Andrew is the owner of MVP Physical Therapy in Lenexa, KS. He attended physical therapy school at the University of Kansas medical center. At MVP we focus on helping active adults get active and stay active, specifically participating in lifelong activities such as pickleball and golf.

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Angel Morales is a product innovator and entrepreneur with over 20 years of global manufacturing experience. He leads the international division at C3 International and is the founder of Tailwag Products, known for high-performance carbon fiber components for supercar brands. In 2020, Angel brought his materials expertise into the world of pickleball, launching Tailwag Pickleball. This venture led to the formation of Tailwag Tech—an R&D-driven company focused on next-gen paddle and ball technologies. Now Chief Product Officer at Pro-Pickle, he oversees product development across Tailwag, CORE Athletics, and C3, collaborating with a board of advisors from Oracle, Garmin, Honeywell and WANRack. His work bridges sustainability, sport, and advanced materials, making him a leading voice in pickleball cores, surfaces and ball IP innovation.

Angela is an Engagement Team Lead at CourtReserve, a leading software platform for racquet sport clubs and facilities. A former competitive athlete with over 13 years of experience in sports, she is passionate about helping pickleball clubs run more efficiently through innovative technology. She absolutely loves family life in Prairie Village, Kansas as a wife to her husband, Alex, and a mom to their 10 month old daughter Grace.

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Think of Twisted Pickle as your built-in brain trust—consulting, coaching, and championing your pickleball business every step of the way.

Twisted Pickle is the secret sauce behind Regional Developers leveling up their turf. You’ve got facilities to open and sub-franchisees to find—our local Marketing and Operations game is built to make you look like a legend while doing it.

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Brittany Bell is the co-founder and CEO of Gametime Hero, a platform built by AR, an ex-Googler, that helps communities connect through recreational sports like pickleball. With a background in leadership, operations, and innovation, she’s building tools that make it easier for people to organize, play, and belong. One of her power users once told her, “I'm not selling pickleball - I'm selling community,” and that’s exactly what drives her work.

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Cameron is the CEO of Pickleball Insurance Program (PIP) and Western Bowling Proprietors Insurance (WBPI) and is the largest insurer of pickleball clubs and bowling centers in the nation.  Cameron is an Air Force Academy grad, former Air Force Captain, and 3rd generation small businessman who started his first enterprise at the age of 9.  He has become a leading expert on insurance and risk management in the bowling and pickleball facility spaces.

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Carl Schmits serves as Chief Technology Officer for USA Pickleball, the sport's national governing body. Responsibilities include equipment Standards & Facilities Development for USA Pickleball, the sport's national governing body. Regarding facilities, USAP launched an effort to better support municipalities and private entities with the design, development, and operation of pickleball facilities meeting USAP's objectives for playability, safety, and long term sustainability.  Carl’s training was in industrial and systems engineering with Battelle Memorial Institute, with careers in professional racquet sports (including field product development), and executive-level roles within information and communications technology, medical device development, robotics and renewable energy.

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Carrie Bartlow has been a member of the Chicken N Pickle team since 2021, following three years of marketing consulting work with the company. She currently serves as Sr. Director of Communications and oversees the design, social media, public relations and brand marketing teams within the company. Her work with Chicken N Pickle began when the company had one location and one marketing team member. Her team of 8 now leads marketing efforts for the company’s 13 locations.

Prior to joining CNP, Carrie spent nearly two decades in consumer insight research, marketing project management, event coordination and media relations for local, national and international clients at Kemper & Company, Barkley and Signal Theory.

Carrie is a member of the William Jewell College Board of Governors, a PTSA membership officer and an occasional unified golfer with the Special Olympics. She and her husband, Nick, are active members in the Liberty community and can often be found shuttling their three young children to the pool, the park, the pickleball court and sports practices daily.

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I started playing pickleball in 2018 and have been coaching pickleball for four years. I'm a coach at camps and retreats for Empowher Pickleball. I own my own company here in Kansas City called Parnell Pickleball, through which I offer private lessons and group classes locally.

