2026 Medical Fitness Summit - Northeast
Hosted by the Jennersville YMCA of Greater Brandywine in West Grove, PA
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
at
1:00 PM (EDT)
to Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 4:00 PM (EDT)
YMCA of Greater Brandywine-Jennersville Branch
880 Old Baltimore Pike West Grove, PA 19390-9116 United States
Category: Conferences
Calling all fitness professionals in the northeast! Don't miss this great opportunity for education & networking at the 2026 Medical Fitness Summit-Northeast on Wednesday, May 20th and Thursday, May 21st at the YMCA of Greater Brandywine-Jennersville Branch in West Grove, PA, the first MFA Certified YMCA in the country! This two-day event will include great educational sessions, roundtables, expert panels, a social event, and tons of networking!
Early Bird pricing available until April 20 - Register today and save 25%!
Questions: contact Mariann Murphy at mariann.murphy@medicalfitness.org.
Registration Options
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Registration Options
|
Price |
|---|---|
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Non-Members - Early Bird
Registration Ends 4/20/26 at 11:55 PM EDT
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$99.00 |
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Non-Members - Regular Rate
Registration Opens 4/19/26 at 5:00 AM EDT
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$119.00 |
Agenda
| May 20 | |
| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM |
Keynote: TBD
Keynote Speaker: Veronica Lopez, Vice President of Health Strategies at the YMCA of Greater Brandywine |
| 2:45 PM - 3:35 PM |
Beyond the Blood Panel: Why Movement Health is the Next Essential Longevity Biomarker
In this session, Dr. Marty Miller, Chief Movement Officer at Kinotek, challenges the industry to view movement not just as "exercise," but as a primary biomarker for aging. Dr. Miller will explore the shift from subjective, time-consuming physical assessments to objective, AI-driven data. Speaker: Dr. Marty Miller, Chief Movement Officer at Kinotek |
| 2:45 PM - 3:35 PM |
The AI Cure: Why Your Medical Fitness Needs These Tools
AI is the future and its transforming healthcare! In this presentation we will move beyond "general fitness apps" to focus on the clinical utility of AI in exercise industry. You'll learn how data-driven insights can lead to enhanced personalization, form and safety analysis, and scaling medical fitness. Speaker: Aesha Tahir, Clinical Exercise Physiologist at the Princeton Longevity Center & Tone and Strengthen Wellness |
| 3:50 PM - 4:50 PM |
Roundtables
Bring your ideas, questions, or challenges to these sessions and be ready to share your advice and successes too! Topics: Medical Emergency Response Planning AI in Medical Fitness Resistance Training Exercise Oncology Stress Response Exercise & Mental Health |
| May 21 | |
| 8:45 AM - 9:45 AM |
Keynote: Advancing Health Care Using Exercise is Medicine® and Community-based Lifestyle Intervention Programs as Standard Practice
This presentation highlights initiatives in Health promotion, Research, and Community Engagement. It also provides information about our planned 2026 Exercise is Medicine Initiative that seeks to improve health and health outcomes in underserved communities to advance health equity, chronic disease care, and community cohesion. Speaker: Dr. Tina Kelly-Brown, CEO/Founder of Divine Fitness & Health Services |
| 9:55 AM - 10:45 AM |
Exercise as Medicine In Oncology: A Medically Integrated Approach
This presentation will highlight the role of structured, evidence-based exercise as a core component of comprehensive cancer care. Overall, the session positions exercise as a scalable, medically supervised intervention that complements standard oncology treatment, improves patient-centered outcomes, and supports value-based cancer care delivery. Speaker: Joshua Shade, Fitness Manager at Valley Health Wellness and Fitness |
| 9:55 AM - 10:45 AM |
Regulated to Perform: The Six Stress Patterns Impacting Clinical and Fitness Outcomes
In high-performing medical fitness environments, technical expertise alone is not enough. This session introduces a practical, neuroscience-informed framework to help medical fitness professionals understand how stress patterns influence patient care, team dynamics, and leadership effectiveness. Speaker: Dr. Ali Novitsky, CEO of The FIT Collective |
| 10:55 AM - 11:55 AM |
Roundtables
This is your opportunity to tap into the experience of other industry professionals on these hot topics. Medical Emergency Response Planning AI in Medical Fitness Resistance Training Exercise Oncology Stress Response Exercise & Mental Health |
| 12:55 PM - 1:45 PM |
Move Your Mind: How Exercise Rewires Mental Health (and Why It Works Better Than We Think)
This presentation will explain: the biological mechanisms behind exercise and mood improvement (dopamine, serotonin, BDNF, cortisol, inflammation); how to use exercise as a practical emotional regulation tool in high-stress moments; and identify the most effective exercise “doses” for anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout. Speaker: Dr. Mark Novitsky, CEO of Balanced Behavioral Health/ Novitsky Boutique Mind Doctors |
| 12:55 PM - 1:45 PM |
Using Walking Poles to Foster Resiliency in Older Adults
Growing evidence supports the priority of high-intensity exercise to improve function and quality of life for aging adults and those with chronic or degenerative diseases. Nordic walking poles can help safely increase exercise intensity for individuals across a wide continuum of physical abilities and care settings. Speaker: Lisa Limper, Marketing & Sales Associate at Urban Poling, Inc. |
| 1:55 PM - 2:45 PM |
Scaling Medical Fitness Through Digital Programming
As medical fitness centers face increasing demand for chronic disease management, GLP-1 support, and long-term behavior change, scalable and measurable programming models are essential. This session explores how digital training platforms can serve as a clinical extension tool within medical fitness facilities. Speakers: Bo Pearson, Director of Customer Relations at Volt Athletics and Scott Bergen, Wellness Operations Manager at Power Wellness. |
| 1:55 PM - 2:45 PM |
The Need for Common Language to Promote Physical Activity Across Populations
This session will explore how terminology shapes policy, practice, and interdisciplinary communication. By establishing shared language, professionals can strengthen participant-centered practices and advance collective impact in promoting lifelong physical activity and sport engagement. Speaker: Dr. Rick Howard, Associate Professor at West Chester University |