Optimizing Human Performance and Leadership Impact

Jim Loehr is a world-renowned performance psychologist, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute®, and author of 17+ books including Leading with Character, The Only Way to Win, and The Power of Full Engagement. His groundbreaking, science-based energy management training system has achieved worldwide recognition and been featured across multiple media outlets from the Harvard Business Review to Fortune to the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Dr. Loehr has worked with hundreds of world-class performers from the arenas of sport, business, medicine, and law enforcement including Fortune 100 executives, FBI Hostage Rescue Teams, and U.S. Special Forces. From his more than 30 years of experience and applied research, he believes the single most important factor in successful achievement, personal fulfillment, and life satisfaction is the strength of one’s character, which can be built and reinforced through energy investment.

Jack Groppel is a sport scientist, educator, author, entrepreneur, consultant, and coach, and is currently a professor at Judson University, with a joint appointment in both Exercise & Sport Science and Business. Dr. Groppel, an internationally recognized authority and pioneer in the science of human performance, is a co-founder of the Human Performance Institute® and served as an adjunct professor of management at the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University for several years. He authored The Corporate Athlete book on achieving the pinnacle of corporate performance and co-authored The Corporate Athlete Advantage.

Dr. Groppel addressed the issue of worksite wellness and performance at policy events including the United Nations Side Event for Physical Activity and Non-Communicable Disease, delivered three U.S. congressional briefings on “Worksite Health Promotion” and represented the worksite wellness industry at the historic Surgeon General’s call to action on “Walking and Walkable Communities.” He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO).

Fred Harburg is CEO of AJIL Analytics, a clinical professor at the Kellogg School of Management, and the former executive director of the Kellogg Executive Leadership Institute. He provides boards, CEOs, and C-suite teams with catalyzing research and growth guidance.

Fred’s experience as a leader spans corporate, military, and educational organizations. He served as the chief learning officer (CLO) and president of Motorola University, CLO at Williams Energy, and senior vice president for leadership and learning at Fidelity Investments. Fred has been a guest lecturer at MIT, Harvard Business School, and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His career began as a pilot in the Air Force, where he flew sensitive missions and taught in the USAF Academy Department of Behavioral Science and Leadership.

As the Head of Advisory Services, Dr. Joanna Starek oversees RHR International’s suite of services for C-level executives, top teams, and boards. As a trained sports and performance psychologist with deep-rooted business expertise, Joanna is uniquely positioned to guide leaders toward their fullest potential under high-pressure scenarios. She brings a holistic mindset to her work, specializing in advising CEOs and boards navigating hypergrowth.

Joanna’s career began as a faculty member in sport and exercise psychology at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where her research on self-deception in athletes was nationally recognized and featured on NPR’s Radiolab. Fascinated by the social and emotional factors that contribute to elite performance, Joanna joined RHR and turned her attention to the performance of leaders in multibillion dollar companies.  She spent the next 15 years honing her skills as a coach to CEOs, identifying the key navigation challenges faced by leaders and teams in high-stakes environments. Joanna then pioneered the firm’s expansion into Silicon Valley, identifying a key market opportunity and enabling RHR to serve future leaders.

Joanna values being a champion for others and is driven by her ultimate desire to make a profound impact in people’s lives, as well as her insatiable appetite for a healthy challenge.

Sandi Peterson is a renowned global business leader at the forefront of leveraging technology, design thinking, disciplined portfolio management and strategic execution to drive financial performance and create new business models to radically improve the health and wellbeing of people worldwide. She has been an operating partner at Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) since 2019. Prior to CD&R, she was group worldwide chairman of Johnson & Johnson, where her portfolio included medical devices, consumer, global operating infrastructure, technology, supply chain, and key strategic initiatives. Previously, she was CEO of Bayer CropScience AG, CEO of Bayer Medical Care, and president of Bayer HealthCare AG’s Diabetes Care Division.