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The Challenge Is Mastering Your Mental Attitude and Mindset on the Court. It’s how you think and how you react on the court. And that is what the challenge is: Mastering your thoughts and playing in the present moment, Playing in the Zone. "Once you know, that what you THINK about expands, you start getting real careful about, what you THINK about." Quote from Wayne Dyer

So, The Challenge Is Mastering Your Mental Attitude and how you control how you think on the court. Playing In The Zone is where you are so focused that nothing outside distract you. You are focused on only one thing, The Ball. Coach Freddie has been Coaching business owners and entrepreneurs about Mental Attitude and Mindset for over 30 years, and now Coaching Pickleball Athletes.

Denise has over 10 years of experience as a Regional Manager in the restaurant and weight loss industry, about 10 years of experience as a Regional Trainer, and over 15 years of experience as a top-selling sales rep for Lifetouch School Photography. As COO, she oversees day-to-day business operations, develops strategies to improve management practices, and identifies areas of improvement to streamline operations.

I am the founder of Courts N’ Ports, a pickleball events company that is powered by my 11‑time award‑winning travel agency, Valente Adventures by Dream Vacations, which I’ve proudly owned since 2018. Together with my husband and business partner, David, along with our business partner, Chad Roberts, we recently launched Courts N’ Ports as a dedicated division of our company solely focused on pickleball cruises and travel. We curate unforgettable pickleball‑themed river and ocean cruises, combining world‑class travel experiences with exclusive play and tournaments both onboard and in stunning ports of call. We also proudly partner with pickleball clubs, associations, brands, players, and coaches to design custom trips for their members, customers, fans, and followers. Beyond my passion for travel and curating authentic and unique experiences, I’ve been happily married to David for 16 years, and that partnership fuels the joy and connection behind every journey we design.

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I'm the owner/founder of one of the largest indoor pickleball clubs in the entire country at Club Pickleball USA. We have 27 indoor courts, spread across nearly 80,000 square feet of climate controlled space. The player experience is our first priority as we bring a convenient, competitive and community experience to the 2 largest counties in Utah. If you're looking for a social, healthy and connected experience, get to Club Pickleball USA in Sandy or Orem, UT.

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Joy Macci is a Global Pickleball Pioneer, Performance Coach, Ambassador & Speaker who’s coached world champions like Serena & Venus Williams—and now brings her JOYPOWER to the Pickleball world! From courtside commentary to cutting-edge Joy of Pickleball coaching, Dr. Joy also is igniting minds, muscles, and momentum with transformational “Joy of Quantum Sports” method - Train the Brain ✧ Master the Game. Catch her at PickleCon 2025 inspiring players, pros, and pioneers to unlock their full potential—on and off the court!

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Elena Saris is the founder of the Recreational Pickleball Players Association (RPPA), the social heart of pickleball that serves as a virtual “Town Square,” connecting players and connecting communities.

While most pickleball apps focus on rankings, tournaments, and helping schedule games - and do that well - RPPA picks up where they leave off. Recognizing that the majority of pickleball's 36 million players don't compete in tournaments but play for pure joy and connection, she created a platform that addresses a critical need for meaningful social connections extending beyond the court.

RPPA is built to support and connect grassroots communities, giving recreational players a place to belong, tournament players a place to come home to, and vendors a place to find their audience. The recently launched mobile app fosters an environment where competition meets friendship and business owners become neighbors rather than just vendors, celebrating the relationships and friendships that make pickleball special.

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Gabriel George is a retired Navy Corpsman, who discovered his passion for sports and healing after participating in a Summer Sports Clinic that introducing him to adaptive sports. Archery and Pickleball resonated with him the most. Fast forward almost a decade, Gabriel has become a prominent figure in adaptive sports. Apart from excelling in competitions, he imparts his knowledge to others through coaching. With expertise in Para archery, sailing, golf, seated volleyball, and notably, Pickleball, Gabriel is a certified instructor and the Director of Pickleball at Military Adaptive Court Sports (MACS). His fervent dedication lies in sharing the sport that reignited his passion and vitality.

