SME at Georgetown University, and an inclusive excellence consultant. Shaunna was inducted into the LGBT Lavender Leadership Honor Society in 2016 and won the UMD “Advocate for Equity” Award in 2010. Shaunna holds degrees and certificates from The George Washington University (Doctor of Education), Eastern Mennonite University (Master of Divinity), and James Madison University (Bachelor of Business Administration), and Harvard (Project Management Certification). She’s the mom to Trai (7) and Kendrick (4).
STACY PERLIS
Stacy is Director of Finance & Administration and also Product Manager for ELEMNT Bike Computers and Bike Sensors at Wahoo Fitness, a global tech-fitness company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Stacy is responsible for managing the financial operations and planning of the business as well as the development and maintenance of bike computers on the market. Prior to Wahoo, Stacy worked for Deloitte where she was a Tax Consultant focused on corporate reorganizations. As a member of Wahoo's Leadership Team, Stacy seeks to give a voice and point of view of the female consumer. Stacy is actively involved in the triathlon community both as a participant and coach. Today, she is a coach with both Team In Training and TriHard Coaching and completed her 3rd full distance Ironman just 2 weeks prior to the Outspoken Summit.
DANA PLATIN
As Founder of The Warmi Project, Dana is an experienced leadership development strategist, adept at coaching driven women who want to become braver, bolder, and stronger. A passionate avid athlete, Dana has used her participation in triathlons, cycling, and mountaineering as a way to set personal goals to push herself beyond what she thought was possible and tap into her best self. Dana believes the world can be changed for the better through our greater community participation, effective leadership and a balanced life. While personal triumphs have taught her discipline, determination, motivation, and commitment; it is her unique 20-year work history, focused in the areas of leadership development, training, and program management that has produced the most significant lessons. Dana thrives on educating others and helping them crush their fear and accomplish their goals. Her passion is to help women create positive change in their lives to be extraordinary.
ANGELA QUICK
Angela is a STAC athlete, elite age-group triathlete, Kona competitor, coach, and Pedorthist. STAC is an innovative sports science company, with their primary technology being the zero-contact resistance bike trainer, meaning no noise and no tire wear, that provides resistance through magnets. The STAC Virtual Wind Tunnel, a 3D scanning technique providing an accurate assessment of cyclist aerodynamics, calculates how much drag your cycling position produces and where that drag comes from, as well as which changes you can make to go faster without having to use more energy. Both the VWT and the Halcyon smart trainer have won industry innovation awards (VWT- Interbike 2017 and the Halcyon, Eurobike 2018).
ASHLEY WILES
Ashley is the Founder and Head Coach of Sole Girls, a Youth Speaker, a Life Coach, a 3x Iron(wo)man, an Ironman 70.3 World Championship competitor, and a Mental Health Advocate! Growing up with a family of runners, Ashley started running at 5 years old, and now runs and competes in triathlons around the world. When working as a life coach and dealing with anxiety, she was inspired to start Sole Girls in 2012. Ashley was named a Top 10 Young Entrepreneur in Vancouver, a Top 5 Motivator in Canada by Impact Magazine, and the 2016 Most Inspiring Coach in North America by Brooks Running. Sole Girls was named a Top 5 Small Business with a Community Impact by Small Business BC, and has expanded to license the Sole Girls curriculum globally. Ashley travels far and wide to teach workshops for adults and girls, hold leadership summits, and empower others.
Meredith grew up in Columbus, Ohio where she was a 4-sport athlete. She went on to receive a Division I athletic scholarship at Syracuse University for field hockey and track. After graduating in 2000, she used her graduation money to purchase her first triathlon bike and entered an Ironman two weeks later. Since then, Meredith has completed over 60 Ironmans all over the world. She is an 11x full-Ironman and 21x half-Ironman distance champion. Outside of her career as a professional triathlete, Meredith takes pride in being the best wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend and mentor that she can be. Her family and friends are paramount to fueling her energies to compete. Meredith has always enjoyed helping others, which is why she and her husband developed The Life of a Triathlete to help individuals reach their triathlon goals faster than they would on their own.
