Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

2:00 - 2:45 PM: Herscher Hall, Guerin C, Webcast

The Wellness Entrepreneur – Beauty – Fitness – Food – Fashion – Media - Tech

Courtney Casgraux, Founder, GBY BEAUTY

Amanda Russell, founder, The Influencer Code and Founder + Chief Editor, Fit Strong and Sexy

Rob Jacobs, co-founder and Chief UnSitter, UnSit

Ken Rosenblood, CEO and Founder, obVus Solutions

KJ Matthews, Emmy Winning Journalist, (CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX), Moderator

Amanda Russell, author and founder of The Influencer Code, is a fitness icon, brand catalyst, sought-after speaker, and global expert on the power of Influencer Marketing. She founded Fit, Strong & Sexy, one of the first online fitness subscription platforms, which today boasts over 80,000 subscribers. She now funnels her experience and expertise into helping brands collaborate, grow and scale. Amanda co-founded the Interesting Agency, and eventually sold her own eponymous consulting firm to take the CMO helm at Valeo Securities, where she’s heading up a re-brand and international relaunch as Valeo Fit. Amanda is also the creator and professor of the only fully accredited Influencer Marketing course in the world, at the prestigious UCLA, and the author of the upcoming book, The Influencer Code (Fall 2019). She graduated from the University of Richmond on a full-ride track scholarship, and holds an MBA with a concentration in marketing

Courtney Casgraux is the  Founder of GBY BEAUTY the popular beauty based brand, nationally recognized for innovative treatments, exclusive environment and GBY Beauty Academy She also is the Co-Founder of The Cycle Girl a physician approved brand for teen girls specializing in feminine hygiene and educations.  Both brands have a focus and community give back effort. GBY beauty has partnered with the Department of Mental Health Service offering an education program to at risk youth and CYCLE has partnered  with The Laterman Regional Center and Challengers Boys and Girls Club offering a range of educational programs. Free to the communities we serve.

Ken Rosenblood, CEO and Founder, obVus Solutions: Ken is the founder of obVus Solutions and has a proven successful track record of pioneering multi-billion dollar platforms and developing products and devices in practice-based healthcare. Ken has had multiple successful exits from previous ventures in recurring revenue, PaaS, SaaS businesses.

Rob Jacobs is co-founder and Chief UnSitter of UnSit, an innovative aspirational company working to UNSIT the world at home, in workspaces and schools. UnSit is getting people UP out of their chairs and moving again with the world's first Treadmill Desk optimized for use in an office environment. Rob has a lifetime of experience in the health and fitness industry spanning from the highly regarded Pritikin Longevity Center where he developed customized workout programs on treadmills to The Walking Center, a first of its kind chain of stores he founded in Southern California that integrated entertainment with walking and wellness.  Rob coined the term Exxertainment.  In addition to launching UnSit Rob is the co-owner of National Gym Supply, the largest online supplier of parts and services to fitness facilities in the US. 2015 – Present – Co-Founder Managing Partner of UNSIT LLC., www.UnSit.com – pioneers in Treadmill Desks.  Successfully developed an aspirational brand ID and a patented product.  Managed all legal, business and marketing aspects of the business.  Produced and presented in company and product videos - 1994 – Present - Co-Founder, Vice-President and Secretary of National Gym Supply, an after-market supplier of equipment replacement parts to health clubs and fitness centers.  NGS serves over 10,000 health clubs and fitness centers world wide and operates as a California Sub-S Corp. 2003 to 2008 - V.P of Sales and Marketing for Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo, leading a team of 18 sales/marketing people in three cities and two countries. Gave sales presentations to major grocery store chains like Krogers, Costco, Whole Foods and others. 1994 to 2000 - Program Director at the Pritikin Longevity Center’s outpatient program in Santa Monica California giving daily public presentations to sophisticated high net worth individuals about healthy lifestyle choices. Substituted for Robert Pritikin giving the key-note presentation about the founding of the institution. Founded in 1978, The Pritikin Center became world renown for using lifestyle to reverse heart disease and diabetes. 1993 – 2016 - Co-Founder, Executive Vice President, Marketing Manager of Real Food Daily restaurants.  Presented to and trained staff on company philosophy and operating procedures. Managed investor relations, ran three private offerings, closing investments with over 50 private individuals over three rounds of financing. Managed relations with the investors.  Conducted annual Stock Holder meetings and Board meetings.1986 – 1992 – Founder, President of The Walking Center, a successful chain of retail stores and service department.   Managed and operated all aspects of the business. Sold the retail business in 1992 and developed the service department into National Gym Supply, see above. 1989 to 1993 – Co-Developer of The Hayle System, a patented exercise monitoring and feedback system that provided personalized one-to-one fitness programming and coaching on a mass scale (before the internet and SmartPhones).    Beta tested with 500 paid subscribers in Sydney Australia.   Gave sales presentations to leading pharmaceutical companies on North America including Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth, Pfizer and Bayer.

K.J. Matthews is a veteran journalist who’s worked in the broadcast news business for nearly two decades. She started her career working as a reporter and producer for CBS, ABC, and FOX-TV affiliates nationwide. While criss-crossing the country she wrote, produced, and reported on the historic vice presidential debate, landmark court cases, post 9/11 safety, and many other milestone events. Her most notable work was seen on CNN, where she covered the media and entertainment landscapes for a decade. Her TV, film, and music reports regularly appeared on CNN, CNN International, HLNtv, and CNN Digital networks on the following shows: AC 360, The Situation Room, New Day, CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, Erin Burnett OutFront, Larry King Live, the Nancy Grace Show, and Morning Express with Robin Meade. She was part of a team that won a Peabody Award. She was also one of the field producers of CNN’s award winning special, CNN Heroes: An All-star Tribute. K.J. has also worked for the Emmy Award-winning show, Extra. Most recently, she’s been an entertainment news contributor to BBC World Service Radio, BBC World News TV, the Australian Broadcasting Network, and Germany’s DW English Network. She's also the publisher and founder of the Eco-Luxury Digital Travel Magazine, Traveler Confidential . The site is for travelers seeking the very best in luxury travel, healthy cuisine, lush destinations, and eco-friendly explorations. Besides informing, her overall mission with the travel website is to motivate and inspire more people to travel luxuriously albeit in an environmentally friendly way. The Los Angeles native has a Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA, and a Master’s Degree from New York University in Broadcast Journalism.