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Gary Zins is founder of Pickleball Travel®, a travel agency for pickleball players.  Vacations are better with pickleball, and Gary has experienced and played in dozens of pickleball destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, and with his knowledge and connections adds this dimension to his clients’ trips.  Clients may choose to go it alone, as a group, with no coaching, with some coaching, or with a top pro coach.  As a passionate player on vacations or in tournaments, Gary enjoys competition, playing in tournaments abroad and in the U.S.  He is a PPR certified coach as well, hosting clinics in the U.S. and teaching newcomers to the game when traveling abroad.  As of May 2025, he travels full-time to pickleball destinations.

Gwyneth is a travel writer, anthropologist and certified pickleball nut! She is the CEO of her own business WanderinGwyneth Adventures, which focuses on cultural and pickleball tours in more exotic locations (Egypt, Morocco, and coming soon – Turkey and India). Having lived in the region, she's excited to share her two loves with people– travel and pickleball!

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Heidi is the founder and CEO of Play-PKL. She founded the company in 2021 when she first learned to play but couldn't find any relatable brands, educational content or sport-specific apparel besides goofy graphic.t-shirts that said “I’m the big dill” with a giant pickle image. So she leveraged her career-long experience in marketing and innovation to create a brand that offered engaging, educational content about the sport and stylish but functional apparel and accessories. Today, Play-PKL offers a full line of men’s and women’s apparel and accessories developed specifically for the sport with technical features like set back ball pockets and design elements like paddle-shaped zipper pulls and prints. Originally available online only, Play-PKL is now available through dozens of retail partners across six states and growing.

As a Preferred Architect for the USA Pickleball Association, Jim is a leading advocate for the strategic growth of pickleball through the thoughtful planning, design, and construction of high-quality facilities.  He partners with communities, municipalities, and private organizations to develop venues that are functional, forward-thinking, and built to last.  He wholeheartedly believes that, "if you build it they will come, if you build it right, they will come back."

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Jorge Guerrero is the co-founder of Playkout, the first-ever pickleball simulator built for both skill development and entertainment. He is a serial entrepreneur and tech operator who previously pioneered the first online corporate wellness platform in Latin America as well as a financial market data information provider in the early 2000s.  

He holds a graduate degree from Harvard University, and is now focused on scaling Playkout’s Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) platform — delivering immersive, brandable pickleball activations to family entertainment centers, pro clubs, and consumer brands across the U.S.

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Kaitlin Miller blends her background as a Division 1 athlete, journalist, and business leader to help grow and connect pickleball communities nationwide. A former All-State tennis player and UCLA rower, Kaitlin spent eight years in broadcast journalism, covering country music’s biggest stars on red carpets as well as major professional sporting and historical events. She later transitioned into the pickleball world, where she now serves as Head of Business Development for Court Kings, a national court installation and surfacing company. Court Kings not only builds courts for franchises, facilities, and communities, but also creates social media-driven video content that highlights what makes each location unique and drives local engagement. Kaitlin is a 5.0 player, Level 2 IPTPA-certified coach, and the host of Kitchen Talk: Pickleball Edition, a podcast spotlighting the people and stories behind the sport. She’s also a freelance commentator and reporter, working with Pickleball Channel at the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships and calling matches at the DUPR Collegiate Championships. Additionally, Kaitlin emcees and hosts major pickleball events nationwide, bringing energy and professionalism to the sport’s biggest stages. Passionate about youth development, Kaitlin volunteers with Pickleball Kids USA and the Tennessee Junior Pickleball Association, helping to bring pickleball to after-school programs and PE classes across Tennessee and beyond. She is also a strong advocate for female athletes and leaders in the sport. Kaitlin is committed to growing the sport in many different capacities and working with others to lead the charge. Feel free to connect with Kaitlin by emailing her at kaitlin@courtkings.co or on Instagram at @kaitlin_millerr. Learn more about Kaitlin during her interview with Alec Martone on the Fail First Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnS1Q9Ov6BU

• Pickleball Director at Clayview - Genesis Health Clubs leading all aspects of the program - Adults, Juniors, Leagues, Tournaments, and Special Events
• Level 2 Certified Pickleball Professional with the Professional Pickleball Registry
• PPR Youth Program Certified
• Safe Play Certified 
• Sponsored by Six Zero, RIA eyewear, Kitch apparel
• USAP Nationals and US Open Medalist
• MS Education - Curriculum and Development - University of Kansas
• E-RYT-200 Yoga Instructor 

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With 12 years of experience playing pickleball and 8 years of experience in professional software development, Kurtis founded his company Pickleball Manager in 2013 to fill a gap in the pickleball world, excellent and affordable tournament software! Kurtis has seen pickleball grow since his first professional tournament in 2014, but he always felt like the software available to assist players and tournament directors was lagging behind. As the designer and lead developer of the Pickleball Manager software, he aims to bring professional software design and fully customizable tournaments and leagues together in one easy to use mobile and desktop application.

