Ignite the Spark of Innovation at Endurance Exchange: Speaker Preview

Join USA Triathlon at Endurance Exchange January 4-7, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina for a weekend of networking, collaboration, and learning!

Endurance Exchange is more than just a conference; it’s a community-driven platform that fosters collaboration, innovation, and inspiration. Connect with coaches, race directors, clubs, and industry professionals who share a passion for multisport. Share your knowledge, inspire others, and ignite the spark of excellence together. Whether you’re seeking mentorship, business opportunities, or lifelong connections, Endurance Exchange offers a supportive environment where dreams and visions come to life.

Learn about other highlighted speakers. Find the full list of speakers.

Casey Taker

Global Director of Athlete Development for The IRONMAN Group

Session: Development of Partnerships to Capture Low Hanging Fruit

Casey Taker is the Global Director of Athlete Development for The IRONMAN Group and has served within Athlete Development for the last five years, working to drive community growth and sport sustainability strategy through the continued evolution of community and audience-specific programming. This experience with a wide range of needs and views allows Taker a unique understanding of the world of endurance sports through the lens of everyone that touches it.

Prior to her work at The IRONMAN Group, Taker attended NC State University and served sports through the development and activation of fan sports travel and experiences at a few of the largest events in the U.S. including The Super Bowl, The Masters, and The Kentucky Derby.

Taker’s session on the development of partnerships will talk about building a sustainable community at the local level that can drive impact through an increase in athlete event participation and growth in athlete numbers overall. It is a collaborative discussion on the state of triathlon at the local level and how we can all work better together to grow and support athletes most local to our events. Taker’s goal for this session is for attendees to leave with a deeper understanding of local partnerships, working together, and a “take home action idea” for 2024.

Kelly Fox

Director of Marketing and Communications at USA Triathlon

Session: Putting the Social Back in Social Media

Kelly Fox is the Director of Marketing and Communications at USA Triathlon. With over 13 years of experience in Marketing, Communications, and PR, Kelly has built her career on helping brands and their teams reap the immense benefits of leveraging their stories to increase their presence, drive revenue, and boost credibility to get highly measurable results. Since 2018, Kelly has focused on Olympic Sports and as the Director of Marketing and Communications, she leads the strategic planning and execution of all communications and marketing initiatives for USA Triathlon. She previously led Marketing and Communications at USA Diving as well as USA Cycling.

She is on the Digital Marketing Advisory Councils for George Washington University and the University of South Florida. She also mentors and teaches young professionals and students in her field, sharing her passion and expertise in sports marketing and communications.

In an increasingly digital age, social media is one of the best, easiest, and most cost-effective ways to engage with your current and future athletes. Kelly’s presentation on social media will teach you how to leverage your social media presence to encourage participation and keep athletes engaged with your brand and events year-round. You will also get tips on how to create a consistent look and feel for your social media presence and when and how to use paid social media.

Julie Zdziarski

Vice President of Sponsorship Research International (SRi)

Session: 2023 State of the Sport Presentation with SRI

Triathlon has played a key role in Julie Zdziarski’s life since 1990, most recently offering stability and normalcy during her breast cancer diagnosis. Triathlons allowed Julie to set athletic goals aligned with returning to a familiar physical state. She anticipates continuing to integrate swimming, biking, and running into my life, whether for competition or simple enjoyment.

USA Triathlon has committed to partnering with SRI to conduct an in-depth annual study of trends within our sport and constituent base. During this presentation, you will be receiving a comprehensive overview of the latest trends, participant behaviors, and industry benchmarks that will shape the future of triathlon.

Dr. Matt Hanson + Evan Strewler

Professional Triathlete and Coach + Head Performance Physiologist at Human Powered Health

Session: Bridging the Tech Gap: From cutting-edge physiological assessments to data-driven guidance delivered by AI

Dr. Matt Hanson is an accomplished professional triathlete and coach for triathletes, cyclists, and runners. Dr. Hanson is a former Professor of Exercise Science, bringing extensive education to the realm of sports. Over the course of his professional career, Matt set three-run course records and secured a victory at Ironman Chattanooga in his inaugural year as a pro in 2014 and has clinched over 13 professional wins.

Beyond his athletic prowess, Matt has channeled his passion into building a robust community and team within multisport, now comprising 130 athletes. Serving on the PTO board, he actively contributes to the future and development of the sport, aiming to enhance resources for athletes. Matt is also an advisor to Humango, Human Powered Health’s AI-powered digital platform, tailoring dynamic plans for endurance athletes and optimizing performance through adaptive, personalized workouts.

Evan Strewler serves as the Head Performance Physiologist at Human Powered Health. With a Master’s degree in exercise physiology from the College of St. Scholastica, Evan brings over 12 years of experience as a metabolic specialist and exercise physiologist to the forefront of his role.

Dr. Hanson and Evan Strewler will be sharing how HumanPoweredHealth integrates cutting-edge technology, including AI, to bridge the gap between sophisticated lab data and practical training applications. They will share their perspectives on elevating the precision and effectiveness of your triathlon training.

Stacey Miller

Founder and the Managing Director of Sonic Endurance

Session: Kids Events Production

Stacey Miller is a founder and the Managing Director of Sonic Endurance. She has a dual BA in Education Social Work and Counseling and an MA in Public Administration. As her second year speaking at Endurance Exchange, her education and experience allow her to bring a unique skill set to the coaching business. She is a multiple Ironman Finisher and a two-time finisher in the 70.3 Ironman World Championships and was a 2020 Finalist for the Outspoken Women in Triathlon Awards as Coach of the Year.

Stacey began her coaching career in the corporate setting building group fitness and wellness programs for a variety of businesses. She transitioned from that experience to founding and expanding her own coaching business. In addition to running a business and coaching adults, Stacey is a board member of the North Penn IronKnights Triathlon. She serves as the chair of the scholarship program and directs the youth training program for the annual event.

Stacey’s session on event production for youth events will bring up topics on what to consider when putting on an event, the differences between youth and adult events, the importance of money, and how to make money.

Meet the rest of the highlighted speakers, here.

To learn more and register for Endurance Exchange, please visit the event website.