She started her career at McKinsey and has held executive positions at Medco Health Solutions (formerly Merck-Medco), Nabisco, and Whirlpool. She is a member of the Microsoft board of directors, chairman of the Board of the American Academy in Berlin, serves as an international advisory board member to Hakluyt & Company, and is on the board of the Institute for Advanced Study. Sandi is also on the boards of Zymergen and Volastra, and previously was chairman of EcoHealth Alliance, and a member of the board of directors of The Dun & Bradstreet Corp. where she chaired the Innovation & Technology Committee. She has appeared on FORTUNE magazine’s list of Most Powerful Women numerous times and was on the inaugural list of Leaders Who Are Changing Healthcare.

Lynn Seth has over 20 years of experience in behavioral change, self-leadership development, energy management, corporate training and performance coaching. She spent much of her early career within the pharmaceutical industry in leadership roles for organizations such as Parke-Davis, Warner-Lambert and Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

In her current role as a coach and consultant, Lynn has dedicated her career to helping women, people of color and diversity practitioners implement behaviors that enhance resilience, engagement and their performance at work and home. Most recently, she worked as a faculty member for Smith College’s Executive Education division, as a facilitator for Johnson & Johnson’s world-renowned energy management programs and as a coach on MSNBC’s Know Your Value Tour.

Lynn holds a master’s in public health from The University of Arizona and a master’s in organizational development and leadership from The Fielding Institute and is an ICF-certified executive coach.

Alan Murray is President of the Dow Jones Leadership Institute, which is focused on executive learning and leadership and developed to meet the rapidly evolving needs of today’s business leaders. Prior to this role he was CEO of Fortune Media, where he oversaw the business and editorial operations and wrote the Fortune CEO Daily.

Prior to joining Fortune in 2015, Murray led the rapid expansion of the Pew Research Center’s digital footprint as president of that organization.  Before that, Murray was at the Wall Street Journal for many years, serving as deputy managing editor, executive editor online, Washington bureau c and author of the Political Capital and Business columns. He served for several years as Washington bureau chief for CNBC, and cohost of the nightly show Capital Report.  He is the author of multiple books, including the classic Showdown at Gucci Gulch: Lawmakers, Lobbyists, and the Unlikely Triumph of Tax Reform.

Erin Kenney, founder and CEO of Nutrition Rewired, is a licensed registered dietitian, wellbeing expert, and specialized nutrition coach who leverages the latest research and science to provide highly personalized counseling and coaching to help individuals maximize physical and mental wellbeing. She has worked extensively with athletes, CEOs, and other business leaders ranging from startup founders to Fortune 100 executives, helping them achieve and sustain optimal human performance.

Erin is the author of two books, including Rewire Your Gut, a specialized cookbook and guide with recipes and meal planning designed to reset and heal the gut. In addition to coaching, Erin presents at workshops and seminars throughout the U.S. and is featured regularly in the media on topics ranging from the gut-brain connection, autoimmune disease, hormones and gut health, sleep optimization, and alternative medicine including herbs and adaptogens, CBD, and medical cannabis. She has served as a guest lecturer for universities and sits on the board of the Massachusetts Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Dr. Mark Kovacs is a performance scientist, executive, researcher, professor, author, speaker and coach with an extensive background training and researching elite athletes and high performing executives. He is currently CEO of the Kovacs Institute and senior director of Sport Science & Health for the Cleveland Cavaliers overseeing all aspects of medical, health, and human performance. Dr. Kovacs is one of the worldwide leading experts of optimizing human performance through the application of cutting edge, evidence-based research. His PhD dissertation focused on the physiological and psychological components involved in human excellence in the corporate environment. He formerly directed the Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning and Coaching Education departments for the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) and was a Fortune 50 executive at PepsiCo in Research and Innovation.

Mark developed and taught one of the first graduate classes on Sport Technology in the U.S. and teaches graduate classes in sport science, exercise physiology, human performance, and technology. He has presented and consulted for Harvard University, NYU Medical School, Princeton University, University of North Carolina, University of Southern California, Northwestern University, Arizona State University, South Korean Olympic Committee, Chinese Olympic Committee, U.S. Olympic Committee, Seattle Mariners, IMG and IMG Academy, UroGPO, ATP, WTA, Major League Baseball (MLB), and other leading institutions.