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Linda Vilaikeo is the Co-Founder, President and CMO of Pickletini, a bold, high-performance pickleball apparel brand for Men and Women defining what athletichic looks like—from courts to cocktails, course to clubhouse, from first serve to first sip.

A fashion industry veteran with over 30 years leading merchandising, planning, strategy, and product development for brands like Gap, bebe, and New York & Company, Linda’s influence spans billions in retail sales and some of the most iconic moments in modern women’s fashion.

In 2019, she worked directly with Serena Williams on her S by Serena fashion brand, where she held creative and strategic ownership of the brand and Serena’s successful New York Fashion Week runway debut—a groundbreaking show that fused empowerment, inclusivity, and unapologetic style. That experience became the inspiration for Pickletini: an opportunity to bring runway inspired designs, vibrant colors and prints, and confidence to a new playing field.

Since launching Pickletini, Linda has taken the brand nationwide—sponsoring fashion shows at the National Pickleball Expo, landing a national collaboration with American Eagle, showing at the PGA Fashion Show, and securing features on Good Morning Las Vegas. Pickletini is now available online and select stores for Americana Eagle, select country clubs, fashion boutiques, and pro shops across the U.S., with several new collaborations, a growing direct-to-consumer platform and new partnerships with brands developing private label businesses.

Linda’s mission? To make fashion on the court as expressive, inclusive, and elevated as it is off the runway—backed by a strong supply chain, continued community-driven grassroots tour, and the belief that players should feel fearless, playful yet powerful in every look.

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Luke Wade, an Army veteran and serial entrepreneur, founded an extremely popular adult sports and events club, KC Crew, which has attracted over 130,000 participants in 13 years in Kansas City alone. Luke has now expanded in the Midwest under Crew Social Club.

Luke now helps facilities in the US and Canada through his company, Facility Ally, a turnkey business support designed for sports and entertainment facilities, offering everything you need to launch and manage your venue seamlessly.

Luke has worked with brands such as Chicken N Pickle and has over 2,000 annual pickleball players in leagues and tournaments.

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After 30 years in Media and Marketing Strategy, I fell deeply in love with pickleball. Unable to resist its gravitational pull, I launched one of the fastest-growing community clubs in the country in January, 2020. The launch of the Cincinnati Pickleball Club became my foray into the business side of pickleball.I am now the cofounder of The Pickle Lodge, one of the largest dedicated indoor pickleball facilities in the country. With over 1,600 members, The Lodge is quickly becoming one of the best places to play in the Midwest.Dedicated to the power of the Personal Brand, I also love mentoring those who seek a clearer way to express their passions as the path to career growth. Convinced that everyone has a story to tell, I coax stories out of people and guide them in communicating them as simple narratives that inspire action.

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Dr. Taniyev, Recreation Sciences and Sport Management Assistant Professor at East Carolina University, serves as the Director of Community Outreach for the Sport and Community Development Lab. His research interests revolve around consumer behavior and athlete marketing with a particular emphasis on senior populations, providing a deeper understanding of how various elements of brand image influence fan engagement and ensure athletes' permanence in the market and long-term financial stability. Dr. Taniyev also has extensive cross-industry experience in revenue marketing, with a particular focus on brand management, strategic partnerships, and analytics. Following his time playing collegiate tennis, ITF future, and USTA events, he has developed a passion for pickleball and how it brings communities together.