JULIE MOSS, Saturday Keynote
For more than 35 years, Julie Moss has been synonymous with excellence and performance, both as an Ironman and USA Triathlon Hall of Famer, and as a public speaker with a message of empowerment and never quitting. From her stunning crawl across the finish line at the 1982 Ironman World Championship—the most famous moment in triathlon’s 40-year history, viewed by millions on Wide World of Sports—to her 3rd-place age-group finish at the 2018 Ironman, Julie has delighted and inspired millions throughout the world. Now, with the publication of her long-awaited memoir, Crawl of Fame (Pegasus Books), she inspires all over again.
SENATOR-ELECT KYRSTEN SINEMA, Saturday Women For Tri Luncheon Keynote
Kyrsten was born in Tucson and went through some tough times growing up. Her family struggled to make ends meet and for a while were even homeless. Education was Kyrsten’s ticket to a better life. With scholarships, she went to BYU and then ASU, where she now teaches. Kyrsten’s childhood experience showed her the power of overcoming obstacles and the importance of helping others. After graduating, she worked with students and families in Arizona who face the same challenges she did. Kyrsten’s commitment to service led her to the Arizona Legislature. She feels a duty to serve and give back to the communities that gave her so much. Kyrsten is an avid runner, triathlete, and IRONMAN . She leads a bipartisan spin class and recruits her colleagues in Congress to a regular bipartisan exercise class. She recently broke the record for the fastest female lawmaker at the ACLI Capital Challenge.
DR. STACY T. SIMS, Sunday Luncheon Keynote:
Stacy is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance—specifically, sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions—and is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Waikato. She previously served as an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at Stanford University 2007-2012, where she specialized in sex differences of environmental and nutritional considerations for recovery and performance. While at Stanford, she translated her research into consumer products and a book, ROAR, to explain sex differences in training and nutrition. Stacy’s contributions challenge the existing dogma for women in exercise, nutrition, and health outcomes. Consequently, she has been named a Visionary of the Running (2015) and Outdoor Sport (2017) industries, a Top-40 Woman Changing the Paradigm of Her Field (2017), and a Top-4 Individual Changing the Landscape in Triathlon Nutrition (2017). A regular featured speaker at professional and academic conferences, she resides in Mount Maunganui with her husband and young daughter.
MEREDITH ATWOOD
Meredith, perhaps better known as SwimBikeMom, is a recovering attorney, tri coach, four-time IRONMAN, motivational speaker and author of Triathlon for The Every Woman: You Can Be a Triathlete. Yes. You., which is being re-released in Spring 2019. She is the host of the popular podcast, The Same 24 Hours, a show which interviews interesting people who make the best of the 24 hours in each day. Meredith lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children and writes about all things at MeredithAtwood.com. She has a new book due out Fall 2019.
ERIN BERESINI
Erin is the Editorial Director of Pocket Outdoor Media and the Editor in Chief of Triathlete Magazine. She raced her first triathlon in 2005 and hasn’t taken her spandex off since. She’s a 5x Ironman, an Ultraman Canada finisher, and she’s run a hundo. She remembers that one time she won her age group at Xterra Worlds—by the grace of the tri gods—on a rented MTB, and that other time she raced the first-ever Spartan Ultra Beast for her book, Off Course: Inside the Mad, Muddy World of Obstacle Course Racing. She was once the weirdest person on Stanford University’s Tri Team. She met her husband at Ventura’s Breath of Life tri in 2006, and their 2-year-old and 4-month-old baby girls are their everything.
KATHRYN BERTINE
Kathryn is an author, activist, filmmaker and former professional athlete in cycling and triathlon. Her documentary film, Half The Road, debuted in 2014 and paved the way for change in women's pro cycling. As an advocate for equality in women’s sports, Kathryn started the movement Le Tour Entier in 2013 with fellow cyclists Emma Pooley, Marianne Vos, and Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington in an effort to bring parity to women’s professional road cycling, starting with the Tour de France. Teamwork made it happen, and on July 27, 2014 the pro women of road cycling raced La Course by Tour de France. Kathryn now serves as CEO of Homestretch Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in Tucson that assists female pro cyclists who struggling with the gender pay gap.
