The American Council on Exercise (ACE) announced the appointment of Kerri O’Brien, a tenured business leader in the health and fitness industry, as the executive vice president of product and business development. In her role, O’Brien will lead the strategy, design and development of certification materials, professional education, online education methodologies and eLearning platforms, to drive the nonprofit’s strategic growth and mission to eradicate the obesity epidemic by 2035.
“We are thrilled to have Kerri join the ACE team and bring her leadership and wealth of experience in the health and fitness industry to the organization,” said ACE President and CEO Scott Goudeseune. “She will play a central role in the development of new and disruptive product strategies to continue positioning ACE as an industry leader in educating and certifying health and fitness professionals, while driving market expansion, innovation and efforts to prevent and treat obesity and other chronic illnesses.”
Prior to joining ACE, O’Brien spent more than four years at the Valley of the Sun YMCA in Phoenix, Arizona, most recently as the executive vice president and chief operating officer, where she stood at the helm of all operations including healthy living programs, membership and corporate wellness.
With more than 27 years in the health and fitness industry, O’Brien has held various positions utilizing her leadership and sales strategy development expertise for both profit and non-for profit organizations. O’Brien serves as the subject matter expert for Arizona’s police organizations and as the state chair for Healthy Communities with AZForward. Outside of her professional life, O’Brien is an accomplished power lifter and strength coach.
O’Brien completed her undergraduate studies at Arizona State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and nutrition. She also received her master’s degree in business administration with a thesis concentration in healthcare reform, and a doctoral degree from Argosy University, focusing on motivational behavioral change.
“I am impressed with the talented team at ACE and share their passion for helping people live their most fit lives,” said O’Brien. “With my diverse background in the industry, from non-profit YMCAs to my efforts with traditional health and fitness clubs, I bring a unique perspective to my role. I look forward to providing strategic guidance to the product roadmap and researching best practices in education and certification to produce a variety of products and services for industry professionals to enrich their careers and empower others to take on their personal health.”
