January 27-28, 2026
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
The SUMMIT is the premier business conference serving Youth Sport, Performance, and Education Industries. Focusing on the issues and opportunities of our unique industry, the SUMMIT is a powerful blend of smart, relevant, entertaining…and immediately useful information. Fast paced yet personal, the SUMMIT provides fresh, tangible, well-researched concepts that can make an immediate impact on your operational, educational and financial operations. the SUMMIT is undeniably the most exciting opportunity of the year to brainstorm and spend quality time with the top leaders in the industry. Whether you are an owner, manager, coach or teacher, you will leave inspired and energized and ready to take your business to the next level!
2024 Speakers and Topics
Cindy Cary, Ed.D., Organizational Leadership
Growing Up Happy: The Impact of Individual and Group Performances on Child Development
Dr. Cindy Cary is a former Associate Professor of Child Development at the University of La Verne(ULV) in the College of Education. During her tenure at ULV, she was the Student Teacher Supervisor at the Fairplex Child Development Center. Her educational credentials include a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and master’s degree in early childhood curriculum from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also has an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne.
Committed to ensuring high quality curriculum, she provides training and support for early childhood professionals in the Rancho Santa Margarita area.
Dan Berzansky
Supercharge Your Business
Dan Berzansky is the founder and CEO of Premier Aquatic Services, which operates Premier Aquatics and Premier Health and Safety, and is Co-founder of Premier Swim Academy. Since 2011, Premier Aquatic Services has grown into a full-service swim school, lifeguard service, and health and safety education provider in the Western US. Premier employs over 200 year-round employees and ramps up to over 550 seasonal employees in over 100 locations throughout California and Arizona.
In addition to Premier, Dan has developed SaaS startup called OneTeam360, which is an employee engagement and incentivization tool created specifically for small to medium sized businesses employing part-time hourly employees. In all, Dan has over 20 years of management, coaching and teaching experience, as well as over 20 years of experience in large scale project management. In his free time, Dan is Vice President of Stop Drowning Now, a drowning prevention education program, the Co-Chair of the Orange County Drowning Prevention Task
Force, and is the Forum Chair for Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Orange County chapter. Dan is a graduate of Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business Management where he completed his MBA. Dan lives in Laguna Niguel, CA with his wife and three young children.
Lynn Ledford
If This, Then This
Lynn is a decisive, analytical leader who guides with energy, high standards, compassion and creativity. An attorney by trade, Lynn followed a strong entrepreneurial calling and purchased Cal Elite Kids in Orange County, California. Together with business partner Jett Cutler, they grew Cal Elite from a small gymnastics center with 8 employees to become one of the most successful children’s activity centers in the U.S. Today Cal Elite Kids serves 3,000 students and provides over 12,000 hours of lessons each week. After raising 4 children with husband, Mark Ledford, Lynn got to work!
In 2016 Lynn joined Jett in establishing Pro-Swim Academy, a swim school in Chicago, Illinois. In 2017, Cal Elite partnered with The Blue Kid Center in Suzhou, China to bring Cal Elite’s preschool gymnastics brand to China. In 2018 Cal Elite expanded its dance brand by establishing the REVE Dance Conservatory.
In 2019 Cal Elite expanded its performance brand by collaborating with South County Performing Arts – creating a strong musical theater program at Cal Elite and also acquired the Fun & Fit Gymnastics Centers in Los Angeles. In April or 2020, Lynn and Jett opened their third swim facility, in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The growth that Lynn is most excited about is the 2020 launch of Sweet Peas Gymnastics, a preschool gymnastics licensing program. There are currently over 40 licensees throughout the U.S. and growing. Lynn is dedicated to helping others in the youth sports industry find business success that will allow them to follow their coaching and entrepreneurial dreams while finding balance and peace through the journey.
Cindy Freedman
Inclusion: How to Integrate Individuals With Special Needs
Cindy is a recreational therapist and an Occupational therapist. After working for ten years as a recreational therapist in a variety of settings, she pursued a Master’s degree in OT. Her career as an OT includes specialty training in sensory integration, reflex repatterning, and aquatics. She is currently certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES. As a swimmer and national champion diver, Her love of the water combined with her education and work experience created them an opportunity for Swim Angelfish to become a reality! “Our mission is to create an aquatic community of trained instructors so that together we can decrease the alarming statistic of drowning being the leading cause of death for children with special needs.”
Ailene Tisser
Inclusion: How to Integrate Individuals With Special Needs
Ailene is a pediatric Physical Therapist with more than 25 years of experience treating a variety of diagnoses, both in and out of the water. She is NDT (Neuro-Developmental Treatment) trained in pediatrics and is trained in DIR/Floortime. She is currently certified as an Autism Specialist by IBCCES. Ailene brings all of her Physical Therapy expertise into the water, where she helps children of all abilities feel safe, confident, and independent. She combines her passion and skill for working with children with special needs with the therapeutic properties of the water to achieve amazing results. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience by educating other Aquatic Professionals so that they can also make a significant impact on the lives of swimmers with special needs.