DIANA BERTSCH
As one of the most senior executives at IRONMAN, Diana is responsible for their most prestigious and important events. As the leader of the IRONMAN World Championship since 2003, “Kona” has become the most iconic and sought-after endurance event in the world. In 2013, Diana was promoted to Vice President of World Championship Events, adding the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which has grown into a two-day event with over 5,000 qualifying athletes, to her responsibilities. In 2017, Diana assumed the oversight of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) relationship and is currently working to elevate the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon into the AWMM. Diana oversees IRONMAN’s Hawai`i office with six full-time staff and a “World Championship team” of 22 operational staff from IRONMAN’s 26 offices around the world. Diana is a runner, triathlete, and a 1995 finisher of the IRONMAN World Championship. Diana’s son William is a student at Pepperdine University.
HILLARY BISCAY
Hillary is the head coach of TeamHPB Coaching, a group of women—beginner to elite endurance athletes—who train through individualized online programming and intensive in-person training camps. She is also Co-Founder of Smashfest Queen, a women’s endurance apparel brand. Hillary raced as a professional Ironman triathlete for a decade. Her career highlights were Ultraman World Champion and Ironman Wisconsin Champion titles, in addition to 66 iron-distance finishes. Hillary is now entirely focused on her Smashfest Queen and TeamHPB athletes and her growing family, which includes two babies and three rescue dogs.
JORDAN BLANCO
Jordan is the Founder of Avid Endurance, a sports management and marketing company that develops and activates relationships between endurance athletes, brands, and consumers. Her client roster includes Olympians, Ironman Champions, and endurance coaching companies and events. She is also a regular contributor to leading endurance-focused print and online media outlets. Prior to founding Avid Endurance, Jordan spent 15 years working in finance and management for JPMorgan, BlackRock, and several Bay Area start-ups. Jordan is an accomplished amateur triathlete, having raced more than 100 triathlons, including 15 Ironmans. She is a 7x qualifier for the Ironman World Championships. Jordan holds a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages from Bristol University, England, and an MBA from Stanford University.
STACI BRODE
Staci is the President of PlayTri, which owns triathlon retail stores, a coaching business, a race production company, and a performance center. PlayTri is proud to encourage diversity and female leadership. At PlayTri, women lead the business, as president, head coach, store manager, and head of event production. Staci has two beautiful boys –Ali (11) and Aiman (6)—and a wonderful husband and partner, Ahmed Zaher.
VICTORIA BRUMFIELD
Victoria is Chief of Staff at USA Triathlon, where she manages and streamlines the organization’s operational plan and directly oversees human resources, finance, and information technology. She also provides oversight and guidance on large-scale organizational projects and serves as an advisor to the CEO. Previously, Victoria served in leadership positions at Virgin Sport, Korff Enterprises, and Life Time Athletic Events and has built endurance events from inception to iconic brands. Victoria earned her MBA from New York University, and her BA from Brigham Young University. She is a Category 2 bike racer, marathoner, master knitter, and indoor cycling instructor.
KELLY BURNS GALLAGHER
Kelly is a labor an employment attorney, Sonic Endurance race director and coach, and accomplished triathlete. She received the Ron Smith Award at the 2018 Triathlon Business International conference, which recognizes an individual who is a role model in the sport, positively promotes and influences the sport, and inspires the future path for triathlon. Kelly is always trying to break down barriers to get more people swimming, biking, and running, whether that's helping race directors follow best practices, coaching athletes to their first sprint triathlon, or helping someone else get the gear they need to get into the sport.
