Join Jeff, Christine, and our new CEO Derek Gehl for a special discussion on why friendship is the most important practice for boosting your wellbeing and longevity. They’ll share some of MEA’s most surprising discoveries about how friendship impacts our lives and help you start to think of friendship less as something that “just happens” and more as a practice that you can work on for the rest of your life – for a better life.
During our discussion we will explore…
Plus we will be releasing Jeff’s new publication on Friending, which you will be able to download for free.
MEA co-founder and poetic Chief Education Officer Jeff Hamaoui is a gentle and empathic facilitator, business innovation veteran, and community builder who’s taught sustainability courses at Wharton, Berkeley, and Stanford.
Christine Sperber is a former World Cup snowboarder and serial entrepreneur and innovator who has launched and grown award-winning hotels, businesses, and industry-evolving ideas in the sports and hospitality worlds and beyond. The word her workshop participants use most often to describe her is “badass” in recognition of her irrepressible energy and ability to make shit happen.
When Christine moved from being an athlete to the business side of snowboarding in her early 20s, she pretended she was 33 years old because it made it easier to find credibility, especially on the resort side where she often had to work with “crusty old ski coots.” Then one day she finally turned her fake age and has happily welcomed every birthday since then.
Throughout her career, Christine has managed pro athletes and world-class snowboard camps, pioneered game-changing hospitality concepts, introduced the first machine-groomed half pipes on glacial snow when no one else thought it could be done, and created sporting event series that are still happening decades later. On top of all that, she has worn the hats of writer, restaurateur, multimillion dollar sales rep, and more.
As one of MEA’s founders, Christine co-created the company and was critical in transforming the concept of a Modern Elder Academy into reality. Christine is a devoted team builder whose authenticity, values-based leadership skills, and empathetic engagement create community wherever she focuses her attention. She is a passionate activist and steward of the land and is dedicated to creating transformative experiences that change people’s lives. She makes everything she gets involved in more fun, more meaningful, and more human.
“As we age, it’s important to continue to play games we aren’t sure we can win.”
– Christine Sperber
Derek Gehl is a serial e-commerce entrepreneur, speaker, and author. After spending the first decade of his professional career growing one of world’s first Internet marketing companies to over $30 million in sales, he decided that leading a company of 100 employees in offices in two countries wasn’t for him – so he sold the company to a private equity group and refocused his life on the things he loved most: spending time with his family, pursuing his passions, and building and growing online businesses. In 2024, after doing some consulting for MEA, Derek had his own transformational experience at a Navigating Transitions workshop, which inspired him to join the company as Chief Marketing and Technology Officer and then take on the role as CEO, spearheading our mission to reimagine midlife and build a global pro-aging community that inspires people to thrive in the second half of life.
Join us for an immersive live conversation with Pico Iyer, bestselling author and one of our most trusted voices on finding peace in turbulent times.
Kari Cardinale and Pico will explore how to transform life’s inevitable chaos into unshakeable inner calm. Pico’s decades of study with spiritual masters like the Dalai Lama and immersion in cultures across 80+ countries has revealed timeless practices for staying centered when everything around us feels uncertain.
In this live chat, learn how to:
This is about becoming so grounded in yourself that external storms can’t shake your inner foundation.
What if success isn’t about doing more but finally feeling enough?
Blake Mycoskie – entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, and founder of TOMS – joins us for an unfiltered conversation about what happens when chasing achievement stops working.
After building a $600M brand and giving away millions of shoes, Blake hit a wall that success couldn’t fix. What followed was a personal reckoning and a complete rewrite of what it means to live a meaningful life.
In this candid live session with MEA CEO Derek Gehl, Blake shares the hard-won lessons behind his shift from relentless striving to grounded self-worth. You’ll hear how he helps other high performers step off the hamster wheel and reconnect with who they are beyond the résumé.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, Is this it?, this conversation is for you.
What if the parts of you that feel “too much” or “not enough” are actually the truest signals of who you are?
Join author, horse whisperer, and founder of the EQUUS Experience®, Kelly Wendorf, for a live, warm conversation with MEA’s Derek Gehl on reclaiming the voice you muted, the instincts you second-guessed, and the self you edited to fit in.
This is a callback to the wilderness within – a space where ancient earth wisdom meets modern neuroscience, and the animals still know something we’ve forgotten: how to live in full alignment with our nature.
Here’s some of what might rise to the surface:
Come if you’re ready to shed the scripts and step back into the wild wisdom of your true self.
Join us for an intimate talk with Ben Katt, meditation teacher, former minister, and author of The Way Home: Discovering the Hero’s Journey to Wholeness in Midlife, as we explore how ancient wisdom traditions can guide us through the challenging transitions of midlife and beyond.
Hosted by MEA’s Kari Cardinale, this session offers a unique opportunity to learn from Ben, whose compassionate approach has helped countless individuals transform their lives and discover deeper joy, purpose, and meaning.
In this live chat, you can learn how to:
This is more than just a discussion – it’s an invitation to embark on your own Hero’s Journey toward wholeness and fulfillment.
What if purpose isn’t something you chase but something you live, one moment at a time?
World-renowned purpose pioneer Richard Leider joins MEA’s Kari Cardinale for an inspiring conversation about how to move from asking “What’s next?” to “What really matters?”
Drawing from decades of coaching, research, and his own lived experience, Richard shares how everyday choices — what he calls “little p” purpose — can lead to big shifts in how we live, age, and connect. You’ll hear why purpose is essential not just for meaning, but for well-being and longevity, and how to begin reconnecting with it now, no matter your stage of life.
If you’re standing at a crossroads and craving clarity, this conversation is your invitation to start living on purpose.