Resources:
Presentation Video
Presentation Slides
Adaptive Water Safety Tips and Resources
Inclusion & Diversity Training
Steve Greeley
Myth Busters: Debunking Muscle Memory, Learning Styles and the 10,000 Hour Rule
Some call it “baggage”, I call it “My Bio”…
STEVE GREELEY: Fun Seeker, Educator, Dog & Chocolate Lover
Featuring A.W.E.:“Awesomer Workshop Experiences”.
• I love being in a profession where you don’t have to grow up.
• I often think “I can’t believe I get paid to do this…”
• I dream of a world where ice cream can make you smarter and thinner.
Victoria Charles
Strategic Sustainability for Youth Businesses
After a successful decade-long career in global marketing and education, Victoria Charles
made a pivotal shift in 2010, dedicating herself to the sustainability movement. As a
sustainability practitioner, she brings over ten years of diverse, hands-on experience in areas such as environmental assessments impact reporting, stakeholder engagement, Zero Waste practices, education, values thinking, and social justice. Victoria has advised businesses, local governments, and educational institutions on integrating sustainable best practices, prioritizing collaboration to reduce environmental and social impacts.
In 2012, driven by her passion for education and sustainability, Victoria began her
journey in academia as a professor. She now serves full-time in the Earth Science
department at Santa Monica College while also teaching part-time in UCLA’s
sustainability program. Victoria empowers her students by integrating real-world
experiences with classroom learning, equipping them with the tools to promote
environmental and social responsibility, implement policy, and apply nature-based
solutions. She continuously futureproofs her knowledge and skills by staying current on
critical topics like climate change and its solutions.
Victoria is an international keynote speaker, addressing critical topics like climate change, community engagement, and social and environmental action. She holds accreditations including USGBC LEED Green Associate and TRUE Advisor, as well as certifications in sustainable materials management and recycling. With a master’s degree in Sustainability Leadership from Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability, Victoria combines academic knowledge with practical experience.
Driven by her commitment to youth empowerment, Victoria founded the Climate Action
Leadership Program—a forward-thinking initiative bridging the environmental
leadership education gap in K-12 public schools, preparing the next generation to tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Outside of her sustainability work, Victoria loves exploring off-the-beaten-path
destinations like Iraq, immersing herself in local cultures, history and cuisine. You’ll also
find her hiking the trails of the Santa Monica Mountains or lounging on her couch, diving into thought-provoking reads like Quadrivium: The Four Classical Liberal Arts of
Number, Geometry, Music, and Cosmology.
Allison Huddleston
Website Mistakes You Might Now Know You Are Making
Allison Huddleston is a business owner and operator with over 20 years in the gymnastics and cheerleading industry. As the owner of Champions Competition Company and General Manager of Champions Westlake & Champions 1826 Gymnastics & Cheer, she focuses on building businesses through smart, attainable, and sustainable goals and actions.
Allison holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Concordia University. Her educational focus consisted of marketing, business development, and leadership strategies.
She proudly works alongside her husband to run both Champions Competition Company and both Champions gyms. They work hard to cultivate businesses that reflect their mission of providing a safe, encouraging, and nurturing environment that will benefit students in all phases of life.
John Mitchell
These 7 Things
John Mitchell is the founder and CEO of Delta Sports, an Australian organisation with a passion for helping kids grow up. With Eight gymnastics locations across Queensland and Two Paediatric therapy clinics, the organisation is looking after over 6000 children each week,
John is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and frequently shares his knowledge on stage in the children’s activity centre industry. John is a systems thinker who shares his knowledge on strategy and operational structure with a focus on how Leaders can multiply their value by leveraging their leadership time and influence.
Patrick Biron
The Disney Philosophy of Design
Patrick Biron is the owner and President of Birons Youth Sports Center in Houston, Texas. Patrick has been in the children’s instruction field for over 18 years. He began his career with Kidventure Inc. serving over 10,000 children each summer at over 25 camp locations, and later pioneered their expansion into the DFW region. He transitioned to Biron Gymnastics in 2013, and spearheaded the company’s growth and rebranding into Birons Youth Sports Center.
Under Patrick’s leadership, the company has more than quintupled its physical space, and quadrupled the staff size. His innovative approach and strategic changes diversified its business model and increased annual revenue over 300% in the last 6 years.
He received his bachelors degree in Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Patrick is currently on the board of two 501c3 children’s charities, is a national USAG Judge, and has coached national champions in both gymnastics and cheer. He is the proud father of three with his wife, Katy.
