Friendship as a Practice: For Your Wellbeing and Longevity

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 chief architect of the experiential aspects of our workshops and programs. She 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.