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.