Speakers

Alex Vander Hoeven

Co-CDO, ASICS Organization and CEO of ASICS Apps

About the Speaker

Alex started his career in Deloitte’s consulting practice as a systems analyst gaining expertise in helping companies organize their sales and procurement data to optimize business processes. After completing his MBA, Alex teamed up with a group of high school friends to organize the Rock the Road 10K, which led to the founding of Race Roster. Alex is an avid golfer who loves gadgets and technology.

Dan Docherty

Chief Coaching Officer and Managing Partner of the Leadership Development Practice at Braintrust

About the Speaker

Dan Docherty, PhD, is the Chief Coaching Officer and Managing Partner of the Leadership Development Practice at Braintrust, a Leadership Professor in the MBA program, and Assistant Director of the Isaac Oxley Center for Business Leadership at Miami University. With a PhD in Management from Case Western Reserve University, his research centered on the neuroscience of coaching, development, and performance in leader-team member relationships. A former life sciences executive, Dr. Dan, has coached thousands of leaders across the globe and co-created the NeuroCoaching® framework to assist leaders in communicating with impact to build stronger relationships and drive performance.

Sara Grauf

Senior Vice President, Experience Development – San Francisco Giants

About the Speaker

Sara Grauf leads Experience Development for the San Francisco Giants, where she shapes the organization’s end-to-end guest experience with an eye toward innovation, impact, and operational excellence. She sits at the crossroads of strategic vision and execution, unlocking new revenue opportunities while delivering exceptional experiences across Oracle Park and the broader Mission Rock neighborhood.

Her portfolio includes oversight of the Giants’ food and beverage program, spring training operations, event production, transportation, and guest services—as well as public programming for the emerging waterfront district. She’s produced major concerts, three World Series parades, and global spectacles like the 2018 Rugby 7s World Cup and the America’s Cup’s first-ever commercial spectator program. Looking ahead, she’s already at work on activations tied to the Bay Area’s role in the 2026 Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup.

A builder of teams and culture, Sara is known for her transparent leadership style and deep commitment to developing talent. She was named a 2024 Sports Business Journal Game Changer, honored for driving transformational impact in the industry through leadership, mentorship, and innovation.

A Bay Area native and lifelong athlete, Sara’s roots in the local sports community run deep. She is a founding investor in BAY FC (the Bay Area’s NWSL franchise), a former Division I field hockey player at Cal, an Ironman triathlete, and a proud Lafayette Little League coach.

Marty Gorsich

Chief Executive Officer at Farmers Insurance Open (Century Club of San Diego)

Egon Hoppe

bij Deloitte Consulting, Human Capital Lead

About the Speaker

Egon Hoppe is a seasoned professional with a diverse educational background and extensive experience in various high-level positions within the military and consulting sectors. He studied Servant Leadership at the Academy for Servant Leadership, as well as at IDL/ HDV 05, Twents Carmel Lyceum, Royal Military Academy, and Utrecht University. His educational journey reflects a commitment to leadership development and strategic thinking.

Throughout his career, Egon has held key roles in well-known organizations. Currently, he serves as a Partner at Deloitte, bringing his wealth of experience to the consulting industry. Prior to his current position, Egon held distinguished roles such as Commandant Landelijk Tactisch Commando KMAR and Brigade-generaal at Koninklijke Marechaussee.

Tim Young

President/Partner, Southport Marketing

Laura Green

Content Creator

Laura Green is a comedic content creator who aims to get runners and the running industry to have a good laugh at themselves. The ultimate goal is to make the viewer feel more connected to the running world by letting them all in on the inside jokes of being a runner. Because even something as boring as putting one foot in front of the other can be entertaining when we all stop taking ourselves so seriously.

Chris Heuisler

Conference emcee

Chris Heuisler has been a thought leader in the run space since 2013 when he landed the role of Global Run Concierge for Westin Hotels and Resorts. Chris is currently the Director of Content for BRONTOSAURUS!, a boutique creative agency with a focus on storytelling. Additionally, Chris has recently taken back up acting, a craft he studied and pursued from 2000 – 2010. Chris resides outside of Boston with his wife, Rachel, and two kids, Shane (15) and Kiki (12).

David Basacco

COO, ASICS Apps

After spending six years working with Race Directors at an agency level, David joined Race Roster in April of 2022. He oversees the company’s marketing efforts and also focuses his time on the development of new strategies and initiatives that assist in driving growth for events.

Cade Netscher

Founder & CEO, Neurun

Cade is the Founder and CEO of Neurun, an innovative AI platform in stealth mode that is partnering with brands to personalize outdoor route experiences for activities such as running, cycling, skiing, and off-roading. An avid runner with a background in Neuroscience from Duke University and a passion for endurance sports, Cade is deeply committed to merging AI innovations with the evolving world of outdoor experiences, enhancing the joy and accessibility of outdoor activities for everyone.