Jana Rich, founder and executive chair of Rich Talent Group (RTG), has spent over two decades partnering with some of the world’s leading companies, from early-stage to Fortune 500, to help build teams of proven leaders and diverse thinkers. She founded RTG in 2014, to focus specifically on advancing diversity and inclusion in leadership teams and boards, primarily in consumer and technology spaces. Previously, Jana spent more than 18 years at two of the world’s largest executive search and assessment firms. At Korn Ferry International, Jana launched the industry’s first digital recruiting practice in 1996. At Russell Reynolds Associates, she led the Global Consumer Digital and Media practice and the Consumer Sector of North America.

Jana is an advisory board member for MAKERS and World 50. She has served on the Forbes Executive Women’s Board and has been honored three times by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business. She received a BA in psychology from Vassar College and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Bob Carr is a physician leader, educator, consultant, executive coach, and board member with extensive experience in healthcare, pharmaceutical, and consumer product businesses and is the chief medical officer for Kumanu, a neuroscience behavioral precision well-being company.

Dr. Carr was most recently the president of the American College of Preventive Medicine, the professional society for physicians dedicated to preventive medicine and population health, and director of the Executive Master’s Program in Health Systems Administration and associate professor at Georgetown University. He also served as senior vice president and corporate medical director at GlaxoSmithKline with a career spanning 25 years, and was a flight & preventive medicine specialist with the US Air Force for 12 years.

Dr. David Fein is the founder and medical director of the Princeton Longevity Center and has been a practicing physician with nearly 30 years of combined experience in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic disease prevention. He has traveled extensively to research the latest in medical advances, technology, and wellness tools to incorporate into his nationally recognized preventive medicine center.

Dr. Fein is a founding member of the Society for Cardiovascular CT and remains one of the few internists in the world that are board-certified in cardiac CT. He is an expert lecturer on topics such as “Radiation Reduction Techniques” and “Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring” in the clinical setting and has taught and certified hundreds of physicians to become proficient in the field of cardiac CT. He has also been invited nationally and internationally to speak at leading conferences, and lectures extensively on topics in preventive medicine, executive health, lifestyle management, and more.

As Vice President of Performance Science at WHOOP, Kristen Holmes drives thought leadership by engaging with industry-leading researchers and partners to better understand individual and team biometric and performance data across high stakes verticals. Kristen also works with hundreds of the leading tactical, professional, surgical teams, and NCAA athletes/teams in the world, helping them interpret WHOOP data to optimize training, recovery, and sleep behavior.

Kristen was a 3x All American, 2x Big 10 Athlete of the Year at the University of Iowa, competing in both field hockey and basketball. As a 7-year member of the U.S. National Field Hockey Team and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history, she won 12 league titles in 13 seasons and a national championship at Princeton University. Kristen holds a MIT Sloan Artificial Intelligence certificate; MA psychology and sports performance; BA political science, University of Iowa; and is a PhD candidate in psychology at the University of Queensland. She currently serves as an advisor to Levels Health and Arena Labs, as performance ambassador to Liminal Collective, and sits on the board of Sports Innovation Lab.

Dr. Monika Misra is a physician leader, executive coach, performance and resilience program facilitator, and board member with extensive experience in healthcare and pharmaceutical and consumer products businesses. She is currently head of Employee Health and Wellbeing, Europe at GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Misra is experienced in enhancing workplace culture and the employee experience, setting workplace wellbeing and mental health strategies, and leading global teams to operationalize these. She has over a decade of experience in delivering behavioral change programs and supporting managers to create a positive environment for their people to thrive. Dr. Misra has facilitated life changing energy for performance programs globally at team and individual levels through training with the Human Performance Institute® in Orlando, Florida.