Dr. Olu Owoeye (PT, MS, PhD) is a sports physical therapist, injury epidemiologist and an implementation scientist. He is an associate professor at the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training at Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States where he directs the Translational Injury Prevention Lab. Dr. Owoeye is a deputy editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine and has over 55 peer-reviewed publications in top scientific journals. His research focuses on sports and exercise injury prevention, musculoskeletal health and knowledge translation towards enhancing the safety and wellbeing of athletes and active individuals worldwide. His research work has been supported by several competitive research grants, including grants from the NBA, International Olympic Committee, Canadian MSK Research Network, and a sub-award from the National Institutes of Health.

Learn about Dr. Owoeye's Pickleball Injury Prevention Study here

Rob Harrison- Founder of Brand Caddy

The Brand Caddy to Business Pros.

Rob is a brand strategist, designer, and founder of Brand Caddy, a branding consultancy in Kansas City.

“Culture = Currency”

As the "Brand Caddy to Business Pros", Rob works alongside clients on aligning the internal beliefs and actions of the company with how the brand looks and sounds to their customers. Playing to their real strengths provides clarity, customer trust, and a thriving culture.

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Paddle Lab designs and manufactures high-quality pickleball paddles tailored for corporate branding, product activations, and meaningful employee or client gifting. As the fastest-growing sport in America, pickleball is quickly becoming the "new golf" for corporate events—and Paddle Lab is here to help your brand lead the way.

We’ve partnered with numerous Fortune 500 companies, top-tier pickleball clubs, lifestyle clothing brands, and high-profile celebrities to create custom paddles that make a lasting impact. Whether you're hosting an event, rewarding a team, or launching a product, Paddle Lab brings unmatched quality and brand alignment to the court.

Founded by Scott Smith—who brings over 25 years of consumer brand expertise from companies like Duracell and Nintendo, along with deep roots in the pickleball community—Paddle Lab combines strategic brand insight with a passion for the game.

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Stacy Warner, Dr. Leroy Walker Distinguished Professor at East Carolina University and founding director of the Sport & Community Development Lab, is a global expert in sport and community building. Her research is published in top journals, and she authored Building Community Via Sport: A Better Together Society. Before academia, she held roles with the U.S. Olympic Committee, NCAA headquarters, NCAA D I, II, and III athletic departments, campus recreation, Upward Sports, and major events like the Super Bowl and Special Olympics World Games. Her work bridges theory and practice, leading to 22 funded collaborations with sport industry partners over the past decade.

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Think of Twisted Pickle as your built-in brain trust—consulting, coaching, and championing your pickleball business every step of the way.

Twisted Pickle is the secret sauce behind Regional Developers leveling up their turf. You’ve got facilities to open and sub-franchisees to find—our local Marketing and Operations game is built to make you look like a legend while doing it.

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3X National Pickleball Champion and the first adaptive athlete to achieve a Triple Crown at a National Championship, Taylor Nichols, wheelchair Football Super Bowl Champion also serves as the Adaptive Pickleball Coordinator at Chicken N Pickle. Passionate about helping others find and become the best versions of themselves, they are committed to proving that pickleball is the most inclusive sport by creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities to learn, play, and enjoy the game.

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In 2019, Timber Tucker walked past a pickleball court and was immediately hooked. By 2024, he had sold his business and dove headfirst into the emerging world of college pickleball. He currently serves as the General Manager of the Indiana University Pickleball Team. Timber also serves as the College Relationship Manager for Six Zero Pickleball.

Timber lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife Kristine, son Cooper, and a menagerie of pets. He used to have hobbies like golf and poker, but who has time when you're busy building college pickleball dynasties?

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My vision for the Beautiful Lives Project is to allow individuals of all disabilities and ages, through programs and special events,to successfully achieve their goals and live out their lifelong dreams. Inclusion is not a dream but a movement, and we are proud to be a part of it.

Vanessa has spent her 31-year career in international real-estate development, marketing and design.  She has always been an athlete, from ballet at Juilliard to marathons in the Alps. Vanessa’s commitment to family, love of travel, keen sense of opportunity and obsession with pickleball culminates with 365Dink.

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Will is an Air Force veteran with 40 years of management experience. After his service, he built a successful career at Domino’s Pizza, eventually becoming a franchisee. Since 2000, he’s held IT and logistics management roles, and for the past 14 years, he’s worked in non-profits, helping people with disabilities find meaningful employment.

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