HALEY CHURA, Summit Master of Ceremonies
Haley is a professional triathlete and former University of Georgia NCAA Division I swimmer. In her first two seasons, Haley recorded wins at Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, Ironman Fortaleza, and the Challenge Florianopolis Half, and was the first woman out of the water at the 2013 Ironman World Championships. In late 2015, Haley was hit by a car while on a training ride. She spent months recovering from injuries and returned to racing in 2017. She then had one of her strongest race seasons yet with wins at Ironman 70.3 Buenos Aires and Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene and 9th and 18th place finishes at the Ironman 70.3 and Ironman World Championships, respectively. In 2018, Haley defended her title with a win at Ironman 70.3 Coeur d’Alene and most recently took the win at the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Waco. Haley lives and trains in Bozeman, Montana, and is an Ironwomen Podcast co-host.
MARILYN CHYCHOTA
Marilyn is a professional coach—she has been coaching endurance sport since 2005. She started Marilyn Chychota Coaching in 2018 and believes in coaching each athlete specifically to their needs, their personal development, and to their specific goals. Marilyn grew up in Alberta, Canada, began show jumping at age 9, and was one of the youngest top show jumper coaches by age 21. Marilyn then started competing as an age group triathlete and started competing as a professional triathlete in 2003. In 2004, she won Ironman Malaysia. Marilyn also competed as a professional cyclist for a decade, winning multiple stage races and state championships. She has lived, raced, and trained throughout the world and now resides in Arizona. Marilyn is a writer and contributor to Triathlete Magazine, WISP Sports, Active.com, Witsup Radio, and LiveFeisty.
SALLY EDWARDS
Sally is always leading the way. In 1976 when she was 28 years old, she co-founded one of the first athletic footwear retail stores in the nation, Fleet Feet Sports. She wrote the first books on heart rate training, triathlons, and school Physical Education using wearables. Sally raced professionally as an ultra-marathoner and triathlete for 30 years. She was recently inducted into the Triathlon Hall of Fame. As an applied exercise scientist, Sally is committed to her mission to get America fit. She is driving that mission with her entrepreneurial spirit using Heart Zones, Inc.—the fitness technology, education, and training company developing programs and technologies to do just that - get people to live an active and healthy lifestyle.
VICKI FORD
Vicki is an adventurer, explorer, student, dog lover, athlete, and yoga instructor. She recently earned her 200-hour Dharma Yoga Teacher certificate and completed certification in Aqua Kyria Yoga. Vicki is passionate about bringing accessible yoga to all her students on land or in the water. Her teaching style is friendly, safe, and nurturing, and she hopes to have her student always leave her classes joyful by celebrating their body, heart, and mind. Vicki is also well-aware of the physical body as she continues her lifetime love of adventure and multi-sport with multiple Ironman, Xterra, mountain summits, and a little bike race she did with 3 teammates called the Race Across America. 7 days, 6 hours, 5 minutes…she knows you are all athletes and want to know!
JAMILA GALE-AGANS
Jamila is an Ironman finisher, multiple 70.3 finisher, USAT Level 1 certified triathlon coach, USMS certified Level 1-3 coach, and Adult Learn to Swim Instructor. She is owner and head coach of Sherpa Fitness & Endurance—a multisport coaching company designed to promote and encourage women and women of color to participate in the sport of triathlon. Jamila is also a member of the USAT Women’s Committee. In addition to her passion for multisport, Jamila is a National Physique Committee Bikini/Figure competitor and Certified Personal Trainer. She currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska and is an active duty Army logistics officer.
GABRIELA GALLEGOS
Gabriela is President and Race Director for Race El Paso. She produced El Paso’s first USA Triathlon-sanctioned event in 2010 with a sell-out field that included 80% first-time triathletes. Since then, Race El Paso has grown to offer multiple events, including the all-female Mighty Mujer Triathlon. Mighty Mujer Triathlon has introduced thousands of women to triathlon. In 2018, Mighty Mujer Triathlon expanded to Tucson, Arizona, and Mighty Mujer Triathlon Miami will debut in 2019.The event aims to increase access to the sport, offering educational and social opportunities, and creating inclusive community to encourage active living through triathlon. In 2018, Mighty Mujer Triathlon was broadcast live on El Paso’s NBC affiliate station. An attorney by background, Gabriela also consults for the Institute for Healthy Living on initiatives related to healthy eating and active living.