Kevin Jones

Board Member of the World Academy for Endurance Medicine, CEO and Managing Partner ODYSSEY MEDICAL

In 2009, the inception of Odyssey Medical was an unexpected venture for Kevin. Through sustained growth and hands-on leadership, he now serves as CEO and Managing Partner, leading a thriving and ever-evolving business. Odyssey Medical specializes in providing comprehensive medical and risk management solutions for mass-gathering events, encompassing a wide range of sizes, scopes, and complexities. This 15-year commitment underscores Kevin’s dedication to achieving positive outcomes for clients, patients, and long-standing personnel.

Kevin’s pre-Odyssey career placed him squarely “in the center of the action,” encompassing roles in emergency communication, mass gathering operations and on-site patient care. This experience has cultivated a highly responsive leader who is always willing to engage directly, to get the job done.

Even with a successful teaching career behind him, Kevin continues to educate and mentor, as well as furthering and updating his own education in the event safety world. His 20 year tenure as a faculty member at Georgian College in Ontario, Canada has left an enduring impact, particularly evident in his support of newcomers to event medicine.

Tommie Runz

Content Creator

Erin Azar

Content Creator

Bill Quinn

Tata Consultancy Services Futurist

Christine Bowen

ASICS Apps, Director of Strategic Events

Michael Nishi

Chief Operating Officer at Chicago Event Management & General Manager of Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Michael Nishi is Chief Operating Officer of Chicago Event Management, organizers of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and other major endurance events. Since 1990, he has helped grow the Chicago Marathon from 6,000 to over 52,150 finishers, while driving innovations in race operations, safety, sustainability, and community impact.

Michael is the founder of the Race Management Program, now in its 14th year, a forum for advancing leading practices in event management. He also serves on the NCS4 Marathon Endurance Events Advisory Committee, is Vice President of the Running USA Board of Directors, and a Board Member of Girls on the Run Chicago.

A passionate advocate for building strong communities through sport, Michael lives in Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

Ted Metellus

Chief Event Production Officer and Race Director, New York Road Runners

Ted Metellus became NYRR’s Chief Event Production Officer and Race Director in November 2024; previously, he was the Senior Vice President of Events and Race Director of the TCS New York City Marathon in May 2022. Ted leads NYRR’s event management and logistics, experiential events, youth events teams, event safety and security, and oversees warehouse operations.

Ted has more than 20 years of experience in public, marketing, charity event production and the endurance sports industry. He has worked with industry leaders such as Pallotta TeamsWorks, NYRR, Eventage, the Miami Marathon, the Philadelphia Triathlon, Lifetime Triathlons, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, and IRONMAN, to name a few. Ted’s love of creating an enjoyable and safe guest experience translates to every aspect of his work at NYRR.

Ted was the 2016 National Center for Spectator Sport Safety and Security (NCS4) Professional of the Year; the award is given annually to an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership in addressing safety/security issues.

Jack Fleming

President and Chief Executive Officer, Boston Athletic Association

Jack Fleming has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) since November 2022. Fleming brings more than three decades of experience at the B.A.A. to his leadership role. The Boston Athletic Association was established in 1887 and is best known as organizer of the Boston Marathon, which is now presented by Bank of America. He is responsible for all aspects of the non-profit club which is a Massachusetts 501(c)3 organization.

Like the organization which he leads, he is mission-driven and seeks to align all stakeholders that vision. For Jack, nothing is more important than contributing to positive and meaningful impact. The B.A.A.’s respected position in running – especially through its signature event in the Boston Marathon – gives the organization the power to deliver on its mission and vision.

Prior to serving as President and Chief Executive Officer, Fleming was Chief Operating Officer of the B.A.A. from 2017 through 2022. Since 1992 Fleming has held a variety of roles within the organization, most notably within the communications, marketing, and sponsorship departments. As COO Fleming was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the B.A.A. and built a strategy that centered around the organization’s vision statement: Committed to a world where all people can access and benefit from running and an active lifestyle. Its mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle through running. The B.A.A. has evolved its organization several times during Jack’s time at the organization to best meet challenges, to better achieve its mission, and to work most effectively.

Fleming was inducted into the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Hall of Fame in 2025 for his contributions to the sport of running.

More than $72 Million was raised for non-profit organizations at the 2024 Boston Marathon, which was a record, and in part thanks to an incredible donation. $50.4 Million was raised in 2025 at the Boston Marathon.

In addition to the Boston Marathon, presented by Bank of America, the Boston Athletic Association organizes more than a dozen races and events each year – from very large to community-based and in partnership with community.

Fleming is an active runner himself, participating in races or group runs practically every week of the year.

Jonny Murch

CEO, Redtorch

Jonny Murch is CEO and Co-founder of Redtorch, a research and creative agency dedicated to making sport more relevant. With 20+ years in global sport, he leads a team trusted by brands and rights holders to blend audience insight with creative impact – helping them understand consumers, grow audiences, and turn cultural signals into a winning advantage. A passionate runner and family man, Jonny believes that only by using emotional, culturally connected creativity can sport truly inspire and engage more people.