With over 35 years in the wellness space, Gerri has dedicated her life to helping people move well, feel well, and live well — long before wellness was a buzzword.

Her journey began as a massage therapist, where she developed a deep understanding of the body's capacity to heal and perform. From there, she expanded her expertise into fitness and nutrition coaching and yoga before channeling everything she'd learned into founding Yoga Amansala, a boutique hot yoga and mat Pilates studio in the heart of Alameda, California.

Yoga Amansala is built on the belief that how we move shapes how we live. The studio is rooted in functional movement, nervous system regulation, and helping people build bodies — and minds — that are built for the long game. Every class, every session, every practice is designed with one goal: to help people move well for life.

Beyond the studio walls, Gerri is on a mission to shift Alameda toward becoming a more wellness-centered community — bringing accessible, intentional movement to people who might not yet know they need it. That mission extends to tennis courts, boardrooms, and now, summits like this one.

Gerri will open the day with a guided breath, movement, and stillness practice — an experience designed to settle the nervous system, wake up the body. Great practices for on and off the court.

https://www.yogaamansala.com/ | https://gerriasuncion.wixsite.com/amplify-you

Laura Tempesta is the only person in North America with a master’s degree in lingerie design. Driven by her passion for making better bras, Laura founded Bravolution®, a consultancy dedicated to enhancing bra design for major brands while educating consumers. Her TEDx talk about bras, explaining the illogical world of bra fit and sizing, has been viewed over 3 million times.

Her expertise has been cited in numerous media outlets including Vogue, Oprah Daily, InStyle, Better Homes and Gardens, and People. Through her truly unique blend of skills and knowledge, she aims to pioneer a new category of clothing, seamlessly merging comfort and fashion, categories typically considered mutually exclusive, into a comprehensive all-in-one solution.

Laura’s journey into the world of design began at the age of seven, under the guidance of her mother, a skilled seamstress, who ignited Laura’s passion for sewing and crafting doll clothes. Her father, a machinist, maintained a machine shop in the basement stocked with an array of tools and machinery, where Laura acquired hands-on experience during her teenage years.

While studying at Stanford University, Laura integrated her passion for design into college life by crafting her own clothes, and designing T-shirts, in her dorm room. Following a stint in management consulting after graduation, she returned to her roots, pursuing a formal education in apparel design and patternmaking. 

In 2004, Laura experienced a rare complication following a knee surgery, which left her reliant on an assistive device to walk for over two years.

Subsequently, she dedicated the next decade to intensive rehabilitation efforts, striving to regain her mobility, eventually making a full recovery. This life-altering experience heightened her awareness of the critical importance of fitness and mobility.

This newfound perspective led her to shift her focus from women’s ready-to-wear to athletic wear. She was hired by Nike, where she became a senior apparel innovator with eight patents, inventing closures and apparel solutions.

She was the only employee at the Nike campus to have a sewing machine at her desk. She was also trained to operate a wide range of apparel factory machinery. This training allowed her to be sent to Nike’s factories to help develop new manufacturing methods for Nike’s most innovative garments.

In 2013, Nike recognized the lack of quality products available in the sports bra market and identified Laura as the key innovator to help re-launch their bra assortment. Recognized for her ingenuity, Laura became the first and only recipient of Nike’s sponsorship to pursue a master’s degree in lingerie design. Nike custom tailored the degree in collaboration with DeMontfort University, considered the foremost institution for studying lingerie design, to cover a wide array of disciplines including aesthetic design, technical design, and biomechanics. She returned to Nike as their Sports Bra Innovation Director.

Her expertise later caught the attention of Lululemon, where she assumed the role of Global Director of Product for Bras and Intimates.

Laura embodies the spirit of a true “maker,” with strong factory relationships. In 2023 she moved to China, working alongside factory employees, to bring her vision to reality. With a robust background spanning high fashion, athleticwear, athleisure, and intimates, Laura’s latest endeavor in reimaging women’s clothing and undergarments represents a culmination of her lifetime of expertise.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-tempesta/ 

Michelle Heidbrink is a SoCal native who has been living the tennis life since the early ’90s—from academy training to Division I competition (shoutout to the Lobos!) and a coaching career that spans everything from working with tots and their tiny racquets to training high-level college and pro players. 

During her past 13 years at Tennis Warehouse, Michelle has become the go-to gear expert, speaking the language of racquets, strings, and shoes fluently. She especially loves connecting with ladies on the court, helping players of all levels find their perfect match. Equal parts coach, competitor, and certified gear enthusiast, she’s always chasing that ideal setup that makes tennis easier and more fun. She is passionate about helping players feel confident in both their game and their gear, because when your setup is right, everything clicks. 

Her mission? Keep it fun, swing big, and make sure every player steps on court feeling like their best self. With her energy, honesty, and love for the game, Michelle’s passion for the sport is truly contagious.

Megan Rose currently serves as the Managing Director, Head of Business Development and Operations for USTA Coaching, where she leads coach recruitment and retention strategies, oversees operational excellence, and drives industry engagement through strategic outreach and partnerships.

Previously, Megan was the Managing Director of Major Events at the USTA, where she oversaw the planning, promotion, and execution of major events, including the USTA Pro Circuit, US Open Series, Billie Jean King Cup, Davis Cup, Paralympic tennis events, US Open Wheelchair Championships, US Open Junior Wheelchair Championships, US Open Junior Championships, and the World Team Cup. She also served as Team Leader for Team USA Olympic Tennis at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Earlier in her career, Megan held key roles at the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), where she launched the WTA Coach Program, served as the head coach for Princeton University’s women’s tennis team, and competed as a professional tennis player on the WTA Tour. 