ANGELLA GORAN
Angella is a well-rounded, talented woman who devotes her time to business, sport, and community. She is the Founder of SockTrov Inc. and Champion a Campaign, a program focused on championing youth and community programs. Angella also is the Founder of ATHLETICA Advantage Rewards™/ATHLETICA™ Protect, a unique company specializing in an innovative and disruptive insure-tech niche market for sports and lifestyle. She rounds out her business side with consultation in marketing and communications for health, wellness, and fitness. With over 15 years spent between amateur to elite levels of athletics in rowing (Women’s National Rowing Team, 2004 Olympics), triathlon, and (currently) cycling, there is a formula to her madness in sport, which is Passion. The passion Angella has for elite sport is now focused on creating the passion for others to reach for their own goals and achieve a balance in health and wellness.
DR. SARA GROSS, Summit Co-organizer
Sara is an Ironman triathlon champion, an academic, a writer, podcast host, storyteller and mom. After twelve years as a professional triathlete and three major international wins, Sara set her sights on making triathlon a better, safer, and more fun place for women. Sara’s PhD is in women’s history and in 2017 she founded Live Feisty Media. Live Feisty produces written content, podcasts, and videos with the goal of telling untold stories and offering new perspective on old stories. Sara hails from Victoria, Canada and while on the surface, her daughter Rosalee may appear bossy, she is in fact, a leader in training.
SARAH HARTMANN
A marathoner and triathlete, Sarah is a certified USAT race director with 25 years of professional nonprofit, sports, marketing, technology, sales, performance and operations experience and is currently the IRONMAN Foundation Acting Executive Director. She was recently elected to the Board of Directors of Triathlon Business International. She is also the co-founder and former President of Race2Rebuild, a nonprofit endurance racing program to rebuild communities after natural disasters. Before she fell in love with endurance sports, Sarah received her MFA in Theatre from the University of Delaware, acted on stages and in front of cameras from NY to LA, and taught acting and speech at the NY Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, Roosevelt University in Chicago, and University of Colorado-Boulder.
KEBBY HOLDEN
Kebby is the Founder and behind-the-scenes Designer of Coeur Sports. Previously a consultant in Atlanta, she started Coeur because she could never find performance clothing that fit, let alone inspired her. Kebby works hard to bring the element of style to all Coeur gear while also ensuring high-quality and technical performance. Coeur has an all-female team that lives an active lifestyle and loves helping other women pursue health and fitness. Kebby is a multiple Ironman Kona finisher, a dedicated wife, and wine & coffee devotee.
ANNE HED
Anne, CEO of HED Cycling, has history as a business owner that grew from a career as a professional triathlete in the 1980s. She met her late husband Steve through the sport and raced worldwide on his aerodynamic disc wheel. Funded in part by Anne’s race winnings, HED Cycling was soon born and production was set up in Steve’s garage. HED Cycling has been awarded several significant patents. Anne was awarded the 2014 Established Business Owner of the Year for Minnesota. She was also a top-ten finalist of 1,400 companies in the 2016 FedEx Small Business Grant awards. 2016 also saw the debut of the Cervelo P5X triathlon bike, which was manufactured by HED in Minnesota. Anne has been selected as one of Forbes 2017 Small Business Giants and listed by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a 2018 Business of Manufacturing honoree.
SIKA HENRY
Sika is a competitive triathlete, two-time marathon winner, and a former collegiate high jumper. Sika graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Economics. She lives in Newport News, VA, where she is an Analyst for Ferguson Enterprises. Sika has been featured in USA Triathlon Magazine and has done freelance writing for Triathlon Business International, Slowtwitch.com, and LiveFeisty.com. Her ultimate goal is to become the first African-American woman pro in triathlon. Sika is passionate about increasing diversity within the sport and enjoys sharing her race experiences on her blog (why-i-run.blogspot.com) and Instagram page.
