Friendship as a Practice: For Your Wellbeing and Longevity

Jeff is a co-founder of MEA and helped shape much of the philosophy, teaching style, and curriculum that defines our world-class programming. A teacher, writer, and community builder, Jeff is one of MEA’s most beloved facilitators.

He began his career as a sustainability geek in the 1990s, spending decades as an investor, grant maker, and innovation consultant working with governments and Fortune 500 companies, including NASA, Nike, IKEA, Walmart, and BP. He has also taught sustainability courses at Wharton, Berkeley, and Stanford, and has run a variety of accelerator and incubation programs in the past and have helped raise a lot of capital for social entrepreneurs. He has been volunteering as a venture coach and mentor for beVisioneers since 2025.

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 entrepreneur, speaker, and author whose journey has been shaped by a passion for empowering entrepreneurs and transforming lives. After building one of the world’s first Internet marketing companies, the birth of his first son in 2008 sparked a pivotal realization: he wanted to create a life that balanced family, business, and personal fulfillment. This led him to sell his company and refocus on building businesses that supported his vision of being present for his children while pursuing his entrepreneurial passions.

As he entered his forties, his path evolved naturally toward helping people in midlife pursue their entrepreneurial dreams while simultaneously venturing into the health and longevity space, where from 2017 to 2024, he built numerous successful natural health supplement brands. Yet despite his success, Derek missed the direct human connection that had characterized his earlier work with entrepreneurs worldwide.

At 47, Derek and his wife of 20 years were planning their next chapter together as they prepared to launch their youngest of two sons when MEA unexpectedly entered their lives. Initially skeptical of the concept of a “midlife wisdom school” – having seen behind too many curtains in the personal development industry – his experience at MEA’s Navigating Transitions workshop transformed his perspective entirely. There, he discovered something authentically different: a community of intelligent, caring individuals, each charting their unique paths through midlife’s transitions.

That unexpected journey from skeptic to believer led Derek to join MEA as the CEO. Today, he leads MEA’s mission to reimagine midlife and build a vibrant global pro-aging community. His unique background in entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and wellness, combined with his personal understanding of midlife transition, positions him perfectly to help expand MEA’s impact while preserving the magic that makes it unique.