Megan is widely recognized as a leader in the sports industry, honored as a Sports Business Journal Game Changer and named to the prestigious Leaders Under 40 list. She is passionate about inclusive leadership, mentorship, and fostering innovation at every level of the sport.

A five-time NCAA All-American and former ITA Player of the Year, Megan earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Miami and a master’s degree from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg. She actively serves on several advisory boards and industry committees, contributing to the future of tennis and sports leadership.

Megan resides in Orlando, Florida, with her husband and two children.

CiCi Bellis has an accomplished and diverse background in business, sports, and entrepreneurship. Recently, she completed her MBA degree at the University of Miami with a focus on Management and Finance. Before her MBA, CiCi earned a BA degree with an emphasis on Finance and Entrepreneurship from Indiana University. Alongside her academic achievements, she had a successful background as a professional athlete, competing at the highest level in pro tennis, reaching #35 in the world on the WTA tour at 17 years old, before having to retire from an elbow injury. Playing pro tennis instilled in her a strong work ethic, steely determination, and a deep understanding of the sports industry.

Following her tennis career, CiCi started in the VC industry at a firm focusing on early stage sports startups. After several years working there, Cici made the bold decision to embark on her entrepreneurial journey, founding Cartan Capital in July 2023—a venture capital firm centered around seed and series a stage companies focusing on advances in human performance, sports tech and health tech. Since then Cartan Capital has been actively investing in top performing startups in those focus areas. The company has leveraged its relationship network and made a number of successful investments so far. CiCi also sits on the board of the USTA and works as a Sports Broadcaster for the Tennis Channel and CBS Sports, leveraging her sports expertise to provide insightful commentary and analysis.

Caroline Fitzgerald is a leading expert on the business of women’s sports and gender equity in sports. In 2020, she founded GOALS, a women’s sports media platform, and launched The Business Case for Women’s Sports podcast, which is sponsored by Ally and was named 2024’s Best Women’s Sports Podcast by Hashtag Sports.

Caroline also works as a consultant, advising brands, properties, and organizations on marketing, media, and growth strategies in women’s sports. She was named a 2024 Power Player in Women’s Sports by Sports Business Journal and is a regular contributing writer for Sports Business Journal, TOGETHXR, Women’s Health and Parity.

Before GOALS, Caroline spent over a decade in marketing and sponsorship sales with Kohl’s, the Smithsonian-Affiliated Heinz History Center, and P3R & the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon. She holds a B.S. in Marketing and B.A. in Women's Studies from The Schreyer Honors College at Penn State, and an M.S. in Global Sport from NYU. 

Follow GOALS & Caroline on Instagram and LinkedIn.

With over two decades at the United States Tennis Association Southern California, I am anaccomplished professional, passionate about leveraging sports for health and equity. In my most recent role, I collaborated with industry partners and USTA national staff to support events and programming, from grassroots play to the professional level.

A strong advocate for tennis and parity in women’s sports, I am the architect behind the USTA SoCal’s Women & Girls Who Ace Summit, which celebrated the contributions of female sports leaders in Southern California, providing unique learning opportunities for coaches, athletes and industry professionals.

I continue to serve the tennis industry in multiple roles—including USTA National Committee member, Cardio Tennis specialist, partnership advisor, presenter, and mentor—all with the goal of growing the game at every level and empowering women and girls to translate on-court skills into off-court leadership.

My tennis journey began at the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles, working for Billie Jean King and Jeannie Buss running ball kids for the summer pro events. A third-generation Angeleno and former SoCal junior and collegiate competitor, I continue to compete at senior national tournaments. One of my biggest wins to date was on the grass at Wimbledon with my husband!

Beyond tennis, I engage with the community through nonprofit boards and mentor students at my alma mater, Cal Poly SLO, as an Advisory Board member.

With over a decade of experience in sports management and coaching, Jen Azevedo has established an impressive career dedicated to promoting leadership, athletic excellence and personal fitness. Currently serving as the new General Manager for Mill Valley Tennis Club, Jen was the General Manager at Paseo Club for five years, where she has successfully enhanced the club's community engagement and member satisfaction through the pandemic era and beyond, serving as the longest-running Manager in club history.

Before taking on the role of GM, Jen held pivotal positions as Sports Director and Tennis Director of Paseo Club, where she grew the club community through her expertise in tennis and multi-sport programming. A proud RSPA-certified tennis professional and pickleball professional, she is passionate about developing athletes of all ages and skill levels.

Jen comes from a tennis background, playing four years of collegiate tennis at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo while pursuing her degree in journalism. Her commitment to fitness extends beyond coaching; Jen holds personal trainer certification from NCEP, along with certifications in group exercise and Tribe Training.  Her continued pursuit of the balance of tennis and fitness makes her a great choice for the promotion and coaching of Cardio Tennis, where her two passions align. 

An enthusiastic endurance athlete, Jen is also a marathon runner (she just completed her first Boston marathon this spring), Ironman triathlete, and ultra racer. Her competitive spirit and dedication to fitness inspire others to achieve their personal bests, both on and off the court.

Above all else, Jen values her family, enjoying life with her husband, Jeff, and their 8-year-old daughter, Charlee, who is Jen's favorite athlete to coach.  Her family is her highest priority, providing her both with support as she tackles her many endeavors, and as her motivation to work hard and bring more focus to the female coaching and leadership space