TENILLE HOOGLAND
Tenille is the owner of Tri Whole Health Coaching, Inc. She is devoted to using next-gen technologies and translating evidence-based science into performance-altering, individualized programs for athletes. Professionally, she has led Age-Group Team Canada to ITU World Championship events, organized triathlons, and was a senior planner for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Federal Secretariat. Tenille is a 70.3 IRONMAN and ITU Pan-American Cup Champion. Tenille is happiest when hiking local mountains with her husband and son.
DR. JANE HUNT
Jane is a cultural historian who lectures in Australian Studies at Bond University on the Gold Coast, Australia. Author of Multisport Dreaming: The Foundations of Triathlon in Australia (2014), Jane has written numerous articles for industry magazines and academic journals. Jane’s research prior to Multisport Dreaming related to female cultural activism in the 20th century. She is interested in the many obscure and hidden ways in which women seek to create change and has recently commenced a project that brings her dual interest in sport and women as agents of change—A Critical History of Women in Triathlon.
DR. LISA INGARFIELD, Summit Co-organizer
Lisa is a research, evaluation, and policy consultant, and freelance writer. She received her PhD in Intercultural Communication from the University of Denver in 2014. Her research focuses on how inclusion and exclusion manifests in communication practices, and she has specific expertise in the areas of women's equity, violence against women, and criminal justice. Her skills and experience apply to any organization looking to improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, practice, and policy. She is originally from London, U.K. and currently resides in Colorado. Lisa is a certified RRCA and USAT coach, owns Tri to Defi Coaching, and races triathlon regularly.
RACHEL JOYCE
Rachel took up triathlon in 2005, and what started as a hobby turned into a passion. In 2008, Rachel made the bold decision to resign from her job as an attorney to give making it as a professional triathlete her best shot. Since then, she’s climbed to the top of her sport. Known as Joycey on the race course, she has captured a World Title, 6 iron-distance titles, and stood on the podium 3 times at the Ironman World Championships. In 2017, Rachel returned to racing having taken 2016 off to have her son, went on to win 2 Ironman races less than a year after giving birth, and in doing so, qualified for the World Championships. Outside of training and racing, Rachel is a passionate advocate for equality and increasing female participation in sport. She is a founding member of TriEqual and sits on the Women For Tri Board of Advisors.
KAY MARTIN
Kay is Founder and CEO of BOCO Gear—the industry leader in the manufacture of custom headwear and accessories for teams, events, retailers and brands worldwide, including the 360° Visor® and the Technical Trucker® hat. After 25 years in the outdoor industry working in executive roles for high-end performance brands like Pearl Izumi, Balega, Headsweats, and Moving Comfort, Kay saw a huge opportunity to innovate the custom headwear styles and products for endurance athletes. BOCO Gear was inspired by the trends she saw in surf, skate, and outdoor categories. Kay found designers eager to join her and carefully selected factories aligned with her mission to work exclusively with BOCO Gear. This helped differentiate them with low minimums and speed to market with innovative customized designs. Kay continues to drive innovation and development that keeps BOCO Gear at least 1-2 years ahead of everyone else in the market.
RACHEL McBRIDE
Rachel has been racing full-time as a professional triathlete since 2011. She is a two-time 70.3 Champion and has numerous podium and course record results across several distances in the sport. Known as the “Purple Tiger,” she is one of the strongest cyclists on the world circuit. Rachel leads from the front of the race always. She is consistently first-off-the-bike having logged eight Ironman 70.3 fastest bike splits and is currently a two-time Ironman bike course record holder. She is a three-time course record holder, including Canadian National Championships. Rachel is a board-certified Genetic Counselor with two graduate degrees in genetics. She is an accomplished cellist and works in sexual health education, counseling, and advocacy in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, where she lives and trains.
KELLY O’MARA
Kelly's work has appeared in Triathlete Magazine, espnW, Outside, and Competitor. She also regularly consults and creates content for fitness and health companies, works as a fill-in producer at the local NPR station in San Francisco, and competes as a professional triathlete. And she writes the wildly popular If We Were Riding newsletter, which you should subscribe to, and co-hosts the podcast of the same name.
