Amanda Al-Masri is the vice president of wellness at Hilton. In this role, she serves as the wellness strategist across Hilton’s global portfolio of 24 world-class brands, enhancing Hilton’s current offerings and programs while developing innovative new, scalable solutions to meet rapidly evolving consumer expectations. A seasoned wellness leader, Amanda brings 20 years of experience to Hilton. Prior to joining Hilton, she assisted with the launch of Equinox Hotels and drove the overall strategy and execution of more than 90 Club Spas. She also served as Global Director of Spa Development & Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, responsible for the company’s spa brands, partners and a global portfolio of more than 450 spas. She offers a deep understanding of how travel and access to wellness experiences have always served as critical points of intersection for consumers. Amanda graduated with a master’s in hospitality management from Cornell University, as well as from Connecticut College with a degree in French.
In search of life’s [im]perfect soundtrack, Brandon brings an edgy approach to entrepreneurship through the valuable experience he’s earned as a professional athlete turned business owner. Brandon hosts the entrepreneurial inspired podcast, Playing Guilty, and is the Co-Founder and Chief Concept Officer of MADabolic - the industry leaders in barbell-free strength & conditioning.
Mr. Dowd has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer of the F45 Training Group(F45, FS8 and VAURA Pilates) since March 2023. Prior to joining F45, Mr. Dowd served as Chief Executive Officer of the lifestyle nutrition brand, Performance Inspired Nutrition, a company that he co-founded and led alongside Mark Wahlberg. Mr. Dowd served in this role at Performance Inspired Nutrition from January 2016 to March 2023. Mr. Dowd has also worked as an independent consultant and investor since 2014, focusing on the wellness and consumer goods industries. Over the last twelve years, Mr. Dowd has partnered with Mr. Wahlberg in various ventures as Manager of MW/TD Inspired, an investment group they co-founded, including Performance Inspired Nutrition, Wahlburgers, and F45. Prior to his work as a consultant, entrepreneur, and investor, Mr. Dowd spent 25 years at GNC Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GNC) from March 1989 to September 2014, ending as Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, and General Manager. Mr. Dowd held various positions during his time at GNC, including serving as Senior Vice President of Stores and Operations and assisting with GNC’s initial public offering in 2011. He has also served on the boards of Capstone Manufacturing, Healthy Natural Delights and Slim Fast.
Eric is a Partner in McKinsey's Montreal office and leads McKinsey’s Fitness & Wellness group globally. He brings varied experience helping consumer-facing companies including in Fitness build strategies (including branding and innovation) or strengthen their value propositions (including advanced analytics) to accelerate growth. Eric has also built new businesses from scratch, acting as initial GM, both with clients and prior to McKinsey, and has led enterprise-wide transformations across industries including Fitness & Wellness, food, consumer goods and Financial Services.
Edward Hertzman is a serial entrepreneur who has launched multiple businesses across several industry verticals including media, fitness, wellness and sourcing. He is also a subject matter expert who has become the voice for the industries he has served. An early-stage investor in promising startups, he has contributed to their growth and value creation. His latest venture, Athletech News, is a response to the fitness industry’s need for community, representation and a seat at the table.
Prior to Athletech News, following several years on the ground as a supply chain executive, Hertzman founded Sourcing Journal in 2009. Today, Sourcing Journal is the world’s largest trade publication devoted to sourcing and supply chain in the apparel and textiles industry. In 2017, Hertzman sold the company to Penske Media Group.
In 2023, Hertzman left Penske to launch his next media enterprise, Athletech Media Group. It has quickly become the media of record for the fitness and wellness industry with more than 100,000 subscribers signing on since its debut.
Hertzman continues to consult for several retail and supply chain companies and through his company, Hertzman Global Ventures, he has made targeted investments in both PE funds and supply chain tech companies including Active Source Lab.
Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of barre3, a fitness and wellness company focused on teaching people to be balanced in body and empowered from within. Starting in 2008 with the flagship studio in Portland, Oregon, barre3 has grown to include more than 200 franchise studios powered by female entrepreneurs, plus an online workout platform with subscribers in 100+ countries. What began as a workout has transformed the fitness industry, creating space for people to embrace body positivity, build community, and commit to mindful movement.
Sadie is on the Forbes 50 over 50 list, Inc.'s Female Founders 100 list, the MO100 Impact list, has won EY Entrepreneur of the Year Mountain NW, and has been featured on NPR's How I Built This. She regularly speaks on the topics of mindful leadership, the power of body wisdom, and the movement to redefine what success in fitness means.
Darren MacDonald joined Tonal as Chief Executive Officer in September 2024. A lifelong strength training enthusiast, Darren was a Tonal Member even before joining the company.
Darren brings 25 years of professional experience to Tonal, most recently serving as Chief Customer Officer at Petco, where he was responsible for Marketing, Digital Experience, Product, Enterprise Analytics, Membership, and Customer Care. Prior to Petco, Darren was a key leader at Jet.com, which was acquired by Walmart in 2016 for $3.3B, before going on to lead Walmart.com’s Entertainment business, its largest segment. Earlier in his career, Darren built software and hardware at EMN8, an early stage startup creating kiosks for the restaurant and movie theater industries. He also helped lead the Global Business Development Group at Avery Dennison, a Fortune 500 company, and led shopping experiences at IAC as the CEO of the Pronto Network.