Jeff Metzger
.6 Big Ideas: Pay for the Summit Many Times Over
Jeff was born raised in Cincinnati, Ohio where he was a gymnast from his elementary through university years. In 1972, Jeff dropped out of mechanical engineering college after he accidentally discovered a new passion—teaching gymnastics to youngsters. One year later, in 1973, he opened his own gymnastics school, operating from a church multi-purpose room. Today, with 162,000 sf and two
dozen profit centers, Kids First Sports Center has grown to become one of the largest and most influential Children’s Instructional Services operations in the world. Serving as its President since inception, Jeff recently stepped away from daily operations and now holds the title of Senior Advisor, a position he proudly proclaims he has earned by half. Jeff also founded or has an interest in a number of CIS businesses including Kids First Too, The Campus at Kids First, RG Sports Academy, and Cincy Sports Nation.
Jennifer Evans
.6 Big Ideas: Pay for the Summit Many Times Over
Originally from small town Oregon, Jennifer Evans has been with Kids First for over 26 years.
Jen started her journey with Kids First as the Department Leader (DL) in the competitive team program at Kids First in 1998, then spent 13 years as the DL of the KF Tumble Bees program; one of the largest privately owned preschool gymnastics programs in the country. She is now the current CEO of Kids First, as well as business partners with Jeff Metzger at Kids First, and their second location, Kids First Too.
Jen has three adult children, Reece, Sadie, Sydney who have grown up inside the culture of KF and are all currently full time leaders within the organization. Jen is happily married to her best friend, Chad Evans, with whom she has a stepson, Noah; a junior in high school and her greatest resource for all things Gen Z!
Tiffany Mills
Finding Balance: A Personal Story of Hope, Representation and Diversity
Tiffany Mills brings over 20 years of dedicated experience to the world of gymnastics coaching and program direction. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Business with a specialized focus on Sports Management, she seamlessly blends her passion for athletics with strategic acumen. Tiffany’s leadership ethos centers on fostering diversity and cultivating an environment of inclusivity. Through meaningful relationships, hilarious storytelling, and genuine situations, she creates a vibrant atmosphere where individuals thrive. She is committed to providing top-tier educational experiences, ensuring that every individual she works with reaches their full potential. Personal and professional excellence becomes not just a goal but a tangible outcome that I want to share with others.
Danielle and Jeff Griffith-Jones
Leading in Times of Change
Partners in life and partners in business, Danielle and Jeff Griffith-Jones have built, owned, operated, worked the front lines, celebrated, and fought over a wide breadth of recreation and education services.
With a teaching credential, degree in Education, and over 20 years of managing large teams, Danielle currently leads all-things-kids at the Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC) in San Jose. This includes the 2500+ swimmer AVAC Swim School, NinjaZone, 600 camper per summer program, on-site child care, plus junior fitness programs on AVAC’s 5-acre campus.
Jeff’s background ranges from outdoor adventure programming, aquatics, athletic club management, and consulting in risk management and leadership. His graduate education in Recreation and 20 years’ experience have lent themselves to the success of his business, Pacific Flow Swim School in the Santa Cruz, CA area.
When they’re not philosophizing over all things recreation or pondering why they each run a separate swim school, Danielle and Jeff are busy adventuring with their three kids, playing soccer, and competing in triathlons.
Jeff Lulla
Jeff Lulla, Founder of Fun & Fit Gymnastics, was a competitive gymnast, instructor, coach, Head Coach, Program Director and for 35 years, owner of multiple successful recreational gymnastics clubs. Jeff received the USA Gymnastics Business Leader of the Year Award and serves as one of their Business Ambassadors. He is also an Instructor for USAG with over 25 years’ experience teaching their Safety Certification course and authoring curriculum for their preschool Kinder Accreditation and school-age Hands-On Training courses.
He has presented at USA, Canada, and Australia gymnastics industry congresses and the Cal Elite Summit personal development conference on business, safety, technology, class behavior management, employment practices, preschool and recreational education for all ages. He has consulted for clients in China, Vietnam, Australia, the UK, the USA, and Canada. His Fun & Fit Gymnastics Program instructor training and lesson planning system has been licensed to hundreds of gym clubs globally since 1991 and is now available online in both the LEAP Learning and Smart Moves platforms.
Jeff is currently consulting for businesses looking to standardize and improve their staff training and business operations. He is also the Managing Director of LEAP Learning.