DR. SHAUNNA PAYNE GOLD
Shaunna is the Founder of SHEro Athletics, an active online community for athletes who have one goal – to WOW themselves. After maintaining a weight loss of 80 pounds and learning how to swim while pregnant at age 35, she became an Ironman 70.3 triathlete, swim coach, and instructor. Shaunna has spent almost 20 years of her career in higher education administration. She is a full-time administrator at the University of Maryland, a professorial lecturer at The George Washington University, an SME at Georgetown University, and an inclusive excellence consultant. Shaunna was inducted into the LGBT Lavender Leadership Honor Society in 2016 and won the UMD “Advocate for Equity” Award in 2010. Shaunna holds degrees and certificates from The George Washington University (Doctor of Education), Eastern Mennonite University (Master of Divinity), and James Madison University (Bachelor of Business Administration), and Harvard (Project Management Certification). She’s the mom to Trai (7) and Kendrick (4).
STACY PERLIS
Stacy is Director of Finance & Administration and also Product Manager for ELEMNT Bike Computers and Bike Sensors at Wahoo Fitness, a global tech-fitness company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Stacy is responsible for managing the financial operations and planning of the business as well as the development and maintenance of bike computers on the market. Prior to Wahoo, Stacy worked for Deloitte where she was a Tax Consultant focused on corporate reorganizations. As a member of Wahoo's Leadership Team, Stacy seeks to give a voice and point of view of the female consumer. Stacy is actively involved in the triathlon community both as a participant and coach. Today, she is a coach with both Team In Training and TriHard Coaching and completed her 3rd full distance Ironman just 2 weeks prior to the Outspoken Summit.
DANA PLATIN
As Founder of The Warmi Project, Dana is an experienced leadership development strategist, adept at coaching driven women who want to become braver, bolder, and stronger. A passionate avid athlete, Dana has used her participation in triathlons, cycling, and mountaineering as a way to set personal goals to push herself beyond what she thought was possible and tap into her best self. Dana believes the world can be changed for the better through our greater community participation, effective leadership and a balanced life. While personal triumphs have taught her discipline, determination, motivation, and commitment; it is her unique 20-year work history, focused in the areas of leadership development, training, and program management that has produced the most significant lessons. Dana thrives on educating others and helping them crush their fear and accomplish their goals. Her passion is to help women create positive change in their lives to be extraordinary.
ANGELA QUICK
Angela is a STAC athlete, elite age-group triathlete, Kona competitor, coach, and Pedorthist. STAC is an innovative sports science company, with their primary technology being the zero-contact resistance bike trainer, meaning no noise and no tire wear, that provides resistance through magnets. The STAC Virtual Wind Tunnel, a 3D scanning technique providing an accurate assessment of cyclist aerodynamics, calculates how much drag your cycling position produces and where that drag comes from, as well as which changes you can make to go faster without having to use more energy. Both the VWT and the Halcyon smart trainer have won industry innovation awards (VWT- Interbike 2017 and the Halcyon, Eurobike 2018).
ASHLEY WILES
Ashley is the Founder and Head Coach of Sole Girls, a Youth Speaker, a Life Coach, a 3x Iron(wo)man, an Ironman 70.3 World Championship competitor, and a Mental Health Advocate! Growing up with a family of runners, Ashley started running at 5 years old, and now runs and competes in triathlons around the world. When working as a life coach and dealing with anxiety, she was inspired to start Sole Girls in 2012. Ashley was named a Top 10 Young Entrepreneur in Vancouver, a Top 5 Motivator in Canada by Impact Magazine, and the 2016 Most Inspiring Coach in North America by Brooks Running. Sole Girls was named a Top 5 Small Business with a Community Impact by Small Business BC, and has expanded to license the Sole Girls curriculum globally. Ashley travels far and wide to teach workshops for adults and girls, hold leadership summits, and empower others.