Darren holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Business. He is married, has three children, and has been a lifelong athlete. His passion for strength training, which started in high school, and his experience as a Tonal Member were key factors in his decision to join the company.
Anne Mahlum is a seasoned entrepreneur with expertise in scaling businesses, raising capital, and executing successful exits. She is the Founder and former CEO of [solidcore], one of the fastest-scaling fitness concepts in the U.S. Anne grew the company to 100 locations, raised over $210M in private equity, and orchestrated a strategic exit in 2023, selling her shares for nearly $100M. She also founded Back on My Feet, a nonprofit helping the homeless through running, expanding it to 12 cities. Today, Anne invests across various sectors, advises founders, consults with private equity, and is a sought-after speaker.
Alberto Perlman is the co-founder and CEO of Zumba, the world’s largest branded group fitness program, with 15 million participants across 185+ countries. Under his leadership, Zumba has grown into a global movement, blending fitness, music, and culture to create an electrifying experience.
A visionary entrepreneur, Perlman has led Zumba’s expansion into apparel, music, digital platforms, and instructor training, while also fostering a passionate community and driving Zumba’s charity efforts. He has been featured in Inc. Magazine, Bloomberg, Billboard, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Athletech News for revolutionizing group fitness.
Beyond Zumba, Perlman is an investor, board member, and advisor in entertainment, fitness, music, and technology ventures. Passionate about innovation, he focuses on creating products that bring joy, connection, and health to people's lives.
John Stellato is the President and CEO of Hydrow, the leading connected rower that brings the on-water experience of rowing straight to your home. John’s background includes strategic expertise across financial services, industrial and retail sectors, and mergers and acquisitions. In this dual role, John leads Hydrow’s organization, drives fundraising efforts and capital structure, oversees all financial activity, and manages investor relations.
Prior to joining Hydrow, Stellato served as President and CEO of LOYAL3, an online broker-dealer and investment platform, and before that, was Executive Vice President of The Pritzker Organization (TPO), where he served for nearly 20 years, leading investments across all sectors. John has also held strategic leadership roles with numerous privately held companies, including SMG, Baker Tanks, Purch, Business.com, and Volan Technologies. Prior to TPO, John held roles with Goldman Sachs and the Boston Consulting Group.
Josh Walker is Co-Founder and CEO of Sports Innovation Lab where he oversees the company's innovative and proprietary market intelligence platform. Through market analysis and unbiased research, he empowers brands to develop and implement game-changing, breakthrough experiences in a new age of sports and entertainment fandom. His work at Sports Innovation Lab represents the convergence of his career as a researcher, advisor, entrepreneur, and sports journalist.
A former Vice President of Research at Forrester, Josh was responsible for launching the company’s Forrester Wave evaluation framework, designed to accelerate innovation by connecting technology buyers with the best vendors. He’s used this experience to develop fan intelligence strategies for the NFL, NHL, UFC, Google, the WNBA and other leading brands across sports, technology, and entertainment.
Josh spent time earlier in his career as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at General Catalyst evaluating venture capital investment opportunities and advising fast-growing companies including Brightcove, Kayak, and Demandware. He’s used his passion for technology and data to launch and grow several venture-backed companies such as CityVoter, Comlinkdata, Stattleship, and now Sports Innovation Lab.
Josh is a graduate of Middlebury College and Nottingham University. He currently resides in Manchester, Vermont, with his wife, two sons, and dog Hazel.
Jamie Weeks is a distinguished entrepreneur and a trailblazer in the wellness and fitness industry, with over a decade of experience scaling consumer health and wellness brands. As the founder of SWTHZ, he has redefined personal wellness by integrating contrast therapy into a luxurious, private experience designed for longevity and recovery.
With a knack for what he calls “reading tomorrow’s newspaper today,” Jamie has led SWTHZ to become one of the fastest-growing wellness brands in the world. With 50 locations open and 80 more set to launch in 2025, SWTHZ is on track to reach 1,000 global studios in the next five years. More than just building a business, Jamie is reshaping franchising itself, fostering a collaborative, team-driven approach between franchisors and multi-unit owners. At its core, SWTHZ is about more than just physical recovery—it’s a sanctuary designed to support mental health, reduce stress, and lower inflammation.
Before launching SWTHZ, Jamie was the largest Orangetheory Fitness franchisee, operating over 142 studios worldwide from 2014 to 2018 before successfully selling the business to private equity. He then founded Legacy Franchise Concepts, where he became one of the largest Dogtopia Daycare franchisees before opening the first SWTHZ location in 2019.
Through his leadership, Jamie continues to shape the future of modern wellness, creating innovative solutions that help people live healthier lives. His commitment to service, culture, and community drives his success—and inspires others to build businesses that prioritize both people and performance.
More speakers coming soon...