Kristina Williams
Systems – The #1 Growth Strategy
Kristina Williams hails from San Jose, California, and has been engaging her community through gymnastics for over 25 years. As a mother of 4, Kristina has worn many hats throughout her career: mother, wife, manager, choreographer, thought-leader, and now, gym owner. Kristina began as a competitive athlete in aerobics and discovered the unique way that competitive sport can foster integrity and grit in young people. She then moved on to managing the Recreational, Xcel, and Preschool programs at a local gymnastics school. During her tenure there, Kristina coached several national and state champions, as well as one of our very own 2020 Tokyo Olympic hopefuls. For Kristina, creating community bonds is of paramount importance. This was her primary goal when she set out to open her gym, Los Gatos Elite. Now, Kristina divides her time between leading her local high school booster club, owning and running a successful gym, hiking with her loving and supportive husband, dogs, and sons, and learning to play tennis. Kristina looks forward to sharing her experience in the hopes of facilitating more community relationships at home and abroad
Ron Sciarro
Good Leadership is Good Business
Ron Sciarro oversees leadership development and ensures a strong visionary strategy, partnering with Aqua-Tots’ leaders to raise up the next generation of innovators while assisting departments in the execution of Aqua-Tots’ core values. Ron’s passion revolves around relationships, and his mission is to share the heartbeat of the Aqua-Tots organization, propelling people forward—both professionally and personally.
With over 30 years of experience developing a thriving worldwide brand, Ron now serves as the franchisor and managing partner of KTR Indoor Action Sports Playground and Uncle Bear’s Grill and Tap franchises. Ron has also co-founded Workplace Safety Specialists, The Scuba Shop, and Legacy Adventures, and he has been honored to serve on the boards of Forest Home Camps, United States Swim School Association, and Threshold Prayer Ministries to impact those who serve in industries beyond childhood water safety.
Davies Crasta
Davies currently serves as the Vice President of Strategy & Growth for Emler Swim School and is responsible for its growth strategy. Prior to Emler Davies was responsible for non-traditional acquisitions at 7-Eleven, which included International M&A, some venture investing, and future of retail acquisitions, to ensure 7-Eleven was properly positioned for the future. Davies spent the first decade of his professional life as a Banker serving a variety of companies ranging from family-owned businesses to large, publicly traded companies, in a spectrum of industries. He also spent time owning and operating his own businesses.
He is passionate about fitness, health, and his family. When not working he spends time with his wife, their three dogs, extended family, and friends. He serves as an advisor for a few non-profits that helps those who are struggling find their dignity and traction in life.
Full Conference
January 27-28
Tuesday, January 27th
Full-Day Business Meetings
Lunch Included
Dinner at the Ledford Home
Wednesday, January 28th
Full-Day Business Meetings
Lunch Included
$700
One Day Conference
January 27th
Tuesday, January 27th
Full-Day Business Meetings
Lunch Included
Dinner at Ledford Home
$500
One Day Conference
January 28th
Wednesday, January 28th
Full-Day Business Meetings
Lunch Included
$400
Virtual Conference
This is NOT a live stream, the business meetings will be recorded and registrants will be sent a link that will allow them to log in at a later time after the event is over.
$450
Price per login
Event Information
JANUARY 27-28, 2026
The Summit has a new home and a new date! We are super excited to bring the SUMMIT to Orange County, California January 27th – 28th! The agenda will be lined with industry icons who have unparalleled expertise and experience and we always have a sprinkling of guest lecturers who bring in outside knowledge and trending topics. Every hour is impactful.
- Two full days of amazing content;
- Access to videos of all presentations
- Dinner at my home on January 27th with a special performance by child acrobats, gymnasts and dancers;
- Lunches on both meeting days;
- Opportunities to meet our industry vendors/business partners;
- Amazing networking and friendship.
Bell Tower Regional Center
Business sessions will take place in the William Lyon Ballroom at the Regional Bell Tower in Rancho Santa Margarita. The Bell Tower is 5 minutes (4 miles) from our host hotel.
The Bell Tower is located at 22232 El Paseo Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
Welcome Reception
Welcome reception will take place at Lynn Ledford’s home in Coto de Caza.
Lynn Ledford’s home is located at 9 Raeburn Lane, Coto de Caza CA 92679
Host Hotels
We have a room block ($159/night) at the Ayres Hotel and Spa and the Ayres Suits in Mission Viejo. These hotels share the same parking lot however they are different buildings and different reservation systems. Please book your room(s) with the hotel of your choice. The Ayres Hotels is an easy 20 minute drive from Orange County Santa Ana Airport.
Group Rate Info Coming Soon!
Ayres Hotel and Spa
The Ayres Hotel and Spa is located at 28951 Los Alisos Blvd. Mission Viejo, CA. 92692
Phone: 949.305-7200
Website: Ayres Hotel and Spa
Ayres Hotel Suites
The Ayres Hotel Suites is located at 28941 Los Alisos Blvd. Mission Viejo, CA. 92692
Phone: 949.455-2545
Website: Ayres Hotel Suites