She started her medical career as a general practitioner, specializes in occupational medicine, and holds a masters in nutritional medicine from the University of Surrey, UK.

Dr. Misra coaches all levels within organizations, including executives, with a passion to enable people to lead more fulfilling lives at work and at home.

Chris Jordan is a highly sought after performance coach, keynote speaker, and author who has trained thousands of Fortune 500 corporate executives on the principles of energy management, resilience, strategic recovery, and human performance optimization. Chris held numerous roles during his 20-year tenure with the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute®, co-authored Energy Every Day, Your Personal Plan for More Energy and Better Health and contributed to The Corporate Athlete Advantage, and has published research in the Journal of Sports Sciences. He has been featured in numerous top tier publications and media outlets and has written over 50 articles for U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army publications.

Chris designed and implemented the fitness components of the Corporate Athlete® course, including the widely known Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout®, and was responsible for the development and execution of all corporate fitness programming.

Prior to joining the Institute, he was the fitness program consultant for the U.S. Air Force in Europe, headquartered at the Royal Air Force Lakenheath base in the United Kingdom, and an exercise physiologist at the British Army Personnel Research Establishment of the Ministry of Defence.

Bill McAlpine is a highly sought after performance coach, keynote speaker, and author and serves as an executive performance coach and senior advisor at Evolve Leadership. He has over 25 years of business experience working in leadership roles with Fortune 500 companies.

Bill has also been a human performance and energy management coach for nearly two decades, speaking and facilitating to both small and large executive groups. This includes 18 years as a performance coach for the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute®.

As a performance coach and keynote speaker, Bill draws from his diverse background and wealth of sport and business experience in operations, sales, and HR leading both functional and global teams. He continues to work with clients that include Estee Lauder, Gallo, Allergan, PWC, UBS, Prudential, Johnson & Johnson, Oracle, Kraft Foods, McKinsey, Marriott, BMO, the FBI, CIA, NSA, Army, Airforce and more.

Bill was a former competitive USCF road cyclist and raced on the Continental team C.I. Shenanigans. He continues to work on his most important roles, striving to be extraordinary to his wife Tracy, their six adult children, and nine grandchildren.

As Evolve’s Chief Client Officer, Kevin Morris brings over two decades of experience in consulting leaders in the field of leadership and human performance. Throughout his career, Kevin’s data-driven and personalized approach to client services has consistently improved the health and performance of hundreds of organizations, helping them navigate complex business challenges.

Kevin has collaborated with top companies such as Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GE, KPMG, and Mars. His expertise lies in providing customized solutions tailored to the unique needs of his clients and partners, ensuring that organizational goals are met and sustained.

Kevin spent the first 16 years of his career at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute®, where he managed strategic client relationships and later took on greater responsibility in leading the healthcare client practice. Prior to Evolve, Kevin was with Johnson & Johnson Global Talent Management, overseeing insights and implementing well-being solutions across the enterprise.

Kevin’s profound commitment to excellence and his ability to deliver impactful solutions have made him a trusted advisor to many of the world’s leading companies.

Sagran Moodley is highly experienced, speaker, mentor, coach and seasoned business and technology leader with over 25 years of experience driving transformation, innovation, and unlocking human potential in healthcare and technology. As Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at Ontada, a division of McKesson, he leads advancements in oncology technologies and real-world data platforms. Known for building and leading high-performing teams, his leadership empowers organizations to accelerate innovation, enhance patient care, and advance precision oncology. He also spearheaded a groundbreaking partnership with Microsoft to develop the first (batch) ChatGPT, revolutionizing the processing of over 150 million clinical records for oncology insights.

Sagran has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to deliver transformational change in high-pressure environments, including leading the historic turnaround of the Massachusetts Health Connector insurance exchange. Before joining Ontada, Sagran held senior leadership positions at UnitedHealth Group, and co-co-founded the HL7 Da Vinci Project, where he led the creation of groundbreaking interoperability standards that transformed payer-provider collaboration and care delivery.